First appearing back in 2020, ART SHOP is an independent pop up shop (not gallery) which habitually materialises in Folkestone’s Creative Quarter. Run by artist Steven Aron Williams aka White Paper Pen as an escape from the solitude of the studio and to simply make connections. Initially flogging his own work and that of Margate based Studio Wellesley (formerly Crack Den & Wonky Pot), the shop has progressed with each incarnation to work with over 30 artists from across the south east and beyond.
A space for dissent, the shop is a hyper-colourful lo-fi selection box packed with art in all its forms. The shop’s aim, whilst championing and encouraging creativity, is to take a different approach to the art “system”. To offer an open and inclusive space to collecting art based on love and affordability and a fairer approach to things like commission. It tries to do away with the heavy art stuff.
“I like to mix artists who may not obviously be seen together and curate on impulse. If I’m honest, I’m making it up as I go along and it’s bloody good fun”
