Reading the Building, my Tower Gallery artist residency project on the 1920s Byzantine revival church in which I’ve been based, is a thing of two halves. I’ve been researching the building and I’ve been finding out more about the building through drawing it.
Because of my project’s subject matter, I’ve timed my residency so that my public-facing activities coincide with London Open House.
My research has been shared with the church historian. And to give more people a chance to have a look, in week 12 of my residency, I’ve done a talk on the design and crafts in the building. My delving has turned up some fascinating stuff. And its mix of revival and cutting edge has shown me that then was not just now but new.
I’ve also done a sketch tour of the building that's been about what we see when we look. I’ve added insights from my research as we’ve wandered. I’ve noticed new details myself. And to take away the pressure to do a ‘good’ drawing, there have been sketchbooks I’ve made from scrap.
There’ll be one more sketch activity, on 26 September, where we’ll be doing some collaborative drawing of the view across to the Royal Docks. (Limited numbers, book here.)
If you’d like to see the narrated slideshow of the talk, contact me for a link.
If you’d like to discuss a sketch tour of your space, contact me for a chat.
Two pieces from my residency, both for sale, are on show at the Tower Gallery September Open, East Tower, Memorial Community Church, 395 Barking Rad, London E13, Fridays to Sundays 3pm – 7pm from 11 September to 4 October 2026. There are bookmarks of both pieces for sale at the exhibition.
