Thornton Heath’s pop up gallery proved so popular that appreciative  punters ran away with the art!

Local architect Mark Warren who curated the  open air  gallery as part of the CR7 Square project contacted local artists and photographers who came up with an array of different images reflecting local life.

The framed designs were attached to the front of the former Flora Sandes pub on Ambassador House (pictured)  as part of a mural design but at least eight images have already been nicked!

From this picture you can see how many of the frames are missing art work. 

Mark said: “It’s a real shame. Hopefully we will be able reprint and reframe.”

He explained the idea behind the gallery: “It’s a playful way to display local artists and show that artists live in every corner of the city, and can be accessed on your doorstep. It creates a platform for local artists as well as highlights  how creative CR7 is! During the day of putting up the gallery I met an oil painter, a florist and artist, a musician and the list goes on! 

With government cuts to creative subjects as they put emphasise on core academic subjects through progress 8, where will our future musicians, actors and artists come from? 

“For me, school played a vital role in my passion for art, but with lack of funding and less emphasise put on these subjects, children from state schools will be hit that hardest. It is important that all people have as much access to the arts as possible.

‘Made in CR7’ is a small step to bridging this gap. It lets people know that there is a pattern designer, typographer, illustrators, architects, photographers and more that all that live locally. 

“The gallery may spark a conversation about the work, it may teach someone what a typographer is and it may just inspire one kid to become one of those professions. If it does any of those things, in my mind the gallery has been a success!”

MEET THE ARTISTS:

Curator Mark Warren and artist with the op.x collective. mark.jason.warren@gmail.com

Photographer Harkaran Gill Instagram – @hark1karan  

Textile designer Samantha Warren www.samanthawarren.co.uk 

Illustrator Mark Ward, mark@markwardstudio.com

Artist PINS: Instagram: @pins_artist

Writer Yamar Dion: Instagram: @yamar91

Photographer Justin Walker: Instagram: @justinfotography

Graphic designer Tom Foley: Instagram: @make_work