Simon Warren, I love Walthamstow

1. Please tell us about the work you will be showing in the 2011 E17 Art Trail.

I will be showing a new piece of work specially shot for this year’s Trail. Following on from my 2008 piece, 'Images of Walthamstow', I have produced a new piece called 'I love Walthamstow'. I will also be showing another specially commissioned piece shot in 2005, 'Four Eyes', which was shot for my retrospective show to celebrate 25 years as a professional photographer and to raise funds for Breast Cancer Care, a charity close to my heart. I set about shooting the London eye from dawn til dusk. This involved 12 hours on top of Shell’s London HQ, taking one image per hour. The four images shown here give a real sense of the changing light throughout the day.

I have lived in the borough for 20 years. When you live somewhere for so long you become familiar with its landmarks and buildings. In 2008 I undertook my first Art Trail Piece, 'Images of Walthamstow'. The piece was designed to depict various landmark sites and some of the more unusual buildings and scenes that I walked past every day. 

For this year’s piece I wanted to really explore the Walthamstow that I was not familiar with. So, inspired by a local map in an estate agent I decided to cycle all the roads in Walthamstow, some 700!  This would give a flavour of the diverse nature of where we live. Four days later and with some 800 images shot, I set about the task of reducing the images to 80, and the painstaking work of putting it together.  The result I think you will agree really gives a sense of where we live.

2. What challenges (if any) did you face in realising this work? 

The challenges involved cycling every road in Walthamstow, remembering where I had been and not missing any roads. It was great fun though! The hard part for me was the editing, deciding which images to use and which to not. With some 800 to choose from I could easily make another montage!

3. What do you like about E17 and why? Is there anything you would change about the area? 
I dont think that I would like to live anywhere else but E17! Even if I won the lottery. What I love about here is the community feel. As an artist who works and lives here I am always bumping into friends and fellow art friends...Walthamstow is just right . And as you can see from my work there is a lot going on alll over the borough. It's clear the people take pride in their gardens and even simple things like decorating their front doors.

4. Who and/or what inspires you? 

I am inspired by those who push boundaries in what they do. I have only seen the work of one artist on this year's Trail. Having photographed his work for a forthcoming exhibition. I would defintately reccommend going to see Justin Sidney's work that's being shown at Dwell Estate Agents. Not to mention also my other work can be see as part of The Image 17 Collective's 'Taking Part' show at Chestnuts House.

5. What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

No matter how mad or crazy your idea is, just do it..!

I love Walthamstow is on at The Windmill Tapas Restaurant, 18 High Street, until Sunday 11 September, closed Monday 5.