Neville de Souza, director of modish property development company Lightbox London, has teamed up with one of his Gipsy Hill neighbours Gina Cross, a local art and design dealer, to create a pop up gallery and shop that will raise more money for the Upper Norwood Library.

The Thicket redevelopment: an art gallery at weekends

Following on from the successful Bigger Picture pop up gallery curated by Crystal Palace artist Angelique Hartigan, the venue will once more be the airy commercial space under the acclaimed residential conversion of the former Thicket Tavern on Anerley Road, close to Crystal Palace station.

Cross plans to feature limited edition art prints and original paintings from a collection from her two online galleries – A Little bit of Art (ALBOA.co.uk) and Gas Gallery (gasgallery.co.uk).

These are displayed alongside vintage furniture and homeware from local designers and Crystal Palace vintage dealer “Belle Coco”, which is based on Church Road. Prices start from £20.

Cross has been been representing artists and illustrators for the past four years. She regularly shows at art and design fairs as well as regular pop-ups in Herne Hill and Brixton. She recently showed during the Dulwich festival where she met de Souza. His company Lightbox allowed some of Europe’s leading street artists to create a startling transformation of a derelict property awaiting demolition in East Dulwich, with spray-paints.

De Souza offered Cross the use of the commercial element below the Thicket, which is on the market, to showcase a broad and colourful array of affordable art on the understanding that a proportion of sales would be donated to the Upper Norwood Library Trust.

Cross will also be joined by vintage dealer Ains Phillips from Belle Coco. Phillips will be installing some beautiful 20th Century furniture, lamps and accessories. Also featured will be designs from local lampshade designer Isabel Stanley.

South London artists featuring at the Thicket will be Julia McKenzie, Kevin Dutton, Delphine Lebourgeois, Gordon W Robertson and Kim Gorman.

Cross said: “I am very keen to support such a worthy cause as the Upper Norwood Joint Library while showcasing art to the wider Crystal Palace community. All of the work is affordable and I’m sure there will be something that will catch the eye of everyone who visits the Pop up Gallery.”

De Souza said: “Lightbox is delighted to see the commercial space which is currently being marketed by our agents put to good use, particularly when it will be raising funds for a cause which is so important to the local community. We hope that Gina, Ains and the others receive lots of visitors. They are sure to be thrilled by what’s on offer.”

The pop up gallery will be open on Thursday evenings from 5-8pm and on Saturdays and Sundays. Other times are by appointment.

Coming to Croydon

• Trafficked – slavery on the screen: Oct 14
• Arena academy public meeting: Oct 16
• Crystal Palace Concerts – “I have a dream”: Thu Oct 17
• Lakes Playground group’s fundraising Zumba-ween: Oct 26
• PJ’s enterprising look at Black History Month: Oct 29

• Inside Croydon: Croydon’s only independent news source, based in the heart of the borough – 262,183 page views (Jan-Jun 2013)
  
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