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The Small Business Research + Enterprise Centre (SBREC) is a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and small businesses in London.
They offer a variety of workshops and one-to-one business mentoring to expert advice and access to insightful market information, all designed to help businesses thrive.
Located in the heart of London’s financial district, SBREC offers services both in person and online, making it easy for businesses in and around the city to take advantage of their expertise.
Many of their resources, including Zoom sessions and access to online databases, are free to use. Here’s where to learn more SBREC.
SBREC provides a variety of meeting spaces, including the Magnolia Meeting Room.
It is a spacious room, but as it is located downstairs it doesn’t receive any natural light. The room features crisp white walls, a grey carpet, and dark magnolia chairs. Upon entering, you’ll notice a large black-and-white photograph of London on the right-hand wall.
While the Magnolia Meeting Room had a neat and functional vibe, it needed colour to add a touch of warmth and make it feel more welcoming and so that was my aim with these paintings.
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The brief was simple yet inspiring: create a series of paintings that echoed the beauty of magnolia while bringing the essence of my Elemental Collection into the space.
My task was to inject a sense of joy, positivity, and natural warmth into the room, transforming it from a blank canvas into a space that felt welcoming.
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For the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of receiving guidance from SBREC, and during this time, they’ve come to know my artwork intimately.
In March, Wendy Foster, one of SBREC’s dedicated business advisors, visited my ‘Elemental‘ exhibition at the Chelsea Gallery in Kings Road, London.
She approached me to create bespoke pieces for the Magnolia Meeting Room, in a similar style to the exhibition paintings, while working with the theme of ‘Magnolia’ to bring feelings of warmth and vibrancy to the room.
Materials
- Acrylic paints
- Matte varnish
- Stretched canvas with standard edges (approximately 2 cm deep). Fabric – linen.
The Dimensions
- Two 24 x 24-inch (60 x 60 cm ) paintings for one wall
- A triptych for a second wall. Three paintings at 12 x 24 inches (30 x 60 cm). Overall triptych size 24 x 38 inches (60 x 96 cm)
Note: a triptych is a painting which consists of three individual pieces that together form a cohesive image.
With spring in full bloom, I found inspiration in the delicate magnolia flowers I photographed in a Worcestershire garden.
In my imagination, I pictured their soft petals, ranging from creams and pale pinks to deep purples, reflecting on the surface of a gently flowing stream surrounded by lush greenery, wildflowers, and the vibrant blues of spring skies.
I aimed to capture this vision by translating it into abstract form.
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Drawing from My Elemental Collection
My Elemental Collection celebrates the dynamic relationship between nature, water, and light, particularly the unique, optimistic energy of spring.
This collection became the foundation for the Magnolia Meeting Room commission. I wanted the paintings to exude the same sense of vitality and optimism.
I began by sketching the compositions in pencil, then applied soft, translucent colours as the base layer. Gentle brushstrokes set the background tone, creating the peaceful undercurrent that would support the more dynamic elements.
Once the backgrounds were dry, I switched to my palette knives to introduce texture and depth. Each stroke represents Magnolia blooms and other spring flowers, blending with leaves, trees, sky and gently flowing water.
To add interesting marks, I used unconventional tools such as sponges to smooth out areas and pine needles dipped in paint, dragging them gently across the surface of the canvas creating fine, delicate lines.
My collection of specialised palette knives, including one shaped like a gecko’s foot and another resembling a pizza cutter, helped me create interesting marks reminiscent of ripples and reflections on water.
The triptych, which spans three canvases, was treated as a single cohesive piece. I modified two easels to accommodate all three canvases side by side, ensuring the flow and connection between them.
After allowing the paintings to dry thoroughly, I applied two coats of matte varnish to each piece. As the Magnolia Meeting Room uses artificial lighting, a glossy finish may have caused unwanted reflections.
The matte varnish ensured the colours remained vibrant without any distracting shine. The varnish will also protect the painting from UV light and will make cleaning the painting in future, much easier.
In April, I delivered the completed paintings to SBREC. Wendy was eager to see the artwork I had created for her and carefully unwrapped each piece, laying them on a large table.
The once-blank walls of the Magnolia Meeting Room now feel welcoming, warm and professional.
The Small Business Research + Enterprise Centre (SBREC) in London, commissioned a series of paintings to transform their Magnolia Meeting Room, a functional space lacking natural light.
Drawing inspiration from springtime magnolia flowers and my Elemental Collection of paintings, the commissioned paintings were designed to bring warmth, colour, and vibrancy to the room.
Using acrylic paints and painting tools including palette knives and unconventional items such as pine needles, I created two large paintings and a triptych to fill the space with energy and positivity. The completed artworks, now adorning the walls of the Magnolia Meeting Room, have turned the Magnolia Meeting Room into a welcoming, creative space.
With a fully personalized approach, I craft original artwork uniquely tailored to your specific needs and vision. Whether you’re looking to enhance your office, meeting space, or boardroom, I will work closely with you to ensure the final piece reflects your style, goals, and the atmosphere you want to create. Together, we can transform your walls into captivating focal points that inspire and energize. Let’s collaborate to bring your space to life with art that is truly one-of-a-kind!
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