Tom Cox Gallery & Studio

 

I detect a couple of new trends emerging on the Triangle. Firstly, art galleries seem to be popping up, where once vintage and antique shops held sway. And secondly, a wave of pink is sweeping through the neighbourhood. Think of the new fascia at the as yet unopened Coopers, the interior of the Vaults Collective, featured here earlier this year, and the vibrant frontage of Veranda on Westow Street. The latest addition is the new gallery at No.38 Church Road, it's cheerful lobster pink shopfront proclaims itself proudly!

Tom Cox is a young artist, who is also adept at organising exhibitions. His degree in Fine Art and Advertising at Northampton University perhaps foretelling his career path. From cityscapes to mountainous landscapes, Tom has painted both near and far, while also setting up art shows under the Focus LDN name. He even organised one in São Paulo during a visit there in 2018. The emphasis of his work has shifted back and forth from the exhibitions to his own work, but when concentrating on one, he would miss the other, so his own gallery/studio was the ideal solution. Having been drawn to SE19 a few years ago by its buzz and creative spirit, his first search for premises ended in disappointment, when someone else beat him to the unit he had his eye on. In hindsight that was no bad thing, as No.38 is a perfect gallery space. The gallery opened earlier this spring with an exhibition of work by Tom and 7 other diverse artists who he has worked with in the past. And next up he is planning to invite local artists to submit work for an ambitious summer salon.

Stamp art by Gary Hogben

A circle has no end, by Simona Ruscheva

All 3 corners of the Triangle! (by Tom Cox)

A familiar view, just a few doors down (Tom Cox)

No Hopscotch by Laurence Causse-Parsley

The workshop downstairs where canvasses are stretched and primed.

Meanwhile on Tom's easel, is the Laila peak in Pakistan. His landscape subjects are either places he's been to, or aspires to visit. He's not been to Pakistan yet, but did tick off Everest base camp a few years ago, along with visits to peaks in Norway and Bolivia. Tom finds the isolation of the mountains an inspiring metaphor for the current pandemic, and a refuge from political realities. In contrast to his earlier cityscape work, he is also finding a new and liberating abstract expressionist style.

Tom Cox

On the subject of exhibitions, I'm delighted to be taking party in another show at Free the Gallery on Haynes Lane this weekend. Do pop in to see some varied work by local artists and makers.