I’ve been up to something very new in late 2017 – and I’m pleased to tell you more about my adventure here on my blog. As I’ve mentioned previously, I have been an on-off painter since I was a child, creating bright, cheery, textured paintings of oil, acrylic and watercolour, as well as pen and ink drawings.

In my lifetime, I have never ever publicly shown or shared my work – until now!

Yes, I got over my fear of sharing my artwork with the world this year, and decided it was time to present it to everyone, first on social media via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and, and the response was great – so I got brave, and was on the lookout for new opportunities to get out into the world and show off what I’ve made.

I had the great luck to find, that, among my own friend network here in London’s E9 postal zone of Hackney, there are two

Here’s the co-founders of e9makers at Grow’s Art Jumble Sale on Saturday, 18th November 2017 for their debut: L-R are: Fi R Backhouse, Lisa Devaney & Natalia Charogianni

other artisan makers that have also been looking to share their artworks with the world. So along with jewellery maker Natalia Charogianni (who has her own line called Sturgeon Adorn) and photography maker Fi R Backhouse, we came together and developed a collective we call the e9makers.

This is simply a way that we three co-founders can work together to bring what we make to the world, starting here in Hackney, where we’ve been popping up at events and happenings throughout the 2017 festive period.

e9makers 2017 Debut

Our colourful cheery stall of wares featuring my paintings, Fi’s photography and Natalia’s jewellery, brings a smile to any venue or market, and we first exhibited on Saturday, 18 November 2017, at a venue called Grow in Hackney Wick – for their Art Jumble Sale. I was a bit nervous about unveiling my artworks to the public for the first time at Grow, but I had the support of family, friends and my power trio of the e9makers!

The debut was amazing – and I loved getting the crowd’s feedback, and even selling my paintings. My very first customer ever, in fact, bought three of my mini oil paintings! All to be gifts, and one for keeps. My co-founders Fi & Natalia also got beautiful feedback, sold things, and we all learned a lot about how to interact with new people about our artworks.

I learned how important it is to talk about my work to those interested, and explain why I’m painting and what I’m trying to achieve. I found that these conversations help build interest in my artworks from strangers, but also give me insight into what aspects of what I’m creating is most appealing to people. Some of the insight I got was a bit surprising, such as why I use bright colours and personal questions about the scenes I was depicting in my art. For my natural landscapes and urban views, and botanicals, I do try as often as possible to paint from personal observation and experience – so you’ll find a number of views from my flat here in London, and some natural landscape views of places I’ve been over my lifetime, such as hikes in the Adirondacks of New York, and a visit once to Spain’s Ibiza.

The e9makers collective is off to a great start, and we are really looking forward to more making, and doing more pop ups in 2018! Please do follow us on Instagram for all our most recent updates, and you can also like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter:

Instagram: @e9makers

Twitter: @e9makers

Facebook: fb.me/e9makers

We also have a website in development that will be at: e9makers.com

And if you want to get in touch with us, email: e9makers@gmail.com

Also, if you are free this Sunday, 10 December from 11 AM – 5 PM – find us under the arches in Hackney Central at Arch 5: 5 Bohemia Place, Hackney Central, E81DU (near Hackney Central Overground Station). The e9makers will be there for the Christmas Usborne Book Fair hosted by Independent Usborne Book seller Angela Stapleford, along with cards by xoandquin – and featuring a set by DJ Tunesmith with soulful Sunday tunes, from 11 AM – 1 PM, followed by storytime for the kids. Enjoy the festive event, along with mulled wine for the grown-ups!

Our pop up at Arch 5 will be our last showing of the 2017 season, so don’t miss out on seeing us before the new year!