Harry’s Sports Bar is the place locals go to tune into the latest sports events while indulging in a delicious menu and cold beverages. Their iconic sports memorabilia and custom-made artworks by Art-Work Agency Visual Designer, Emma Van Zaane, create an atmosphere that invites curiosity and conversation.
As a skilled illustrator, artist and stylist, Emma was very excited to collaborate with Harry’s to elevate their interior styling and create branded placemaking initiative totally unique to the client.
Emma has been a key part of our team for over 2 years and has developed a highly innovative approach to design projects. She has a deep understanding of what translates visually and conceptually across both two and three dimensional mediums.
Passionate about creativity from a very young age, Emma has taught illustration as a volunteer art teacher and worked alongside Art-Work Agency Creative Director Claudio, supporting several community-focused creative projects and public art activations for City of Gold Coast, Study Gold Coast, Loki, Hyperdome and Robina Town Centre. She hopes to inspire other young people to pursue creative careers.
We asked Emma for some insight into her concept development and creative process. Read her interview below!
Q. In a space totally committed to honouring sport and sports culture, how do custom artworks add to a brand experience?
A. A visual compelling establishment will draw in a crowd no matter who it was originally intended for. I’m not a sports lover myself but I can appreciate good art and love a good tongue in cheek statement. The fact that Harry’s sports bar is an open space readily accessible from the street and the main restaurant, you want a space that invites observation and opens up a conversation.
Q. How did the persona and story of Harry's Sports Bar inspire you?
A. I like that they were inviting their patrons to contribute to the collection of memorabilia. Having space where your clients have a slice of the glory is a brilliant way of creating a great local culture.
Q. Can you share a little about the creative process behind these one-off sculptures? How did you work with the Harry's team to deliver a result the client’s dream?
A. The brief was to make sculptures with food and sports elements. Not too serious, not at all basic. Right up my alley. We needed to bring a down-to-earth, tongue-in-cheek aesthetic to these sculptures. My main thought was to design elements together that demanded a head turn.
Q. What materials were used?
A. It all started with a few hours of driving around to Op shops to find the sportswear and any interesting items that inspired me. Plastic bananas are hard to find!
I had to let the objects speak to me when it came to placement. Using an all-white palette accented with black, peach and blue; hot glueing and screwing it all down. It was a fantastically liberating experience artistically for me and I want to do more.
Q. When designing outcomes for interior styling and placemaking, what's one thing you keep front of mind?
A. We have a duty, as commercial artists in these instances, where you have to create with your client and their clients in mind. I had to give it humour that wasn’t offensive, enough believability to pass for a trophy and to keep within the food and sports zone.
Q. How does your creative approach change when manipulating your ideas as physical artworks as opposed to digital?
A. There is no greater achievement than working with your hands. It’s completely different having a final product in your hands than one staring back at you through pixels. I have a sense of satisfaction completing all my work but there will always be higher gratitude for a final physical item.
