Pictures of East End’s past: Artist who quit painting 15 years ago picks up brush again as army of fans seek retro glimpse of London in the 80s and 90s
- For more than twenty years Doreen Fletcher painted the streets of east London until she gave up in 2004
- She decided to begin painting again in 2015 following a renewed interest in her work from art fans
- The exhibition will reveal the full breadth of her achievement between 1983 and 2004 and from 2015 onwards
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An exhibition is set to showcase paintings which depict the drastic changes in London over three decades.
For more than twenty years Doreen Fletcher painted the streets of east London until, discouraged by lack of recognition, she gave up in 2004.
She decided to pick up her paintbrush again in 2015 after a feature about her in community blog Spitalfields Life led to a renewed interest in her work by art lovers.
Most of Doreen Fletcher’s paintings are to exhibited at east London’s Nunnery gallery in Bow.
The exhibition will reveal the full breadth of her achievement between 1983 and 2004 and from 2015 onwards.
It will display the largest selection of her paintings together, and include many previously unseen pictures from private collections.
Doreen Fletcher’s retrospective at the Nunnery Gallery from 25 January coincides with the publication of a monograph of her work by Spitalfields Life Books, published November 2018.
Some of Doreen’s paintings can be seen below.
Most of Doreen Fletcher’s paintings are to exhibited at east London’s Nunnery gallery in Bow. Pictured, Salmon Lane in the Rain in 1987
An exhibition is set to showcase paintings which depict the drastic changes in London over three decades. Pictured, a dental surgery in Salmon Lane, Limehouse painted in 2018. If you slide you can see a photograph of the surgery
For more than twenty years Doreen Fletcher painted the streets of east London until, discouraged by lack of recognition, she gave up in 2004. Pictured, a tyre shop in Salmon Lane, Limehouse painted in 2018. Slide to see what the street looks like today
She decided to pick up her paintbrush again in 2015 after a feature about her community blog Spitalfields Life led to a renewed interest in her work by art lovers
Most of Doreen Fletcher’s paintings are to exhibited at east London’s Nunnery gallery in Bow. Pictured, a corner shop in Canning Town in 1994
The Pubali Cafe in Limehouse in 1996. Slide to see what it looks like today
The exhibition will reveal the full breadth of her achievement between 1983 and 2004 and from 2015 onwards. Doreen is pictured
Commercial Road, Whitsunday in 1989. Slide to see how it looks today
A bus stop in the east end in 1983. This was the first of Doreen Fletcher’s paintings of the area
Mile End seen in 1989 and if you slide you can see how the same street scene looks today
A fishmongers in commercial Road in 2003 and how it looks today
A laundrette in Ben Jonson Road, Bow, east London, in 1983
Paddington Station, seen at night in 1982 but if you slide you can see what it looks like today. The station has been made famous by the Paddington Bear children’s book series
The exhibition will take between Friday, January 25 and Sunday, March 24, 2019. Pictured, Paddington Station in 1992
The Ragged School Museum is pictured in 2017. The museum was formerly a ragged school which provided a free education for destitute children. The museum tells the story of its former history. Slide to see how Doreen’s painting compares to the real street scene
The St George in the East church in Tower Hamllets which Doreen painted in 1991.
The paintings give an insight into the past of the end. Pictured, Rene’s Cafe in 1986
The exhibition follows the publication of a monograph of her work by Spitalfields Life Books which was published in November 2018
