Peckham Print Studio: A small idea grown wholesomely

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” These wise words, attributed to the Dutch painter Van Gogh, apply just as well to what is going on at Peckham Print Studio. This small enterprise, tucked away behind the Sunday Painter Gallery just off Peckham Rye Station is punching way above its weight in terms of influence and ambition in the design printing space.

Founded by Nathan Bryant and Hugh Barrell in 2012, what started as a simple idea to provide a working space and artistic support to designers and printers is now a thriving inter-disciplinary community of creatives with the studio as its hub. At the time they were starting out, both Nathan and Hugh found that nobody else seemed to be doing the kind of thing they where looking for. So they set out to develop their own concept; a courageous step which has proven to be a viable business model.

Some of the work benches at Peckham Print Studio

The business currently focuses on five core streams of activity: open access studio membership, weekly public workshops, events, commercial work and an online shop showcasing the work of selected artists.

In the spirit of the two founders, the approach and the management of each of these streams is supportive, welcoming and decidedly un-snobbish. And yet there is a sense of productivity and purpose in everything they do.

Members are selected on the basis of their work ethic rather than the style or taste of their work. The limited spaces, open to about 15 members at a time, are allocated to those who are committed to making best use of the opportunity. It is a flexible arrangement in which members are welcome to stay for as long or as little as they need. To support and develop local talent, one of the memberships has been set aside for an annual residency programme which offers one candidate free, all-access studio membership and the opportunity to assist the resident printer for a six month period.

Pots of paint waiting to give a splash of colour to the next print

The weekly workshops are open to all and provide a uniquely intensive learning experience. They are led by a qualified working printer and only four people are accepted per workshop so that each participant can get proper hands-on practice and the full attention of the tutor.

To enhance the creative community experience, the duo have started offering annual field trips to local places of interest to encourage people to look to their local community and surroundings for artistic inspiration.

And then there is the commercial work and the online shop. These have grown from building up a strong network of partnerships and collaborations with corporate organisations, creative agencies, artists and designers. Peckham Print Studios currently fabricate one-off fine art pieces and limited edition screen prints for emerging designers like Tal Dori or Kyle Platts, or for more established artists like Oliver Osborne. Some of these eclectic productions are available for purchase via the online shop.

Some of the tools of the trade

When you visit their studio in South East London, it is surprising to see how so much can be achieved within such a limited space. But as Nathan was quick to emphasis, starting small was a definite advantage, as it forced them to come up with creative solutions to develop their vision. I suppose that is something every business can learn from:

Start small, follow your vision, grow wholesomely, and success, as they say, will follow.

A walk into Aladdin’s cave: Bellore Rashbel

Some of you might already know that Hatton Gardens is the diamond district of London. You’ll find countless gem shops and jewellery boutiques of all kinds vying for your attention and your money on that one tiny strip. But diamonds and pearls were not the reason for my visit.

Instead I was on the hunt for a store that has been recommended as one of the best places to find supplies for jewellery making: Bellore Rashbel. I was not disappointed.

More variety and service than you can imagine

The tiny shop front reveals a surprisingly spacious and organised interior. Looping strands of beads arranged according to colour are draped along one wall; on another wall are rolls of wire gleaming in silvery, coppery and golden tones.

The centre island houses drawers of cut stones and cabochons ready for setting. Scrolls and posts, locks, clasps, end caps, rings, and a sundry of other essential bits and pieces of the trade are neatly arranged in boxes and shelves and cabinets throughout the space.

From simple tools to professional machinery, you are spoilt for choice

Downstairs is the world of tools. Here you will find everything from simple hammers and mallets, pliers and tweezers to sophisticated setting tools, polishing equipment and ultrasonic machines.

Ordinarily, you would have to shop around in different stores to find all these items, but Bellore Rashbel has it all under one roof.

With so much to choose from, just be prepared to leave with a stash of swag and your mind buzzing with inspiration.

Life Lessons on Time with Priscilla Watkins

The 10,000 Hour Rule has apparently been debunked. However, this principle of practice makes perfect, which was popularised by Malcolm Gladwell in the 2011 bestseller Outliers, still fascinates me. And it is this life lesson which came to mind during my recent conversation with Brixton based artist Priscilla Watkins. Quoting Picasso who said, “It took me a lifetime to paint like a child,” Priscilla was keen to emphasise the importance of time, practice and perseverance in her approach to life and work.

Elizabeth Taylor’s violet blue eyes by Priscilla Watkins (sold)

Painting and drawing has always been a passion for Priscilla, but after the rigours of art school and immersing herself in a ten year career in magazine publishing, she felt had lost her touch. It took the birth of her first child to remind her of her true calling, and it was not to be found in an office.

Rather than spelling the death of creativity, having children awakened her muse and reminded her of what had led her to study art in the first place. She was drawn to capturing her life and environment in sketchbook diaries and on canvas. But it wasn’t until she was in her 30s and 40s that she felt she had something relevant to say.

Her signature style emerged during a chance experiment with a throwaway camera in the lido pool one summer. The play of shadows and contrasts beneath the water’s surface, the light embracing each figure like a web of white mohair, the shapes and movements of the swimmers evoking different moods and reflections; all these impressions triggered her fascination and have now become a recurring motif.

For Priscilla, painting is about communicating the life force, celebrating the joy of an innocent childhood when all the adventures of life are yet to be discovered. Based on photographs taken in the pool, her paintings do not depict a choreographed sequence, but instead capture a  piece of frozen time; the most moving shot in a series of random takes.

Over time, the light effects in her paintings have evolved from being quite mosaic-like to becoming more fluid and abstract and emotionally real. In her experience, the years of meticulous practice have not only been about perfecting her technical skills as a painter, but more importantly about unlearning old habits and inhibitions; consciously painting in an unconscious way.

Zoom by Priscilla Watkins (commissioned)

After our conversation, I couldn’t help thinking that these lessons could just as well be applied to other areas in life. You need time to find your vocation, time to develop your voice, time to perfect your skills and time to become yourself.

To see more of Priscilla’s art, check out her website or see her works on display at the Turning Point Group Show at the Brixton gallery Studio 73 until August 2, 2015. Look out for her solo show at the same gallery from 12 October 2015.

It’s all about the swim

I like swimming. Not the competitive, endurance training kind of swimming or the summer splashing in the pool with a million other people kind. No, my ideal swim is in a cool, calm and uncrowded environment. I like the quiet, thought-free motion of going back and forth along the same lane, cutting through the water without a single splash, hearing only the muted lapping of the water along the edges and the silky feel of it against my skin.

So it was inevitable that I would feature one of my fellow swimmers on these pages. Today it is Rachael Dickens an ex-SE Londoner who is now based in the seaside town of Herne Bay in Kent. She takes swimming much more seriously than I do. It all started in her childhood with her first swims in the River Swale during family boat trips. Then when she had kids of her own, she took them to swimming lessons and following the tips given by the instructor, she improved her technique and confidence and fell in love again. Swimming has now become a daily routine, come rain, shine, sun or wintry weather. It is her recreation, her exercise, her meditation and her muse. It has permeated her thoughts, her imagination and emerges in many forms and materials in her work as an artist.

Rachael doesn’t really consider herself an artist, but a maker. For her, “artist” sounds too pretentious. She prefers instead to follow her own path, working with ceramics to recreate the distinctive 1930s architecture of the lido; blending photographic prints with her paintings to create a collage of memories and media; creating sculptural snapshots of swimming scenes using vintage model figures and materials gathered from the beach.

While she was still living in London, the recurring theme was often the typical UK lido with its historic architecture, its blueness, and clearly defined boundaries. She would create wistful collages of memories and photographs, often of herself, surrounded by and immersed in the mesmerising blue of the water and a moody sky.

Today, the sea and the coastline set the tone: ceramic divers suspended in mid-motion, tiny swimmers floating in resin water with their flailing legs visible beneath the surface, shells and driftwood evoking the smells and the sounds of the beach. And now, large format abstract oil paintings inspired by the sea.

When we met, we shared a fantastic swim at high tide. The water was soft and warm and buoyant and salty and a deep, murky green. And I too became one of those swimmers in one of Rachael’s paintings, a tiny figure flailing in the endless expanse of sea and sky.

Like the summer, my search is getting warmer

It looks like I have found the first artisan who has agreed to be featured on my blog. I’m so excited!

Yes, it is someone I know, and yes, I have had to call in a favour, but isn’t that just how things work??

The person I have in mind is actually an ex-resident of SE London, so technically still fits my criteria to focus my initial posts on local talent. We are setting up dates and talking logistics right now and hopefully the results will be revealed very, very soon.

I won’t say too much more now, but the picture is a clue.