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.

Spring comes to Skylark

There's the hint of spring in the air and with Mothers Day drawing near - it's this coming Sunday, 3 April - why not take a gentle stroll along by the river Thames and pay a visit to Skylark 1 at Gabriel's Wharf and Skylark 2 on the first floor of Oxo Tower Wharf? Paintings, prints, ceramics, sculptures, cards: what more do you need for the maternal figure in your life? Works on show are constantly changing, and there's always an artist in attendance to help you out. Where exactly are we? This is where we are. Shown here: landscape by Amanda Averillo in Skylark 1.

Last Fridays at Skylark: 25 March, 6-8pm

This Friday, 25 March, is another great evening of art, wine and conversation at Skylark Galleries as part of the second South London Art Map Last Friday event. The galleries will be staying open from 6pm-8pm.

Two Skylark artists will be talking about their work during evening:

At 7pm in Skylark 2 in the Oxo Tower Wharf, Ruty Benjamini will give a short talk about her new work Trail-scapes (shown right).

At 7.30pm in Skylark 1 at Gabriel's Wharf, Gill Hickman will be talking about her new collection "Micro to Macro".

You can pick up an indispensable South London Art Map at the gallery, or find out more at www.southlondonartmap.com.

South London Art Map launches this week

The South London Art Map, a user-friendly guide to galleries in South London, launches this week and Skylark Galleries are joining in. South London Art Map organises art tours and the late-night opening of galleries on the last Friday of each month. Visit the South London Art Map website for an itinerary of events, or pick up a printed map from art venues.

On Friday night, 25 February, Skylark will be one of the 90 galleries taking part in the first of these Last Friday events. The first 25 visitors to Skylark will receive a badge by Hew Locke commissioned by Tate Modern specially for this event.

The galleries will be open from 6pm to 8pm, so come and have a glass of wine and join us in the launch. Skylark 2's featured artist Gill Hickman will be giving a brief talk about her new series "Micro to Macro" on the evening.

You can find out more about the South London Art Map through its Facebook page and follow it at Twitter.

The South London Art Map is a one-stop resource for the visual arts in South London from Bankside to Greenwich

www.southlondonartmap.com

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"Love Is" pop-up exhibition

Fifteen artists, from Skylark Galleries and others, explode the theme of “Love Is…” creating an exciting, vibrant spectacle of paintings, sculpture and everything in between.

Presented by the London Pop Up Gallery, “Love Is…” is at Franny’s, 11-13 Frith Street, London W1D 4RB, in the heart of Soho.

It is open this weekend only, closing Sunday 6 February at 5pm.

This show will surprise you and inspire you, just in time for Valentines day!

The Lovers' Collection: Trinidad Ball at Skylark Gallery 2

Trinidad Ball is the latest featured artist at Skylark 2, where her work is on show from 31 January to 14 February 2011.

Born in Barcelona, of Catalan parents, Trinidad lived in Spain and Latin America before moving to England where she has lived for many years. Her formal training was at Central St Martin’s, London. The interaction of colour is the basis for her work. “I’m excited by bright, strong colour and the drama created by darkness and light,” she says. Inspired by the Spanish masters and moved by the colours of Van Gogh, Trinidad’s paintings display fine technique, and an assured, heightened sense of colour and form.

“For me each painting is a challenge and an adventure. Observation is the key, working with the composition and background, this compels me to paint. Through the use of thin layers of high pigment oil paint, my aim is to render a translucent and luminous painting that gives the viewer the illusion of high realism”. Trinidad is also a Marmite lover!

Trinidad will be in attendance all day on Sunday 13 February at Skylark 2 Gallery and will be available to meet visitors and talk about her work and that of her colleagues.

Above, Marmite for Lovers, oil on canvas, 60x60cm, £1200.
Right, Cherries Royale, oil on canvas, 40x50cm, £650.

Find out more about her work on her website: www.trinidadball.co.uk.