Surreal, abstract, joyful: artists to follow in North West London

Brent Cross Town will be a place for culture in all its forms, from a holistic music strategy to outdoor spaces designed around sculpture – blending with the creative energy of North West London.

But what kind of artist community can you find today in neighbourhoods around Brent Cross Town? Henryk Terpiłowski, a designer and sculptor in Cricklewood, chose the area 25 years ago as a place to raise his family – and his art came later. “This is certainly a much more suburban area than places like Hackney and Peckham, where there are a lot of artists in studios,” he says. But while it may not be known as a studio space hotspot, the fine art community are making conversation beyond the walls.

One such initiative was Art in the Wood, which Terpiłowski had a hand in running last summer at the Clitterhouse Farm Project, inviting people to view and participate in local arts. “We managed to squeeze that in during a brief respite in the pandemic,” he says. “In the past we had Creative Cricklewood where a bunch of local artists got together and put on events. There’s not been a lot of formal support, so it’s mostly down to us.”

Terpiłowski’s own art is intriguing and defies definition – surrealist collage comes close. Asked how he’d explain his artwork, he laughs: “Now that we have Instagram I usually just direct people to that, which gives them an idea far better than I can explain. As soon as I find a good way to describe what I do, things move on and I have to change it! I suppose that’s how it has to be – constant development.”

Follow Terpiłowski’s work as it evolves here, and discover six more of the area’s fine artists below.

Punam Singh’s abstract paintings blend the present and the past. She started this painting of the lushness of a healing garden at the start of lockdown, finishing it now nearly a year later – looking at it, it seems to carry with it the feeling of summer. Singh’s art draws inspiration from her native Assam as well as her life in Golders Green, as she explores themes of memory, nature, love and loss. Her Instagram often tells poetic stories about her process as well, bringing people into her world.

Alistair Lambert is the artist behind the Christmas tree installation at the Exploratory Park, striking a silhouette against the winter sky. He’s also behind the mural at Cricklewood station, where a 24-metre-long splash of colour celebrates the biplanes of Handley Page. Lambert splits his practice between these public and community arts projects and his own private work (which takes place in his charming-looking studio) often featuring sculptures with unexpected and playful patterns.

Sally Buchanan is a multimedia artist in Cricklewood whose work spans across installation, sculpture, embroidery and land art, often filling the entire room to create a pleasingly overwhelming experience for the viewer. There’s a playful streak to what she does as well: Buchanan’s companions include Lily the sewing machine, Mr McGregor the lawn mower, Fibber the camera, and ‘Pass the staples please Enid’ the staple gun.

Marianne Simonin is a local painter whose moody oil paintings seem particularly suited to the present moment. She draws inspiration from poetry, song and meditative states, and her use of rich colour fuels the imagination. Simonin is a yoga teacher as well, and these two practices seem to feed into each other, to mutually beneficial results. 

Kevin Keating’s artwork can be found all over town – we particularly love his wishbone sculpture by Willesden Green station, and his Popcorn Trump attracted all sorts of attention as it travelled across London. A self-taught artist with an industrial background, Keating’s work aims to complement his community, and the result is attention-grabbing, engaging and fun.

Eugene Ankomah is an artist who’s increasingly well-known across the UK and further afield for his innovative, multi-disciplinary style. Not to mention his ‘art personas’ and unique style, which changes all the time and makes Ankomah’s work constantly a little unexpected. “Do not be afraid to let your ‘current self’ reflect in your work, even if it means your work comes out looking different from what the audience expects,” Ankomah told Visual Collaborative in September. Renewal is the name of the game.