By Harriet Wood
Ealing Art Trail, also known as BEAT, inspires the community for the tenth year running with its largest event yet.
The event, which took place across 68 venues across Ealing, featuring 230 artists or groups, ran during the 5th-6th, 9th and the 12th-13th of September.
Contributing artists were given the opportunity to exhibit their work or put it on sale for visitors to buy. This could be either from their own homes or studios or in specified venues, such as in Hanwell Community Centre, in which many artists and their companies had set up their own stalls.
Local small business owner Atelier Zorro created an upcycled fashion accessories and denim jackets stall in Hanwell and explained how she created some of her pieces. “My philosophy is to try and use what you have around you. That’s why I have flowers that I pick from parks in Ealing.”
She also shared her experience finding comfort in creating art during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. “I got so surprised by the news that I had to switch it off and I started to do crafting… I started to notice that, in my mind, I stopped worrying… Basically, this is my therapy.”
“I really recommend crafting for your mental health, and to bring some beauty into the world… the world is boring otherwise.”
Hanwell Community Centre is the site of the Hanwell Pottery group, many members of which had their own art stalls, and they run themed pottery taster sessions there as well.
The trail finished after the weekend of the 12th-13th of September, but various works were still available for purchase and showcased in Ealing Central Library. They were on sale for £50 each, and all profits earned were donated to Ealing Foodbank.