Art and craft in Bloomsbury

On my way from Covent Garden to Cockpit Open Studios on Thursday, I took one of my ‘follow my nose’ detours and turned off Theobald’s Road into Old Gloucester Street, tempted at first by the elegant 'Art Deco' façade of Faraday House but also keen to re-investigate the interesting back streets in this zone, because ever time I find something new to me.

Faraday House, built as an electrical engineering college – I love the chunky geometric letterform here which looks to me to be a 1980's NeoDeco addition (any info welcome) - note also, the FH within the railings. 

I was about to use the path by the playground into Boswell Street but, as I stopped to take a photo of the delightful cornerstone there, I recalled another typographic gem in this vicinity – the lovely metalwork in the alley that leads to the rear of number 27 showing that British Monomarks, a mail handling service, was established in 1925.

Gorgeous Jazz Age letterform

As I turned back and exited the alley I noticed an A-board in the street advertising a gallery and cafe that is open until 2.30pm. Ooh a gallery. I didn’t know there was one there at all.  I assumed this was a new venture. 

It was gone 3pm and I misunderstood the information on the sign, thinking that it was closed, especially as the doorways looks like it leads to offices/flats, so I wandered up and down looking at the outside of the building thinking it odd that I couldn’t see inside due to the high set schoolroom windows. Hmm. To hell with it! I decided to enter anyway and investigate. 

Well, knock me down with a feather – look at this:

What an amazing space! The wooden floor in the main room is wonderfully creaky. I was flabbergasted to discover from the lady at the reception desk that there has been a gallery here since 1979 yet, despite wandering past here many times, I’d never noticed it because it still looks like an ecclesiastic educational facility from the outside and I just assumed that the artworks depicted were by the pupils at an art class. 

The back room gives access to the residential spaces beyond.  I love that asymmetric pitched roof.

Then for a wander through the residential developments beyond – a complete contrast to the well-to-do Georgian era town houses in the area. I love the mix of different architectural styles, the murals and the hexagonal paving stones. 

At the end of Orde Hall Street I encountered a big gap in the streetscape where a large chunk of Great Ormond Street Hospital is being rebuilt. I checked the street view on my phone – the 3rd pic below is a screen grab showing what was there before:

And so to the Cockpit studios in Cockpit Yard off Northington Street where over 150 people beaver about being crafty.  

I chatted with many of the artists and especially enjoyed finding out about mosaics, metalwork, woodcarving, embroidery, weaving, basketry, tailoring and ceramics, making the decision to swerve the many many talented jewellers! 

The studios will be open all weekend. More info here.  

Next weekend, 13-15 June, I’ll be visiting Cockpit’s south London studios in Deptford – hope to see you there.