Adrian Westaway Co-founder & Director of Technology and Magic at Special Projects Adrian is an inventor, engineer and experience designer on a mission to make the human-technology interaction meaningful and delightful. As co-founder of Special Projects he harnesses technology, inclusive research and magic thinking to devise design propositions that feel familiar yet wondrous. A self-taught magician since the age of 11 and full member of the Magic Circle, he relentlessly pursues his conviction that “designers should use magic thinking and try to introduce surprise, delight and fuzzy feeling in the things they create.” After becoming the first ever James Dyson Fellow in 2007, and a Fellow of the Royal Commission of 1851, in 2010, for his work on interactive lighting systems, Adrian built a playground in Peru, had whisky with Derren Brown as a student in Bristol, and tried to make his teachers disappear. His contagious passion for magic and engineering made him a beloved tutor and lecturer in Design & Innovation at Queen Mary University and the Royal College of Art, in London and a visiting faculty member at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design. There he teaches ‘Magic and Design’, a nomadic workshop where students are introduced to methods of using design and technology to create enchanted products and experiences.

Joanne Hummel Newell (b 1982) studied at Kingston University London from 2001 - 2004 and at The Royal College of Art, London, from 2004 -2006. Joanne is Co Director of artist run organisation Foal Arts is currently represented by Folly and Muse Gallery, London/Munich and Newblood Art London. Recent selected exhibitions and short lists include WW Gallery collateral exhibition at the 53rd Venice Biennale, Jerwood Drawing Prize, RA Summer Exhibition, Royal Watercolour Society Contemporary Competition, Shoosmiths Art Prize, The Other Art Fair London and Art MUC Munich with Folly and muse Gallery. Press features include the UK Times and Observer Newspaper, Fresh Paint magazine selected by Andrew Salgado, After Nyne Magazine, women in art issue. Works are included in public and private collections in UK, USA, Hong Kong and Australia. Joanne has also received a number of Arts Council England Grants for the Arts Awards for temporary installations and projects.

Director of Stories + Pictures

Filmmaker and Photographer

I'm a freelance Designer & Illustrator based in East London. I bring a bold and impactful approach into each project, no matter how big or small the job is. My work is very varied, from branding, editorial, retail design, typographic work and also illustration. I have over 11 years design experience working in London. I'm also a member of Puck Collective & a part-time design teacher. If you have a project, want to collaborate, or want to just say hello please get in touch. Let's get together and make things happen.