Exhibitions and Leytonstone car free day

After the inspired by William Morris exhibition, I have a painting in The annual Arts Club exhibition at the Changing room Gallery. It is a painting of an angel, the "Angel of Dusk Lunden "




After painting in acrylic for a while, I had forgotten how long oil paints take to dry! and my painting was still slightly tacky 5 days after I'd stopped painting. I am using the new water mixable oil paints from Winsor and Newton and I am pleased with them. There is very little smell to them, the texture is like traditional oils and It means I can paint in my flat with them now.

Last weekend was the Leytonstone car free day, I hadn't been for a couple of years, and the event had grown, there were a lot of stalls up and down the roads near the tube station, a french market ( where I had gone to look for a particular soap) and lots of childrens activities.

Inspired by William Morris Exhibition

I've been invigilating at the Inspired by William Morris exhibition at the Changing room Gallery this morning. It is a great little exhibition and seems to create a mood of uplift and inquiry.


My painting, entitled" Invoking the Spirit of Morris," is an attempt to invoke in the viewer something of the spirit of William Morris as they enter the woodland landscape woven with Morris patterns and designs. I was thinking as I painted the image how might the forest or woodland appear to William Morris? The painting also recalls other visionary painters such as William Blake and Samuel Palmer.



There is some great work in the gallery, from 19 different artists, including, painting, photography, printmaking, stained glass, installations and 3D work.Martin Adams, "River of Fire" brings the ideals and struggles of the Socialist League that Morris was part of into the present day, with his installation of Morris designed wallpaper hanging, old photo and leaflets for a troops out demonstration this weekend.


Ann Fuston and Linda Green showed evokative stained glass pieces,Alison Chaplin captures the essence of the bare trees in her painting, and with Jenny L'Estrange produced the decorative borders around the walls of the gallery. In the corner is a garden full of gnomes, arising and standing on the ground, they are adorned with William Morris inspired designs and bring a smile to peoples faces. Some visiting children have to be restrained from picking them up and taking them home. I think they have all found good homes now.



Great entertainment was provided at our Inspired event by Russ Chandler, the clip here. Roger Huddle, Theresa, and Kevin Sheils.

E17 Art Trail, Art Grows on Trees

Yesterday was the start of the E17 Art trail, we had a launch at Vestry House Museum on Friday night, which went well. Laura and Chris spoke of their enthusiasm and pleasure that the art trail has being going from strength to strength and the sense of giving that was part of the trail which inspired their title, "with love from Walthamstow"
It was good to meet fellow artists again and share in the anticipation of the trail. This year I am part of a number of group shows and activities. Yesterday was our first Art Grows on Trees event, where we hang small art works on the Lime trees near the bus station and town square in Walthamstow. These are free for people to take away with them and it was great to tell people they could have one of the pieces.

.Dean had brought some of his great fruit sculptures this year apples with a bite out of them, Michael had brought some amazing ice sculptures with vegetables that dripped red and orange colouring as they melted, and one that contained a string of beads and objects inside.


Some lovely salt dough shapes decorated and ready to hang on the trees were supplied by the artist's children, which made a great addition. Some images of abandoned umbrellas of Walthamstow by Kathryn Kirton were a topical addition and I put up digital prints of urban scenes and from some of my paintings.



We had someone from the BBC filming, good to know that the trail is getting known more widely.