Featured artist this month: Gill Hickman

Gill Hickman, textural artist and director of Skylark Galleries, is the featured artist in both Skylark spaces from 18 to 31 July in her exhibition Embossed and Embellished. Gill's uplifting work, which draws from layers and textures in the environment, is a celebration of life in all its forms.

In Skylark 1 she is showing a selection of her white canvas works including “All Things are Connected”, and in Skylark 2 the focus is on her embossed paper pieces including “Wobbly Inside” and “The Chinese Elements Series” (right, Fire, embossed collage of fine papers embellished with gold leaf).

You can meet Gill at the galleries at these times:

Skylark 2 on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 July from 2pm to 5pm (Open Weekend Event Collage Activity),

Skylark 1 on Tuesday 26 July from 11am to 7pm,

Skylark 2 on Sunday 31st July from 11am to 6pm.

On Friday 29 July both galleries will be open late from 6pm to 8pm. Join us for a drink while

you browse our latest collection. Gill will give a short talk in Skylark 2 at 7pm. This event is part of the SLAM LAST Fridays which happen across south London on the last Friday of each month.

www.southlondonartmap.com

www.skylarkgalleries.com

Open Weekend at Skylark 2

There's just one year to the opening of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, and to help mark the milestone this weekend Skylark Gallery 2 is hosting one of the 1,100 events taking place across the UK in the London 2012 Open Weekend.

On Saturday 23 July and Sunday 24 July from 3pm to 5pm Skylark artists will be on hand to help visitors to the gallery make collages that represent their hopes and dreams. A similar event last year was a huge success - so join us for a second year, or don't miss out again this year. We look forward to seeing you on the South Bank!

www.london2012.com/open-weekend

Coming soon: Skylark at the Affordable Art Fair

The Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park is coming soon, and Skylark Galleries are going to be there once more. More than 25,000 people come each year to the UK's leading showcase of contemporary art under £3,000. Running from 21-24 October, it is the perfect place to meet Skylark artists and find a great new piece of affordable work.

Skylark has special vouchers offering half price entry for up to two people. Like one? Email us at info@skylarkgallery.com, or come in to either of the Skylark galleries to pick one up.

More information about the Affordable Art Fair will be appearing here soon.

Dreambank images sent worldwide

During the Dreambank weekend in July, visitors to Skylark 2 were given the chance to create a mini work of art on a postcard that expressed their hopes and aspirations.

About 40 postcards were made with Skylark artists over the weekend, and these have just been sent on to their creators around the globe.








Most have been sent to inland UK, but others were sent to France, Romania, Bulgaria and the United States.






Here are some of the works made by visitors to the gallery.
















Greetings to those who took part!






The Dreambank weekend was such a success, the gallery has its own dream and aspiration: we are planning similar events in Skylark in the future. Keep an eye on this blog!

Coming soon: talks and demos at Skylark

During the Skylark Galleries group show at Oxo Tower Wharf, which runs from 29 July to 15 August (see previous posts), participating artists are taking part in a series of free talks and demonstrations at the gallery@oxo. There's need to book - just turn up on the day. This programme is being added to, so check back for more information.

See the previous post for details of workshops - you need to book these.

Fri 30 July 5pm and Sat 31 July 2pm
DEMO: Screenprints with Kelly Stewart – artist
Kelly, just arrived from Edinburgh, will demonstrate how she uses several acetates to create each of her unique prints
www.skellydesigns.com

Mon 2 August and Fri 6 Aug 2pm & 5pm
DEMO: What IS a Collograph? With Eileen Martin – artist
Eileen, one of the well-established Richmond Printmakers, will reveal some of the mysteries of how a collograph print is made

Thur 5 Aug and Sat 7 Aug 2pm & 5pm
TALK: Why I paint Happy Cells with Gill Hickman– artist
Gill (artist and director of Skylark) will explain how the first Happy Cells emerged in her paintings in 2006
www.gillhickman.com

Fri 13 Aug 2pm & 5pm
TALK: Tactile Ceramics
Ceramic artist Ruty Benjamini will talk about her inspirations and techniques and will encourage you to touch and hold some of her organic, tactile work that is on display www.rutybenjamini.com

Sat 14 Aug 2pm & 5pm
DEMO: Using Real Gold Leaf with Gill Hickman– artist
Gill (artist and director of Skylark) will demonstrate how she applies 23 carat gold leaf to the mitochondria in her Happy Cells paintings
www.gillhickman.com

Workshops by Skylark artists: book now!

Details of workshops, talks and demonstrations at Skylark's group show at the gallery@oxo on London's South Bank (see previous post) are just in.

Workshop spaces are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment at info@skylarkgalleries.com.

Fri 30 July and Tues 3 Aug, 10 – 11.30am
Collage Creations with Christine Moores - artist
Use mostly recycled materials to create your own artworks to take home and hang on your wall
Cost: £5/ £8 per person – all materials included
Age group: 5 – 95 years

Sat 31 July 11.15am – 12.00 midday
Doodles & Drawings with Sara Sherwood - artist
Sara will encourage you to play with pencils. Create hand-drawn greetings cards or bring your own sketch pad
Cost: £20/£25 per person
www.sarasherwood.com

Weds 4 Aug and Tues 10 Aug, 10 – 11.30am
Marvellous mosaics with Concetta Perot – mosaic artist
Concetta will demonstrate how to decorate a picture frame, a small tile or a stone paperweight using vibrantly coloured soft glass pieces 

Cost: £25/£30 per person – all materials included

Age group: 8 – 88 years
www.glitteringshards.com

Mon 9 Aug and Weds 11 Aug, 10am – 12 midday
Silk Painting with Gill Hickman - artist
Use gorgeous colours and soft natural silk to create one or maybe two A4 silk paintings to take home and hang on your wall or in your window. Bring your A4 design ideas
Cost: £25/£30 per person – all materials included
Age group: 8 – 87 years
www.gillhickman.com

Details of talks and demonstrations will appear here shortly.

Skylark Summer Sizzle, 29 July-15 August

About 30 Skylark Galleries artists and others are showing paintings and sculptures that reflect the sparkle of summer at the gallery@oxo, opening this month (29 July-15 August). Running alongside the show is a series of talks, demonstrations and family activities by gallery artists to keep gallery-goers entertained over the summer. Check back here soon for more information on these events.

The gallery@oxo is situated on the ground floor of Oxo Tower Wharf, overlooking the Thames, directly beneath Skylark 2. The gallery will be open from 11am to 6pm, seven days a week, for the duration of the show.

It's a great opportunity, too, to meet Skylark artists, who will be present at the exhibition every day, and find out more about their work. We look forward to seeing you!

Christmas Lights at Gabriel's Wharf

So what are art grads on about?

Image via WikipediaFancy seeing some brand new up and coming artists and finding out what new graduates are working on? The Coin Street Community Builders (who rent out the Gabriels Wharf and OXO Tower shops and studios) are hosting the Kingston University Art, Design & Architecture graduates in two spaces: the OXO Gallery and Bargehouse. As well as exhibiting fashion design, illustration, animation and screen design there will be discussions and events too.

Don't forget to stop in and say hello at Skylark too if you visit!

MA Graduation Show
the.gallery@oxo & Bargehouse
29 October - 2 November
11am-6pm every day, free admission
details at:
www.kingston.ac.uk/design and www.coinstreet.org