Fulham Palace Art Fair 2010
Tuesday October 19, 2010
Hazel Leach from Society of Fulham Artists and Potters
Fulham Palace was the venue for a new exhibition which saw 100 artists flock to the borough.
The Palace Art Fair, which ran from Thursday to Sunday and could become an annual event, tempted about 4,000 art enthusiasts to make their way to the historic site for a feast of creativity that included a wide range of paintings, prints, photographs and sculptures.
Fulham resident Hazel Leach, a 71-year-old from Bronsart Road, was just one of the artists on show, displaying a fine collection of the pottery that has been her trade for the past 40 years.
Although officially retired for seven years, Hazel is certainly keeping herself busy. Not only does she still teach pottery once a week, but she is also joint chairwoman of The Society of Fulham Artists and Potters (Sofap), as well as vicechairwoman of London Potters.
"I like to keep my hand in," said Hazel. "The real plus of the weekend was meeting all the other artists."
"They have all done such wonderful work. Business has been slow-going and sales spread very thin, but that is because there is so much competition of a very high standard."
Sophie Marsham, a sculptor from Eglisham Road in Wandsworth, said she had only come along to 'see what it was like' and hadn't intended to buy anything, but soon found herself walking away with a painting in one hand and a sculpture in the other.
It was the same story for 51-year-old Notting Hill resident Ian Abraham, who said: "I was really impressed with the organisation. It is such a lovely venue and obviously I got persuaded to buy something."
Organiser Jon Tutton, a 42-yearold from Brighton, was encouraged by the 'fantastic feedback' he received and said he had chosen Fulham Palace because he was looking for somewhere in London to stage the exhibition and found everything else was either 'overused, soulless, cramped, or just wrong'.
For more information visit: www.sofap.co.uk (opens new window).
Artist Aaron Holmes
Artist Alexander Slatter
