Ubercrafts

I went to visit galleries in Deptford on Saturday, it was as inspiring as Hackney but without the pretentious people. We started our mini tour at New Cross with an art map put together by the artists’ collective…not too accurate according to the locals, but good enough to avoid trouble. Trying to find The Old Police Station, we ended up discovering an outdoor cinema (covered in snow for now but handy to know) and a cafe inside an unused tube carriage. We didn’t stop for a coffee but I’m definitely going back for that!

After taking a few discrete pictures and trying to avoid looking too much like tourists, we got to Bearspace. Adapted from an old pub, this gallery is also a bookshop stocking good magazines and other hard-to-find-never-heard-of publications. The works on display were quirky enough, like this whale vertebra with a sequins hat…..but not really my cup of tea at £2400!

People were really nice though and offered us a glass of hot cider whilst directing us to our next stop. The Arch gallery, run by Paul Marks, was displaying photos of musicians like The Clash, Madonna, The Blur (proofs taken whilst working at the NME) by Peter Anderson, plus original paintings by Anthony Daley, Arnold Dobbs, Paul Marks, Laurence Noga and Victoria Scott. I especially liked this one:

Paul then told us to have a look at the Faircharm Studios Christmas Fair and open studios. I like nosing around studios as I love that ‘backstage’ feeling. Some of the work was really great, and my confidence was briefly but surely boosted by finding some stuff for sale that wasn’t too dissimilar from my own, inspiration followed quickly. Here’s my favourites, Henrietta Loades-Carter being at the top of the list:

Is Deptford going to be the next Hackney? Some locals complain that this has been said for too long but other art lovers think that the interesting stuff is surely moving SE. I better start looking for a studio then.