Artisan’s penultimate show begins this month with two talented artists whose take on art is both original and amusing. Alex Stewart and Elizabeth Porter return to artisan with a unique show which explores puppet theatres and memories of childhood. Artisan has been NW10’s most creative corner for six years and is delighted that its penultimate exhibition continues this tradition.

Alex Stewart has shown extensively in the UK, India and Sri Lanka, and his work is in many important private collections. He uses watercolour, ink, oils and a multitude of other materials, most recently integrating antique frames as an essential part of the whole image and emotional experience. Alex’s paintings show a world of mythology, archetypes and timeless narrative, inviting the viewer to enter into the visual space and to explore their own understanding of the stories within.

Elizabeth Porter uses a wide base of materials to investigate her ideas. There are underlying themes of the balance of life. The hidden side of being human. Demonstrated through stone carving, found objects, drawing and installation (and many other media) she creates absorbing yet simple work which triggers thoughts of what it means to be living in the present day.

The Puca MacGuffin theatre
‘As children the toys we loved most were the ones with which we could make our own worlds. Using lead soldiers, puppets and stuffed toys, trains and cars strewn across a landscape of cushion and carpet. We would escape from the real world and let our imaginations carry us into those diminutive realms. We’d both had Pollock’s theatres: the little paper theatres that were one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the late 19th century. We wondered if we could make our own. So here they are, theatres we have made with their scenes and characters, waiting for you to bring your own imagination to play and tell tales of your own.’