Exhibitions at Beautiful Interiors

St Mary's by Hackenbush and Hackenbush

Beautiful Interiors on Orford Road currently has two exhibitions running in the shop. Hackenbush and Hackenbush are displaying an exhibition entitled “Blueprints of Walthamstow”, which started last week. This is described as “dark, funny and subversive”. More details on this are available on the Beautiful Interiors blog here.

Also on display is “Cranes” by Emma Barrett. Emma is a local artist and her blog can be found here. We went down to visit the shop last week and both works are well worth seeing!

Jonathan O’Dea exhibition

"London is London, England is England"

Waltham Forest artist Jonathan O’Dea is taking his latest work to the 12 Star Gallery in March. The work, “London is London, England is England” was first shown at the Vestry House Museum as part of the Create Festival. The exhibition, which looks at English cultural identity, will be in the gallery at Europe House, the London headquarters of the European Commission.

The work is described thus:

In this exhibition, ‘London is London and England is England’, Jonathan’s most recent mixed media works explore the physical and psychological connections and differences between rural England and urban London, from the results of excursions from his home in Waltham Forest into the Essex countryside. They also reflect ways in which parts of the Borough act as a physical conduit between rural and urban landscapes; meeting points between London and England.

The exhibition is on from Wednesday 9 March until Friday 11 March and the gallery is open from 10am until 6pm on those dates. The full address is 12 Star Gallery, Europe House, 32 Smith Square, London SW1P 3EU. More information on Jonathan can be found on his website here.

Looking ahead to 2011 in the ‘Stow

As it’s nearly New Year’s Eve, we thought we would look ahead to what 2011 might hold for Walthamstow.

Politics

2010 saw both a local and general election in Walthamstow. Political representation will remain relatively unchanged in 2011 unless there is an unexpected general election, or local by-elections for individual council seats.

The most significant political development in 2011 is likely to be the impact of Waltham Forest council budget cuts. The 2011/12 budget will be finalised in February and implemented from March. The Waltham Forest council consultation on the budget cuts had 1,238 responses, and the initial summary of the results can be found here. All residents will await with interest the council’s final spending decisions.

Community and regeneration

It’s fair to say that Walthamstow’s regeneration has been characterised by a lack of progress in 2010. There are decisions to be made on the future of Walthamstow Central station, Walthamstow Stadium, the Arcade site on Hoe Street and the future of the EMD Cinema. Developments on these sites will shape what the area looks and feels like in the future. As of today it would seem that the development of the station is closest to going ahead in some form, but nothing is set in stone.

Local media have also reported uncertainty over the future of the Standard music venue and the Plough Inn, and we hope 2011 can bring some good news for the E17 music scene.

Also looming is of course the Olympics in 2012. Waltham Forest is an Olympic borough and 2011 will see major developments in and around the borough near completion, not least the Olympic Stadium and Westfield: Stratford City.

Music

2011 is shaping up to be a good year for Walthamstow bands, with a host of new releases and tours lined up. Here are just a flavour of what to expect:

Walthamstow Scene faves The Stow are kicking off 2011 with a gig at the Old Queen’s Head in Islington on 12 January. Their Twitter feed suggests The Stow have got big plans for 2011, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store.

Lethal Bizzle is set to drop POW 2011, featuring the great and the good from the grime scene, including Wiley and Chipmunk. The track recently got a spin on Tim Westwood’s 1Xtra show, and all we can say is, “choooon”.

The Rifles are ready to support Paul Weller on some rescheduled dates in February. The indie/punk chaps are likely to bring forth a new album and refreshed line-up in 2011 following the recent departure of Rob and Grant.

We will of course keep you in touch with fresh music talent from E17 throughout the year!

Arts

The biggest event of the year is likely to be the E17 Art Trail. Last year the art trail achieved its highest ever profile, and in November 2010 it was announced that council funding was secured for 2011 and 2012. The 2011 E17 Art Trail is likely to be held in early September.

There are always lots of arts and craft events around the borough. We try and feature as many as we can, and we’d recommend the excellent Art East17 magazine if you want listings dedicated to arts and craft.

…and lastly, of course, Walthamstow Scene hope to get bigger and better in 2011, so keep your browser pointed our way and you wont be disappointed.

Love the ‘Stow?

E17 Art Trail won the 2010 Arts Award

We know there’s a lot of you out there who figuratively (or literally) kiss the badge when it comes to Walthamstow. It’s awesome, right? So, Waltham Forest council are running the “Love Your Borough 2011” Awards.

There are a range of categories, including an Arts Award. There’s even a Best Kept Front Garden award for all you gnome-totin’ guys and gals out there. We’ve seen our share of dodgy front gardens but there’s some beauties too (all you Village kids, I’m looking at you, right).

Details of the awards are on the Waltham Forest council website. We know Walthamstow isn’t perfect, but it’s got a lot of people who are making a positive difference in it. So check out the website, download the form and nominate a Walthamstow legend. Closing date is Monday 31 January 2011.

Art, cake, a DJ and free drink tonight

Tonight the E17 Art House hosts their Christmas art sale. They are offering mulled wine, German cakes, a DJ, free gifts for children and the offer of some cool, affordable art. Walthamstow Scene visited the Art House during the E17 Art Trail in September and it was one of our highlights!

The Art House is open until 8pm tonight, and is also open tomorrow (Saturday 4th December) from 10am until 6pm. They are based in Stainforth Road, not far from Walthamstow Central, so you can easily pop in after work!

Check out the website for full details.