Throughout my life, naturally, I have seen my beloved town change. However, I have never felt change taking place at such a rapid rate as it has done in the past few years. I am left feeling somewhat overwhelmed and bewildered by it, with conflicting feelings on the issue of gentrification.

Change, in whatever form it may take, is often accompanied by feelings of loss, nostalgia and perhaps even a sense of grief. On the other hand, change may be welcomed and is often necessary, albeit with a reluctance to let go. This project explores these themes within the context of Hastings and St Leonards, by taking on a collaborative approach with long-term residents.

Our home has been described in the press as a ‘gritty alternative’ with a ‘Costa Del Dole vibe’, or somewhere that is being ‘regenerated with an arty crowd’. As a long-term resident, I find the language of some of these Sunday supplements frustrating, not to mention often inaccurate and problematic as local people are often left out of the conversation.

I believe that giving a range of local people a voice and a platform to express their feelings is not only essential, but also the most effective way to show an accurate reflection of collective thoughts and feelings surrounding the issue.

I feel that in the face of transformation, it is imperative to create a local archive to preserve memories and local identities as the town transforms. The combination of words, images and place within this project serve to explore and reflect attitudes and emotions of local people, merging their memories of the past and some of their most beloved spots with their thoughts on rapid gentrification, the future of the town and ultimately their own.

This is an ongoing project and I am always looking for people who have grown up or spent a considerable period of time in Hastings or St Leonards to share their thoughts and memories with me. Please get in touch if you would like to get involved.

Alice Denny

PDF Download

Sue Tilley, also known as Big Sue, most famous for modelling for the painter Lucian Freud, moved to St Leonards in 2015. Sue, who amongst many other things paints, writes and DJs, had been running a weekly life drawing class at The Fountain in St Leonards until Lockdown hit, so was thrilled when she was invited by Isolation Station Hastings to stream a weekly live online show entitled Life Drawing with Sue Tilley.

The format of the show was Sue and a guest having a candid chat over the course of an hour whilst the audience drew the guest (or Sue) from the comfort of their living rooms. Alongside some celebs, guests included locals such as BAFTA award-winning costume designer Michele Clapton, international jazz singer Sarah Jane Morris and even the then Mayor of Hastings, Nigel Sinden.

CREDIT: Alice Denny

For the show, Sue has curated a selection of portraits out of thousands produced by the hundreds of viewers. The aim is to give the message that everyone can be an artist, and this is reflected in the range of abilities on show, making it particularly enjoyable.

Many mediums are represented, including iPad drawings and paintings, acrylic and water colour, as well as the more traditional drawing tools of graphite, coloured pencils and felt pens.

Some that stood out were: a duo of lively portrayals of Sue using a takeaway pizza box as a  ground by Julian Ganio, of whom there are also several interesting portraits, most notably one in biro by Charles Osborne; Maggie Alderson and Peggy, by Michele Clapton, a sensitively drawn portrait of what could be mother and daughter with areas of watercolour in muted shades; and the ‘stitched’ drawings with areas of watercolour, Wayne Shires and Jacquie O’Sullivan by Jenifer Corker. There are a couple of quirky portraits by Parinot Kunakornwong using different types of paint in a naïve style, sparing in detail, but bold in colour and pattern.

Both times I visited the museum, it was fairly busy, with a range of ages and families with children who seemed very engaged, which I was happy to note. They are operating a system of prior booking either online or by phone, entrance is free, but donations are welcomed.

• Together We Draw runs until 5 June at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery www.hmag.org.uk