Together Andy Christian and Bill Dodd make a formidable duo with a wealth of experience perfectly balanced to offer sound advice to creative artists.
It is impossible for me to write impartially about Andy Christian, we have been friends for twenty years. He was always my first port of call for advice whenever I was unsure of the direction or quality of my work. I have seen him work tirelessly enabling artists to stretch their ability. He is a man with an unerring eye for talent and great judgment who likes to say yes. He is no pushover but a man I would trust with my life. In a crisis there is no one better. He is stylish, kind and intuitive and, like Bill, has a dry wit. What more could you ask? I asked him to edit my first book; it would not have got done without him.
Bill Dodd is a very unusual man. His natural wit and altruism are not at all what one might expect to find in a chartered accountant. He is a multitalented individual with a towering capacity to put people at ease and see straight to the heart of the matter. Artists lucky enough to stumble across him will find their business affairs effortlessly transformed for the better.
HEATHER JANSCH - Client and artist.
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A friend once asked me, if I could choose my musketeers in life, who would they be. People who would stand beside me through life's twists and turns and would walk the extra mile without question. Bill Dodd is a passionate man. Passionate about life's journey, music, food, creativity and about people. It is this care and passion which embraces everyone who knows or works with him. This complex cocktail fuels his life's interests and gives him a unique perspective and focus which he applies to all his endeavors. He is the only accountant I have met with this passion and vision. I am honored to say that Bill is also my most trusted musketeer.
DAVID CEMMICK - Client and artist
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One of the great pleasures of working with Andy Christian is watching him bring two strands of his experience to play – his wealth of knowledge about the applied arts, and his business sense of what is needed to make a project work. Both reflective and pragmatic, he becomes a partner in the project, listening, absorbing and adapting to client needs with gentle good humour, but always able to bring a sharp business sense as to what is viable.
Having met Andy in his guise as director and creative genius of the Cider Press Centre at Dartington, and watched him mould a thriving inspirational experience from a collection of craft-orientated shops, we have worked together on two initiatives, the first a seminar in 2002 on the importance of manual skills to launch the ‘Making Sense’ project, which still lives on in a number of guises. Our second collaboration, which is still underway, and in some ways is part of ‘Making Sense’, is on a long-term regeneration programme in a market town in the North of England, ‘Barnard Castle Vision’. Here we are looking at creating and sustaining a number of craft and applied arts projects to contribute to a better future for a 21st century market town in difficult economic times.
Andy works as a friend. He gets to know the players, the stake-holders, the background characters, and the soul of the project. Then he delves into his enormous knowledge of the arts and the crafts, his networks of contacts, and his personal experience of running a great variety of projects himself, and comes up with workable solutions backed by enthusiastic supporters – because Andy doesn’t come alone, he finds and brings the people who can help you achieve your ambition for your work too. And when the project is up and running, you can be sure that Andy will remain a friend, always ready to offer wise advice or point you in the direction of a creative contact.
DEBORAH JENKINS MBE
Chair, Barnard Castle Vision
Chairman, South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
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Too often it is thought that creative people make poor entrepreneurs. Our education system does its best to ensure this is the case by separating art from the commercial disciplines. Andy Christian is able to see both as part of an integrated creative approach.
JOHN MAKEPEACE OBE -Designer and Furniture Maker
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As a practicing artist, I have known Bill and Andy for almost 30 years - Bill as my accountant, and Andy as fellow artist and lecturer at the then Cumbria College of Art. They were instrumental in the development of the Guild of Northern Craftsmen, later called Craft North, advising on business, financial and creative matters.
Bill was soon known as “everybody’s accountant”, as many of the artists in the North East and Cumbria were his clients. He has always been a great supporter of the arts and more importantly, the artists.
PADDY KILLER - Client and Artist
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Andy Christian's service is brilliant, person centred and affordable.
Making art and craft for a living has always been notoriously difficult. More than twenty years on, we needed to redefine and refocus our careers. We are developing a unique intimate collaborative relationship with Andy, where review and 'running' objective critical analysis is available. An Invaluable tool.
GUY MARTIN & ANYA QUICK - Clients and Artists
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Having selected, sold and bought craft over many,many years Andy Christian is the only person I am prepared to take business advice from! He has been there - worn the t-shirt-so to speak. He can see the big picture but also has a fantastic eye for detail and has helped me a great deal. Do you do life coaching as well Andy ?!!
HILARY HIGHET - Client and Designer
