While Angela Bulloch, Antony Gormley and Anish Kapoor might not be household names in North and East Yorkshire, their prize-winning art could soon be in yours.

A Harrogate furnishings store, collaborating with the Tate Gallery, now stocks works by nine influential British artists in an attempt to bring contemporary art to the masses.

Nestled among the fabrics and soft furnishings at Homebase you can now find shower curtains from award-winning designer Permindar Kaur for £47.50, and garden trowels and forks by Tony Cragg, an exhibitor at the Millennium Dome, at £23.99 each.

The idea was the brainchild of Professor Colin Painter, a former principal at the Wimbledon School of Art.

He said: "The purpose of the project is to try to bring the work of contemporary artists into contact with - and to be part of - the lives of a wider public.

"The remarkable thing about this project is that it has brought artists together with householders to generate imaginative objects which people can live with and enjoy."

Putting art on the shop shelves drew a mixed reaction from shoppers at the chain's Foss Bank branch.

Carol Maudsley, 33, was there shopping for items for her new flat in South Bank.

She said: "They look quite fun, although paying nearly £45 for a garden trowel and fork is pushing it a bit - even if they are made by top artists."

Anton and Clare Neuman, who live in Bootham, welcomed the idea of bringing art to the people.

"I think it's a good idea that normal people can buy these things, rather than just seeing them in galleries or the glossy supplements of Sunday papers," said Anton.

Clare said: "They mostly seem quite functional and it's nice that they are putting a bit of thought into everyday household things."

The couple added that while they might have indulged had the items been on sale in York, they were not big enough art fans to make the trek to Harrogate to buy them.

A spokeswoman for Homebase said the company had no plans to introduce the range to its York stores.

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