Parish Cake Autumn 2020

From
Kathmandu
to Cranbrook
Annie Watsham explains how a chance
encounter led to her establishing a
thriving local art business
IN LATE summer 2008 Grahame
Grant and I went down to the
Vestry Hall in Cranbrook to sign
the Gurkha Justice Campaign
petition. A chance comment I
made to Peter Carroll, who was
heading up the campaign, of
‘How’s your campaign going?’
elicited the response, ‘Not that
well.’ My response about getting
Joanna Lumley (whose father
was a Gurkha) involved started
something bigger than I could
ever have imagined…
It instigated a love of and
connection with Nepal and the
Gurkhas. I had been trekking in
Nepal in 1999 for charity (I was
sponsored by Joanna Lumley)
but this took it to a different
level. Joanna visited Cranbrook
in June 2009 to meet me and
the Gurkhas have visited
Cranbrook several times since
then to collect for charity, most
poignantly in 2015 after the
Annie & Grahame
at a private view
devastating earthquake which
shook Nepal. Always a huge hit
with the public the Gurkhas are
a joy to be around!
After this I went on in 2009 to
meet NB Gurung, a wonderful
watercolour artist who lives
in Kathmandu and whose
stunning works we started to
bring to the UK (wrapped in
Nepali newspaper and then in
muslin with wax seals – works
of art in themselves!). We then
framed them and sold through
our website. Thus began the
idea for Grierson Galleries and
we were extremely fortunate to
be offered gorgeous premises in
a stunning historic building in
Sevenoaks, where we launched
in early 2016.
We supported local artists
and Sevenoaks School, as well
as our artists from further
afield, built up a huge artist and
supporter network and made an
excellent name for ourselves. In
2019 we were invited to make
the move and exhibit our art in
our home town of Cranbrook
at the newly launched Hive on
Stone Street. This was perfect
timing as we needed to vacate
our Sevenoaks premises.
In July 2019 Grierson
Galleries at the Hive held
their first edgy innovative
exhibition – we are now on
our fifth! Delighted to be
in our home town, we are
thrilled to represent so many
diverse, talented artists and to
support the local community,
schools and art
enthusiasts
and to offer
services
from art
restoration
to ‘try before
you buy’ and
Art as Investment.
We have many diverse artsrelated
plans in the pipeline to
extend our Art Hub services to
our artists and the public.
We also organise and host our
annual Benenden Art Show and
will be launching our first Art in
Transition art show at Dulwich
Prep Cranbrook next year. Both
sadly had to be postponed
this year due to Covid. Local
businesses support us, and we
love working to mutual benefit.
It’s a fascinating journey
and one never knows where
a chance comment will take
them!
art
Watch NB
Gurung painting live
(as filmed by my daughter
Louise) on his terrace in
Kathmandu at
www.nbgurungart.com
more info
Enjoy our delicious café and patisserie offerings safely –
all homemade on the premises. Grierson Galleries
Open Mon-Sat 8.30am-4.30pm, annie@griersongalleries.com
Sun 9am-2pm
01580 720559 / 07970 413492
We also offer bespoke cakes and
www.griersongalleries.com
afternoon teas.
www.dreamlashesnailsandbrows.co.uk The Wendy House, 27 Stone Street, Cranbrook | 01580 714954
Tel. 01580 388190
The Street, Benenden, Kent, TN17 4DB
Open for Business
Parish Cake • Autumn 2020 45