Mini Makers at MK Gallery - Gravity painting

Beautiful Octopus Club

Last weekend in worked for the fantastic London based arts charity Heart 'n' Soul at the Beautiful Octopus Club, hosted at the Royal Festival Hall. It is always an exciting and unique event, full of interactive activities and installations, as well as the main disco dance floor. My favourite thing about it is that even though it is a club night for people with learning disabilities, people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds come along, because it is on the southbank of London. This makes it such an inclusive event and a rare occassion when anyone can see and experience the great work that Heart 'n' Soul do. As usual I was helping in the Art Zone, which this time was planned and set-up by a very good artist and illustrator Ben Connors. He had a range of creative activities ready for anyone who wanted to join in; bracelet making, painting, badge-making and colouring, all inspired by the African / East London heritage of one of Heart 'n' Soul's regular attendees. I will look forward to the event again next summer.

Some inspiration from London and Bedford

Wherever I am, I always have my eyes open for interesting textures, architecture and street art - anything that can inspire me to create my own artwork. I am especially drawn to peeling paint, abandoned buildings and forgotten places. The old 'General Contractors' sign reminds me of times gone by and I like to imagine what it would have been like when it was a busy working business, same with the Lord Cecil pub. Inevitably with these sorts of places, they will soon enough be knocked down or renovated into modern builds, so I always feel it's important to catch them at this intermittent stage when they are nothing, but full of potential. The garfitti I captured just outside the Royal Festival Hall in London. It was so high up I wondered how the artist had managed it. I love the fact that it had clearly been commissioned as a piece of art, next to the Hayward gallery, so it was alongside contemporary 'gallery' or 'exhibiting' artists. It shows an acceptance of different types of art.