PostNatal is a group show ft artists Lauren McLaughlin (@laurenlifeartandstuff), Emma O’Brien (@emmaobrien2016), Rebecca Livesey-Wright (@rebeccor_blimey), Charmaine Beneyto (@charmainebeneyto), Yvonne E.Maxwell (@yvonne.emaxwell).

Exploring the complex interplay between trauma, healing, domesticity, and matrescence—the profound physical, emotional, and psychological transformation experienced in the postnatal journey of becoming mother— PostNatal considers this transition not just as a biological passage but as a deeply creative and transformative process, often marked by pain and rupture alongside the resilience and healing that emerges.

This presentation enquires the often-overlooked narratives of (m)otherhood, reclaiming them as vital, raw, and profoundly human.

Lewisham Arthouse
17-26 January
Private View: Thursday 16th Jan 6-9PM

Special parent/ carer + child viewing and artist talk
Friday 24th January 2PM

@lewishamarthouse

For more information
charmaine@cb-artgroup.com

Artwork by @emmaobrien2016

Exhibition Dates: Friday February 21 through Sunday March 2, 12pm – 6pm Wednesday to Sunday.
Private view: Friday 21st February 6pm – 9pm with DJ, performances, shopping with merch + limited edition prints, and open bar. RSVP Link: https://norby.link/cqP3b2

GROWING SEASON is Coven’s first exhibition, giving audiences a chance to experience the unseen hard work and messiness that goes on behind studio doors. Part 1 began with an open call to artists across the UK to submit an idea for new work that was risky – a departure from their work in style, material, or content. From 60+ submissions they selected 13 artists who then showed “seeds” of ideas and works in progress at an exhibition in the Lewisham back garden of Coven co-founders Natalie and Tom in June of 2024.

Coven is a multidisciplinary cooperative started by Producer Natalie Hall and sculptor Tom Witherick. “We saw a problem echoed across all the independent artists we knew – a feeling of isolation, confusion on how to build a sustainable working practice, and a total lack of understanding or resources on how to grow and engage audiences. Everyone we knew was frustrated” Hall says.

The duo managed to wrangle funding from Arts Council England, and set out to curate a full exhibition of those completed works, interviewing the artists in their studios and hosting peer-to-peer chats along the way to cultivate a sense of community and transparency – enabling artists to reach out to one another for help or support more easily. Now the week-long exhibition is going live at Lewisham Arthouse in New Cross, with an excitingly diverse show of emerging artists pushing their own boundaries to make new works that challenge their existing practices.

Witherick continues, “In addition to the work of gathering artists to share resources and support, we wanted to make it – frankly – less boring for audiences to come and experience new art. So for this exhibition our opening party with have a DJ, actually GOOD drinks (no warm wine), performances, and shopping with good merch, limited edition prints, and affordable original artwork”.

Throughout the exhibition, featured artists will also host a series of workshops – some designed for families with children, others for friends who want to be creative and have a cheeky drink at the same time! Coven co-founder Natalie Hall will also teach a free masterclass on how to apply for Arts Council Funding, aimed at professional creatives of all disciplines.

Workshops
All workshops are free to attend, open to all, and all materials are provided!

‘Paper City’ with Indianna Solnick (@indsolnick) 22/02, 3-4:30pm. RSVP link: https://norby.link/cyf5a2

*Great for friends!* A world-building collage and sculpture workshop aimed at children and adults. Envisioning changes in our environments and fostering a sense of shared ownership, collective responsibility for, but most importantly power to change our surroundings and public spaces. Utilising flypostering techniques we will create our own billboard-inspired sculptural/architectural interventions.

‘How to get Arts Council Funding’ with Natalie Hall (@noodlehall) 26/02, 6:30-8:30pm (online). Link: https://norby.link/cEo4pq

*Designed for creative professionals* Want to get funding for your project or your creative development? Learn how and get easy to use templates from professional Grant Writer, Producer, and Lecturer in Fundraising at Goldsmiths UoL in this free masterclass!

‘Unfolding Nature’ with Brooke Leigh (@bybrookeleigh) 01/03, 2-3:30pm. RSVP Link: https://norby.link/cGfzr7

*Great for families and young people!* Join Brooke for an afternoon of drawing activities inspired by the textures, shapes, movements, and sounds of nature. Incorporating mindfulness & social connection participants will explore a range of drawing techniques, including blind contour drawing, frottage, collage, and concertina book-making.

‘Lino print stamp making’ with Yasmine Brennan (@yasmine.bre) 01/03, 4-5:30pm. RSVP Link: https://norby.link/cynrgc

*Great for friends!* Join Yasmine in creating your very own lino print stamps inspired by objects and trinkets from your home or around the exhibition.

‘Camouflage collaging’ with Amy Rose Barnes (@amyrosebarnes) 02/03, 2-3:30pm.
RSVP Link: https://norby.link/cDhAow

*Great for families with children!* Create a series of abstract artworks via printing and rubbing techniques to explore camouflage through experimentation with layering and collage.

Featured Artists + Instagram Handles
Amy Rose Barnes – @amyrosebarnes
Brooke Leigh – @bybrookeleigh
Caroline Bugby – @carolinebugby
Chuting Lee – @leechuting
Ella Yolande – @ellayolande
Indianna Solnick – @indsolnick
Josh Philpott – @_joshphilpott_
Kate Phillips – @vitamorte2
Laura Reznek – @laurareznek
Laurence Green – @laurencegreenverde
Liza Kaluzhskaia – @liza.ylisse
Savannah Du Quercy – @savannahduquercy
Yasmine Brennan – @yasmine.bre

@lewishamarthouse