A couple of months ago I sounded out the idea of trying out a stall in Spitalfields with two of my friends. This Sunday the three of us woke early to carry boxes (and get our respective nice boyfriends to carry the heavy boxes) to Brick Lane, where we have opened up a print stall at the Sunday (Up)Market in the weeks coming up to Christmas. I really enjoyed showing drawings at the Town House this time last year, but this year was itching to try my hand at showing prints and drawings at a busy market. It’s a very different affair, reproducing images into limited edition prints that have to be priced much lower than original artworks, for what is very much a tourist and Christmas shopping market.
Let me introduce you to my fellow artists…
Helena Maratheftis a.k.a. Thefty, loves bright colours, rhinestones, glitter, robots and dinosaurs and many other things, which are combined in wacky paintings or collaged with photographs into humourous and eye-catching prints. You can see some of her work here.
Nhatt Nichols, a.k.a. NhattAttack, is a fellow Prince’s Drawing School graduate, with a flair for Graphic Novels, woodcuts and etching, who specialises in animals and rather gothic black and white prints, even using records as a surface for drypoint, you can find her work here.
I love these girls because they have come from all sorts of other interests to follow art, they have utterly different ideas and mediums, but a lot of energy and drive in pursuing their craft.We’re also all new to selling work and putting it out on such a busy and public place, so its exciting to be testing the water with fellow entrepreneurs.
Our first day was thrown together but we think it looked rather fab, sitting three very different styles next to each other really brings out our work, and it was great fun to be in good company throughout the day and people watch, see all the other crafts and vintage clothes on offer, as well as chat to visitors. I deliberately picked out London-themed work, and it was lovely to hear from tourists who recognised places in the capital that they’d discovered.
We have a range of Christmas cards, limited edition prints starting at only £8, fine art reproductions from only £15, etchings and one-off monoprints, right up to Helena’s colourful A2 posters. We even have ready-framed prints to save people the hassle amid their busy Christmas shopping. So do pay us a visit, say hello, and even better stock up on Christmas goodies. We’ll be running the stall at Up(Market) on Hanbury Street/Brick Lane, every Sunday up until Christmas, 11am-5pm, a stone’s throw from Spitalfields Market and Liverpool Street Station, follow this link for a map.
Setting up
Work by Nhatt, myself, Helena
Happy customers!
looks like really nice work! I wish I had been there, there’s one mouse that looks so cute I’d probably bought it ^^ … yeah I’d have bought it all if I could xP
thanks for posting!
Indeed that’s Nhatt’s Mouse and Mistletoe Christmas card! Its printed from a gorgeous drawing, you can find her work and cards for sale at Big Cartel!
So young, so talented
Looks like a good idea, Jo.
Good luck.
Will have to try and get up there.
April xx
Looks like a great deal of brilliant work…