About Us

In 1999, and in urgent need of a workspace, Diesel House Studio's founder, Elizabeth Rollins-Scott, approached Kew Bridge Steam Museum’s curator, Tony Cundick, to rent one of their Victorian outhouses used as studio space by local artists. The spaces are very much in demand and, consequently, have a very long waiting list, so it wasn’t until August 2000 that she heard that premises had become available. However, the space on offer wasn’t an outhouse but a 1,500 sq ft area in one of the main engine houses, a Grade II listed building. Suddenly, Elizabeth’s dream of forming an artists’ collective seemed within reach.

Finance for the project was raised and an extensive schedule of work devised to adapt the space to the needs of the eight artists it would eventually house. Having been told that they could commence work in October 2000, bad weather and administrative hold-ups meant that access was not granted until December, throwing an already tight schedule into disarray. Work continued over the Christmas and New Year period and, thanks to the tireless efforts of the construction team, Diesel House Studios opened its doors on 1 February 2001.

As the project neared completion, the studio spaces were advertised in Artists Newsletter. Elizabeth was determined to create a working community that was as diverse as possible and the only inflexible rule was that the spaces should be taken by professional artists and craftspeople.

The next stage of development occurred in 2002 with Diesel House taking on the management of Pavilion Studios at Dukes Meadows where Elizabeth was asked to provide advice on the design and aritst facilities and to find artists for the space which continues to this day.

Then, in July 2004, Elizabeth received a call from someone looking for artists to take space on Johnson's Island in Brentford.  The landlord as it turned out was the brother of the runesmith who made our wedding rings 13 years previously and who after our first meeting agreed that we could sublet space on the island and save him the task of dealing with all the artists directly.

We will have made space at this idyllic canal/riverside former lock-keepers cottage for 10 artists by Spring 2006.

We now operate thirty artist studios and a gallery, which attracts the best artists from across the UK.

Next June, Diesel House holds its sixth summer exhibition, an opportunity for the public to view the work of Diesel's artists and see the working environment of a professional artist at first hand.