Skylark Galleries open late this Friday

Both Skylark galleries will be open late on Friday 29 April as part of the South London Art Map Last Fridays events. Perhaps you've been in the city for a royal event and have time to linger along the river before heading home. The galleries will be open until 8pm, and gallery artists will be on hand to talk about their work, including Eileen Martin (right), Jane Skinner and Gill Hickman.

Deana Lee's smoke fired ceramics (pictured below) are featured in Skylark 2.

Skylark 1's Spring Collection is on show in the window of its Gabriel's Wharf space and a short walk away at Oxo Tower Wharf the Art in an Egg collection will be on view in Skylark 2 - they make the perfect artistic Easter gift.

Come and join us for a browse and a drink.

Find out about directions to Skylark Galleries here.

Farewell to Keith

Today is veteran Skylark Galleries artist Keith Gretton's last day manning the Gabriel's Wharf space after ten years of being part of the artist-run studios. Keith's ceramic works and paintings have become a fixture of the gallery's roster over the years and so it is with sadness that we wish him farewell and the best of luck for the future.

Keith is a former head of art at Borough Road College, and a co-founder of the Battersea Contemporary Art Fair. His work will be on display in Skylark 1 until this Saturday, 30 April, so it's not too late to purchase his work through the gallery. He will continue to exhibit independently at fairs and events throughout the year.

Art in an egg

Art in an egg! An Easter egg with a gift that lasts! From £35

This year Skylark Galleries are offering a selection of original works of art measuring 5 x 5cms that fit inside an Easter egg (some are chocolate some are not). Each unique work was created by a Skylark artist.

The idea was inspired by the "Smaller than a Lemon" exhibition.

After Easter, when all the chocolate has been eaten, your tiny artwork can be framed and enjoyed for years to come.

We're open over Easter and the bank holiday weekends, so pay us a visit.

Coming soon...

Skylark 1 and Skylark 2 will be open until 8pm on Friday 29 April as part of the South London Art Map Last Friday event. Check back here soon for more details on what's going on.

Right: Jane Skinner, Mrs Overall, in Skylark 1

Gill Hickman goes Above and Beyond

Gill Hickman's new show of paintings and prints, "Micro to Macro", which has opened at Toads Mouth Too Gallery, Brockley, London (until 30 April), has turned to worlds beyond ours for inspiration. Gill grew up stargazing through a suburban sky, marvelling at the first grainy images of earth seen from space, and in her teens listening to space-inspired songs such as those by fellow south-east Londoner David Bowie.

The new works range from solar paintings, which erupt with vibrant burnt oranges and blood reds, to the creation of earth, fire and water in her embossed and embellished collages. In the textured paintings, hugely magnified cells conversing in vivid blues with golden mitochondria continue the journey deep into the very essence of life. In her planet paintings we find ourselves “Above and Beyond” (pictured), gazing at the awesome beauty of the earth’s symbiotic relationship to the stars and planets.

“This is an exciting and energising departure for me,” says Gill. “Following a commission to paint the sun last year, I turned my gaze from human cells upwards and outwards and rediscovered the inspiring images of the solar system. It’s happening now, it’s amazing and we are on a fascinating scientific and artistic journey to discover more. It seems limitless.”

"Micro to Macro" is at Toads Mouth Too, Café – Gallery - Bar, 188 Brockley Road, London SE4 2RN until 30 April 2011. More about Gill Hickman here.