Coffeesmiths - Article

Coffeesmiths are working on a new website at the moment - do check them out. Anna Ridley wrote an article about our show with a short discussion about the distinction between art and craft.

The Great Outdoors Postcard

Heygate Ladies. Drop me a line if you want a print of this to colour in.

The Great Outdoors - Embroideries

1. Heygate Ladies

2. Coldharbour Lane

3. Wendy

These are the three embroideries I created for 'The Great Outdoors' exhibition. I took walks and bus journeys around where I was living in Camberwell, photographing people and then making drawings of them. I wanted to capture quiet moments of ‘The Great Outdoors’ in an urban environment. There’s a lot going on, people going to East Street market, waiting for the 185 to Victoria, trying to avoid male harassment in the street or bumping into an old friend. I documented the hustle and bustle of Walworth Road, the area around Camberwell Green and Coldharbour Lane on my walk home to Southwell Road. I have created three embroideries, one from each of these journeys.

The Great Outdoors - Pictures

Here are a few pictures of my work installed at Nest Gallery's 'The Great Outdoors' exhibition at the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs on Leather Lane which closed this weekend.

Limner # 2

Limner Logo by Florence Shaw

Left page: Dan Shapiro, Right page: me

Rose Blake

Nick White

Thursday night was the launch of Limner #2 at Beach Gallery London. The publication was put together by Peter Willis and Alice Lindsay of Studio Operative.

I've got my illustration of 'Coldharbour Lane' from The Great Outdoors of South London series published alongside an illustration by the talented Dan Shapiro.

The issue contains 168 pages of wonderful illustration and writing from some very talented people including some awesome work from Rose Blake and words on procrastination from Nick White.

You can buy this treasury of joy Limner #2 directly from their shop here, where you can add Limner #1 to your shopping cart too.

smdlr interivew

Coffeetographer Chérmelle D. Edwards of smdlr contacted me for an interview on 'The Great Outdoors'. You can read the interview here.

Reena Makwana - Shop

I've opened a shop where you can buy Penguin Christmas Cards and Heygate Ladies Tote Bags. I will be selling some small embroideries on there at some point too and a few other products as they are developed.

Heygate Ladies Tote Bag

These digitally printed 100% cotton bags of 'Heygate Ladies' arrived at my house about twenty minutes ago. I'll be selling these at the Nest Gallery Christmas Fair at the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs for £10. Currently a limited edition of 25.

South London Tripstitch

A little look at my work installed at the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs . You'll have to go to have a proper look - beautiful work from Alison Mure, Amber James of BAM, Anna Lincoln, Chloe Bonfield, Rhea Evers and Rosie Walder too. Each embroidery is displayed in a custom made frame with UVAR glass made by Lou and Simon at Peckham Pictures - peckhampictures@gmail.com.

Look on at the Nest Gallery site for interviews from the artists - I'll be uploading pictures from the private view shortly.

The Great Outdoors Interview

See a glimpse of my work for 'The Great Outdoors' and an interview here. We're installing the exhibition tonight and Wednesday - it's finally happening. Join us on Thursday night for a celebratory drink and take home a pack of 'The Great Outdoors' postcards.

The Great Outdoors - opens next week

It's almost here - 'The Great Outdoors' exhibition opens at the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs on Thursday 8th November 2012 at 6.30pm and features work from Alison Mure, Amber James, Anna Lincoln, Chloe Bonfield, Rhea Evers, Rosie Walder and myself. The blog has been updated with news on the exhibition and interviews with the artists, have a look here. Information on The Coffeesmiths Collective website too.

The Great Outdoors Postcard Set

They have arrived today all printed and ready for 'The Great Outdoors' exhibition opening on Thursday 8th November 2012 at the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs on Leather Lane. Anna's going to taking some professional pictures of these...but we don't want to give too much away until their unveiling on the 8th.

Getting ready for The Great Outdoors

I stitched the final stitch on my work for 'The Great Outdoors' Nest Gallery exhibition opening Thursday 1 November 2012 at the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs. Yesterday I dropped my work for framing at Peckham Pictures. It's time to start professionally framing my work!

South London Tripstitch

I've been working on a number of projects, one being the new Nest Gallery exhibition, opening in November at the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs in Clerkenwell. Anna Lincoln and I have been working with the Exhibition Curator of the space and five other Nest artists to put together 'The Great Outdoors'. Currently the work is in progress, we're going to print soon and things are gradually building momentum. My work is a series of three embroideries depicting South London, in particular three stops starting at the Heygate Estate and finishing at the Camberwell end of Coldharbour Lane, close to my house. Above is a preview of my 'Heygate Ladies' embroidery, the first of the 'tripstitch' (phrase coined by Anna).