Painter and former landscape architect Lucy Pickford will debut a brand new collection of original paintings at B.T. Batsford Gallery in Hackney this November, in a solo show under the theme London Grows. Running 9th - 12th November in the brilliant basement gallery space on Hackney Road, her new collection of original works will focus on the intersection of nature and the built environment in one of the most sprawling cities in the world. London Grows draws on the green spaces and places of London; parks and gardens, plus the diverse range of ways that nature makes its way in an urban environment - from mews and balconies to graveyards and canals. Lucy aims to capture this lush metropolis in all its leafy glory, whether it’s through people purposefully creating a pocket of green or nature creeping in at the edges.
In the four years since her last solo offering in London, Lucy has been working on a stunning new collection of acrylic paintings in her delicate and detailed signature style, exhibited alongside cyanotype hangings and other pieces designed to complement the space and series. Lucy says: “As a former landscape architect, and a built environment and plant nerd, I try and look at these spaces a bit differently, considering how spaces, nature, and people connect. If you ever go on a walk with me, it's fairly likely I'll be moaning about inefficient, badly planted green walls, pointing out a spectacular tree, or getting you to smell some plants en route. It feels like over the past few years there's been a rediscovery of the value and importance of green spaces and connections to nature no matter how small, and this is my way of honouring that.”
Co-curator Catherine Sweet, founder of BobCat Gallery, says: “Lucy has such a keen sense of observation, and a marvellous way of translating what she sees onto the canvas. She notices the way that each brick and leaf are caught in the sunlight, and her joy in these small details, colours and textures is captured in every brush stroke.
This will be a must-see exhibition for anyone who loves London, and delights in celebrating the ways in which the natural and man-made wonders of the city interact.” The exhibition private view will be held on Thursday 9th November, from 6pm - 8pm. Free tickets are available via eventbrite.co.uk/e/private-view-london-grows-lucy-pickford-solo-show-tickets-713662783597 For more information visit website opposite.