Crystal Palace Artists Open House 2020 - Various Artists

Art and artists take centre stage over the next two weekends throughout the SE19 area. There's a wealth of talent locally, so it's great to have an annual platform to showcase it. I've been out to meet a few of those taking part, covering a wide range of artistic disciplines.

Zoe Pencils

Zoe is a graphic artist who finds inspiration in the "peculiar and the mundane", from abandoned shopping trolleys to food packing, along with a cast of characters, including her sadly departed Bedlington Terrier, Crispin. She is currently working on a graphic novel mystery, featuring Crispin and other characters.
Exhibiting at location 2.

Ben Willis

Furniture maker, Ben, crafts individual pieces from unseasoned native hardwoods, using traditional tools and techniques.

Location 23.

Nadine Bell

A ceramicist, inspired by nature, Nadine's incredibly delicate work explores the relationship between fragility and permanence, using porcelain. Inspired by the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi, which celebrates the beauty of imperfection.
Location 4.

Curtis Holder

"It all starts with a line". Fine artist, Curtis specialises in life drawing, but look closely and you'll see that in addition to traditional techniques, Curtis also draws by stitching.
Location 29

Liz Clamp

You'll know Liz from Smash Bang Wallop, but you may not have known about her artistic skills. Liz recreates the textures of nature in collagraphic printing, and textile design. On display will be a series of framed prints, and a range of cushions.
Location 29.

David Dipré

Portrait and figure studies. David works from his home studio, "an insulated bubble, where observations from the outside world can be brought and refined."
Location 8.

Laura Cronin / Bumble & Earwig

Laura creates a magical menagerie of needle felted miniature faux taxidermy. From little pieces which can be worn as brooches, to larger tableaux displayed under glass domes.
Location 30.

Colin Bell

Abstract art inspired by travel, photos, and film, using mainly collagraph and Lino-cut techniques.

Location 4.

Emma Walker

Emma is originally a textile artist with a long career in film and theatre costume. She then discovered a penchant for illustration, creating intricate portraits of interiors.

Location 2.

Dominic Marley

Commercial photographer Dominic usually shoots sports and fashion subjects, and his aim was to photograph animals in a similar way, hopefully raising questions about our relationship with animals. His prints are already on display at Reunion on Westow Street. The bar is open through both weekends.
Location 14.

James Balston

And finally, I'm delighted to be taking part too. As an interior and architectural photographer, I have produced a range of cushions, digitally printed with images of an architectural and sculptural theme.
Location 4.

Crystal Palace Artists Open House

Today at 50 Farquhar Road!

Anna Jacobs / Crystal Palace Artists' Open House

Every year in May, I try and get round to visiting some of the artists participating in the Dulwich Artist's Open House event. One year, I even took part myself. However, this year, Crystal Palace finally has its own Artists' Open House event, and all thanks to the drive and determination of Anna Jacobs. The extraordinary thing is that Anna only moved to Crystal Palace about 6 months ago, and in that time has managed to drum up enough interest and support to make it happen. It takes place this coming weekend, 27th/28th April, and the following one, 4th/5th May. The three main sponsors are: Do South, Just Giclee, and Martin & Co. In addition, Anna has had the support of an organising team, consisting of Beth Mander of The Paxton Centre, local artist, Marty Jessup, who designed the logo, Glen Keegan of Just Giclee, who designed the brochure and flyers, Liz Stovell, jeweller, who has looked after the admin side of things, and Peggy Yew, a photographer. The team have managed to assemble 83 artists, exhibiting in nearly 40 different venues.

Anna nearly didn't become an artist, as she explained to me, when I visited her at her home on Church Road recently. Although artistic as a child, she chose a degree in classics over art, followed by a masters degree in gender and social policy, while also being in a girl band called The Shrinking Violets. After her student days spent in Bristol, Anna came to London, and worked for social enterprise theatre companies, including a theatre of science for kids, called the Molecule Theatre Company, and a drama school for ex-offenders, called Clean Break. Organisational skills have clearly long been one of Anna's strengths. She set up a hugely successful Kosovo Golden Ribbon Appeal, in conjunction with the London Marathon during the 90s, and went on to do event organising for a large law firm, eventually setting up their in-house marketing department. Then, after a run of personal and financial bad luck, she found herself as a single mum, living back at her parents' home. This finally made her think about doing something artistic. She'd been painting for a while, and now based in Dulwich, she managed to get a solo exhibition at Jane Newbery's shop and gallery. The theme of her work, which remains so to this day, was birds, and Jane suggested she print them, and turn them into lampshades. She showed her first range of lampshades and cushions at Dulwich Artists' Open House, and sold out. In 2015, she showed at Top Drawer, the trade fair, in their new talent section, and as a result Heals started stocking her shades. Anna also designed the glass lamp bases, as she couldn't find suitable ones on the market. Last year she opened a pop-up in the lobby space between Habitat and Heals on Tottenham Court Road, which had formerly been a flower shop, but after 6 months of running it 7 days a week, she decided to close, as it was incompatible with being a mum of two. About the same time, she moved to the top flat at 197 Church Road, the big yellow house opposite the Queen's Hotel, which will of course be open over the next two weekends, showing not only lots of her own colourful work, but also Hannah Miller's, tiny paintings of huge buildings, Liz Stovell's jewellery, Tilt Shift Leatherworks, and Janette Garthwaite's glassware.

Anna's high ceilinged Victorian home makes a great backdrop for her work, which as well as  prints, lampshades and cushions, also includes, bedding and tea towels. It was huge fun to shoot, and I highly recommend you go a long and see for yourself. While you're there, do pop downstairs to artist, Drew Keen's flat. As well as exhibiting a lifetime's work, his flat itself  is a stunning work in progress.

Anna Jacobs wearing, and surrounded by, her art.

Anna Jacobs
197 Church Road

Coconut Trading

Last month, Perry Ukueku could scarcely have been further away from the Triangle. He was on a buying trip in Southeast Asia, sourcing decorative treasures for his long established shop, Coconut Trading. You may have noticed that the shop has also recently gone on a little trip itself, but not far, just to new premises which opened last year directly opposite the old shop on Church Road. He started trading there way back in 2000, long preceding most of the midcentury/vintage shops along the street, supplying a wide range of decorative items from Southeast Asia and Africa, whose timeless appeal has clearly endured.
Buddhas and beads, carvings and lighting, furnishings and fabric, there's a wealth of choice. It was on a similar far flung trip nearly 20 years ago that the idea for the shop first came about.
In a previous incarnation, Perry had trained as a psychotherapist. He was involved with a charity, managing a team of therapists, working with local authorities. As is typical of any career path, the more he was promoted, the less time he spent doing what he trained to do. Growing increasingly frustrated, he eventually packed it all in and went travelling around the world. En route he picked up so many items to take home, he ended up with a container load, and a plan to open a shop. On returning he knew that any shop would have to be close by. His previous job had involved a commute from West Norwood to Hampstead, which he was determined to avoid. In those days, Crystal Palace, which was one of Perry's preferred locations, had its own town centre manager, who let him know about the unit on Church Road which was to become his premises for the next 17 years. By his own admission, he went into retail quite naively, but he was clear that he wanted to source things directly, rather than buying from UK wholesalers, so as to ensure he wasn't just  stocking the same old things as every other shop. It also enables him to develop relationships with the artisans and cooperatives he buys from. As far as possible, items are made from natural, and sustainable materials. A certain amount of patience is required however, as it takes on average 3 months to get his shipment back to Crystal Palace.
Back on the Triangle, it is no surprise to discover that among Perry's favourite places to eat out, are restaurants drawing on the same parts of the world as his stock: Urban Orient, Yak & Yeti, and Thai Crystal. Although his biggest weakness is for the chocolates at Blowing Dandelion.
So if you fancy a trip to somewhere exotic, but can only fit in 20 minutes on a damp Thursday morning, pay a visit to No.68 Church Road, it feels a world away from SE19.

A little shrine resides in the corner behind the counter.

Downstairs you will find larger pieces of furniture and lighting, both traditional and contemporary, set around a magnificent bejewelled recline buddha.

68 Church Road

020 8771 0700