Peony Gent's Layered Drawings Capture South London's Green Spaces

Peony Gent, an artist recognized for her varied work including quilts, murals, and experimental comics, is currently crafting a collection of drawings influenced by the parks and street views surrounding her residence in south London. While lecturing at Camberwell College of Arts, Gent sketches in places like Burgess Park in Camberwell and along Walworth Road in Southwark, where she depicts abstracted flatblocks and natural scenes. Her latest creations feature grid-like arrangements, building on her comic panels to present a complex portrayal of a location at a given time. Recently, she has started to mix pastels with acrylic gouache for a 'chewy and rich' texture, while humorously admitting her struggles with painting. Gent advises her students that enjoyable creation often results in engaging art, cautioning against excessive control. She intends to develop this series into larger works, experimenting with various locations and adding texture layers. The outcome is uncertain, but she welcomes the unpredictability, stating, 'we'll see where it goes!' This article, authored by Marigold Warner, a British-Japanese writer residing in Tokyo, was published on It's Nice That on February 9, 2026.