Why We Love: #2, Stone Space

After a coffee at Wild Goose, the natural thing to do on a quiet Saturday afternoon is to pop into Stone Space – perhaps after pondering the witty inscription on the bench opposite.

A volunteer-led gallery that supports artists and creatives from a range of backgrounds, Stone has actually been open for a few years now, since late 2011.

It grew out of the Leytonstone Arts Trail, a forum for talent in the wider area which enables participants to display their work in a variety of venues, from homes, studios and workshops to cafes, shops, and galleries (next one for your diaries: July 4-12th).

Over the years the diminutive – though pleasingly oasis-like – space has witnessed all manner of live painting, experimental drawing machines and world-class works in video, oil, graphite and acrylic.

The other week, we caught Incognito, the last of a series of shows by E11 collective CreativeBloc, who meet weekly in various cafes in Leytonstone, and aim to bring together local artists. Allowing participants to give their own meaning to “this word full of mystery”, it was a thoughtful exhibition, with those taking part including curator Elliott Ashton (who co-founded CreativeBloc with Sadie Medhurst in July 2013), Carne Griffiths, Hilary Douse, and Natalie Blooms.

Best of all, Stone Space is pretty much self-sufficient. All the activities in the gallery fund themselves through the low entry fees that artists pay, and commission on any works sold. Thank goodness for the support of curators and installers who give their time voluntarily.

The gallery is closed now until March 12, due to essential work as part of the library refurbishments, but we’ll keep you posted on the next exhibition and, of course, this year’s Arts Trail.