By Val Long

Dorothy Mead, 1962, © Bryan Long

“There was a 12 year age gap between Dorothy and I, and Dorothy left home when I was six years old, but she was always influential in encouraging creativity in me and her younger brother. She still sent her washing home from time to time after she’d left and often within the washing there were little presents of some art materials for us – pencils, mosaic pieces and others bits that she thought we would like.

“This nurturing instinct never left Dorothy, and she encouraged and mentored young artists throughout her lifetime.

“Dorothy didn’t only paint during her career, but she also worked for a number of animation studios, including Halas & Bachelor, where she worked on Animal Farm. After I left school, she got me to apply for my first job at the animation company W M Larkins, which was part of the Film Producers Guild. I worked between the art department and the cameras, and I’d return the favour by getting Dorothy and her stony broke artist friends freelance work whenever it was available. We really looked out for each other, and when we worked together people were always impressed by how quickly we worked so Dorothy nicknamed us the ‘Speedy Meadys’.

“She was a very strong person, and Dorothy stood up for what she thought was right. If she disagreed with something she would tell you, not aggressively but explaining her point of view clearly.

“Her artistic awareness also spilled over into her clothing choices, and though she didn’t have much money she was very fashion conscious, and she knew what to wear and when to wear it.

“Dorothy’s artwork was very inspired by Bomberg. He was a huge influence on her early style. She played with the big boys when she was alive, but I wonder if she thought she might have been more commercially successful if she had been a man. She once said to me that she thought she would change her name to ‘George’, as people didn’t hold much score for women artists.

“I’m incredibly proud to see Dorothy’s work recognised in the solo show at Borough Road Gallery.”

Taken from a conversation between Dorothy Mead’s sister, Val Long, and Anna Cureton, London South Bank University.

We’re recruiting!

The Borough Road Gallery is a public gallery which opened in the London South Bank University (LSBU) in June 2012. LSBU received a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to create a dedicated gallery and to devise a two-year programme of exhibitions and events that explore A David Bomberg Legacy – The Sarah Rose Collection.

We are currently looking for volunteers to invigilate the gallery on a casual basis for the duration of the upcoming exhibition ‘Recognising Dorothy Mead: David Bomberg, the Slade and After’ which will run from 26 April – 27 July 2013.

Volunteers will invigilate the gallery, assist with some administration, outreach projects and events. The gallery is open to the public from Wednesday – Friday 1-5pm and on Saturday 12-5pm, volunteers will need to be available during these hours.

In return you will have access to some of the resources of LSBU, including the library and professional development events as well as being reimbursed for your travel expenses from zones 1-3.

To apply please send a cover letter outlining your interest in volunteering and a CV to Claire Godwin; mail@boroughroadgallery.co.uk

Post-War People’s Histories from the Elephant and Castle

As part of the Borough Road Gallery’s second exhibition we are inviting people who have lived, worked, studied or simply frequented the area of Elephant and Castle and Borough at any time from the 1940s until the present day to tell us their story. Stories can be of your own direct experiences or told on behalf of friends and family members and can be recollections of memorable moments, or can answer the following suggested questions:

• What was your first impression of the Elephant and Castle?
• What has it been like to grow up in the area?
• What was it like to go to school or college in the area?
• What was it like to work in the area?
• How has the area changed?

Stories submitted will be posted on our blog and invite further comment.

Submitting your story

• Stories should be no more than 250 words and can include photographs, postcards, journal entries and recorded interviews. Please note that we can only accept reproductions of any additional material such as photographs.

• Stories submitted will then be read and posted onto our on-going blog that will be presented during the run of the exhibition.

• Submissions must include your name and date of the story and can be emailed to mail@boroughroadgallery.co.uk with the subject line: My E&C Story, via post addressed to the Borough Road Gallery, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London, SE1 0AA or can stories can be submitted during the exhibition to one of the Gallery staff.

We look forward to hearing your stories!

If you have any questions or would like more information please contact Claire Godwin; mail@boroughroadgallery.co.uk

30 St Mary Axe, City of London (c) Grant Smith/VIEW Pictures

To tie in with the Open House weekend on 22nd and 23rd September, the Borough Road Gallery will be extending its opening hours to 11am – 5pm on Saturday 22nd September.

London South Bank University is participating in Open House weekend by opening some of its buildings to the general public.  More details here:

http://events.londonopenhouse.org/Building/16185

Open House London is an annual event that takes place over a weekend in London, when the city’s architecture is opened up to the public.  Admission is FREE to all buildings. There are over 750 from which to choose.  There are talks, often given by architects, architectural historians and engineers and also walks over the weekend.  Find out more by visiting the Open House London site:

http://www.londonopenhouse.org