creative spaces :: wimbledon art studios

For the latest in my series of creative spaces features, artist Fiona Brown very kindly invited me along to see her space at Wimbledon Art Studios
and suggested I time my visit to coincide with Open Studios weekend (12th – 15th May 2011) so I could also get a look those of her fellow artists.

Blue Studios, Wimbledon Art Studios

In 1993 six artists started renting spaces in a paper warehouse,

creative spaces :: ian lettice

This month’s creative space belongs to Ian Lettice. I met Ian through the Friends of Putney School of Art and Design, and discovered his wonderful studio during Wandsworth Artists’ Open House.

Ian Lettice's studio

He first noticed the building that is now his studio when helping out with the local scouts. Once a bomb shelter to the factory building that is now the scout hut,

out and about :: wandworth artists’ open house

Today was an unexpected delight in many ways. Firstly, the sun shone as if it was summer, which was wonderful after the last fortnight of gloom.

Wandsworth Artists' Open House

Secondly, we spent the day exploring the Putney Artists’ Trail as part of the second weekend of Wandsworth Artists’ Open House, which was a series of multifarious delights unfolding one after another. First stop was The Cottage on Cambalt Road

out and about :: the new decor

Last weekend I went to the Hayward Gallery to see two exhibitions, The New Decor and Ernesto Neto, both of which promised to challenge the conventions of interior design. 

There were two pieces at The New Decor that really stood out as examples of how an artist’s mindset applied to design can create something truly magical.

The first piece that I liked was Spencer Finch’s Night Sky (Over the Painted Desert, Arizona, January 11, 2004)

Spencer Finch's Night Sky (Photo: The List)

Firstly, it was a beautiful light installation that would be equally at home in a public or commercial space, or even a large home.

thinking about :: putney school of art and design

Very excitingly indeed, I have been accepted onto the Friends of Putney School of Art and Design committee. I will be helping them with attracting younger people to take part in their events and fundraising by putting in place a social media strategy, starting with a Facebook page, which is in progress as I write. In the meantime, here are is my second ever project created at the art school, my Godrevy vases; inspired by ‘Jamaica Inn country’, the North coast of Cornwall, where my Dad lives:

Godrevy vases

They play with the contradictory ideas of soft bends in a hard substance, and echo the colours and textures of the North Cornish coast. The art school has a very special place in my heart…