I'm from Leeds originally but I found great inspiration in the countryside when I studied 'Crafts' at Carmarthen college in West Wales. I lived in Laugharne for many years, raising my two small children, sketching and drawing in the fields and woodland and gathering my ideas. When my children became of school age we moved back up North settling in Hebden Bridge.
I joined Northlight Studio, then situated at the top of an old textile mill with wide views across the valley and I found the support and inspiration to introduce my work to the wider world. I made a range of paper cut greetings cards which made it to Libertys, Harrods, Paperchase and many beautiful craft galleries across the country. Whilst holding my paper cuts up to the light to enjoy the silhouettes, the idea of making lamps seemed the next exciting step.
The Arts Council supported the idea with a Research and Development grant and months were spent cutting, sticking, thinking and sketching until the first Hannah Nunn lamp was born! I launched my collection at the British Craft Trade Fair in 2003 and my lamps were taken up by many lovely craft galleries, some of which still stock my work all these years later.
Being inspired and enthralled by other artists working with light is what led me to open my shop Radiance. For years I had my workshop in the back of the shop and being surrounded by beautiful hand made lighting by over 50 designer/makers made for an inspiring place to work, but after bursting at the seams both business needed to spread their wings so I moved into a new studio and expanded the shop into the space that I left behind. The new studio gave me the space to expand and I created my range of wallpapers, fabrics and window films which we happily send around the world.
Whilst exhibiting at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair my passion for craft lighting was spotted by Alison Stace, an editor for Bloomsbury, who asked me if I'd like to write a book about it. As I love telling stories and championing all these amazing creative people, writing Illuminate was the perfect job for me!