Amanda Eatwell Photography

Dominika works with various media, with a recent focus on sculpture. Dominika said ‘Art for me is, to a large extent, linked to sensing my environment, finding a way to bring out the emotional and symbolic layers of reality to the physical, public spaces. One of my favourite quotes about art is by David Mamet: '[Artists] are driven to lessen the burden of the unbearable disparity between their conscious and unconscious minds, and so to achieve peace.' I see this in a context of not just an individual, but a larger organism: us, people, our environment, objects, air, animals, plants”.

Born in Woolwich, south east London, Gary Drostle has worked professionally as an artist since leaving art college in 1984. Working in the public realm has always been his focus, creating artworks away from the gallery system, rooted in the site specific and often with strong community engagement. This photograph was part of an exhibition and publication created by Amanda Eatwell.

I photographed Chloe Booth as part of my project Getting To Know You which was made possible through being awarded funding from Thamesmead Community Fund. This was based on a proposition of both how I could get to know my fellow artists (I had recently started sharing a studio there), and also how the local community could get to learn more about what exactly happens in that iconic building on Southmere Lake.

J D Swann is an ornithological investigator who is the go-to guy for questions around local birdlife. He looks remarkably like an artist who is based at Lakeside Studios in Thamesmead.

Naroa Perez is a photographer in her own right, as well as running Lakeside Darkroom in Thamesmead where she offers tuition in various alternative processes, and guides individuals and groups in the darkroom. This photograph was part of an exhibition and publication created by Amanda Eatwell based around some of the artists who are based at Lakeside Studios.

Charly Helyar is a recent graduate of an MA in Fine Art. She has practiced art alongside a long career as a paramedic, but is now concentrating more on being a professional artist. Her first solo show Love & Rage was a big success. Definitely one to watch! Amanda Eatwell has exclusively been documenting Charly's work over the past year and Amanda offers photography of artworks for artists.

Roni Parker is a self-taught artist from south London. Amanda Eatwell photographed Roni as part of her Getting To Know You project, which culminated in an exhibition and publication held at the Lakeside Studios in Thamesmead, where they are both based. Roni said about her work: My medium of choice is acrylic, though often accompanied by pen, spray paint, glitter or crayon. I work in a completely intuitive way and when I'm in 'the flow' the medium decides when and how it appears. I'm a maximalist in life and the same can be said of my art.

Marcus Orlandi is a Performance Artist, teaches performance art, creates Banners, and draws. He works a lot with people with additional needs, and builds relationships with organisations to make art and creativity accesible to all. He was photographed by Amanda Eatwell for her project Getting To Know You.

Jenny Pengilly is a multi-disciplinary artist, educator, researcher and co-director of El-Warcha, a collaborative art and design collective working with communities in London. 

This photo was taken by Amanda Eatwell when Jenny was on a Children and Young People Studio Residency at Bow Arts, Lakeside working with TACO! and Better Children's Centres East to research and develop some work with under 5s and their families. Her work predominantly focuses on the medium of the art workshop and the use of affective materials and DIY principles of making to facilitate play, experimentation, collaboration and mutual growth and exchange with children and adults.

Chloe Cooper is an artist, educator, zine maker and passionate paper marbler. Chloe is often called upon to lead workshops across many community places and spaces. This photograph was taken by Amanda Eatwell as part of her project Getting To Know You, which highlighted various artists who are based in Thamesmead. The image was conceived and executed as a traditional multiple exposure image, which took time and patience from all involved!

Liam Scully (b 1979) Bognor Regis, is an artist who lives and works in Thamesmead, constant drawing underpins most of his practice and often explodes out into other mediums, such as painting, sculpture and video. Liam was photographed by Amanda Eatwell in his then studio at Lakeside Centre Thamesmead; run and managed by Bow Arts.

Sonia Roshal works in many different mediums (painting, film, sculpture) with the emphasis on performance. 

Sonia was 7 months pregnant when Amanda Eatwell and her collaborated in creating a wealth of images on a very hot afternoon! In her own words: I believe that every production develops its own unique language, and although all performances are different from one another, they are united in their expressive physicality. Often informed by personal experiences, my works are explorations of human behaviour, political theatre, life and death, patterns and sensibilities. For me, even when I create visual art objects, I am most interested in their performative qualities.

Amanda Eatwell was awarded a grant from Thamesmead Community Fund in 2023 which enabled her to create a series of portraits of artists that are based at the Lakeside Studios in Thamesmead. The studios are managed by Bow Arts, and the funding from Peabody Housing.

The Lakeside Centre is an iconic 1960s brutalist building that has been transformed into a cultural hub. An important local landmark which was once a bar, an event hall and a nightclub. The building was disused until Bow Arts, with the support of Peabody Housing Association took on the ambitious project of refurbishing it with the aim of providing opportunities and support for creative people in the area and the wider community.