SKYLARK GALLERIES REOPENING ON THE SOUTH BANK – AND TAKING FLIGHT ONLINE!

Lockdown transformation designed to ‘future-proof’ galleries celebrating our 25^th anniversary

Skylark Galleries today is launching a brand-new online gallery where customers will be able to click and buy original artworks by a number of our artists for the very first time.

Initially, sales will be to UK only but, in future, we may open up to overseas sales.

The new online gallery will feature various views of artworks, description of them, and have a ‘room view’ function provided by ‘Picture It’. Most works will come with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Ruty Benjamini's collection page on Skylark Galleries' new online gallery. — Ruty Benjamini’s collections page on Skylark Galleries’ new online gallery

The online gallery is accessed through individual Artist pages on our new look website ‘hub’ to which other artists in the collective, some of whom have their own webshops, are linked.

Skylark Galleries will also be reopening its doors at Studio 5, 56 Upper Ground, Gabriel’s Wharf, Southbank, London, SE1 9PP weekends from Friday 14 August. Keep an eye on our site for information on September openings.

Skylark Galleries 1 shop window in preparation for August reopening — Skylark Galleries’ shop window in preparation for August reopening.

Gill Hickman, Director of Skylark Galleries for the past two decades who is overseeing our launch into online sales for the first time in our 25-year history, believes we are unique – a collective of 30 artists selling art with no gallery fees. You buy direct from us – the artists – and can meet those of us who staff our Southbank art gallery face-to-face, knowing that all the proceeds go to us.

Gill says, “The Covid-19 pandemic could easily have been the end of Skylark Galleries … but, thanks to the strong commitment and energy of our amazing group of artists, we have used it instead as a chance to refresh, reinvent and reinvigorate Skylark Galleries and all that we stand for.

“We hope these exciting new developments will future-proof us, and that both old and new customers will follow and support us on our journey.”

Skylark Galleries’ website hub, where art lovers can sign up to our regular newsletter, also has three new pages which we hope will deepen the experience and understanding of our work:

Subject We artists cover an eclectic mix of contemporary, figurative and non-figurative 2D and 3D art. Some of us specialise in portraits – of adults, children, performers and animals – others in landscapes, cityscapes, mountains and seascapes. Some are inspired by florals & still lives, while others specialise in abstracts, work in glass or with texture. There’s something for everyone!

Online exhibition This page features artworks on themes that capture the zeitgeist, such as Lockdown art, ‘Togetherness’, ‘Black lives matter’ or are inspired by calendar events, such as Christmas, Valentine’s, Mothers’ Day, Pride or World Cities’ Day.

Commissions Many of us undertake commissions, creating bespoke versions of artworks to suit our customers’ individual requirements. We also create portraits of people and pets and artworks of specific places. Or you may have a unique idea that needs a creative touch. We commissionable artists like to say, “Anything is possible.”

Rainbows Everywhere by Abstract Artist Sara Sherwood — Sara Sherwood -cityscapes

Dog by Claire Thorogood — Sara Sherwood -cityscapes

And, Skylark Galleries is currently at adding a YouTube channel to its social media offering where the plan is to offer future viewers a chance to ‘visit’ the artists’ studios, artist-to-artist interviews, demos and more, all from the website hub. Keep an eye on our site for updates.

It will act as a complement to this blog which currently provides exciting behind-the-scenes glimpses into our processes and inspirations.