TAG Flower Boxes 2013Artist - TAG. Installed April 2013

In 2012, the Turnpike Art Group approached Virgin Media with a concept to decorate their street-side telecom boxes. With Virgin's permission, along with Haringey Council, funding from Community First allowed the project to go ahead. TAG also received generous support from Cut-Tec, in Barnsley, who created the stencils required without cost.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

VWArtist - TAG/VW. Installed August 2013

When a new apprentice arrives on her Brompton, sporting a tangerine, monogramed satchel, you know you're in safe hands.

From an earlier conversation, when we met VW whilst working on an artwork, she expressed a desire to have one of our Flower Boxes created in her neighbourhood (a mere half mile from the TAG hub). Such enthusiasm was bolstered, when we suggested she help make the artwork.

So on an early autumn morning, we met over an expectant telecom box, eager to plant some flowers. Over the next hour-or-so we dodged falling apples and pears from a nearby tree, applied seven colour variations to our stencils, and discussed critical street art theory - such as whether Banksy applies suncream, and if so, what factor?

It was a joy to observe VW's confidence grow, until by the third panel, she was spraying like a pro. Hopefully our tutelage was sufficient. Judge for yourself...

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

TAG Çiçek KutusuArtist - TAG/Esra. Installed August 2013

Never underestimate the power of flowers. And their inherent ability to open new doors and opportunities.

Only recently TAG were applying the finishing touches to our Chinese Centre artwork, with a petal-painting initiative designed to engage passer-by with ownership of the art in their streets, when we discovered a hugely talented artist living only a few hundred yards from the hub. After receiving some sample artworks, a date was set to work with Esra Duzen, on our very first collaborative installation - a TAG Çiçek Kutusu.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

Small but interesting outdoor taskArtist - TAG. Installed September 2013

We like a challenge at TAG. And a recent advert posted on Craigslist was all together too intriguing

CREATIVE VISUAL ARTIST REQUIRED FOR SMALL BUT INTERESTING OUTDOOR TASK

Fast forward a few weeks, and we found ourselves just south of the Elephant and Castle roundabout, installing three fine variants on the TAG Flower Boxes, as a commission piece courtesy of the York Mansions Residents Association, located on a side street off Walworth Road.

As the second of three artworks were being installed, progress was halted by a woman cycling up to the nearby traffic lights. "Is that guerilla art?" she enquired. Having informed her there was permission granted for the work, TAG responded "Would the artwork be better if it was?" Remounting her bike as the lights turned green, the cyclist left a challenging repost "Possibly. Yes."

Through a very successful dialogue, three kerbside placements had been created - these as masking decorations to what was once a trio of lighting wells to the York Mansions basement. This kind of intervention can very easily transform an everyday eyesore into a punctuation point of visual interest. Such seemingly small artworks can create a world of difference.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

Caisse à fleurs sur Graham GreenArtist - TAG. Installed July 2013

In recognition of this summer's fabulous display of lavender on Graham Green, it seemed only right to create an appropriate Flower Box at this location (with a dash of island life for friends).

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

Flower Boxes thrive in the Summer of 2013Artist - TAG. Installed July 2013

Further blooms have sprung up in our Hub.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

New Flower Box - Langham RoadArtist - TAG. Installed May 2013

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

Flowers in MayArtist - TAG. Installed May 2013

The latest planting of a TAG Flower Box took place yesterday, with a little additional help. Visiting from Brixton, a certain Sylvia was more than keen to take up the spray can, and go green on some of the front face artwork.

Lastly, we turned to young Gabriel who lives nearby, to finish the spray painting. Gabriel was coincidentally celebrating his 6th Birthday. And soon got to grips with can and stencil.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

Flower Boxes • 2013Artist - TAG. Installed April 2013

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All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

Shake Well

With the vestiges of a long winter finally slipping by, we have been able to make some realistic progress for projects, quite literally, kept on ice.

Having pursued the correct channels for creating any piece of urban art, particularly those involving spray paint, we were granted permission by all those concerned, and had parked the results of our rectitude, waiting for conditions to improve.

So armed with an iPhone-toting colour swatch, TAG hit the Brick Lane environs, and paid a visit to Chrome and Black - a Shoreditch shop respected as the place to buy your urban art armoury.

We were first met by the shop dog. And having passed the sniff test, then proceeded to travel the banks of battery-farm-like spray paint displays. From an artist's perspective, the sheer range, and lustre of the spray paint palette was mouth watering. Luckily any impromptu reassessment of our flower box themes was avoided, rational thinking prevailed; no fluorescent foliage in N15! A safe purchase of Montana Gold and Black occurred.

Back at HQ we just need a good day - to get busy with 'Orangina', 'Melon Yellow', 'Lilas Tendre', and 'Denim Stonewash'; among others. Then its time to Shake Well.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

Enlightening

There's no greater thrill for an artist or designer, than seeing your sketch-phase come to life; when what was once a scribble or notation on paper, takes a tangible form, en route to project completion.

Watching the surreally-conscious tracking of a laser, as it chaotically jumps and skips over a plastic sheet was just such a moment - the designs for our TAG Flower Boxes rapidly punched out of a Mylar roll with stunning accuracy.

Last Friday TAG paid a visit to Cutting Technologies in Barnsley, and spent a fascinating afternoon in the educational company of Jane Robinson. Having preceded a factory tour with a visit to the Enlightened Exhibition, it soon became apparent that what was once considered a purely industrial tool, has a very real place to play in the fine art arena.

Think of the reaction Warhol and his cohorts attracted, when they began to screen print directly onto canvas. This avant-garde mark-making process held much resistance. Yet is now commonplace, albeit usurped by digital advancement. To that end, one might see a time when working with lasers becomes commonplace. Viewing the variety, and stunning subtly, of image-making via this tool was indeed a real eye opener. Many beautiful examples were shown.

Heading back to London, with a roll of laser-cut flora under one arm, we get the feeling TAG and Cut Tec may cross paths again soon.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

The Cutting Edge

Notwithstanding the pun, when we decided to seek out a quality solution for our Flower Box project, it seemed logical to approach the cutting edge for our stencil requirements.

And so it is with much pride that we are able to announce Cutting Technologies, Laser Cutting & Engraving Services as a sponsor for Flower Boxes.

They have generously agreed to supply gratis stencil cutting and supply for the necessary designs that will realise our Flower Box project. For this we must thank Jane Robinson at Cut Tec.

All going well, we will be advancing this over the next few weeks.

An interesting further development - Changify have approached TAG to introduce our Flower Boxes to the Camberwell Art Fair, and the Shoreditch Digital Festival, both occurring this summer. More as it develops.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.