#SpillingTheTea - with Samantha Foley

For the last interview in this #SpillingTheTea series, we mixed things up a little! We caught up (by phone) with Samantha Foley, a designer and illustrator who runs Scene in London and then then went to visit her at the launch of London Made Me at Battersea Power Station. This is the Mayor of London’s annual retail project that sees representatives from Creative Enterprise Zones across the city, build and run their own store in Central London.

So, first off, can you give us a bit of a career background?
I studied art at Camberwell College of Art before completing my degree in printed textiles at Middlesex University. After university I got a job in the Womenswear design department at House of Fraser, before being accepted onto the Graduate Womenswear Design Programme at Marks and Spencer. This experience gave me valuable insight into designing for customers, analysing sales and data and how to find inspiration and build collections.

After completing the programme, I began working as a freelance designer, keeping M&S as a client, and with working for many high street fashion and homeware brands (and designing for more conceptual design houses too). I loved juggling lots of different jobs and knew that working on varied projects in different locations suited me.

These experiences led me to launch my first design business, Samantha Warren London, which specialised in handmade printed accessories. The brand was stocked in leading galleries and museums including the Royal Academy of Arts, The British Museum, Dulwich Picture Gallery and The Fashion and Textile Museum, along with international lifestyle brands including Anthropologie in USA and Naiise in Asia.

In 2019, I launched Scene in Croydon, named after my local neighbourhood and where the business started and grew organically - extending from a series of posters for the local community action team (Thornton Heath Community Action Team) to a wider range of art prints celebrating London's distinct neighbourhoods (hence the name-change to Scene in London). 

What drew you to Croydon and how has it influenced your work?
I was born and raised in Tooting, and I know Croydon very well and moved her in 2016. I actually spent most of my weekends as a teenager in the area, and my first weekend job was at Warehouse in Croydon.

Croydon has a rich architectural and cultural history. Medieval through to 21st century architectural styles all stand side by side - and it’s fascinating. I recently worked on a project with Stanley Arts to celebrate some of the architecture in Croydon which you can find here. The ‘Building Croydon’ project is a resource made available to local schools to learn about the borough’s special history, and I love that my drawings are being used to inspire the younger generation.

The interplay of people and place exists right across London and is what gives each community its unique character. This is at the core of what sparked Scene In London – I am trying to draw on a sense of a place and its people to celebrate local communities, and to give Londoners artworks that lets them celebrate it too.

What led you to set up Scene in London?
Several contributing factors really. I was designing artwork for a local community action team in Thornton Heath. I really enjoyed volunteering in my local community and drawing the neighbourhood but didn’t think more of it. People were asking if I sold my designs, but at the time I didn’t. At the same time, I was very involved in selling my other design work at local markets and noticed that Croydon wasn't represented in art prints, so I thought it was an idea worth exploring. Also, I have a friend, Danni, who is also a designer and lives in Croydon, who helped design some of the prints at the start, so it was great to have a varied collection of artwork available online when I first launched the shop. People loved the prints, so I kept designing more and it went from strength to strength.

What’s your perspective on Croydon’s creative community?
Most places have a perceived creative style. I think Croydon is best known for its street art and its music scene, however, I know that there is an enormous range of talented creatives working in Croydon. I think a lot of creatives are drawn to Croydon because it’s one of the more affordable parts of London. This pulls in people from all sorts of creative disciplines and backgrounds which makes for a real melting pot that is quite undercover, but very active.

Croydon is such a huge borough, and I think there are lots of creative communities dotted around the borough. My studio is inside ASC in West Croydon where there are over 100 creatives – photographers, artists, fashion designers, graphic designers, writers, illustrators and more.

One of the things I love about the Croydon Creative scene is just how collaborative it is. Creatives working here are open to trying things out and engaging with the local community in lots of different ways, which I love as creativity in the community is central to Scene In London’s ethos.

Are there any local creatives, organizations, or events in Croydon that you feel are making a big impact?
There’s a lot going on in the world which is dividing people and any attempt to bring people together should be celebrated, embraced and amplified. A sense of belonging and pride in community is so important and anyone using their initiative to better the community has my admiration. There are lots of incredible people making a big impact locally, and I invite everyone to tag or comment with details of anyone who deserves a mention. Some people that come to mind are:

Ameena Rojee - a brilliant photographer finding beauty in the everyday, especially in Croydon.

Olive Tree Productions - doing a fantastic job at sharing people’s stories and creating content that connects.

Outside with Lira - connecting people with nature, the simple things, yet so magical and accessible and grounding.

Matthews Yard - for their resilience in creating a flexible space to be enjoyed by the Croydon community, whether it's attending a baby group, coworking space or meeting friends.

Turf Projects - providing art space and opportunities and sparking innovation in Croydon.

Duffus Community Foundation - creating a safe space to inspire and connect young people.

East Croydon Cool - for sharing local news, championing Croydon and putting on THE BEST Croydon socialising events.

How do you think Croydon can further support its artists and creative businesses?
Creative people are often the brave ones who bring about change and make positive things happen through sheer will and talent. Designers, artists, architects, musicians, chefs, writers etc can help Croydon turn its fortunes around, but they must be given the opportunity and the platform. So perhaps, giving creatives the opportunity to use empty shop units on Croydon’s North End/High Street as studios, shops, galleries and pop-up venues? I think making creative areas accessible and visible is key.

This will support local creatives and bring people back to the high street at a time when it really needs invigorating. How amazing would it be to walk down the high street and see creatives and artists at work in the windows, hearing new sounds, watching people dance, or to attend galleries and opening nights along the pedestrianised street?! If Croydon supports its creative community, it will be supporting the whole of the Croydon community.

A central, well-run gallery would also be incredible. Why wouldn’t we have a permanent space to showcase exhibitions by our talented locals? A gift shop selling products by our local artisans. Put on some late events once a month like most of the museums and galleries in London - create a space to celebrate our talents, network and dance :)

Can you tell us about your London Made Me experience so far?
London Made Me is an annual retail development programme, providing retail business classes and a chance to develop and sell products in a pop-up shop in London. After submitting an online application and attending an interview where I presented my Scene in London business, I was selected by the Mayor of London's Creative Enterprise Zone team to join the London Made Me Programme 2024, hurrah!

This year, twelve creatives have been chosen and it’s been great working together, learning from each other and supporting each other through the programme. You can find our shop inside the iconic Battersea Power Station, Upper Ground, Turbine Hall A until 29th December.

The programme is supported by Alice Mayor, Grow London, Visit London and Battersea Power Station, in partnership with Crafty Fox and Lone Design Club.

How important do you think initiatives like London Made Me are for local creatives and small businesses?
London Made Me acknowledges that creative businesses are important and deserve significant support and investment. The creative industry is so important to the UK economy and any initiative that helps to provide a platform for exposure and growth is vital.

Out of all your Croydon artworks, which one is your favourite?
I have quite a collection of Croydon designs so it’s hard to choose just one! I have a few favourites. Two of which you can find inside Centrale Shopping Centre - The CR0 postcode and Croydon Skyline designs. This display is an initiative by artist Laura Nevill to showcase local artists and I was lucky to be selected.

One of my best-selling Christmas cards is the No 1 Croydon building with Christmas lights wrapped around it and a star on top. It’s very cute.

I’m also very proud of my Croydon Map print. When creating this, I learnt a lot about my neighbourhood, and how big and varied it is. Croydon has a lot to offer, and I am always so amazed by the amount of green space and the fantastic woods we have on our doorstep (places like Addington Hills, Coombe Woods, Selsdon Woods). I enjoyed visiting the Croydon archives (which is amazing) to make sure I positioned my drawings in the right places. I love seeing the reactions of customers when they see the print as it sparks a lot of conversation about where they’ve been, places they need to visit and also places they never knew existed in Croydon.

Where do you see yourself and Scene in London in the next five years?
I'll have more time on my hands as my son will have started school, so I’ll have more time for my business (in theory). I’ll have a larger catalogue of London locations under my belt and my artwork will be decorating many more homes. In five years’ time, I’d love to be as enthusiastic about the business as I am now, grabbing opportunities with both hands and continuing with my creative community engagements. You never know what’s around the corner, so remaining engaged, inspired and active and seeing where it takes me.

The retail landscape has changed so much in the last few years so keeping abreast of changes and adapting where necessary will be crucial.
 

For more information about Scene in London, visit www.sceneinlondon.co.uk or
follow @Scene_in_London

You can visit the London Made Me pop up shop until 29 December. More information can be found here: www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk/events/london-made-me/ 

For more info:

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