Art Mail: The Exhibition

Winsor & Newton is proud to present Art Mail, a landmark exhibition featuring thousands of watercolour-painted postcards sent in the mail from artists around the world. Free to visit, Art Mail takes place at Londonʼs iconic Saatchi Gallery, 1 – 8 October 2026. Following the London show there will be a New York edition, with around 250 of the postcard artworks to be exhibited at Drawing Room in Brooklyn, 21st October – 4th November. Following the exhibitions, a number of the postcards will be sold at auction, with proceeds raising funds for Hospital Rooms.

Since April this year, Winsor & Newton has been inviting artists around the world to take part in the Art Mail global initiative, celebrating creativity, connection and community through the simple act of sending a postcard. Those of all levels of experience were encouraged to share the world from their point of view, whether a seasoned artist or someone trying Winsor & Newton Watercolour for the very first time. To date, over 6,000 postcards have been painted by artists based in more than 40 countries. This has unveiled a collective snapshot of creativity from across the world, with every single one featured in an online gallery.

Presented together, the postcards show how people across different places and backgrounds see the world around them and how a small artwork can connect one person and place to another. Our world is a spectrum of stories, big and small. Mirroring this, the subject matter depicted across the postcards has reflected a wonderful sense of diversity, inspired by both the natural world and the manmade. Showing that watercolour does not need to be limited to landscapes and portraits, common themes that have arisen also include birds, botanicals, celestial objects, architecture and abstract design. From cities to seascapes, mythical creatures to pets, people have sent their greetings from holidays and moments shared. And of course, wherever you are in the world, you can explore all of the postcard artworks in the online gallery.

Bringing the project to life further, Winsor & Newton also partnered with a number of recognised artists across several disciplines, each contributing their own postcard and creative process. Artists include: Andrew Carter, Arden Rose, Giles Deacon, Heather Phillipson, Jane Hayes Greenwood, Julie Green, Ken Nwadiogbu, Laxmi Hussain, Mark Titchner, Peter McDonald, Richard Woods and Susie Hamilton, among others. Together, they reflect a broad mix of styles and perspectives, demonstrating the versatility of watercolour and the many ways it can be used.

The process of creating a global collective of contemporary voices is designed to be as accessible as possible. Artists pick up a complimentary postcard pack with the purchase of Winsor & Newton watercolour products, in store and online. Each pack includes an entry postcard ready to be painted and sent back, with postage covered. Anyone can still be part of the project and have their work exhibited as part of Winsor & Newtonʼs digital gallery. The deadline to submit your postcard is Wednesday 30 September.

Art Mail at Saatchi gallery runs 1 – 11 October and is free to visit daily, 10am – 6pm.

“We are so thrilled to be celebrating Art Mail and our global community of artists
with two exhibitions in London and New York. Over 6,000 artists sent their artwork from their hands to ours, with postcards travelling from all around the world – these final destinations are the perfect way to showcase and celebrate Art Mail, Winsor & Newton Watercolour and the artists who have shared their stories with us.

Saatchi gallery is an iconic London Gallery, and we are thrilled to be bringing Art Mail to their walls. They have a legacy of supporting artists and rendering contemporary art accessible to all,
which really resonated with the ethos of the project. We are excited to see the works from our global Art Mail community hung on the walls where great contemporary art has been hung before them.

The exhibition in New York will be held at Drawing Room, a community focused artist’s studio in NYC founded on the principles of human expression — creativity, thoughtful living, and the power of collective, connected dreaming. Throughout the Art Mail project Drawing Room has been a unique partner connecting their artists with the postcards, hosting workshops and now holding our final exhibition. We are excited to bring Art Mail home to where many artists sat and created their own postcards earlier in the project, putting Winsor & Newton right at the heart of a community of artists.ˮ
Holly Shires – Global Head of Creative Winsor & Newton

“Winsor & Newton were the first company to support Hospital Rooms, 10 Years ago. Over the past decade they have made it possible for us as a charity to deliver art materials and creative programmes to every NHS mental health hospital in the country. I love the way the Art Mail campaign is bringing together artworks made by artists from across the world, and the connection and fellowship that will come from convening so many different people’s pieces into these exhibitions. It resonates with what we do at Hospital Rooms, and the fact that there will be funds raised for our future projects in mental health hospitals is something we are very grateful for.ˮ
Tim A Shaw, Artist, Co-founder & Artistic Director Hospital Rooms

“Working at postcard scale is wonderfully liberating. It invites immediacy and instinct. I always carry a couple of packs with me ready for moments on trains, in passing or caught between places.

The drawings are a combination of observation and imagination. Figures often surface quickly and almost unannounced. Their brevity allows for imperfection and honesty, capturing a character or mood before it fades. Drawing and painting this way is a quiet habit that keeps the hand moving and the mind open.ˮ
Giles Deacon, Creative Director & Artist

“Projects like this remind us how powerful small acts of creativity can be. A simple postcard can travel, connect people, start conversations and ultimately help support vital work in mental health.ˮ
Robert OʼBrien, Artist

“It was a such a pleasure to be invited to take part in Winsor & Newtonʼs Art Mail project and to contribute a postcard to this global project. Winsor & Newton have an amazing range of watercolour materials – their markers are fantastic and I found the pencils particularly wonderful – there is a stunning spectrum of colours and they allow you to build a real depth and intensity of colour. I really enjoyed working at postcard scale; it creates a different kind of focus and offers an opportunity to make something both fun and concentrated within a small format. The digital gallery is incredible – there is such breadth in the works.ˮ
Jane Hayes Greenwood, Artist

“Tim Shaw at Hospital Rooms asked me to take part in this project. I am a huge fan of Hospital Rooms and one of their artists. As I also love working in watercolour, I was very excited to take part in Art Mail and when I received the parcel of materials, I was even more enthusiastic. I was very impressed by the vivid, rich colours of the Winsor and Newton paints and I hope this radiance is reflected in my cards. I bought more of these lovely watercolours subsequently.ˮ
Susie Hamilton, Artist

Saatchi Gallery
Exhibition Dates: 1 – 11 October 2026