Exhibition serves up St Leonards on a plate

Sarah Macbeth has produced a series of digital prints using fragments of photographs of St Leonards to build up mosaic patterns and plate-like designs.

Erica Smith has produced a series of watercolour and ink botanical drawings of The Weeds of St Leonards, plus some simple prints using graphics and lettering.

There is also a collaborative piece called ‘Plated’in which nine artists have drawn a plate, either real or imaginary.

The contributing artists are: Debi Angel, Claire Buckley, Sarah Macbeth, Fiona Pienkowska, Jane Runchman, Cathy Simpson, Erica Smith, Rebecca Snotflower, and Cath Tajima-Powell.

Erica said: “I wanted to create an exhibition which was well-suited to the space, and that’s where the idea of drawing plates and ketchup bottles came from.

“I also wanted to document the ‘street weeds’ of St Leonards, which is why I produced the series of 6 botanical drawings. When I moved to St Leonards, I became fascinated by the weeds which are very visible in the streets and front gardens, and I realised I didn’t know any of the names of them. This project has been an education for me.

“I feel quite ambivalent about the weeds. I particularly find the huge plumey fringes of Valerian growing out of front garden walls fascinating. They are beautiful, but they also make me aware that I am living somewhere rather down-at-heel.

“Sarah Macbeth’s artwork combines fragments of St Leonards street-life within formal decorative patterns – exploring the same ideas but with a very different visual result.”