Saturday 16th June: Lakwena at Seven Sisters

Lakwena's new installation in Seven Sisters "TOGETHER WE STAND", referencing the seven trees that the place has been named after.  Commissioned by @tottenhamnow_arts who you can see with Lakwena is these shots when I visited half way thru to capture the work in progress.  The colourful focal point at the junction is now finished and ready to provide a colourful seat for residents to rest their legs and congregate to socialise.  A new addition to the pockets of bright artworks revitalising our city.

Thursday 14th June: Secret 7” 2018

The Secret 7”  exhibition has taken on a new epic location this year on The Jetty at Greenwich Peninsula.  Murals hand-painted by Survival Techniques guide you along the river, underneath the Emirates Airline to discover this fun space on stilts out in the water.  Urban Growth have planted beds of greenery to surround the displays of the seven hundred record sleeve artworks. Seven tracks from seven musicians have been pressed one hundred times to 7” vinyl. Creatives from around the world have selected their favourite track to interpret in their own style from artists such as Jeremy Deller and Sir Anish Kapoor to submissions from the general public. These seven hundred unique sleeves are currently on display at the Jetty before going on sale on June 24th.  The auction functions on a first come, first served basis priced at £50 each. The idea is that collectors have to guess who has created each sleeve and which song it’s for.  The secret isn't revealed until you have secured your purchase and unlocked its identity.  With each year of this project gaining notoriety the queue is becoming a dedicated operation.  It's advised to get in line in good time to get your paws on your favourite wax which could be the work of anyone from Sir Paul Smith to Polly Morgan.  You'll also find my cosmic colourful offering nestling in the mix alongside other NOW Gallery artists including Morag Myerscough, Hattie Stewart and Yinka Ilori.  This year all proceeds are going to Mind Charity.

(photos include a montage of my favourite artworks including two I suspect are for Jimi Hendrix "Castles Mad Of Sand" - see the lego mini Jimi and castles made of sand-paper!)

See my archive posts here, here,  here, here

Thursday 14th June: Peckham Levels Open Studios - 3rd Rail Print Space

As part of the Peckham Levels Open Studios, resident screen-printing practise 3rd Rail were live fly-posting the exterior of the entrance with artist The Fandangoe Kid.  The paste-up prints were the outcome from a workshop previously held at the studio for women to dismantle stereotypes and share messages of emotional honesty.  There's another "Meet the Maker" workshop to screen print your own dating rules coming up on July 12th.  Head over to their website to see the full schedule of classes available from paper printing to fabric printing, t-shirt printing at all levels of ability and fashion illustration with Helen Bullock on June 27th.

(Images include Fandangoe Kid printed tote bags, screen for Galdem Magazine, gallery shop prints of Mr. Penfold & Hattie Stewart, prints by studio artist Tris Rees-Boughton, The Fandangoe Kid)

Wednesday 13th June: Peckham Levels Open Studios

2017 ended at Peckham Levels with the Worldwide Christmas Party at Ghost Notes and Vegan Meze from Nandine.  I haven't been able to stay away since.  I've ventured south of the river on numerous occasions for the different openings of each floor as the development has come together.  Another recent exceptional night was a one-off gig with the two-piece of Tony Allen and Amp Fiddler (and surprise guest appearance of Damon Albarn on the keys).

On Friday night all of the seven levels came together for one monumental open studios with the warrens of creative hubs propping their doors ajar for the general public to peek in.  Each business within the social enterprise dedicate allotted hours to open access by offering their services to the local community, so this was a chance to get know the residents.   I found music producers with mixing desks, photography dark rooms for developing film and exposing prints, jewellers, textile & fashion designers, ceramicists, embroiderers, 3D model makers and even a string instrument carpenter.  This was my personal favourite as he literally carves violins and cellos from blocks of wood!!!

Pictured here is also WAH! Nails hosting a pop-up salon within Cahoonas Hair Hub and the original architectural drawings for the award-winning spectrum stairwell by AO Architecture.  I've also included a photo of local artist Katrina Adams mural at nearby Copeland Park as her artwork is included in Flock boutique within Peckham Levels.  Head over to their online shop to see more! 

See archive posts here,  here  and here.