Edinburgh in August is a crazy time. With so many comedians, performers and artists competing for attention, it can be nearly impossible to try and cut through the noise.

One artist whose work has succeeded in being a talking point, however, is Daniel Tysen. He’s a volunteer at our Nicolson Street shop, but outside of his time with us, he’s a very talented freelance illustrator. To celebrate Edinburgh during the Festival, Daniel was kind enough to create a one-off illustration work, painted directly on to the shop front window. And it’s certainly caught the attention – and praise – of customers and passers by.

Daniel said:

“It was deathly hot working in the window in summer, like a little greenhouse. But I had some fun interacting with people going by on the street.”

The illustration is part of a larger window display, which the whole shop team helped pull together and decorate, and highlights the shop’s ‘August launch’ – which includes a range of antique and unusual clothes, accessories and bric-a-brac the shop has been safeguarding throughout the year and is now on sale for the first time.

Items up for grabs include: a vintage pink skirt, Edwardian under-clothes, a wide range of gloves (all displayed proudly in the window), a wedding dress and two wedding veils, tartan shoes, dance shoes, coats for any season (and Edinburgh tends to get them all in August!), hats, wigs, and costume jewellery. In fact, the collection is perfect for any touring performers in town who may need costumes or props at short notice!

(Check out the full gallery on our Flickr account – or better yet, pop round to the Nicolson Street branch to see it in person!)

It’s also not the first time Daniel has created work for the shop display. A piece that he created in 2012, shortly after he graduated from Edinburgh College of Art, led on to a commissioned work for the Eric Liddell Centre, a charity and support centre in Morningside. The finished work – an 8 metre glass wall – still adorns their dementia space.

Check out the pictures in our Flickr gallery of Daniel’s work – or better yet, pop round to the Nicolson Street branch to see it in person!

You can find more of Daniel’s work – and get in touch – at dtysen.tumblr.com.

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