Archie - Open Studio - Galleria ACME - Peckham

Strange isn't it that nearly 40 years later Archie is renting his studio from ACME as I did back in the 70's except then mine was a pre-fab in Stepney for £3 a week or something stupid and I could live there as well! Good to see ACME still a going concern - helping out artists in one of the most expensive cities in the world. Stepney was pretty basic but very cheap to live back in the 70's and 80's. I got to exhibit at the Whitechapel gallery a few times and made enough work to get my foot in the door of a couple of galleries in the west end. All run by crooks sadly so didn't last long. Mail art came along and rest, as they say, is history. Our 40+ year archive "Curious Things" opens in Manchester on Monday and on for 6 months. #mmucuriousthings

Camdenhurst Street, Stepney - 4th May 1976

Dear C, R and A, What a nice suprise. I certainly did not expect a reply and certainly not an invitation after such a long silence and my intimidating Easter card! I was looking through some old letters ( they are in suitcases, various sizes of wooden and carboard boxes and take up most of the room here ) and came across some from you in Africa, and wondered how I'd lost contact with such friendly and delightful people ( I really mean that, honest!) My memory is petty terrible at the best of times ( and seems to be getting worse!) and I was suddenly plagued with the notion that I had written at some time a poor and ill formed letter that had brought about this sudden break in communications from you while in France as you were all over Africa and then returning to England, and so there was a big gap at that time for everybody, not just me. Hope you can make sense of this, I can't! Anyway, I'll just fill in the gaps and tell you what' been happening in my thin little life since then. When I came back from France I "crashed" on Dick and Cheryl's workshop floor (lumpy mattress) in Lambeth for about a year ( it seemed like an eternity at the time, feels, in retrospect like about 3 weeks! ) I was looking around for a studio (or anything ) during the letter part of my stay, and eventually found out about ACME Housing Association, and after an interview I went on their waiting list ( meantime I'd outstayed my welcome in Lambeth and went to live with my parents in Basildon - still on the dole ) and lo and behold 7 months later I was offered a pre-fab in the most unattractive part of London, which I jumped at immediately ( I was quite prepared to live in a hollow log at that time!) So here I am, snug as a hamster in a shoe box! Plenty of room for a solitairy artist to paint, sleep, eat, wash etc. and even a little garden to dig in if I feel so inclined ( and had money for a spade!) My neighbours are a rum lot, except for Colin and Patty next door, who like a lot of things that I do, and only last night were in here listening to Tony Hancock and old BBC comedy shows and chuckling to ourselves. There are 24 or so pre-fabs in this block- 14 of which are occupied by artists of one kind or another ( so they tell me!) 7 are squatted in ( mostly hells angels and thick hippies ) and the rest ordinairy East Enders just dying to move out into a nice council flat or maisonette. The gas men were here yesterday and put in new pipes etc. for natural gas conversion. My heating has gone "up the creek" consequently! I'll have to collar one of the gas men and make him look at it. Brick Lane market is quite close and I usually go there every Sunday morning to hunt for bargains and just enjoy the atmostphere of a "real" street market, not like the awful tourist trap "petticoat lane" just around the corner. Last Sunday I bought some quite decent classical LP's for 20p each, only they didn't have the outer sleeve, and some were a bit crackly but otherwise excellent. Also a large enamel saucepan that weighs a ton, just right for cooking curries and thick soups without spoiling them. That was only 50p ( it has a lid too ) I have a couple of collages in the East London Open at the Whitechapel Gallery but apart from that no offers of gallery space are forthcoming. ||However, after mu slides are returned from the Greater London Arts association ( I've applied for a grant and certainly won't get it ) I shall hawk my wares around sympathetic galleries if I can find any! There's a possibility I may do some murals for a local arts association, but people often say things they don't really mean ( nothing came of it ). Meanwhile I'm slowly turning out some watercolirs and hope to start a large canvas soon ( my first attempt was a terrible failure, I feel reluctant to start again!) The sun is out and my washing is flapping and dancing on the line and I must go and browse through situations vacant ( just in case!) I haven't heard from Bill and Lynne in a while.Their last letter said they'd be in Red Deer until the end of May, but didn't say where they were going after that. I certainly hope they come back to England, It'll be lovely to see them again. It'll be even nicer if they are staying with you and I can come and visit. Whatever happens, I certainly hope to hear form you soon and about life in Berkshire and little hand clapping Alice. Love Michael.

Camdenhurst Street Stepney - Tuesday 3rd Jan. 1978

Dear C, R, A & W, Thankyou for the jolly card. I do hope you had a lovely Christmas. I had an awfully dull time at my parents - watching huge chunks of cake and eating the television ( also in huge chunks ) consequently I am covered in spots and have dark rings around my eyes - most unbecoming! Anyway, thank goodness it's all over for another year and I can get back to my usual routine. There were a couple of pleasant evenings spent in the company of old friends that I suppose made up for the horrible dull boring bits. I must admit I did receive some lovely pressies this year ( mostly from me!) New records by Ian Dury ( who I'm sure you must have heard about ) and Ry Cooder. A bunch of sable brushes from my brother and his fiance. An egg box cage thing from my friend Tony and a book of Chinese childrens propaganda paintings. Bill & Lynne gave me a twel full of rainbows and packet of delicious china tea. Lucky old me! Did you stay home for Xmas or did you stay with friends or family atall? Heard from Dinah lately? Lynne phoned her up last week and we all had a few pence of words with her. It wasn't very successful though, those sort of phone calls ever are. A squeaky voice said "I'm on a little cloud" or something like that Lynne thought she would be spurred to write after that but nothing yet as far as I know. Ho hum. Gosh it's ever so windy and cold outside. I'm glad I don't have to go out and get paparfin tonight. Egg chip sna beans for tea - yum yum! Yes, I would love to come and visit you again soon, and when I do, or WE do I must bring the colour slides of Alice to show you that I took when I was there last. Mind you i think they are still in the camera so better not count my transparencies before they hatch! I must shoot the rest of the film off soon, if only we had some sunshine- just a weensy bit. Anyway I must go and look at my loaf now. Hope you are all well. Love, Michael.

Camdenhurst St. Stepney - Tuesday 9th August 1977

Dear C , R & A, Hope you are all well. Just thought I'd send you one of my posters for your perusal, or your coal shed. At the bottom it should read "Supported By The Greater London Arts Association", but as it does not acknowledge them in this fashion I'm afraid I won't be getting the £50 grant they offered me. Very annoying. I was out in my bountiful garden this afternoon, weeding , hoeing and generally messing about. I planted some leeks but I think it's rather too late for such a move. Have to wait and see I suppose. I pulled the broad beans out and lifted my onions to dry off. The runner beans have lots of blossom and bees so I'm hoping for a bumper crop there. The sunflowers are rather stunted but beautiful all the same silent sentinels around the edge of my little allotment , nodding at each other in the breeze. Have you heard from Bill and Lynne yet? Bill scratched his phone number on my front door but that's as near as they've got to actually communicating with me. I sent them a letter as the public phone box near here is little better than a public urinal! I have a great gas cooker now courtesy of Dick's Auntie Joan. Dick came round to fix it up for me. What a kind fellow. They have also invited me to Paris for a couple of weeks to stay with Richard Bollard. I hope to scrape enough money togther to go, as I feel I've earned a short holiday after my traumatic scrapyard and beetroot experiences! "Take It From Here" is on later tonight which I am looking forward to, and I believe the Goons are being repeated next week. Hooray! I am reading Norman Lindsay's autobiography at the moment which is quite amusing ( for an Australian ). He wrote "The Magic Pudding", a lovely book, also a Tom Sawyerish trilogy that includes "Saturdee" "Redheap" and "Halfway To Anywhere", which I urge you to read if you haven't already. It's really nice not having to use that nasty camping gaz stove of my brother-in-laws anymore. Now I can cook pies, flans and baked potatoes and not end of interesting things. Cooking has become a pleasure again. I have a couple of things in the Whitechapel Open, which I've told you about I'm sure. The show itself is rather more interesting than previous years as they've tended to show work by young practicing artists from the area and not so much "sunday painters" stuff. Nothing sold yet unfortunately , not that I expect it really. I have a good organic gardening book that Dick and Cheryl gave me. I've been reading how to make effective sprays with garlic and household refuse, also what herbs and flowers keep pests away. Very useful. I do hope you are well and will write soon. Love Michael.