Spring 2025
A Tale of Two Places – Shilpa Agashe & Claire Hankey
As the title suggests, we’re responding to the landscapes we each encounter daily—Shilpa walking through Hampstead Heath, Claire exploring the Thames Estuary in Leigh-on-Sea. Both are beautiful in their own right, sitting at the edges of urban life, often unnoticed but teeming with life. Through this work, we want to celebrate these spaces, not just as scenery but as stories—symbols of resilience and quiet, untamed beauty.
With paint, texture, photography, and a mix of recordings—sketches, audio, and journal entries—we’re piecing together a new way of looking at these green corridors.
"The simple sight of a hedgerow, with its mix of plants, birds, and hidden lives, carries the beauty of the world on its tangled branches." – Edward Thomas
So, how did this year’s collaboration take shape?
Shilpa: Every year, we push our ideas a little further. The first time we worked together, we kept it simple—swapping postcard-sized artworks by mail. Then, we created an installation inside a vintage telephone box, involving the community as well. This time, we wanted to keep growing both individually and together, so rather than focusing on a single finished piece, we decided to share our landscapes and see what emerged from that.
Claire: The idea came together pretty naturally over coffee (as all the best ideas do!). We were already drawing and making collages separately, inspired by our own surroundings. When we shared what we’d been working on, the connections were obvious—it was like the threads were already there, just waiting to be woven together.
How is this project different from your last one?
Shilpa: This time, we’re not just making finished artworks; we’re deep-diving into what these landscapes mean to us. It’s more fluid and experimental—we’re journaling, recording sounds, mixing materials, and letting the process lead us rather than chasing a final outcome. It’s been refreshing to work this way, without the pressure of needing to produce a specific number of pieces.
Claire: It also feels different because we’ve met up more in person this time! That’s made a huge difference. Instead of working remotely and bouncing ideas around online, we’ve been able to respond to each other’s work in real time. It’s made everything feel more instinctive and playful. Plus, it’s been great to get back to drawing—something I don’t always make enough time for.
Favourite moment so far?
Shilpa: Finally working together in person! That creative energy was amazing—no overthinking, just bouncing ideas off each other and making decisions on the spot. It made me so excited for what’s to come.
Claire: Same here! Plus, we went art shopping at Cornellison & Sons in London, which was ridiculously fun. Seeing our work side by side in real life sparked ideas we wouldn’t have had otherwise. The piece at the top of this blog? It happened by accident—two separate works literally fell on top of each other, and we both immediately saw the potential.
Where is this work heading?
Shilpa: There’s so much more to explore. Every time we talk, we seem to stumble onto a new theme—like how hedgerows function as natural barriers, cultural markers, or micro-habitats. Right now, I’m experimenting with layered ink drawings on different papers to see if I can mimic the architecture of a hedgerow in a visual way.
Claire: It feels like we’re uncovering patterns as we go—like the idea of these wild spaces thriving right on the edges of city life. We’re letting the project evolve naturally, and that’s what makes it exciting.
Where can you see our work?
You’ll find our collaborative pieces at the Leigh Art Trail (upstairs at The Squeeze Café) during the first two weeks of July. We’re also hoping to have some pieces for sale online at www.clairehankeyartist.com next month.
Follow our progress on Instagram: #ataleoftwoplaces
Thanks for reading this post- do follow along if you are interested in what we are up to!
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