St Leonards-on-a-Plate

One Cafe has a reputation for hosting exhibitions that examine and celebrate the streets of St Leonards through photography. This month, the artwork is the vision of two graphic designers. Sarah Macbeth and HOT’s Erica Smith co-host a show that documents St Leonards life and cafe society.

Macbeth uses her photographs of St Leonards as patterned elements in formal arrangements that echo Decimus Burton architecture. The photographs become nearly abstract areas of colour, but if you look closely, you’ll be surprised at what you find!

Smith’s work includes a series of watercolour paintings of The Weeds of St Leonards. She says: “When I moved here two years ago, I was amazed at the array of weeds that fringe the streets throughout summer. What first caught my eye were the huge pink plumes of a plant that I later discovered was called Valerian.

“I decided to draw my six favourite weeds. At the time I had no idea that one of the Young British Artists, Michael Landy, had documented British weeds in 2002. I was attracted to the idea of producing a herbal of local weeds because I find them such tough pioneers. They are allowed the run of the streets of St Leonards – something which wouldn’t be allowed by the residents of a more gentrified town, like Brighton.”

There is also a collaborative artwork called ‘Plated’ with representations of plates by nine different artists. Smith said, “the piece represents a dresser displaying favourite plates which are never used except as decoration. It was interesting to see how each artist chose to interpret the request to ‘paint a plate’.” The nine artists are: Debi Angel, Claire Buckley, Sarah Macbeth, Fiona Pienkowska, Cathy Simpson, Erica Smith, Rebecca Snotflower, Jane Runchman and Cath Tajima-Powell.

The show includes some graphic prints by Smith celebrating café life, like the ‘Smack my Ketchup’ print shown above, recent design work and a set of ‘mildly spicy’ playing cards. Cards, postcards, playing cards and booklets are for sale, as well as the artwork on the walls.

The show opens on Friday 3 August and runs until Friday 31 August at One Cafe, 1 London Road, St Leonards-on-Sea.

Also in: Visual Arts