West Greenwich Library

West Greenwich Library is a grade 11 listed building designed by Sir A B Thomas in the early 20th Century. It has been greatly loved and valued by the local community over many years as a haven for learning and a quiet place to knuckle down and work or study. More recently exciting events take place there which are advertised by the library. You can find more information on their Facebook page plus a great (first attempt!) video of the Private View for the current exhibition https://m.facebook.com/West-Greenwich-Library-118580911529228/#_=_  . The Library is helped by the Friends of West Greenwich Library, you can find out more about them here;  http://www.greenwichlibrary.org/greenwich-library/friends-of-greenwich-library/ . Please help keep this valuable community resource going by joining up, it's very reasonable and they help support the following;

• Children’s Outreach: supports the Summer Reading and Reading Readiness programs and partners with the Head Start program to encourage development of early literacy reading skills
• Greenwich Library’s Book Van: provides weekly delivery and pick-up service to senior residences in Greenwich
• The Friends Friday Film series: for nearly 40 years has provided an eclectic mix of new releases, classics and foreign films
• Children’s Programs and Shows: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Grammy winners Brady Rymer and the Little Band that Could
• Concerts in our Cole Auditorium: distinguished Musicians from Marlboro and pianist Jeremy Denk
• The Flinn Gallery: offers a range of exhibits focused on contemporary artists.
• The Oral History Project: a collection of more than 800 interviews with people who have helped to make or witnessed Greenwich history.

Contact Anne Shafqat in the Friends Office (203) 622-7938, or email the Friends Office.

Scenes from Post-War London 1946 - 1960 exhibition

Some photos from the exhibition currently on at West Greenwich Library...

Photo courtesy of Irene Butcher

Photo courtesy of Irene Butcher

Photo courtesy of Irene Butcher

Scenes from Post-War London. The Early Paintings of Terry Scales.

9th May - 10th June.

West Greenwich Library, 146 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8NN.

Opening times;
Monday: 2pm to 7pm
Tuesday: 9am to 5.30pm
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 9am to 7pm
Friday: 2pm to 5.30pm
Saturday: 9am to 5pm
Sunday: Closed

Date of artist talk; 9th June 3 - 4 pm, free.

Blackheath Art Society 70th Anniversary Show

Our 70th Anniversary Show will be held at Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, SE3 9RG from 3 to 29th June. More details to follow...

Scenes from Post-War London 1946 - 1960 exhibition

This is the last of my blogs relating to the 3 large paintings that will be on show at West Greenwich Library 9th May - 10th June 2017...

Detail from 'Before Canary Wharf' , oil on canvas, 28" x 37". £900.

Throughout the 50's and 60's the City of London spread itself serenely with only St Paul's Dome being a lone focal point when viewed from the heights of Greenwich Park. Between the South and the North bank in spite of the river there seemed to be a continuity. All this radically changed when the dynamic tower of Canary Wharf thrust skyward, followed some years later by the construction of a new cubist city. I have made several paintings of this before and after spectacle. This particular work explores the lower reaches of Greenwich Park with just a few industrial chimneys in the middle distance. Originally painted in 1960 and called 'Looking West' I re-titled it 'Before Canary Wharf' as it had such a dramatic impact on the view. The image above is a detail from the larger work.  

Not in the exhibition but by way of illustrating the contrast is this view...

Modern City Ancient Shore , oil on canvas.

Initially I was against the notion of a skyscraper opposite the Royal Naval College but when it was built I was fascinated by the way it changed colour and responded to the light of day. 

More information about the exhibition here and here and by scrolling down below!

Scenes from Post-War London. The Early Paintings of Terry Scales.

9th May - 10th June.

West Greenwich Library, 146 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8NN.

Opening times;
Monday: 2pm to 7pm
Tuesday: 9am to 5.30pm
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 9am to 7pm
Friday: 2pm to 5.30pm
Saturday: 9am to 5pm
Sunday: Closed

Date of artist talk; 9th June 3 - 4 pm, free.

Scenes from Post-War London 1946 - 1960 exhibition

BBC4 is repeating the excellent Timeshift programme Sailors, Ships & Stevedores: The Story of British Docks this evening at 8pm.

In the forthcoming exhibition I will be showing the following prints from when I worked as a sketch artist for Surdoc magazine...

Arthur Henry Goodwin.

Bill Waymouth.

Denis O'Gorman.

Sister Edwards.

Scenes from Post-War London. The Early Paintings of Terry Scales.

9th May - 10th June.

West Greenwich Library, 146 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8NN.

Opening times;
Monday: 2pm to 7pm
Tuesday: 9am to 5.30pm
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 9am to 7pm
Friday: 2pm to 5.30pm
Saturday: 9am to 5pm
Sunday: Closed

Date of artist talk; 9th June 3 - 4 pm, free.

Getting ready for the exhibition...

More information about the exhibition here and here

Vanbrugh Castle from Greenwich Park

This unframed painting was made from a quick pen and ink sketch and completed with watercolours in 2017. The view of Vanbrugh Castle is from the west side of Greenwich Park.

Vanbrugh Castle from Greenwich Park, pen & ink & watercolour, approx 11"x 16", £300 - sold.

I've always loved painting castles, below is a slightly battered Private View card for an exhibition held in 1978 entitled 'Castles & Others, 50 Romantic Landscapes'. 

Visiting Jay

This watercolour painting was made from a drawing I made in the back garden. I had no idea what the colourful bird was until I looked it up and discovered it was a Jay. It is unframed and for sale at £300.

Visiting Jay, approx 11" x 16", watercolour, £300.

To see more work like this please visit the 'Nature and Landscapes' page.