Creative Croydon 2025

Meet the artists behind Creative Croydon 2025.

This year, Creative Croydon 2025 returned with its most open brief yet. In partnership with the Croydonist and 31% Wool, local artists who live, work, or study in Croydon were invited to submit three pieces of artwork – existing or newly created – showcasing their individual style. A panel of past Creative Croydon artists judged the entries and selected three winners, each receiving a £750 commission for their work, now displayed across the town centre.

Let’s hear more from this year’s artists, Alec Saunders, Shirley Shephard, and Alex Mouette…

Alec Saunders

Tell us a bit about you and your art.

“I fuse cultural voices with sustainable practice, transforming walls into living mirrors of our shared humanity. More than images, my work purifies the air, reclaims discarded materials, and celebrates diversity while committing to the planet we share. Art for All. Art for Tomorrow.”

Tell us about your Creative Croydon pieces.

“My work portrays the people of Croydon set against the backdrop of its distinctive 1960s–70s architecture, most notably the iconic Nestlé building. These portraits capture the everyday residents who shape the character of the area, grounding the work in both community and place. One of the pieces incorporates a vinyl record in the background, a reference to Croydon’s role in the birth of dubstep, with roots in Surrey Street Market and the legendary Big Apple Records. Through this layering of people, music, and architecture, the work highlights Croydon’s cultural identity and the ways its history continues to influence its present.”

Instagram: @alecldn

Shirley Shephard

Tell us a bit about you and your art.

“I am a retired primary school teacher and have lived in Croydon all my life. I enjoy drawing and painting in water colours. I used to do botanical illustration but now concentrate on portraying the natural world in general, as I am passionate about the environment.”

Tell us about your Creative Croydon pieces.

“The two paintings of woodland are Littleheath Woods, Selsdon, where I walk with my dog most days and also do some voluntary work. The other one is Coombe Wood Gardens – another of Croydon’s lovely green spaces. We are lucky to have so many local green spaces.”

Alex Mouette

Tell us a bit about you and your art.

“I’m currently attending The BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology, where I’m studying Digital Arts. Prior to that, I was home-educated. I’ve lived in Croydon all of my life. Since a young age, I have always been passionate about digital artwork, which I have experimented with in a variety of ways.”

Tell us about your Creative Croydon pieces.

“‘The Croydon Moquettes’, a selection of patterns based on the famous Barman Moquette. This version shows notable landmarks around Croydon like the Clocktower and Addington Palace.”

Interview courtesy of www.croydonist.co.uk