With hands-on help from the community, six permanent mosaics featuring local waterfowl now permanently decorate the Lakeside Centre façade, for visitors to appreciate.

Overlooking Southmere Lake, the mosaics identify local birds that might be spotted on the water; a local homage to nonhuman members of the community, and a longstanding monument to community spirit.

The artworks were created over the course of two sessions of Lakeside Garden Club, a summer programme where artists and guardians from the Lakeside Centre open the doors, share their skills with members of the community, and provide a welcoming, intergenerational space for people to connect with each other. Through gardening, foraging, making ponds, and reflecting on nature through the arts, visitors to the club have expressed their joy at making memories with loved ones, trying new activities and meeting new people, seeing familiar faces, and finding a sense of calm and human connection in difficult times.

Making the Mosaic: Egyptian Goose, Great Crested Grebe

Working from illustrations featuring the local waterfowl, the mosaic contributors mindfully arranged glass onto mosaic bases, setting them into patterns to permanently brighten the outside of the Lakeside Centre. Calm and collaborative, laying the tiles one by one fostered a friendly sense of teamwork among the contributors.

The installation of the mosaics coincides with Bow Arts’ recent purchase of the artist studios, as well as the 30 year anniversary of the arts charity & social enterprise, marking the milestone with new memories and taking the opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment.

Working with Gary Drostle

Gary is an esteemed mosaic artist, whose expertise has garnered him a number of awards and public art commissions, including a 2019 National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association award; a 2015 Prix Picassiette award; 2014 MAI Contemporary Innovation in Mosaic award; 2008 MAI Miami Best Architectural Mosaic award. His De Luci Fish sculpture on the local Erith roundabout connects the history of the area with a new image for Erith and Thamesmead.

“I was very happy to see the local community coming together to create these mosaics for the Lakeside Centre.

I felt that the spirit of working together during the sessions was very strong and people really seemed to enjoy the process of making mosaics from these tiny pieces of glass. It felt like we were all pulling together to brighten our environment and raise awareness of the rich natural environment around us. Each piece of glass has been hand cut and laid to create these six water fowl portraits.

I wanted the designs to be both colourful and to act as a kind of reference point for children and adults to spot the different sorts of birds found on our lake. In my head I saw them echoing the lifebelts that can be seen along the river and other stretches of water.“

“Mindful, creative, collaborative. A great multi-generational experience. An unexpected and memorable way of rubbing shoulders with others from the community”

Thamesmead Resident & Mosaic Contributor

To find out more about how to get involved with the Lakeside Centre, explore the Lakeside Garden Club, or sign-up to our monthly newsletter.