E8 Art & Craft Trail 2025
The entry to Melvyn Robinson’s home.
In a recent newsletter I wrote that art, any art, is a gift to the world. It turns out that some artists aren’t content with that level of generosity, but how do you find the rare people that go above and beyond? Last weekend it was easy. I just followed the signs scattered around E8 that led me straight into their homes.
Over the weekend of 07-08 June just over two dozen private residences and studios were opened to the public, including a warehouse basement, the top of a high rise council block and plenty of early-mid 1800s terraced houses that are now flats. They were all participating in the E8 Art & Craft Trail, an initiative that began three years ago with the aim to allow people “to spend a few hours browsing art and craft in this Hackney neighbourhood, meeting and contributing directly to the artists who live and work here.” It’s a great opportunity for art lovers to discover new work and talent, and it’s catnip for those who love having a nosy round other people’s private spaces. At one venue I encountered a couple who were clearly more enamoured with a bespoke wall unit than the work it had been displaying.
A large part of the charm is not just the ability to see art but to experience how the artists live. Though some hosts, like Studio Forest (@studio.forest), only set up shop in their entry foyer, others, like Justine Roland Cal (@just_outsider_art), has made so many paintings that they’re hung floor to ceiling on almost every wall, stacked precariously on top of bookshelves and even hung in her son’s bedroom which she briefly took me into since he wasn’t there. “I don’t think he’d mind,” she said. I certainly didn’t, because the works her son chose for his walls revealed a very different side to Justine’s work than what she had hung in her communal rooms. It’s the kind of insight you can only get from a neighbourly tour of someone’s home.
One of Justine Roland Cal’s paintings.
Every venue I attended had hosts that were so warm and welcoming that it often felt like I was visiting an old friend. In many cases, actual friends and neighbours of the artist were already present. The home of artist Melvyn Robinson (1933-2019) (@melvynrobinson.art) was a particularly popular destination. The late artist’s wife and son were proudly displaying what appeared to be a large number of works that actually represented only a small fraction of the ~800 that Melvyn painted. “Was he quite successful?” asked one visitor? “Oh, no!” exclaimed his wife, to many laughs in the room. At another venue a young family entered and Mum’s eyes lit up when she saw the work, expressing amazement and joy as she made a beeline for the ones that caught her attention. Not everyone in the family was a fan, however. Her disinterested child shrugged and went to ask Dad for a snack. “You just had lunch,” was his reply.
People-watching at events like this is a big part of the lure, and I was pleased to see that almost every venue was well attended. Ironically, the only one where I was the sole visitor was also the largest. Maybe that’s because the studio of Hervé Constant (herveconstant.com) is hard to find, but it’s the kind of place most artists would die for: huge, high ceilinged, plenty of storage space and ample room to showcase dozens of fantastic works from his accomplished, 47-year career.
Other artists were proudly showing off more recently acquired skills. Carol Burtt’s kitchen had been transformed into a showroom of explorations into the best ways to illuminate her etched glass, and Chris Bearne’s living room was practically overflowing with marquetry, which he taught himself during the lockdowns. When I asked him if he imagines or sources the imagery that he depicts, he proudly presented a work based on a watercolour his father had painted. It was a lovely tribute.
Chris Bearne marquetry, based on a watercolour his father painted.
I only had time to visit a fraction of the artist spaces but the experience was so pleasant than I’m already eagerly anticipating the next trail, whenever that may be. It’s a great way to get introduced to artists I hadn’t come across previously, with many unexpected surprises along the way. Case in point: the writing of this article was soundtracked by The Very Best of the Temperance Seven who scored a UK number one with their recording of You’re Driving Me Crazy in 1961. One of their trombonists was Melvyn Robinson. I guess he was a sucsessful artist after all!
Plan your visit
The 2025 ‘E8 Art & Craft Trail’ ran from 07-08 June 2025.
Visit e8artandcrafttrail.co.uk and follow @e8artandcrafttrail on Instagram for more info about the event and participating artists.
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