Skylark 2 at the Oxo Tower Showcase weekend

Skylark 2 is joining in the Oxo Tower Showcase events this weekend with three artists giving demonstrations of the way they work — and there's the chance to win a work of art in a free lucky draw. The winner will be announced on Sunday at 6pm.

On Friday 18 September, from 11am-6pm, James Hobbs will be showing how he makes his work using a mixture of traditional and digital media (right). The gallery will be open until 8pm so people can meet Skylark artists over a glass of wine.


On Saturday 19 September, 11am-6pm, Gill Hickman (left) shows how she uses 24-carat gold leaf on her textured paintings.




And on Sunday, 11am-6pm, Eileen Martin, who creates collographs and oil paintings inspired by natural forms and movement (right), demonstrates how she makes her work.

The showcase weekend, which involves 26 design studios and shops in Oxo Tower, coincides with London Fashion Week, London Design Festival and London Open House.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The art of chocolate

Brighton-based artist Holly Caulfield doesn't just show her work in Skylark 1 — her hand-made organic chocolate is on sale in a growing number of discerning stores. As well as John Lewis Food Halls in Oxford Street and at Bluewater, it is on sale in shops in Brighton, Hove and Lewes, and will be available at Fenwicks, Bond Street, and Waitrose, Brighton, for Christmas. The five main flavours she has created are chilli and coconut, geranium, cranberry and cinnamon, cardamom, and rich milk.

Holly was inspired to create the range after watching the film Chocolat, starring Juliette Binoche, and she has, of course, designed the packaging (right).

Mouth watering? From midday on Friday 18 September Holly will be doing a tasting of the five flavours at the John Lewis Food Hall in Oxford Street.

For more details see www.chocoholly.com
or follow her on Twitter @chocoholly.

New to Skylark: Gregor Harvie

Gregor Harvie is the second new artist to join the Skylark 2 team, after Deana Lee (see below). He has a background in environmental design and architecture, and his experimental abstract paintings are informed by the works of Jackson Pollock, Terry Winters and David Reed.

"I am delighted to join Skylark 2 and hope it will be a long and fruitful relationship. I have been exhibiting in London since 2001 when I graduated from art college. I also have a PhD in environmental design and I am a qualified architect.

"My paintings explore our sense of ourselves and how we view ourselves in diverse and contradictory ways. At the moment, I am working on GENE MEME, an installation of paintings and prose about world population that will open next year. Please have a look at the project blog www.genememeart.blogspot.com where you can watch a trailer for the installation and vote on whether you think world population is a problem."

We welcome Gregor and Deana to the Skylark group of artists.

Pictured right, 97w, watercolour on paper

New to Skylark: Deana Lee

Two new artists join the Skylark 2 team this month: painter Gregor Harvie, who will be blogging shortly, and ceramicist Deana Lee (left). Deana was born in Hong Kong and left a career in marketing to devote herself to sculpting with ceramics. Here she introduces herself.

"I was thrilled when Skylark Galleries asked me to join their collective as it is wonderful to be a part of an enterprising group of artists that have come together to promote their work and run not just one but two galleries. Prior to becoming a ceramic artist I worked in consumer marketing and I am looking forward to using my skills to assist in all aspects of the team's marketing plan.

"Since I was young I have always enjoyed playing with clay, and the organic sculptures that I create have strong forms and several facets. I spend hours ensuring each piece is highly burnished as this results in extremely tactile forms — my pieces are meant to be touched. As far back as I can remember I have been drawn to the ancient method of smoke firing and how the smoke and flames paint designs on the ceramic canvas. I have taken these ancient processes and used them in a more contemporary way to create unique effects that have depth and fluidity.

"I hope that you will have as much pleasure viewing and feeling my artwork as I have making them. I look forward to meeting you all very soon."

Deana is showing at:
Art in Clay: 13th Southern Pottery & Ceramics Show
www.farnham.artinclay.co.uk
21 - 22 November 2009
Farnham Maltings, Bridge Square, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7QR

London 2012 Open Weekend at Skylark Galleries

They may still be three years away, but the countdown to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games continues with the Open Weekend event, from 24 to 26 July 2009, which combines art, dance, music, film and, of course, sport. About 700,000 people took part in about 650 events across the UK last year, and Skylark Galleries is joining in once again this year.

Three Skylark artists will be sharing their creative process through demonstrations and discussions in the Skylark 2 gallery in the Oxo Tower, overlooking the Thames, throughout the weekend from 11am to 6pm. So come along, and join in.

Friday 24 July: Eileen Martin
Saturday 25 July: Gill Hickman
Sunday 26 July: Kathleen Dutton

www.london2012.com/openweekend

Left, Gill Hickman, Blue Cells in Conversation.

Right, Kathy Dutton, Serene Energy.

Featured artist at Skylark 1 and 2: Gill Hickman

Gill Hickman is the featured artist in both Skylark 1 and 2 until Sunday 26 July.

In Skylark 2 Gill is showing "Blue Cells in Conversation", two large canvases in which the textured and embellished cells seem to communicate with each other across the void.

In Skylark 1 another large cell painting, "Happy Cells Just Chillin'", is displayed in the window along with embossed collage prints (Five Chinese Elements & Four Seasons Series, pictured) made by Gill in 2000 and 2001. Gill is now working on new editions of each which now include real gold and silver leaf. You can view the whole sets at www.gillhickman.com.


You can meet the artist on Saturday 18 July and Saturday 25 July at Skylark 2 from 11am to 6pm.

Skylark artists at Brockley Open Studios

Three Skylark artists are taking part in the 17th annual Brockley Open Studios, in "the art capital of south-east London", which runs from Saturday 4 July to Monday 6 July.

The area is rich with artists, partly due to the close proximity of Goldsmith's and Camberwell art schools, so there are lots of great studios within easy walking distance of each other. It's just a ten-minute train journey from London Bridge station.

Carol Edgar (1 Wickham Gardens, SE4) is showing collographs and monoprints (left, Tulips),





Ann Taylor (Flat A, 93 Manor Avenue, SE4) is showing paintings, including large works made for this year's Chelsea Flower Show (right),




and Gill Hickman (45 Sprules Road, SE4) is showing paintings, prints and photographs (left, All Tumble Down, embossed print).

For a full list of the 42 participating artists and further details, visit the Brockley Open Studios website.

Opening hours

Saturday 4 July 2pm-8pm

Sunday 5 July 2pm-8pm

Monday 6 July 5pm-8pm

Getting there

Buses:

Lewisham Way 21, 36, 136, 321

Brockley Cross 171, 172, 484

Adelaide Avenue 122, P4

Brockley Road 122, 171, 172

Trains:
New Cross, New Cross Gate, Brockley, St John's, Lewisham, Ladywell, Crofton Park

Docklands Light Railway:

Deptford Bridge, Lewisham