THE MAKERS YARD
Archive
2011-2015
In March 2011 a rundown, post-industrial pigeon fancier's site became available to rent in Walthamstow, East London. On first viewing, the potential for an amazing studio and workshop space was evident. Three local creatives, myself Yvonne Overton, Danielle Michalitsianos and Russell Lowry worked a kind of magic together and THE MAKERS YARD was launched on 30th June that year. The rest is local arts history and our story and visual journey is shared below.
We were actually the first 'Makers Yard'. The name and signage came to me almost fully formed. When I registered themakersyard.com domain in early 2011 there were no Makers Yards on Google, the closest was Yard Makers. Within 6 months of our launch they were popping up everywhere! As the main documenter and keeper of the photographic archive, I've added this page to my own website as a visual history. Sadly I lost the themakersyard.com domain during lockdown when I didn't check our emails and missed the 2 year domain renewal date, as I hadn't updated my credit card details on there. However, our facebook page is still up and active.
We were actually the first 'Makers Yard'. The name and signage came to me almost fully formed. When I registered themakersyard.com domain in early 2011 there were no Makers Yards on Google, the closest was Yard Makers. Within 6 months of our launch they were popping up everywhere! As the main documenter and keeper of the photographic archive, I've added this page to my own website as a visual history. Sadly I lost the themakersyard.com domain during lockdown when I didn't check our emails and missed the 2 year domain renewal date, as I hadn't updated my credit card details on there. However, our facebook page is still up and active.
Spring 2011, Walthamstow, London E17
TRANSFORMATION
TRANSFORMATION
The Original Makers
Brief bios. More work is shown below in the E17 Art Trail galleries. We were a favourite venue every year.
Towards the end of our tenure we were joined by 3 more makers who will be included further down the page.
Towards the end of our tenure we were joined by 3 more makers who will be included further down the page.
Russell Lowry
Our yard man Russell, maker of beautiful things from the discarded and found objects he covets and collects.
Danielle Michalitsianos
Danielle is a printmaker, painter and works with glass. She made the pigeon print installation with the wire cages and racing forms that were found on the site. She also handcut the stencil and printed our signage.
Yvonne Overton
Well that's me, and this is my website so please look around. Needs some updating after all this archiving.
Summer 2011
LAUNCH
LAUNCH
SPRINGTIME
ART TRAIL SUMMER 2011
AUTUMN / WINTER
CHRISTMAS FAIRS
Art Trail Summer 2012
Nature Culture May 2013 - Waltham Forest Arts Club
Summer 2013
We were joined in July by ceramcist Fran Reeve and her beautiful little pots. There was no Art Trail that year so we spent the summer relaxing and enjoying our sunny yard. We had our first life drawing session when a friend held her daughter's Stag Do in the privacy of the lush summer foliage.
Art Trail Summer 2014
New Members Brett Banks & Bernie Clarkson
In the Spring of 2015 we were joined by Sculptor Brett Banks and award winning painter Bernie Clarkson. Both had recently lost their local studio spaces as the new developments in Walthamstow gathered pace.
Art Trail Summer 2015
July 2015 - Saying Goodbye
On the last Sunday of the 2015 Art Trail we were paid a visit by the Landlord. The site had been sold for development and we were given 6 weeks to vacate, a sad day. Everyone had to move out, the lady who made candles in teacups, the metal workshop, and the people who set dried flowers into resin. All the small businesses that had been there for years. The door came home with me!
