Local artists Mel McCleary and Sue King have been friends for over twenty years. They were first neighbours in Wapping and now, amazingly, both live on the same street in East Dulwich. They are mounting a new joint exhibition, ZEST, which launches next week at Jeannie Avent Gallery.
Mel McCleary runs her own business from her workshop studio in her garden, making facial hair beards and moustaches for theatre and opera. She studied wigs and make-up at the London College of Fashion in the 1980s then worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company in the wig department.
Mel yearned for something more creative, as she found her daily knotting regime was just monotonous. She loved art at school and knew she needed to unleash her creative side. She enrolled on a machine embroidery course at City Lit a few years ago, which provided an opening to new creativity, and she hasn’t looked back since.
Mel has been developing beautiful pieces by `drawing` with thread over the surface of a material which she has painted on, to produce landscapes. She particularly loves the changing seasons reflected in the colours of the British countryside. The results are colourful and contemporary, mounted on block canvases or in box frames.
Sue King works as a fused glass designer from her studio at Cockpit Arts in Deptford, which is a hub for an eclectic mix of designer makers. She creates mainly bespoke commissioned work for interior projects, as well as creating one off handmade glass tableware pieces. She first worked as a commercial interior designer from 1985 onwards after studying interior design at Middlesex Polytechnic. She continued to work for interior design companies specialising in hotel/leisure design in the 1980s and 90s.
She then followed her long held passion for glass and enrolled at Central St Martin’s College on a two-year glass course.
Two friends with similar creative interests
Mel and Sue realised that their work was quite complementary, as they both love using colour. Their first joint show – called ‘Vivid’ at Jeannie Avent Gallery (Northcross Road, East Dulwich) – in 2005 was very successful. They also have shown for the last three years at the Dulwich Festival Artist’s Open House event, which has given their work more exposure locally.
They continue to develop their own ideas, but decided it would be great to put on another joint show to exhibit new work, which continues to complement and enhance each other’s, although in completely opposite mediums of textiles and glass!
A new piece for 2009
Mel and Sue thought it would be fun, although slightly scary, to produce a combination piece using both glass and textiles. They await to see how it will turn out, but hope to present this it at the exhibition! The new exhibition is called ‘Zest’ to reflect their continuing passion for colour and life and Mel and Sue hope that lots of visitors will come away with a positive and cheerful experience. And hopefully also clutching a purchase of their own.
Zest is being shown at Jeannie Avent Gallery, 14 Northcross Road, East Dulwich SE22
1-15 October 2009
Entry free
