Recently, we were lucky enough to work with talented artist, Jan Erika who has transformed the blank canvas walls within our communal areas at our Anthology Stratford Mill and Anthology Hale Works communities into beautiful, colourful murals.
We caught up with her to find out more about her work and the inspirations behind these striking designs…
Can you tell us about your artistic style?
I specialise in creating bespoke canvases for homes and businesses. The main thing I want people to feel is joy; I like creating work with bold colours and strong shapes that make you stop, stare and feel happy. Art is so subjective, but my goal is to create broad pieces for everyone to see some kind of beauty in.
My studio is based in Surrey, but I work across London and around the world. I’ve always been quite creative and decided to set up my own business three years ago. Prior to that I was a classical cellist!
What inspired the designs behind Anthology Stratford Mill and Anthology Hale Works?
For both projects, I first looked at the design of the building. There’s a lot of natural light at Anthology Stratford Mill whereas Anthology Hale Works is more industrial, so this influenced the lines and colours I used.
Each colour palette is reflective of the development. Anthology Stratford Mill has a very spacious, poetic feel – being in East London – so I chose light and refreshing colours to reflect this. Anthology Hale Works is a busier, more up-and-coming area so I used colours that are stronger and punchier.
The Lifestory team were great at giving me the freedom to design what I wanted and push boundaries. Both developments were a blank canvas and I hope that homeowners, and prospective buyers, enjoy the designs for years to come.
What other projects are you working on?
I recently launched a fabric range with Harlequin and a new cushion collection with Caroline Ichyra. I’m also heading to the USA this autumn for a live art demonstration at Trowbridge’s North Carolina gallery. I’m hoping to hold more exhibitions next year – watch this space!
Where are your favourite spots in London?
We’re spoilt for choice with talent in London; there’s just so much to see, it’s hard to choose! I think it’s really important to support local artists, so my top tip is to keep an eye out when at a café or restaurant. A lot of independent cafes display local artwork so if you like it, be sure to see who created it and check them out on social media.
To find out more about Jan Erika, visit her website or Instagram.
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For more information about Anthology Stratford Mill, call 020 3936 3178 or email stratfordmill@anthology.london.
For more information about Anthology Hale Works, call 020 7760 1583 or email haleworks@anthology.london.