Drop-in to this free print workshop, share your love of Lewisham and inspire part of the development of an exciting piece of public art on Creekside.
Inspired by the words heart, head, hand and love we ask you to write or draw your interpretation of the words and learn how to print them onto paper. You will be able to take home what you make.
Workshop lead by Amber Khokhar.
The Workshops
Cockpit is looking to run a series of workshops for the Lewisham community to take part in the creation of a new public artwork that will be on permanent display on Creekside, showcasing Deptford’s rich history and its diverse community.
Cockpit’s Deptford site is undergoing a sensitive renovation to open the site up to the local community, making craft more accessible to all those who live within our neighbourhood. We want to ensure that this new public artwork includes creations from all corners of our community.
Each workshop has its own unique approach to extrapolating the memories, stories and love for Lewisham focussing on the themes of people, place and prosperity. Elements of these will then be incorporated into the final art piece through the illustrations on the tiles.
Those that participate will be acknowledged and credited as contributors to the public artwork. We would also like to invite all participating schools, children and parents to the opening of the new site in September 2023.
About Cockpit
Cockpit is home to some of the most exciting makers in the world and has operated in Deptford since 2002. Spanning every kind of craft, our makers are united by their extraordinary skill and imagination. As one of the UK’s leading organisations for contemporary craft we house over 160 makers practising 20 disciplines. 20% of our makers are supported with bursaries or awards to ensure we can bridge the gap between talent and opportunity. We are a top 100 social enterprise, and the only business incubator for makers in the UK.
The Renovation
The renovation of Cockpit Deptford will see the creation of a studio block and new public areas to facilitate our ambition to become more open, inclusive, and welcoming to our immediate community and neighbours.
The creation of a new public entrance into the front yard necessitates removal of the existing Love Over Gold mural on the Creekside wall. Due to this and the need to repair extensive parts of the wall, a new public artwork has been commissioned to replace the existing mural. This artwork will be displayed on Creekside for generations to come.
This exciting piece of public artwork will be crafted by Amber Khokhar. Amber will be creating a mural design inspired by the local area, it’s rich history and diverse community, taking elements from all areas to be included in her final artwork. The design will be formed from a series of equilateral triangles that will incorporate drawings representing Deptford and the community. Elements of the artworks created during the community workshops will be incorporated into the design.
About Amber Khokhar
With over 30 years of experience studying, creating, and teaching in the arts. Amber’s craft works of expertise is pattern guided by geometries, designing patterns that work equally beautifully on a variety of materials for example earthenware, leather, silk and or paper.
Amber’s public & commercial commissions have included hand-painted tiles for Toynbee Hall; 10 floor -to-ceiling windows for Aintree Hospital, Liverpool, designs inspired by local flora; and stained-glass panels for the library ceiling at Dumfries House, Scotland. She was previously commissioned by HRH King Charles to design a 40m carpet for Buckingham Palace.
