Anthology Magazine Issue 3 Spring 2017

SPRING 2017 #03

€3.50 £2.50

FASHION

TRAVEL

ARTS

INTERIORS

The Met to honour Comme des Garçons • Best in Bridal 2017

Portugal’s picturesque Alentejo • Red Square and the Kremlin

Showcasing Irish crafts • Photographer and digital artist Ken Coleman

Bespoke furniture makers • The Interiors Association

Waterford Castle Hotel and Golf Resort, one of Ireland’s most acclaimed hotels, is set on an enchanted 310-acre private island accessed by private car ferry. The island resort’s sixteenth-century castle offers luxury, security and privacy like few other destinations.

The hotel was awarded ‘The Best Wedding Venue 2016’ by Irish Wedding Diary, and ‘7th of the 50 Best Hotels in The World 2016’ and ‘3rd in the Top Ten Hotels of Europe 2016’ by Condé Nast Traveller. The resort’s Head Chef was awarded ‘Best Chef of Ireland 2017’, and its Mixologist was awarded National Cocktail Champion 2017’.

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Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort - The Island - Waterford - Ireland Tel: +353 (0) 51 878 203 - info@waterfordcastleresort.com

www.waterfordcastleresort.com

WEDDING SHOWCASE Sunday, 30th July, 2pm - 4.30pm

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peterbernard kitchensofdistinction IN ASSOCIATION WITH LyonsKelly ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

CONTEMPORARY & TRADITIONAL KITCHENS BEDROOMS BATHROOMS ALCOVE UNITS & BESPOKE FURNITURE Unit 15, Newtown Business Park Newtownmountkennedy Co Wicklow

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Ph: (01) 201 1901 E: info@peterbernard.ie www.peterbernard.ie

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Welcome to Anthology Issue 3

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pring has long been synonymous with rebirth and inspiration. It is a season associated with colour and energy, when extended daylight boosts mood, well-being and creativity. Our Spring Issue is full of inspiration and creative vision for your life, whether you’re preparing your home for the season or taking on the challenge of a new business.

Whatever new opportunities you decide to explore, creativity will be the key to your success. But creativity needs time and space, so it is important to schedule some time for creative activities. Visiting an art gallery can provide inspiration and stimulate the imagination to allow more flexible thinking.

An absolute must see this spring is ‘Beyond Caravaggio’, now showing at the National Gallery in Dublin. In this issue, we take a look at the artist’s immense influence on, not only many artists of his time, but also on modern filmmakers and photographers.

A preview of an exhibition of the work of

ANTHOLOGY PUBLISHING Limerick, Ireland

avant-garde Japanese fashion designer Rei Kawakubo, which is to be showcased at Metropolitan Museum of Art, demonstrates why she is recognised as one of the fashion world’s most innovative and influential designers and how she has contributed so much to shaping the modern wardrobe.

Limerick digital artist and photographer Ken Coleman is featured in our cover story. And we are delighted to present a selection of work from some of Ireland’s best contemporary craftspeople and furniture makers.

We also highlight the service provided by the Interiors Association in supporting a body of professionally accredited members in the Irish interiors industry.

In providing a space where art, photography, fashion design and interior design connect, Anthology strives to bring creative inspiration to our everyday lives.

Edel edel@anthology-magazine.com

ON THE COVER Limerick digital artist and photographer Ken Coleman uses a range of techniques, including photography, painting and sculpture, processed through Photoshop and 3D software, to produce highly imaginative works of art. www.artofkencoleman.com (p. 80)

SUBMISSIONS

EDITOR

ANTHOLOGY welcomes submissions – ideas, musings or long-form narrative – and are keen to publish serious reportage. All we ask is that the pieces are previously unpublished. Pitches to: info@anthology-magazine.com

ART EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHY

Edel Cassidy

DESIGNER

From styled fashion shoots and portraiture to architecture, high quality photography is what ANTHOLOGY aims to bring to every issue. We are happy to view work. Link or PDF to: info@anthology-magazine.com

COPY-EDITOR

SUBCRIPTIONS

Ros Woodham Lynne Clark

Averill Buchanan

CONTRIBUTORS

Ivan Morris, Dolores O’Donoghue, Orna O’Reilly Weber, Tom Weber

ANTHOLOGY is a quarterly publication with a focus on beautiful features and imagery from Ireland and around the world. Subscribe to avail of delivery directly to your door. Full details, p. 89.

ISSN: 2009-9150

ADVERTISING

Mary Hayes: advertising@anthology-magazine.com Printed by Warners Midland plc Distributed by EMNews

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The publisher accepts no responsibility for any of the views expressed or claims made by contributors or advertisers. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy of information contained in Anthology, we do not accept responsibility for any errors or matters arising from same.

No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without written permission from the publishers.

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TRAVEL Moscow: Red Square and the Kremlin FASHION Rei Kawakubo: Comme des Garรงons BEAUTY Newcomers: My Top Picks INTERIORS Featured Irish Furniture Makers HOTELS Ireland: Castlemartyr Resort HOTELS International: Myconian Collection BUSINESS Sponsorship of the Arts ART Beyond Caravaggio INTERIORS The Interiors Association

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62 60 HEALTH Mindful Eating 62 FASHION Couture Wedding Gowns 74 ART Irish Craft and Design 80 PORTRAIT Ken Coleman: Photographer and Artist 94 INTERIORS Refresh your Home for Spring 102 BEAUTY Selecting the Perfect Moisturiser 104 BUSINESS Overcoming the Fear of Failure 106 GOLF Hitting the Ball Further 108 TRAVEL Portugal’s Picturesque Alentejo

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MOSCOW Red Square and the Kremlin

Located in the heart of Moscow, Red Square is surrounded by stunningly beautiful architecture. From the world famous coloured domes of St Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin and Lenin’s Mausoleum to the enormous GUM department store, these landmarks are inextricably linked to the most important political, business and religious events in Russian history. words and photos orna o ’ reilly weber

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travel

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oscow was nothing like I had imagined. So many novels and movies full of grey skies and sinister men in trench coats with hats pulled low had left me with the impression of an austere and inhospitable city.

We arrived on the Sapsan high-speed train from St. Petersburg and were whisked off to our hotel, a lavish five-star Radisson housed in a renovated Stalinist ‘wedding cake’ tower, one of seven to dot the city.

As we pulled into the hotel car park, I felt as though I was in a luxury vehicle showroom. Sleek black cars with tinted windows were crowded together, while

St Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square

‘These Stalinesque towers, known as the seven sisters, were built as apartment blocks between 1947 and 1953’ equally sleek and wealthy-looking people emerged from leather interiors and swept into the hotel foyer. I wondered: was this a gathering-place for the famous oligarchs I had read about?

The interior was the absolute pinnacle of luxury. Gilded columns rose majestically from highly polished marble floors in this enormous foyer. The atmosphere was hushed and the air was scented by an expensive breeze generated by tall, exotic, designer-clad women as they drifted by. Standing there in my jeans, T-shirt and walking shoes I felt the word ‘tourist’ was probably written all over me.

A golden, mirrored lift ushered us to the carpeted hush of the fifteenth floor where we found our room. Not huge, I must admit, but quite luxurious all the same. These Stalinesque towers, known as the seven sisters, were built as apartment blocks between 1947 and 1953 and some of them have been successfully converted into hotels and office blocks.

On our first evening we were driven around the city to see Moscow by night.

We left the hotel as darkness was falling, and the busy city seemed to come alive.

It was dark by the time we arrived in Red Square and my first impression was of hunanthology spring 2017 9

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Moscow by night with a view of one of the famous ‘Seven Sisters’ Stalinesque towers

ABOVE: The Cathedral of the Dormition, also known as the Assumption Cathedral in Cathedral Square

dreds of tourists, with crowd-control barriers and a lot of security police in evidence.

Moscow’s main square is formidable and steeped in history. To the south-west sits the walls of the Kremlin. These walls and towers were built by Italian architects over ten years beginning in 1485. The high-domed roof of the Kremlin Palace overlooks the square and Lenin’s Mausoleum containing – under a bullet-proof glass shell – the body of Vladimir Lenin.

Facing us as we approached was the iconic, brightly lit St. Basil’s Cathedral with its colourful onion domes. Along the east-

ern side I could see the enormous GUM department store, while we were informed by our guide that the building at the far end was the Imperial History Museum.

Next day we returned for a proper look around in daylight and were told quite a bit of the square’s history. It is the site where all major public ceremonies traditionally take place. Nowadays it is even

originally so named because it is red in colour. Its name in Russian is ‘Krasnaya Ploshchad’, and the word ‘krasnaya’ means both ‘beautiful’ and ‘red’.

Another interesting snippet of information is that the beautiful St. Basil’s Cathedral was almost demolished in the 1920s to allow for a bigger square to be formed, as it was felt it was in the way of the large military parades and national celebrations that regularly took place.

Stalin was apparently very unhappy about this, and when he saw the scale model of the proposed new square with St. Basil’s missing, he famously said, ‘Put it back!’

In 1990 Red Square and the Kremlin together were one of the first places in Russia to be proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is due to the fact that they have been deeply linked with Russian history since the thirteenth century.

A morning spent wandering around GUM

‘St Basil’s Cathedral was almost demolished in the 1920s to allow for a bigger square to be formed’ used for pop concerts and festivals.

The square has evolved into its present-day form over several hundred years, having begun its life as a shanty town of wooden structures, which were gradually transformed into stone buildings from which the famous GUM department store finally arose.

For fact checkers, Red Square was not

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The Radisson Royal Hotel, the second tallest of the Stalinesque ‘Seven Sisters’

traVel

Archangel Cathedral Kremlin where the walls, pillars and domes are covered with frescoes; RIGHT: Yuri Gagarin Monument

The enormous Tsar Cannon which stands in the grounds of the Kremlin

was entertaining, but the afternoon’s highlight was our visit to the Kremlin Gardens.

The Kremlin is an enormous complex of office buildings, gardens, monuments, museums and churches on the north bank of the Moscow River. It is enclosed by more than two kilometres of high walls, with Red Square on its eastern flank. It was quite unlike what I was expecting as it was colourful and very pleasing to see.

Queuing up with hundreds of other visitors, we were escorted through a glass-fronted ticket office, crossed the Trinity Bridge – there used to be a moat there up until 1813 – and entered the Kremlin via the Troitskaya Tower. Exiting from under

an arch, we found ourselves in a huge open space with, we were told, President Putin’s office building in the Kremlin Palace to our left. Apparently he arrives every day for work by helicopter in order to avoid the traffic jams that were previously caused by his motorcade and attendant security. A special helipad was installed a few years ago.

Passing by the Kremlin Palace we were greeted by the sight of a huge bronze cannon, which was cast in 1586 and has never been used in battle. It is called the Tsar Cannon and is a popular tourist attraction, as indicated by the fact that visitors were about three deep around it and I had to struggle to get an unobstructed photograph without an eager onlooker getting in

BELOW: Kremlin Wall and Kremlin Palace overlooking Lenin’s Mausoleum

the way. Just ahead, yet another gaggle of tourists indicated the presence of the Tsar Bell, the largest bell in the world at more than six metres tall. It became cracked during its casting and has never been rung.

Strolling further we were greeted by the shining, golden onion domes of Cathedral Square. This is the central square of the Kremlin, where coronations and funeral processions of the tsars were carried out. Here we saw and marvelled at no less than three cathedrals. We were able to visit the beautiful Cathedral of the Dormition with its five golden cupolas, which was the main cathedral for the tsars of Russia, and the Necropolis of the Archangel Cathedral, which contains the tombs of the early Russian princes. We were also shown the exteriors of the Cathedral of the Annunciation, the Church of the Twelve Apostles, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, and the Ivan the Great Bell-Tower, said to mark the exact centre of Moscow.

Visiting Moscow was a highly interesting and thought-provoking experience. My eyes were opened to a city and its many treasures that are steeped in a dramatic and turbulent history. anthology spring 2017 11

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A visit to GUM

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imagine most of you will have heard of GUM, the gigantic Moscow department store that fronts the entire eastern side of Red Square, directly opposite the Kremlin Palace and Lenin’s Mausoleum. The sign on the roof and over the entrance looks like it says ‘RYM’, but it is, in fact, GUM, pronounced goom.

During the Soviet era, the initials ‘GUM’ stood for State Department Store, but it was renamed in the early nineties and is now known as the Main Department Store. However, they were able to keep the same iconic name, GUM, because the Russian words for ‘State’ and ‘Main’ both start with a ‘G’.

We were encouraged to enter and spend a couple of hours looking around.

I needed no further encouragement and off I went to check it out.

First of all, it is huge. The limestone façade is two hundred and forty metres long and is built on three levels. The glass roof is domed and there are hundreds of

different outlets and restaurants to be seen. Although the roof looks light and delicate, it is apparently very strong, designed to carry a great weight of snow.

The location of GUM has been the site of a large market for hundreds of years, developing from wooden stalls to stone

the 1890s by the architect Alexander Pomerantsev and engineer Vladimir Shukhov, and the trapezoidal structure, with its steel frame and glass roof, was designed and constructed to resemble the nineteenth-century railway stations of London, considered masterpieces at the time. All the same, the building combines many aspects of Russian medieval architecture, which makes it quite unique.

At that time, it was the largest shopping centre in Europe. In 1917, the year of the Russian Revolution, there were more than a thousand shops located in the Upper Trading Rows. It was then nationalised, made into a State Department Store for all the people of Russia and renamed GUM. In 1928 Stalin closed GUM and had it converted into offices. In 1932 it was used to display the body of his late wife, Nadezhda, after she died.

In 1953, GUM reopened as a State Department Store and became famous for its long queues that stretched across the square – in those days it was the only outlet in Moscow that had a good stock of consumer goods. It was privatised in the early nineties, at the end of the Soviet era, and was quickly occupied by upmarket retailers from the West.

On entering and looking up, I could see that each arcade is linked by walkways and accessed by a variety of stairs and escalators. The stairs have wrought iron balustrades and the steps themselves are grooved and worn down by the generations of shoppers who have visited.

It is interesting to see the colourful coffee shops and restaurants perched high on these walkways, giving patrons a bird’s-eye view of the large fountain, a suspended model of a jet fighter and the busy champagne and beluga bars below, not to mention the mannequins displaying the latest high-end fashions, strategically placed where the aisles come together.

Whether you are in the mood to shop or not, a visit to GUM for a look around is a must.

‘It was designed and constructed to resemble the nineteenth-century railway stations of London’ shops. In the late 1700s, Catherine the Great commissioned Italian architect Giacomo Quarenghi to design a huge trade centre on the site, which was then known as the Upper Trading Rows. This building burned down during Napoleon’s brief occupation of Moscow in 1812 after the battle of Borodino.

The present structure was rebuilt in

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REI KAWAKUBO COMME DES GARÇONS Rei Kawakubo, the legendary Japanese designer and founder of the fashion label Comme des Garçons, will this year become the second living designer to have a solo show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The exhibition will feature one hundred and twenty of Kawakubo’s famous designs spanning the period from her debut 1981 collection to her recent works. words dolores o ’ donoghue images rei kawakubo for comme des garçons courtesy of the metropolitan museum of art © paolo roversi

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trip to New York would not be complete without visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Known colloquially as ‘The Met’, the Museum houses over two million artworks spanning 5,000 years of history covering every corner of the globe and attracts over six million visitors a year to its seventeen acres of galleries. The collections are so encyclopaedic and the premises so massive that it is impossible to take in everything in one visit.

One of the most unique attractions at The Met is The Costume Institute, which reopened in May 2014 after a two-year renovation as the ‘Anna Wintour Costume Center’. The institute houses a

‘I have always pursued a new way of thinking about design… by denying established values, conventions, and what is generally accepted as the norm.’

collection of more than 35,000 costumes and accessories representing five continents of fashionable dress, regional costumes and accessories for men, women and children from the fifteenth century to the present. The fashion industry funds the work of The Costume Institute, including its exhibitions, acquisitions and capital improvements.

The Met Gala, an annual fundraising event for the benefit of The Costume Institute, is the most anticipated fashion event of the year and has been held at The Met since 1946. It is attended by personalities from the arts, fashion, high-society, film and music worlds and is considered to be the fashion industry’s premier annual red carpet event. It also marks the grand opening of The Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibition. This sets the tone for the formal dress of the night, because each year the dress code is dictated by the subject of the exhibit.

The 2017 Costume Institute exhibition and gala will pay tribute to Comme des Garçons founder and creative director, Rei Kawakubo. The Japanese visionary is only the second ever living designer to have a Costume Institute exhibition in her honour – the first being Yves Saint Laurent in 1983. This choice will make for an interesting red carpet as the

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fashion

‘Body Meets Dress – Dress Meets Body,’ Spring/Summer 1997

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‘By inviting us to rethink fashion as a site of constant creation, recreation, and hybridity, she has defined the aesthetics of our time.’

Andrew Bolton, curator of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute

stars will be expected to take inspiration for their attire on the night from this radical designer that challenged the status quo when she first presented her collections in Paris in the 1980s. At a time when Parisian styles still primarily seemed to be all about high heels and red lipstick, she disrupted the fashion world and challenged the status quo by introducing flat shoes, unconventional forms and bold androgynous shapes, sometimes even padded with foam lumps and bumps. Her conceptual clothes, mostly black, dark grey or white, and often tattered with holes or frayed unfinished edges, were an affront to the sexy body-conscious fashions of the time.

What is also interesting about this year’s choice is that Rei Kawakubo, who has stated, ‘I do not believe in fame’, is probably the most reclusive fashion designer there is, rarely even giving a bow at her shows. The resolutely private designer has never attended The Met Gala and is likely to also stay away from the glamorous, star-studded affair this year.

‘Rei Kawakubo is one of the most important and influential designers of the past 40 years,’ said Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of The Costume In-

stitute, who will collaborate on the exhibition design with Kawakubo. ‘By inviting us to rethink fashion as a site of constant creation, recreation, and hybridity, she has defined the aesthetics of our time.’

Rei Kawakubo said, ‘I have always pursued a new way of thinking about design… by denying established values, conventions, and what is generally accepted as the norm. And the modes of expression that have always been most important to me are fusion… imbalance… unfinished… elimination… and absence of intent.’

The exhibition will feature approximately 120 examples of Kawakubo’s womenswear designs for Comme des Garçons, dating from her first Paris runway show in 1981 to her most recent collection. Organised thematically rather than chronologically, the examples will examine the designer’s revolutionary experiments in interstitiality or ‘in-betweenness’ – the space between boundaries. By situating her designs within and between dualities such as East/West, male/female, past/ present, Kawakubo not only challenges the rigidity and artificiality of such binaries, but also resolves and dissolves them. To reflect this, mannequins will be arranged at eye level with no physical barriers, thereby dissolving the usual distance between objects on display and museum visitors.

A publication, authored by Andrew Bolton and designed by Fabien Baron, will accompany the exhibition. It will be published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and distributed by Yale University Press.

Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons at The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, 4 May–4 September 2017.

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‘Not Making Clothing,’ Spring/Summer 2014

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‘Blue Witch,’ Spring/ Summer 2016

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fashion

‘Ceremony of Separation,’ Autumn/ Winter 2015–2016

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‘Body Meets Dress – Dress Meets Body,’ Spring/Summer 1997

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BEAUTY

Newcomers My Top Picks words edel cassidy

For those of us who love our cosmetics, it’s always exciting to try new products that are truly unique and innovative. Some brands favour an all-natural ethos, with organic ingredients such as omegas, seaweed, vitamins and essential oils. Others stress the benefits of the cutting-edge research that’s carried out on science-based beauty products. Check out the list below for some new products that I found simply impossible to overlook.

REFORM

FRESH

Vitamin C has a unique status among skincare experts as an anti-ageing superstar. Dietary and topical vitamin C has beneficial effects on skin cells, and studies have shown that it helps prevent and treat ultraviolet-induced photodamage. This antioxidant treatment combines Vitamin C, E and Ferulic acid to provide high levels of protection against free-radical damage that contributes to ageing. Don’t spare your Vitamin C Serum or keep it for special occasions because it’s prone to oxidisation when exposed to light and air and can lose its effectiveness. This one from Reform is packaged in a dark-coloured bottle to protect it from exposure. Even with that, I recommend storing it in a cool dark place, even the refrigerator. The most noticeable benefits are a more even skin tone and a reduction in hyperpigmentation.

Fresh founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg pioneered the use of sugar as a natural humectant, which helps to attract and seal in moisture. The skin on the lips is extremely thin, delicate and prone to dryness and therefore needs special care. The Sugar Lip Treatment Perfecting Wand is literally a magic wand – the applicator’s innovative microbristles gently buff the lips while nourishing and smoothing, leaving a healthy, rosy glow.

Sugar Bloom Tinted Lip Treatment is formulated with the same nourishing sugar, hydrating oils and vitamins. It also contains beeswax, known for its antioxidant and softening properties, and carnauba wax, which acts as a protective barrier to prevent dehydration. This is a lip product that ticks all the boxes. It has an SPF of 15, and although it is essentially a lip treatment the pigment is excellent. It comes in several shades, the newest being Sugar Bloom, which is a sensual shimmery pink.

Vitamin C 20% Serum

Sugar Lip Treatment Perfecting Wand and Sugar Bloom Tinted Lip Treatment 3

OSMOSIS PÜR MEDICAL

Correct Vitamin A Serum This is a potent vitamin A treatment that speeds up cell turnover and boosts collagen production. It slows down ageing, and promotes a luminous glow and smoother skin. Mix one pump with an equal amount of water and massage into a cleansed skin every second night for one week, slowly building up to apply it every night for a further week.

You may then introduce it into your morning routine.

After one month, fine lines decrease and the skin colour and texture appears more even.

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fashion beaut y

MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN

Aqua Celestia

SISLEY

The nose behind this fragrance is Francis Kurkdjian, one of the world’s most talented perfumers. He worked for many years creating fragrances for Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Versace, Dior and Jean Paul Gaultier.

In 2009 he introduced us to his own alluring collection of scents.

For his latest opus, Aqua Celestia, he explores new territory and introduces a new sensory dimension to his eponymous fragrance wardrobe.

Aqua Celestia is a long-lasting, vibrant scent that can be worn by women and men, and features lime, mint, blackcurrant, mimosa and musk.

Aqua Celestia can be experienced as an eau de toilette, a scented body cream or a shower gel.

Double Tenseur Sisley products never fail to amaze me and this is no exception. To be applied after moisturiser and before makeup, it has a ‘second skin’ priming effect to help foundation last longer and gives an immediate lifting sensation. Also works well as a ‘flash’ beauty boost before an evening out. It has a light gel texture and absorbs immediately into the skin. The mild herbal scent is as expected from a brand that focuses on plant-based active ingredients. Tiger nut and cottonseed extracts strengthen the dermal structure, and over time the skin becomes toned and appears visibly smoother.

CLARINS

Hydra-Essentiel Moisturisers The ‘Leaf of Life’ is the secret behind this new range. The plant, native to Madagascar, keeps its leaves full of water despite intense sun, low rainfall and huge variations in temperature between night and day. The skin’s capacity to retain water is restored thanks to the leaf extract. It also reduces the impact of thermal shocks as being exposed to sudden changes in temperature and humidity can leave the skin rough, dry and with a visible redness.

Beautyberry extract is added for its anti-inflammatory and veinotonic properties and boosts circulation and prevents thread vein formation. Extract of African ebony, traditionally used as a styptic to staunch bleeding, soothes and heals the skin and also protects it from the harmful effects of pollution and free radicals.

For normal to combination skin there is a choice of a cooling gel or a milky fluid lotion. For normal to dry skin there is a silky cream, and for very dry skin, a rich cream that can be combined with the bi-phase serum for maximum hydration.

KÉRASTASE

Hair Coach Powered by Withings Introducing the world’s first ever smart hairbrush, a three-way collaboration between Kérastase, Withings and L’Oréal’s Research and Innovation Technology Incubator. The high-quality battery-powered brush works with a variety of hair types. The simple act of brushing begins the data collection process. Sensors feed data automatically via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to a dedicated mobile app, which takes into account environmental factors that impact hair’s manageability and quality – humidity, temperature, UV and wind.

By tracking the way a person brushes their hair and taking into account aspects of daily life, the smart brush app provides valuable information such as a hair quality score, data on the effectiveness of brushing habits, personalised tips and Kérastase product recommendations.

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‘The essence of a beautiful kitchen is the craftsmanship that created it.’

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his belief and their unique personal approach has made the team at Alan Brown Cabinet Makers amongst the leading bespoke creators in the country.

They pride themselves on creating beautiful, individual spaces in which their clients can live, love and come together.

‘We are obsessed by designing and producing rooms to the highest standards,’ says Alan proudly. ‘We work with the finest timber, personally selected by us for its strength, beauty and durability.’ As you would expect from master craftsmen, the satisfaction they feel in every room they create is evident in the meticulous detail of their work.

With total professionalism and decades of honed skills, the company’s philosophy is led by beautiful, innovative, effective design. The high quality of every finished

piece is matched only by the personal service they offer.

Highly regarded, Alan Brown Cabinet Makers have produced rooms for some of the most beautiful houses in Ireland and always strive to interpret the needs of their clients, working closely with them to make living spaces that exceed the highest expectations: ‘We bring dreams to life.’

Knowing that your project is in the hands of seasoned professionals makes the process of creating an inspired new room stress-free. Each project is approached as a new opportunity to be innovative in design: ‘We love to create something very personal and special for our clients, we are both their partners and guides in this process.’

Alan would be delighted to discuss your individual projects and arrange a visit to your home at a time that suits you. Or you’re more than welcome to visit the showroom.

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interiors

Alan Brown Cabinet Makers Unit 1, Drummin East, Delgany, Co.Wicklow.

Tel: 01 214 8590 alanbrowndesign.ie info@alanbrowndesign.ie

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obert Trench established Studio Trench in 2015. His work is different to that of typical cabinet makers in that, firstly, he works with both wood and metals to create his designs, and, secondly, he considers himself to be a designer first and foremost. This means that he approaches his designs not for ease of construction, but for the result he wants to achieve at the end. He likens this concept to car design: ‘If you allow the engineer to design the car, the result will be engineer-led rather than led by visual aesthetics.’ Robert’s approach allows more complex and interesting designs to be considered, which makes the work more challenging, especially when it involves finishes such as brass or woven vinyl materials.

Robert designs to a modern classic

style, giving pieces a timeless feel. Many of his designs are solutions to problems, such as hiding a television in an elegant room. He is now also seeing a trend where cocktail bars and cabinets are being more frequently requested by clients. In addition to pieces for the home, he works for commercial clients designing pieces like reception desks for offices, and he collaborates with leading interior designers such as Kevin Kelly Interiors, Philippa Buckley and Michael Mortell.

The Studio Trench workshop is located outside of Naas. Robert also works from his own studio in Dalkey, Co. Dublin.

‘I don’t design museum pieces, I design pieces that work beautifully in the home for clients who want bespoke pieces rather than mass market furniture,’ says Robert.

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Studio Trench The Studio 18 Saint Begnet’s Villas Dalkey County Dublin T: 087 395 2621 E: robert@studiotrench.ie W: www.studiotrench.ie

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hane Holland Design Workshops are designers and makers of bespoke lighting, furniture, awards and sculptural works since 1991. Their workshop and studio is based in Duleek, County Meath, in the historic Boyne Valley region. From here, the design team has produced private bespoke work which has been sent to, and installed in, locations worldwide. The products are inspired by nature, as are the materials themselves, and the ultimate aim is to create timeless pieces that are aesthetically pleasing and functional.

With twenty-five years experience in metalworking, composites, woods and plastics and having built up an international reputation, Holland’s unique collections of lighting and furniture have been exhibited in London, Paris, Milan, Frankfurt and Beijing.

Shane and his team work closely with private and commercial clients, and have

earned a reputation for working collaboratively with other designers. An example of such a partnership is the ceramic pendants that were recently installed at new Michelin-star restaurant Eneko at One Aldwych in London, which they worked on with Thomas Diem of Diem Pottery.

Shane Holland Design Workshops are one of only a few design practices in Ireland that have the capability to design, prototype and produce products from start to finish, all from the studio in Meath.

This enables the design team to take on bespoke requests for lighting, furniture and awards from initial concepts to finished products.

The studio carries its own product range which can be purchased directly from the website, but if you would like to commission a piece specifically for your home, please contact the studio directly.

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Shane Holland Design Workshops Unit 11C, Duleek Business Park, Co. Meath, Ireland T: +353 41 988 2220 E: info@shanehollanddesign.com W: www.shanehollanddesign.com Facebook: @shanehollanddesign Instagram: @shanehollanddw Twitter: @ShaneHollandDW

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‘Our professionalism, expertise and customer service ensures that clients acquire a unique piece of furniture that blends effortlessly into its intended surroundings while maintaining its individuality.’

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ounded by Knut Klimmek in 1986, Klimmek Furniture designs and manufactures timeless pieces for businesses and homeowners alike. Most of the pieces are made from wood, and suppliers provide the highest quality, sustainably sourced timbers – everything from ash and beech through to walnut and yew. ‘Each species has its own characteristics and each project brings new and different challenges to the workshop — challenges that we relish.’ says Knut.

Depending on a client’s specifications, or on recommendation from Knut, stone,

metal, glass or plastic can also be incorporated into the finished piece. Knut’s designs embrace a modernist ethos, and his furniture can be seen adorning the boardrooms and receptions of major Irish and international organisations, such as Vodafone, Guinness, Pfizer and the Crafts Council of Ireland, as well as the homes of private individuals.

Knut emphasises that customer service is of paramount importance at Klimmek. ‘Each piece is designed to meet the client’s specifications and exceed their expectations, and the client is involved in every aspect of the project, from conceptualisation right through to after-sales.’

In May 2017, Klimmek Furniture will be exhibiting at HOUSE in the RDS, where they will be showing new designs inspired by Irish vernacular furniture. The display will include a dining table and chairs, side tables to be used in a living room, and a height-adjustable table in solid timber that can be used either as a kitchen table or an extra work surface when preparing food.

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Klimmek Furniture 6N Grants Park Greenogue Industrial Estate Rathcoole Dublin 24 T: +353 1 4589877 E: info@klimmek-henderson.com W: www.klimmek-furniture.ie

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I N TERIORS

G ‘My work is my life.

All those who regard it enter into it. I have no disguise, no time sheets, no auditing of efforts.

There’s a table, there’s a chair. The inspiration of the past two moons is in them.’

Goose Island Workshop Inchaloughra Castlegregory Tralee, Co. Kerry Tel: 066-7139896 E: gooseislandworkshop@gmail.com W: www.gooseislandworkshop.ie

arry Marcham, who operates his workshop in Castlegregory, near Tralee, grew up close to the beautiful Chilterns area of England, a heavily wooded landscape. He developed a keen interest in the woodsmen of that area, especially how they worked wood, green and unseasoned.

His philosophy is that a maker’s life can be rich and rewarding beyond pure financial gain. He feels that his life is supported by the value his clients place on his work and that their lives are enriched by his dedication to his work. He believes that the source of materials is also a very important part of this equation. His focus is to achieve a balance of these three elements: the life of the woodland, the life of the client and his life as a maker.

Garry has produced work for artists David Ryan and Jerome Joy. This gave him the inspiration to promote crafts, especially furniture making, to achieve a higher value at a cultural level.

A creative thinker, Garry also writes poetry and sometimes inscribes a verse discreetly onto a finished piece of furniture.

‘I leave the workshop tidy, Edges keen, ready, It’s dark, my fingers ache.

My breath softens stars on a cold May eve.’

Prospective clients are welcome to visit the workshop to discuss design ideas, and to view finished work and work in progress.

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featured hotel : irel and

Where old meets new... a place of

Timeless Romance ESCAPE TO LUXURY AT THE 5-STAR CASTLEMARTYR RESORT...

A fairy-tale getaway in the most idyllic of surroundings is every couple’s dream. Nestled in the scenic environs of East Cork, Castlemartyr Resort is set on 220 acres of mature, rolling parkland, speckled with meandering streams and glistening lakes. Treat your love to a world of 5-star luxury and opulence with a relaxing break this year.

The country house hotel offers a wealth of picturesque and secluded spots for romantic strolls, luxurious rooms and fine dining, making your stay guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience for you both.

A TASTE OF EAST CORK...

The Timeless Romance offer is available from €224pp and includes two nights’ luxurious accommodation with breakfast of freshly prepared dishes. During your stay, enjoy a private carriage ride (supplement applies) on the grounds and a candlelit dinner in the Bell Tower restaurant on the night of your choice to complete the perfect trip away.

Whether it’s in the Bell Tower Restaurant, the relaxed and elegant Knights Bar, the contemporary Clubhouse, or indeed Franchini’s Italian Restaurant at Castlemartyr, our team of chef’s produce food which echoes the same relaxed, comfortable, confident feel of the entire hotel, celebrating local provenance, craft and quality, and delivering maximum taste.

A Timeless Romance getaway at luxurious Castlemartyr Resort is a splendid way to spend time together this Spring and Summer.

Lady Fitzgerald’s Afternoon Tea at Castlemartyr is a firm favourite, served daily in the elegant décor of the Bell Tower restaurant or in times of fine weather, on the Garden Terrace overlooking the charming beds of the restored parterre gardens.

To book the Timeless Romance package call 021 421 9000 or visit www.castlemartyrresort.ie for more information on all the romantic offers available.

AN OASIS OF CALM...

A haven of relaxation, where the wrap-around glass frontage surrounding the 20 metre swimming pool and Water Room gives unbeatable views out over the country estate. Whether the rain is beating against the glass while you enjoy a gently heated dip in the depths of Winter or the expansive blue sky stretches cloudless over your swim on a glorious Summer’s morning, this is a special experience, to be had only at Castlemartyr.

With 10 treatment rooms, jet pool, aromatherapy sauna and steam room, relaxation rooms and vitality lounges, the Spa at Castlemartyr features a gorgeous line of ESPA & Germaine de Cappucini products.

Castlemartyr Resort | Castlemartyr | Co. Cork | Ireland T: 021 421 9000 | E: info@castlemartyrresort.ie www.castlemartyrresort.ie anthology spring 2017 23

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FEATURED HOTEL : INTERNATIONAL

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deal no deal

or

Why sponsorship of the arts is good for business words edel cassidy

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n the fifteenth century, the Medici family, the famous Florentine bankers, owned the most powerful financial institution in Europe, and instigated the use of innovative techniques that were to form crucial aspects of modern-day finance. The family produced four popes and two queens of France, and Cosimo de’ Medici became the richest man in Europe. When the House of Medici collapsed in 1494, due to a combination of corruption and bad management, the family at least had something to show for its golden years: through their generosity in providing funding and opportunities for young talent, Florence had become the centre of Renaissance culture and the most beautiful city in Europe.

As the Medicis made their living from usury – lending money for interest, con-

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sidered a borderline sin – art patronage was used as a form of payment to the church to seek forgiveness and to ensure the donor got a place in heaven. The work of artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli was sponsored by guilt-ridden bankers, who also brought composers and singers such as Alexander Agricola, Johannes Ghiselin and Heinrich Isaac to Florence.

In today’s business world, cities compete to attract foreign investment. Prior to expanding or relocating, businesses often vet city communities for their viability to provide and cater for a skilled, educated workforce. The arts play a major role in this decision because, with a strong arts scene, it is easier to attract and retain talent. Studies show that cities with a vibrant and thriving arts sector – galleries, museums, live-performance opportunities

and venues, practising artists of all kinds – draw the best people to work there.

Sponsorships allow exposure to the arts for both patrons and their guests, instilling

‘Sponsorships allow exposure to the arts for both patrons and their guests, instilling a passion for the arts that they perhaps didn’t know they had’ a passion for the arts that they perhaps didn’t know they had. It is well documented that the arts stimulate innovation, creative thinking and problem solving, enhance

emotional intelligence, and contribute to the tolerance and the acceptance of diversity. All in all, fostering the arts is a catalyst for cultivating creativity, innovation, empathy and team spirit which, in turn, improves business performance.

Of course, sponsorship of the arts is not just about giving. Companies like to ensure that they will get a return on their investment. Association with prestigious arts ‘brands’ opens the doors to business and affords invaluable opportunities for signage, prime seating and pre-show dinners. Companies look for strategic alignments that reflect their corporate culture and values. The challenge, then, is for both parties to use the opportunity creatively to their mutual benefit. This way, the two can reap the rewards of what could prove to be an extremely a fruitful relationship.

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Following the Light:

BEYOND

CARAVAGGIO Bringing together exceptional works by Caravaggio and the Italian, French, Flemish, Dutch, and Spanish artists he inspired, ‘Beyond Caravaggio’ examines the international artistic phenomenon known as Caravaggism. The exhibition is a collaboration between the National Gallery, London, the National Gallery of Ireland, and the National Galleries of Scotland and is on show at the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin until 14th May 2017. It will then be on show at the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh from 17th June – 24th September 2017 words edel cassidy

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness, about 1603–4.

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ichelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571–1610) is widely acknowledged to have revolutionised painting in several ways with his uncompromising realism and dramatic use of light.

Few artists have provoked such controversy and so many contradictory interpretations.

Most Italian painters of his time slavishly followed the very precise and elegant conventions of the late Mannerist style, while he was a daring rule-breaker who ignored the teachings of classical art. He used models in an unorthodox manner, getting people of the lower classes from the streets into his studio who he then painted directly from life on to the canvas, without bothering with the academic study of a preliminary drawing. His paintings, often of a religious theme, portrayed the apostles, saints and

martyrs as common people wearing unkempt clothing and who had bare feet, dirt under their fingernails and untidy hair. This naturalistic approach offended some who believed religious figures should be presented in artworks as idealised individuals to signify their holiness.

When he was six years old, the bubonic plague killed almost everyone in Caravaggio’s family, including his father. His mother died in 1584, and the same year, at the age of 13, he began his four-year apprenticeship to the Milanese painter, Simone Peterzano.

Caravaggio arrived in Rome in 1592 and moved from studio to studio, consistently unhappy with their restrictive artistic environments. He fiercely valued his independence and spent several years building up his reputation, leaving studios when

Oil on canvas. 172.7 × 132.1 cm.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 52-25. Photo Jamison Miller, © The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri Painted near the end of the artist’s career in Rome, this work is thought to have been commissioned by Ottavio Costa, the papal banker. It was a radical new way to portray John the Baptist – as an isolated, seated figure who is without his usual attributes of halo, lamb and banderole. Stark contrasts of light and dark accentuate the perception that the figure leans forward, out of the deep shadows of the background and into the lighter realm of the viewer’s own space.

The brooding intensity of the subject portrays an element of the senseless tragedy of his early martyrdom, and perhaps even some measure Caravaggio’s own troubled state of mind.

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Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio The Taking of Christ, 1602 Oil on canvas. 133.5 x 169.5 cm.

On indefinite loan to the National Gallery of Ireland from the Jesuit Community, Leeson St., Dublin, which acknowledges the kind generosity of the late Dr Marie Lea-Wilson. Photo © The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin It’s hard to imagine that this emotionally charged painting was misattributed for much of its history. The composition depicts one of the most disturbing episodes of the New Testament – the moment Judas singles out Jesus to the Roman soldiers with a kiss. A compelling image of dark and light, of struggle and grace, a disturbing scene perfectly suited to the temperament of Caravaggio, who loved drama. There are seven figures in the painting: from left to right they are John, Jesus, Judas and three soldiers.

A lantern is held by the man at the far right; this is believed to be a self-portrait

of Caravaggio, presumably representing St Peter, who would betray Jesus by denying him and then go on to bring the light of Christ to the world.

Given Caravaggio’s turbulent life, it is perhaps coincidental that the loss and rediscovery of the masterpiece should have its origins in an act of violence.

Marie Lea-Wilson donated the painting in the 1930s to the Jesuit Fathers in Dublin in gratitude for the support she received from Father Thomas Finlay, a Jesuit priest, following the shooting of her husband by the IRA in June 1920.

The whereabouts of the painting had been unknown for about 200 years.

A Scotsman, William Hamilton Nisbet, bought it in Italy in 1802 thinking it was a copy by the Dutch artist Gerard van Honthorst.

After the break-up of the Nisbet collection, the painting was purchased in Scotland for £8 by an Irish paediatrician, Marie Lea-Wilson, who was married to Percival Lea-Wilson, an English-born Royal Irish Constabulary Officer. In 1916

the couple lived in Dublin, as Lea-Wilson was attached to the army. In the aftermath of the Easter Rising, he was put in charge of 250 prisoners, including Thomas Clarke and Michael Collins. Reports from the prisoners accused Lea-Wilson of verbally abusing and taunting the captives. He certainly made many enemies, and four years later he was assassinated by four IRA men as he left his home in Gorey, Co. Wexford.

When handed over to the Jesuits, the painting remained hanging in the dining room of the Jesuit building in Leeson Street, Dublin, until it was sent to be cleaned in the 1990s. It was during this process that it was discovered to be the lost Caravaggio masterpiece, The Taking of Christ.

When the painting was given to the National Gallery of Ireland on indefinite loan, it was presented to the Chairperson of the Gallery’s Board, Dr William Finlay, the grand-nephew of Father Thomas Finlay, to whom Marie Lea-Wilson had given the painting.

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Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio The Supper at Emmaus, 1601

the work was not ambitious enough for him, until he came to a point where he had built enough connections with powerful patrons and collectors to go it alone.

The most celebrated and notorious artist of his day, Caravaggio acquired superstar status in seventeenth-century Italy and was a ‘bad boy’ artist four centuries before rock stars set a trend of behaving badly. He was popular and considerably wealthy, and his work was in demand, but he led a chaotic life and was as famous for his bizarre behaviour as he was for his unconventional style of painting. He drank and brawled, frequented brothels, kept the company of social pariahs, lived in the roughest parts of town and famously threw a plate of artichokes in the face of a waiter.

He had many encounters with the law, was arrested and imprisoned numerous times, and killed a man (possibly by accident) during a brawl and had to flee Rome.

According to Andrew Graham-Dixon,

Oil on canvas. 141 x 196.2 cm.

The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London This painting was commissioned in 1602 by the Roman marquis Ciriaco Mattei, who also commissioned The Taking of Christ in the same year, when Caravaggio was at the height of his fame. These paintings are considered two of his most powerful and are reunited for this exhibition, along with Giovanni Serodine’s Tribute Money and Antiveduto Gramatica’s Christ Disputing with the Doctors, all of which Hamilton Nisbet acquired in 1802 directly from the Mattei family, who were important patrons of Caravaggio.

A popular theme in religious art, the painting depicts the moment when the

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resurrected Christ reveals himself to two of his disciples in the town of Emmaus.

The artist chooses to represent one precise moment of high drama and freezes it: when the disciples realise they are witnessing a monumental event.

This work provides an extraordinary example of perspective and foreshortening and the vivid ‘trompe l’oeil’ illusionism of Caravaggio’s work. The outstretched arms seem to be reaching out of the painting to pull the viewer into the scene.

The seventeenth-century art biographer, Giovanni Pietro Bellori, points out that the soldier (second figure from right) in The Taking of Christ, with his face partially hidden and with an aquiline nose, is the same model as was used for the disciple in the right of this painting.

Apparently he was a favourite model of Caravaggio and was used in several paintings between 1601 and 1603.

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This may be Caravaggio’s earliest surviving painting, dating from his first years in Rome. Here we see his interest in recording reality, with posed model and still life, which was to continue throughout his career.

>

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio Boy peeling fruit, about 1592–3 Oil on canvas.

63 × 53 cm Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016

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author of the 2011 biography Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane, the artist’s troubled adult years stemmed directly from the early traumatic loss of his family.

A legend in his own lifetime, the artist had a cult following of younger painters in Rome who were so impressed by his work that they outdid each other in following his method, undressing their models and placing them under high lighting. They stopped paying attention to their studies and to the

Artemisia Gentileschi Susannah and the Elders, 1622 Oil on canvas. 161.5 × 123 cm © The Burghley House Collection Artemisia Gentileschi was the daughter of Orazio Gentileschi and is considered one of the most accomplished painters of the generation following Caravaggio’s. In an era when women painters were not easily accepted by the artistic community or by patrons, she was the first woman to become a member of the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Florence.

Susannah and the Elders, her first dated and signed work, is so remarkably mature for a seventeen-year-old that many attributed it to her father.

The painting depicts the biblical story of Susannah, a virtuous young wife sexually harassed by the elders of her community. It contrasts with treatments of the subject by male artists of the time, who mostly portrayed Susannah as voluptuous and participating in the elders’ desire. Artemisia takes the female perspective and portrays Susannah as vulnerable, frightened and repulsed by their demands, while the men loom large, leering, menacing and conspiratorial in her direction.

Orazio Gentileschi David and Goliath, about 1605–8 Oil on canvas. 185.5 × 136 cm © The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin Orazio Gentileschi (1563–1639) knew Caravaggio personally, so had the advantage of direct contact with the source of his inspiration. He began his career painting in the Mannerist style but later came under the influence of the more naturalistic style of Caravaggio.

David and Goliath is a rare example of this early change. The composition is strongly threedimensional and in part still reflects Gentileschi’s Mannerist education, but the work employs Caravaggio’s use of dramatic, unconventional gesture and monumental composition. The figures are sharply lit from above, creating distinct contrasts of chiaroscuro, even if the artist preferred to use softly blended colours.

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Valentin de Boulogne A Concert with Three Figures, about 1615–16 Oil on canvas. 93.9 x 129.1 cm The Devonshire Collection, Chatsworth © Devonshire Collection, Chatsworth. Reproduced by permission of the Chatsworth Settlement Trustees.

The greatest French follower of Caravaggio, Valentin de Boulogne, also refused to make preparatory drawings, relying instead on the innovative practice of painting directly from the posed model.

The painting is characteristic of his work: he crops and frames his subject tightly in the way a great photographer would. The figure to the left looks directly out and pulls the viewer in, a feature that appears in a lot of his work.

Though de Boulogne painted biblical scenes, allegorical images and portraits, he is best remembered for his scenes of merrymaking characters enjoying music, drinks and games in taverns. Like Caravaggio, he lived fast and died young and belonged to a hell-raising confraternity of artists in Rome known as the Bentvueghels (birds of a feather). He was fond of carousing and fine wine and died at the age of forty-one from a fever caught after bathing in a fountain after a night of binge drinking. De Boulogne’s work was the subject of a recent monographic exhibition on the same theme at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘Valentin de Boulogne: Beyond Caravaggio’. Following its presentation in New York this exhibition will be on view at the Musée du Louvre, Paris, until 22nd May 2017.

teachings of the older painters, who claimed Caravaggio painted all his figures in one light and on one plane without gradations and damned him as the man who destroyed painting. Despite his critics, ‘Caravaggio mania’ raged across Europe in the early decades of the seventeenth century and wealthy patrons competed to buy his pictures.

The influence of Caravaggio was so powerful that groups of Italian, French, Spanish, Flemish and Dutch painters adapted his light effects style, his close-up technique and his realism. His naturalistic style was perfect for Catholic Counter-Reformation art and his signature tenebrism became a defining element in the new era of seventeenth-century Baroque art. His followers or imitators (Caravaggisti) started a European-wide movement known as Caravaggism.

Infamous while he lived, who would have thought that Caravaggio’s work would disappear into art history obscurity for nearly three centuries? His reputation

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Jusepe de Ribera The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew, 1634 Oil on canvas. 104 × 113 cm Image courtesy of the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. A popular subject in Counter-Reformation Italy and Spain, Ribera’s profoundly moving work portrays the apostle’s final moments before he is to be flayed alive. The viewer is meant to empathise with Bartholomew, whose body seemingly bursts through the surface of the canvas, and whose outstretched arms embrace a mystical light that illuminates his flesh. The use of sharp light–dark contrasts and extreme naturalism reveal the influence of Caravaggio.

Jusepe de Ribera was probably the most influential painter of Spanish Baroque art, even more so than his more famous compatriot, Velázquez. His work tends to be overshadowed by the fact that he is mainly associated with images of tortured saints, sagging flesh and faces contorted in pain. Despite this perception, he was a many-sided artist and could also create idyllic scenes that were far more varied in scope than most would imagine.

Hendrick ter Brugghen The Concert, about 1626 Oil on canvas. 99.1 x 116.8 cm © The National Gallery, London Hendrick Jansz ter Brugghen was a painter at the start of the Dutch Golden Age and a leading member of the Dutch followers of Caravaggio, known as the ‘Utrecht Caravaggisti’. This painting has a strong claim to be Ter Brugghen’s finest treatment of a secular subject. He has taken a scene favoured by Caravaggio and his Roman followers – a group of flamboyantly dressed musicians seen by candlelight. The large-scale, half-length figures are crowded together within the composition and close to the edge of the canvas. Ter Brugghen brings to this existing format an individual fluency in modelling the soft edges of his forms and a remarkable subtlety of palette.

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Adam de Coster A Man Singing by Candlelight, 1625–35 Oil on canvas. 123.6 × 90.7 cm. © The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin Adam de Coster was a Flemish painter who was a prominent member of the ‘Antwerp Caravaggisti’. Known as the ‘painter of the night’, he specialised in candlelight scenes in dark interiors with strong chiaroscuro effects the splendid lighting effects of the candle on the costume, and the subtle play of light and shade on the man’s face and hand, are sufficiently realistic to suggest that the figure is a life study. The singer’s half-open mouth heightens the sense of drama and the realism of a captured moment in time.

‘Infamous while he lived, who would have thought that Caravaggio’s work would disappear into art history obscurity for nearly three centuries?’

was no doubt vulnerable to the malicious attacks of two of his earliest biographers.

The first, Giovanni Baglione, was a rival Baroque painter with a personal vendetta.

He had taken a libel suit against Caravaggio for circulating a set of licentious verses mocking him and his work. Baglione took great pleasure in penning a biography that harshly criticised the artist. The next biography, by Giovanni Pietro Bellori, was not entirely negative, but as an extreme classicist he could not bring himself to like

Caravaggio’s realistic and dark style.

In 1910 a young history of art student, Roberto Longhi, wrote a thesis on Caravaggio, a subject long forgotten. Longhi became an influential Italian art historian and his fascination with the Lombard master lasted his entire career. This generated a massive revival of interest in the painter and his influence on other great masters.

Since then, there has been an explosion of interest in Caravaggio’s work and he has become the favourite subject of art historical research. He is rightly admired once again for his unforgettable imagery, inventiveness and astonishing modernity.

More has been written about him in the past fifty years than any other artist. His work continues to influence countless artists, from photographer David LaChapelle to painter Peter Doig. His dramatic sense of staging and his innovative treatment of light and shade has greatly influenced many leading figures in the medium of cinema, including Martin Scorsese.

Although Caravaggio never accepted pupils, his enormous influence on other artists played a vital role in the development of Baroque art. ‘Beyond Caravaggio’ allows us to compare his work with those of his followers and gives us an understanding of the vast influence he had on his contemporaries, first in Italy and then throughout Europe.

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‘Defined by luxury, designed for living’

Conbu Interior Design is an interior design consultancy based in Dublin, offering interior design consultancy services to residential and commercial clients By appointment at: Conbu Interior Design 24 The Crescent Monkstown, Co Dublin

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086 826 9995 angela@conbudesign.com www.conbudesign.com www.theinteriorsassociation.ie

Angela Connolly of Conbu Interior Design is President of the Interiors Association

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INTERIORS ASSOCIATION

divine

DESIGN T

he success of Divine Design, established in 2004, can be attributed largely to a policy of designing interior spaces that work for clients right from the start, rather than them having to adjust to the newly designed space.

This approach involves listening to a client’s objectives, and understanding their lifestyle, schedule and personality, in addition to considering budget and style. Having knowledge of the customer’s way of life and personal taste enables Divine Design to make suggestions beyond those expected, which enhances the value of the service and offers a balance of practicality and aesthetics.

With each residential project Divine Design undertakes, the aim is that the final design solution emerges from the lives of its occupants. Having a highfunctioning home makes all the difference in organising daily life.

The same applies when designing a workplace, as surroundings can affect the happiness and motivation of employees.

When working with business clients, the process includes meticulous pre-design research to assess the unique commercial goals, workflow patterns, and the current and desired customer experience.

Recent commissions include the complete refurbishment of the four bars at the Olympia Theatre. The objective was to redesign and redecorate the bars to the highest standard while staying true to the character of the theatre and the historic building.

Multi-award winning lead designer Gwen Kenny is one of the most experienced design professionals in Ireland.

While her larger projects can involve teams of up to sixty people, she also works on bespoke interior design projects for private residential clients.

Phone: +353 1 4576236 Mobile: +353 87 6794147 E: gwen@divinedesign.ie W: www.divinedesign.ie ANTHOLOGY SPRING 2017 51

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the interiors Association Supporting Accredited Designers in Ireland

T

Find out more at: www.theinteriorsassociation.ie Tel: 01-9011 785

here’s more to being an interior designer than meets the eye.

It is the designer’s job to make interior spaces functional, safe and aesthetically attractive by determining space requirements and selecting decorative items, such as colours, lighting and materials. They must also be aware of building codes and inspection regulations, as well as accessibility standards.

It is important that homeowners know the importance of hiring a designer with accredited training. By choosing a member of the Interiors Association, you will be guaranteed that your designer has the specific set of competencies required to carry out the work.

The Interiors Association is a multifaceted support network open to the broad spectrum of professionals working within the Irish interior architecture and interior design community. Its main objective is to enhance the profile and status of the Irish interiors industry on a nationwide basis by facilitating and supporting a body of professional accredited members. The Interiors Association holds regular events at which members are trained and updated

on regulations, developments and innovations in the interiors industry.

Homeowners who search for an interior designer for their project know that the members of the Interiors Association are professional, accredited designers, trained and experienced in their field.

The Interiors Association has a range of designers with different styles, talents and areas of expertise. Those thinking of embarking on a new project should visit the profiles of the members of the Interiors Association to find out who would best be suited to their project. The committee members of the Interiors Association are

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interiors association

available to assist both homeowners and designers with any queries they may have.

For homeowners, hiring a professionally trained interior designer means you’re saving: you save money when you invest in your home wisely under the supervision of an experienced designer who knows the trade specifics, and you save time when designs are executed correctly and to the highest finish possible under the direction of a designer.

Hiring an accredited designer also gives access to a wider range of reputable trade contacts, those whom the designer knows are reliable and trustworthy; in addition, an accredited designer is experienced at mediating between the homeowner and the trades. Aside from the technical benefits of hiring a professional designer, the cherry on top is knowing that you’ve got a unique interior that has been designed and executed to the highest possible standard, thus improving your quality of life and the value of your home.

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I NTERIORS ASSOCIATION

H

annah Lordan has always had an interest in design and colour. She first attended Crawford College of Art and Design and later studied Fashion Design and Tailoring, which she made a career of for twenty years. She then shifted her creative focus, studying Interior Design and setting up her own business in 2004.

Her personal style is quite eclectic, but she is skilled at working with customers’ individual style and tastes. She prefers to create a home rather than a show house.

Working on both residential and commercial projects, from one-off consultations

to project management of full turnkey projects, Hannah has built up a portfolio of overseas clients from the UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong and the USA who are buying property in Ireland. She sources everything that her clients require from architect to landscaper to soft furnishings.

In the autumn of 2014 Hannah set up Cork Curtain Fabrics where she stocks a varied library of fabrics to suit all budgets and tastes, and provides a measure, make and fit service.

No job is too big or small for Hannah Lordan Interiors.

Hannah Lordan 14 Penrose Wharf Penrose Quay Cork

T: +353-21-4979952 M: +353-87-6304416 E: info@hannahlordaninteriors.ie W: www.hannahlordaninteriors.ie

Noelle Interiors Tanyard Lane Tullamore, Co. Offaly

T: 057-9324555 E: info@noelleinteriors.ie W: www.noelleinteriors.ie

A

leading designer with over thirty years’ experience, Noelle O’Donoghue provides a luxury interior design service. She specialises in bespoke curtains and roman blinds, custom-made sofas and chairs, footstools, ottomans, headboards and interior accessories. In store there is an extensive range of fabrics, poles, wallpapers and rugs to choose from.

Everything is custom-made in the company’s own workshop to an exceptional standard. Noelle and her friendly, experienced team can create a whole look including paint colours, carpets, furniture, etc., offering a selection of styles to suit different tastes. They can also assess your plans, create layouts and spatial plans, or simply help you choose the best wall colour.

The shop showcases some of the best designs, curtain ideas and room sets. Visit the store to browse the many interior accessories, occasional furniture, bed linen, lamps, mirrors, picture frames, jewellery, candles and gifts, or make an appointment now to create that room or home you always longed for!

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MONO BESPOKE FURNITURE

Mullacor, Emyvale, Co. Monaghan T: +353 (0) 4787113 M: +353 (0) 864161815 www.monofurniture.ie Email: padraig@monofurniture.ie

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Mono Furniture is renowned for its wide range of bespoke furniture. Our aim is to create luxurious soft furnishings to be enjoyed by our clients for many years to come. Our collections are produced in Monaghan by an in-house team of expert craftsmen, giving high attention to detail and finishes, using quality upholstery & hardwoods.

Mullacor, Emyvale, Co. Monaghan T: +353 (0) 4787113 M: +353 (0) 864161815 www.monofurniture.ie Email: padraig@monofurniture.ie

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I NTERIORS ASSOCIATION

HOME is where the heart is

K

ilcroney Furniture, a family-run business, with Mrs Anny Verwijs at the helm, has been supplying quality furniture to all the counties in Ireland with great success for almost forty years now. Furniture is sourced from trusted manufacturers in Italy, Belgium, France and across the Continent.

Collections are always evolving, so why not visit the showrooms where you will be welcomed by friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Or view the website: www.kilcroneyfurniture.ie Exit 7 off N11 Tel. 01-2829361

A

spire Design is an award-winning interior design firm specialising in soft furnishings. Founded by Louise Higgins in 2008, Aspire Design has a stunning library of fabric and wallpaper collections from across the globe, which includes Ralph Lauren, Designers Guild, Romo, Thibaut, Kobe, James Hare, Harlequin, KAI, Voyage, Cole & Sons, Linwood, and Bernard Thorp. Louise loves working with her clients and turning their aspirations into reality by creating stunning interiors that reflect their taste and requirements. Louise only uses professional tradespeople whom have a proven track record in quality and service. Her work can be seen in many homes

Aspire Design Studio Firmount, Clane Co. Kildare, W91 R903

and hotels throughout Ireland.

Louise’s passion and flair for fabrics has led her to set up her sister company www.

PerfectHeadboards.ie which is devoted to her designer headboards. This website allows the customer to customise and order their headboard from the comfort of their home.

Tailored services offered by Aspire Design include colour consultations; creation of mood boards with detailed specifications; measure, make and fit service for curtains, blinds and shutters; designer rugs; handmade curtains; upholstery; flooring; layouts, curtain poles and trimmings; lighting; and luxurious bed linen. Contact Louise today to transform your house into a home.

T: 045-982265 / M: 086-3999926 E: louise@aspiredesign.ie W: www.aspiredesign.ie

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interiors association

WHY HIRE

an interior designer?

Hiring an interior designer is a wise investment if you’re redecorating your home or fitting out a new property. Here are six good reasons to hire a professional: Offer expertise: A designer is a professional with a trained eye who can tell immediately if there is something right or wrong with a space.

Have a list of contacts: They work regularly with a wide variety of talented tradespeople, so will be in a position to identify reliable furniture makers, plumbers and electricians, etc. for your project.

Save you money: How many times have you purchased an expensive piece of furniture or a can of paint that didn’t look right when you got it home? A designer will steer you clear of costly mistakes and help you make decisions that will increase the value of your home.

Develop your ideas: Good designers will not impose their own design style on you. They will work with you to refine

your vision, take your ideas and make them work better.

Have knowledge of health and safety: A qualified interior designer will have knowledge of regulations concerning electricity, plumbing, fire, and other safety directives. This includes relevant information on safe furnishings and materials that could be potentially hazardous.

Make space work: To achieve a truly personal space that’s perfect for YOU, a designer will strive to understand the way you want to live and endeavour to meet your requirements, to your specification and exact needs.

To source an interior designer in your area who holds recognised certification and proven knowledge, experience and proficiency in the principles of interior design, visit www.theinteriorsassociation.ie

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L IFEST YLE

Mindful Eating An ancient practice that can transform your relationship with food and set the stage for a lifetime of healthy eating WORDS DOLORES O ’ DONOGHUE

E

veryone is talking about the benefits of mindfulness these days, a practice that has its roots in Buddhist contemplative practices, a form of training of the mind through meditation.

A wealth of recent research provides strong evidence that this age-old practice can be beneficial for relationships, physical and mental health and workplace performance.

The whole ethos of mindfulness encourages people to appreciate living in the present. Followers claim that we are so busy trying to block out past worries and anticipate future ones that we rarely concentrate on, let alone enjoy, what is happening in the present moment.

Applied to eating, mindfulness requires us to be fully attentive to food as we buy, prepare, serve and consume it. The practice involves choosing food both for enjoyment and nourishment, and cultivating an awareness of how the food we choose to eat affects the body and the mind. When we eat mindfully we acknowledge that food is vital to fuel and nourish us so that we are healthy physically, emotionally and mentally. It also makes us aware of non-hunger triggers that prompt us to eat and teaches us to try to meet emotional needs in other more effective ways.

Practitioners advise that we begin to eat mindfully in a gradual way, eating maybe one meal a day, in a slower, more attentive manner and slowly apply that practice to all our meals. Here are some tips that may help you get started on transforming your relationship with food:

Start with your shopping list

Be conscious of the nutritional value of each item that is added to the list and stick with it so as to avoid impulse-buying when shopping. Read labels, and research where the food comes from and who grew it. Select fresh produce when possible and avoid processed foods. Strive to be more cognisant of the type of food you put into your body before you even buy it.

Eliminate distractions

Turn off the television, put away newspapers, magazines, social media and the kids’ homework.

Eating while there are distractions prevents us from fully engaging with what we are eating. If our attention is diverted we’re less likely to be aware of when we are full, which can result in overeating. Ditching laptops and smartphones to focus on eating your meal helps you become more conscious of how much you are eating and also how to enjoy it more.

Engage all your senses

As you serve and eat your meal, notice the sounds, colours, smells, shapes and textures.

Try closing your eyes and smelling the aroma of the food, listen to the noises and notice the flavours and textures as you chew. With practice, you’ll notice that your tastes change, increasing enjoyment of what you may have perceived as boring foods.

Slow down

Eat more slowly, take smaller bites, chew thoroughly and put down your cutlery in between each bite. This allows you to fully experience the taste of your food. It also helps to improve digestion, since the process of breaking down food begins with the enzymes in your mouth. Chew each bite until the food is liquefied, as this allows the tongue and palate to taste it better.

Be grateful

Find joy in food and share that joy with others.

Pause before starting a meal to express your appreciation for everything and everyone who played a part in bringing the food to your table.

Give thanks for being fortunate enough to be able to afford the food, for having the opportunity to enjoy it and for the people you are sharing the experience with.

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NEW

Hydra-Essentiel

Intense hydration. Radiant, plump skin.

Your skin will never be thirsty again!

(Quench it from within.)

Day after day, the dehydrating effects of sudden temperature changes, pollutants and environmental stress can leave skin looking dry and weathered.

Hydra-Essentiel quenches skin surface with moisture-packed organic Leaf of Life extract—boosting skin’s natural hydration for hours of multi-level care. Indoors or out, rain or shine—skin is radiant, revived, full of life. Dive into a range of refreshing textures for every skin type. Contains Clarins’ Anti-Pollution Complex*.

Organic leaf of life extract, encourages the natural hydration of the skin.

*With the exception of Hydra-Essentiel Bi-phase serum.

It’s all about you.

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Best in

Bridal 2017

Anthology presents breathtakingly romantic bridal collections for Spring/Summer 2017. Trends include both minimal and ornate styles, from sheer textures to gowns showered with sparkles or decorated with 3D floral details.

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fashion

Angel

Sanchez The Venezuelan designer explores the elegance of fifties brides with voluminous ball gown skirts nipped at the waist and intricate lace details.

He adds a modern edge with hand-cut leather, plexi and patent details.

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This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the designer’s line, and to celebrate she took inspiration from her earliest bridal collections. She has reinvented some of her first silhouettes and details, like deep V-necklines, scooped-out backs and tiered skirts.

Lhuillier

Monique

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fashion

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fashion

Theia Don O’Neill takes Theia Bridal back to its roots: bohemian-chic and easy. Embracing the carefree nature of the destination bride, he presents relaxed tropical lines and beach-inspired embellishments, such as glass seed beads, crystals and pearls that mimic a glinting sun.

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Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo present a seamless fusion of geometry, metallics and graphic florals with an underlying essence of athleticism. Their dizzying array of gowns are showered with flowers, crystals, beads, pearls and jewelled buttons.Â

Russo

Ralph &

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fashion

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WEDDINGS

For a gift list that offers exceptional choice and style, flexibility and a truly personal experience

The Wedding shop C

hoosing the right gift list for you is a big deal. After all, the things you put on it will become treasured parts of your home and create so many memories for years to come. So it makes sense to let the experts help you to make your gift list perfect. Established more than twenty-seven years ago, The Wedding Shop is the leading independent gift list provider, offering a complete award-winning service that includes the largest selection of branded gifts, cash funds and honeymoon contributions.

There are beautiful showrooms in Dublin, Edinburgh and London (both in Chelsea and at Selfridges), where gift list advisors can offer you guidance to build a list that is flexible and entirely personal to you.

Or you can opt for a full online service.

With unlimited choice available in one place, it can be hard to know where to start, so read on for some ideas to inspire you.

GROUP GIFTING

With larger, more expensive gifts, you may be concerned that they are too much for one person. Don’t worry, your guests can contribute any amount they choose towards the total amount of a gift.

THOUSANDS OF PRODUCTS

The Wedding Shop’s in-house team of buyers work with hundreds of suppliers, so there’s a huge collection of luxurious, stylish and elegant gifts to choose from. From homeware to gadgets, The Wedding Shop features more than 350 renowned brands, including Wedgwood, Panasonic, The White Company, Le Creuset, Missoni Home and more.

EXPERIENCES

Feel like you already have enough things for the home and would rather use your gift list to do something a little different? The Wedding Shop has partnered with Truly Experiences to offer you the chance to add unique experience days and trips to your list.

HONEYMOON AND CASH FUNDS

You can use your gift list to put money towards your honeymoon, or a particular project you’ve been saving for, such as home improvements, or you can even give to charity. There is no commission or charge for this option at The Wedding Shop.

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WEDDINGS

Belleek Castle A fairytale setting for a unique and intimate wedding

L

ooking for something a little different for your special day? A magical venue with gothic styling and great ambience, promising an unforgettable experience for you and your guests? Then Belleek Castle Hotel is the venue for you.

The elegant castle, set in the beautiful Mayo countryside, enclosed by ancient woodland, brings to life a true fairytale theme.

This unique and atmospheric castle, renovated and restored to its former glory

by Marshall Doran, offers a number of

options for your wedding, and can cater for small groups in the charmingly constructed Tween Deck or larger parties of up to 200 guests in the distinctive Medieval Banquet Hall. Civil ceremonies can also be celebrated here.

Belleek, on the outskirts of Ballina Town, is only a forty-minute drive from Knock Airport, and offers activities to suit all tastes, including world-class fishing, golf, and shooting, and there are plenty of scenic walks and historic sites to visit in the region too. Guests can experience fine dining from master chef Stephen

Lenahan, who has been awarded the AA Rosette for the last number of years.

The wedding team will work with you to ensure you experience a dream day and a magical experience to be cherished for life.

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C R AFT AND DESIGN

Martina Hamilton Jewellery Design

M

ulti-award-winning jewellery designer Martina Hamilton works from her studio in Sligo town with her small team of master goldsmiths.

She is the owner of The Cat & The Moon Craft Boutique in Sligo, which showcases her curated selection of Ireland’s leading craft makers. She is also the director of the Hamilton Gallery in Sligo, which hosts monthly solo exhibitions by Ireland’s leading visual artists.

Martina’s designs are focused on delivering statement pieces, around which complementary collections are then created.

She works exclusively in hallmarked sterling silver and gold. She has enjoyed many prestigious commissions, including the creation of bespoke cufflinks for President Barack Obama during the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Washington DC. Two new collections are launched by Martina each year. Her Island Link collection is inspired by her discovery of a lost chapter in her family history and the links she has begun to forge with her ancestors who lived on the beautiful tiny Dernish Island, just off the coast of her native Sligo.

The Sligo coastline has inspired her work for many years, and she enjoys weekend beachcombing trips, finding shapes, shadows, textures and colours to weave into her award-winning jewellery.

4 Castle St Sligo +353 7191 43686 Websites: Jewellery Design: www.martinahamilton.ie Craft Shop: www.thecatandthemoon.com Art Gallery: www.hamiltongallery.ie

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CRAFT AND DESIGN

Creative Clay H

andmade, hand-painted stoneware for the home and garden, designed and created by Raquel Walsh, make wonderful unique gifts for so many special occasions.

Each piece is individually crafted from rolled-out slabs of clay, which are then made into wall plaques, square vases and large planters suitable for the garden. The rugged, weathered forms represent the erosion and fragility of the natural landscape under harsh conditions. The flora and fauna remind us that life and beauty can always find a way to adapt.

A graduate of Limerick School of Art & Design, Raquel established Creative Clay in 2015. The company recently participated in Showcase at the RDS, and Raquel’s unique work will soon be available with new stockists nationwide. Keep an eye out.

Ballycasey Craft and Design Centre, Shannon, Co. Clare T: +353 86 607 1815 E: info@creativeclayireland.com W: www.creativeclayireland.com

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edytaART W

edytaART Studio One The Malthouse Stradbally Co. Laois T: +353 85 166 9836 E: info@edytaart.ie W: www.edytaart.ie

orking mainly with clay and bronze, Edyta Szymanska creates both small figurative pieces and large scale art.

Edyta comes from an artistic background. Her father was a painter and writer, and his work informed her sensibilities throughout her childhood.

She is self-taught, having originally trained in fitness and physiotherapy.

On completion of her studies, she opted for a different career path and started to work seriously in ceramics in 2002, when she opened a studio.

As a qualified physiotherapist Edyta has a great understanding of the human figure, which she interprets through colour, texture and form. She describes the human form as ‘a vehicle through which to express beauty of line and grace’.

Some of her early work involved reconstructions of ceramic sculptures and implements of the Middle Ages, a project commissioned by a Viking group.

Her work has been exhibited in Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, France, Holland and USA. From her studio at The Malthouse in Stradbally where she has a residency, Edyta’s recent work is in bronze, but she also combines ceramic and steel to create works that reflect her inner world.

‘I am a seeker, an explorer who desires ways in which to grow and become wise in my art. My existence depends on my art – it is and always has been an integral part of my life.’

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CRAFT AND DESIGN

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C R AFT AND DESIGN

The

Paintmaker’s House W

orking out of a beautiful old building in the picturesque village of Enniskerry, architect Lucina Lennon has created a unique ‘crossover’ between art and interiors with her new venture ‘The Paintmaker’s House’. It was while she was working as an architect in Chicago that she became attracted to specialist decorative painting techniques having taken a course at the Art Institute in Chicago. Lucina’s trademark blend of luminous colours and handprinted pattern for interiors can be seen at her gallery showroom, The Paintmaker’s House in Enniskerry.

Looking for that elusive shade Lucina began to experiment with simple combinations of natural pigments and raw materials to create a signature colour palette for painting furniture. She works instinctively until she reaches a particular shade. She then records each recipe meticulously. The paint is handmixed in small batches at the gallery. The resulting recipe behind the Paintmaker’s Palette of colours has a ‘fine art’ quality that is particularily well suited to cover finer carved wooden detail such as moldings and decorative motifs. With the properties of gesso paint it also provides a porcelain smooth base for subsequent decorative techniques such as antiquing, gilding and glazing.

Lucina has recently incorporated this artisan paint range into her new furniture painting kits. These incorporate all the ingredients the enthusiastic upcycler needs to create their own signature look on a

piece of furniture and are distilled from from the decorative painting workshops that Lucina has been running over the last few years. Providing the discerning customer with a nontoxic alternative to conventional paint ranges, this ‘Workshop-in-a-Box’ also provides the customer with the materials and tools they to achieve sophisticated results with simple techniques, all from the comfort of their own home. These kits are available online at www.paintmakershouse.com Church Hill, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow For appointments telephone: 086-8111745 Web: www.paintmakershouse.com

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CRAFT AND DESIGN

Frances Brosnan D

Frances Brosnan 43 Ashton Wood Bray, Co. Wicklow Ireland T: +353 (0) 276 0026 M: +353 (0)87 935 3764 E: info@francesbrosnan.ie W: www.francesbrosnan.ie

ublin-born ceramicist Frances Brosnan obtained an Honours Degree in Ceramic Art and 3D Design from West Wales School of the Arts in 2010 and was awarded the Mill Cove Award for Ceramics in 2010.

Frances employs mainly hand-building techniques, while colour, texture and mixed media are important elements in her process.

Her Shanty series is based on her travels in Asia where she was inspired by the courage and determination of people who, despite living in appalling conditions, managed to create shelter from the detritus of society. In this series, she explores both aesthetic and social issues of home, space and poverty.

Her Hidden Beauty series is inspired by plant slides viewed through a microscope and photographed in the Herbarium at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin.

She is currently developing a new body of work for an exhibition in the Blue Egg Gallery, Wexford, in June 2017.

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ABSTRACT FOR HUNT An experimental piece using a combination of new abstract drawing software and photography. The piece was made for a charity exhibition at the Hunt Museum, Limerick

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arts

+

culture

Real FANTASY Limerick-based digital artist Ken Coleman combines everyday elements and transforms them into explosive works of art

T

he artist Ken Coleman uses a range of mediums, including photography, painting and sculpture, processed through Photoshop and 3D software, to produce his finished pieces. He received his first commission aged eight when the other kids in school got him to draw Disney characters. ‘Others were good at hurling and football, but I figured out I was good at art,’ explains Ken. During his transition year in secondary school he got to attend the Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD) for two weeks where he was introduced to graphic design and saw Photoshop being used for the first time. Two years later Ken attended LSAD himself and went on to do two degrees there, the first in Sculpture, and the second in Printmaking; he then did a Masters in Interactive Media at the University of Limerick. In conversation with Edel Cassidy, he discusses his creative process and how his personal style has evolved.

You first studied sculpture at art college. So did your interest in photography and digital art come at a later stage?

I really wanted to study Fantasy Art, CGI and Matte Painting for Film, but it was not something that the college catered for at the time. I decided to study sculpture because it offers such a varied methodology, techniques and disciplines. While studying sculpture, I went to Stockholm for Erasmus and one of the guys I worked with there saw my oil-painted fantasy work and really taught me how to use Photoshop. That’s when I realised the possibilities available to me to work in digital art.

During that time, I met a lot of graphic designers and industrial designers and admired their level of professionalism and the detail in their work. I was fascinated with seeing my work in print and with the cross between fine art and mass-market production. When I got back to college, I started to spray paint and photograph objects. There were no digital cameras in college at the time, but I would take photos with my film camera and experiment by digitally manipulating them. I was not taking this work too seriously at the time because my

focus was on finishing my course in sculpture. I then transferred to print because I was itching to learn more workshop-based techniques, so I studied screen printing and etching, but I was still more focused on my college modules rather than on self-discovery.

At this time I was also working in a bar and my bosses there became familiar with the experimental work I was doing with Photoshop. They hired me to do murals and graphic design, while I still was charge of ordering kegs!

Following that, I got a job in The Gathering, which is a model shop, and it was there I began to notice Box Art on the merchandise and realised there was a possibility I could do this seriously for a living.

What was your experience in art college like? Was it what you expected?

Because my interest was more in Fantasy Art, film and CGI, I was initially told that the college was not for me. It wasn’t meant in a disrespectful way; it was just that they didn’t cater for those mediums at the time. But I decided to stick with the programme on offer, and I’m glad I did because that’s when I learned my fine art skills and dis-

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SAM STRACT This is a portrait of Ken’s sister and her first-born son, Sam. The composition is inspired by an old Russian mother-andchild carving that belonged to Ken’s mother

‘I’ll start with a form like a human being, a natural object, a mechanical instrument and a scenario.’ ciplines. That was back in 1998. The college now offers lots of possibilities across different disciplines, including courses in Animation and Game Art and Design.

From my experience, you should take your learning and disciplines from art college, but it’s what you pursue and experience and apply yourself to in the real world afterwards that really sets you up. It was when I started to work commercially and develop new techniques, learn new software and combine this with fine art materials that I really began to develop my own style. But this was also when I really began to understand the value of the training – it made sense years later.

Is all your work a combination of photography and Photoshop or are there hand-worked elements included?

I always have a little bit of sculpture in my work, and in the last couple of years I’ve really got back into it.

The experience in the model and paint shop helped because I did a lot of miniature work with materials like expanding foams, epoxies and found objects. I also use tattoo ink in my work. I started using this because I have a friend who is a tattoo artist. The ink goes out of date for use on the skin, so it was a material I was able to get for free and it worked really well.

Tell me about your creative process. What are the steps you take from inspiration to execution?

It varies, and it has evolved. When I started out at first I was usually asked to do something because people knew I was good with a camera or with Photoshop. About 2009 or 2010, I started to become known for my style and people came to me because they wanted my style and my vision. Sometimes people will still come to me and have an idea of what they want. I tend to give them

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SIR MURPHALOT A portrait of Murphy, a friend’s well-trained dog, who posed for greenscreen photographs. The final image is a nod to old school portraits. Ken used portraits of himself in a suit for the figure’s body, and added imagery of retro technology to finish the piece

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WARFATHER This image was created from photographs of Ken’s grandmother taken before she died.

It became the album cover for metal band, Warfather. It’s a fitting tribute to one of Ken’s strongest advocates who always encouraged him to pursue his artistic vision

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aRtS

what they want, but I also give them my own version as an option – what I think they should have. Most of the time they go for my version because it has that extra dimension they hadn’t thought of, which excites them.

When working an image to take it from reality to fantasy, do you have a clear idea of how each piece will look from the beginning? How much is planned and how much left to chance?

That’s a question I’ve asked myself many times. I was always so jealous of other artists who could come up with an idea, then follow through and just get it done. My personal work is always an experiment between fine art and digital and software to see where I can push boundaries.

I struggled with that for a long time. I knew of artists who worked from the subconscious by getting a vision from shapes and textures and colours and working from there. I hadn’t realised that was the kind of artist I was.

Digital technology helped me to envision it even better.

Once I got a macro lens for my camera I approached my work in a different way. Now I don’t take a photo for the sake of taking a photo. I have tons of albums of holiday photos with no people in them. They’ll be of buildings at a strange angle, details like splashes of water, or oil on concrete from a passing car – how it leaks out and the textures and shapes it creates – something I know at

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CUltURE

a later stage I’ll want to turn into something surreal.

I do an illustration for Metal Magazine each month and I have complete carte blanche on the design. All I ask the magazine about are the colours, the mood, the genre they’re covering that month. So I’ll start with a form like a human being, a natural object, a mechanical instrument and a scenario. It could be the sky, a fruit, a piece of mechanical equipment. I like to combine these elements rather than, for example, take four living beings or four mechanical instruments. How I combine them to create something interesting and surreal is the challenge each month, and the magazine work gives me the scope to experiment.

Do you have a favourite camera?

Canon was the first professional camera I used for work and I’ve stuck with it. But it’s a massively changing scene now and a lot of photographers are trading in their DSLRs for the new mirrorless technology. They are going now for Fuji and Olympus instead of Canon and Nikon. For now I’m sticking with my Canons.

You’ve recently done some work in film. What was this experience like?

I started as a stills photographer for various projects with the Rubberbandits, which led me to other stills

‘Most of the time they go for my version because it has that extra dimension they hadn’t thought of, which excites them’

MARGA An abstract experiment using photographs of his fiancée, Margarita.

Ken combined colour palettes, shapes and textures, inspired by a fur-lined hood she wore in one of the photos, to create this image

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FERNSTROM This is a portrait of University of Limerick lecturer Mikael Fernström, who taught Ken when he was an Interactive Media student at the university. This work was Curator’s Choice in June 2016 at the Hunt Museum, Limerick

‘I started as a stills photographer for various projects with the Rubberbandits’ work during the Limerick City of Culture 2014 programme. Following this I was asked to consult on The Clockmakers Dream, a short experimental fantasy film, which suited my personal style and vision, and I then went on to work on this project as the Post Art Director. The film has since travelled to many film and animation festivals worldwide and has won numerous awards. I have done quite a lot of film and theatre work since combining photography, design and illustration.

Tell me about winning the Talenthouse award for the Paloma Faith image.

Margarita, my fiancé, who is also a designer, saw the competition and encouraged me to enter. The catego-

ry I won was the Community Choice Award. Once I put the image out there, my social media just went through the roof. The response I got was totally unexpected and I was extremely humbled by the whole thing. It gave me a new-found confidence in my work.

To become a successful digital artist do you think academic training is essential?

My personal experience is that what I’ve been able to achieve in digital art has stemmed directly from going to art college. Whether my experience was positive or negative at certain points, it’s all led me down this path. A big part of it for me was the interaction with the other students and our shared ambitions. Being

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AXEL FOLEY Originally created as a personal tribute to Munster and Ireland rugby legend Anthony Foley. When Ken posted the image on social media there was an huge demand for copies. As a result, Ken now has limited edition prints for sale

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FLESH DANCE This image was born of the idea of someone dancing in their own skin. Ken combined images of flesh-toned bedsheets and his model with abstract drawing and digital painting

‘Whether my experience was positive or negative at certain points, it’s all led me down this path’ around peers and having conversations with others who were aspiring to become graphic designers, fashion designers or painters made me push myself. I also wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to Sweden and learn all I did there if I hadn’t gone to college.

Of course, there was no Facebook or YouTube then.

Things are different now with online learning readily available. If you want to learn a piece of software you’ll find free tutorials on YouTube. But even with that, I feel it’s not as good as the college experience because

of the benefit of being around other driven people and trying to be at least as good as, if not better than, them. So yes, I do feel academic training helps.

Ken Coleman currently lectures in Game Art and Design in Clonmel as part of a Limerick School of Art and Design programme. Full Details at: www.lit.ie/Courses/LC502 and www.lit.ie/ Courses/LC518. He is also available for private and commercial commissions and to speak at conferences. All enquiries to: kenartcorp@gmail. com Website: www.artofkencoleman.com

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Using the same specialised cabinetmaking process with our fully qualified master cabinetmakers, custom pieces of furniture can be created for other areas of the home, including bedrooms and bathrooms. The adaptability and ability to create fully customised furniture allows the opportunity to cater for specialised requirements and a disparate range of clients, from office fit-outs to church restorations. Sweeney’s also specialises in handcrafted grandfather clocks which are made in our workshops.

Sweeney Handcrafted Furniture is a long established family-run business, with three generations of the Sweeney family currently working together to offer customers an exceptional and personalised service.

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t Sweeney Handcrafted Furniture, kitchen designs are not limited to one particular style. Virtually any look you aspire to can be produced. Some specialities include bespoke cornice details, door styles, custom integrated lighting and curved units, to name but a few. Each kitchen or furniture piece is fabricated and built to order to ensure it is tailor-made and perfect for the customer’s individual space.

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Refresh your home for

Spring is a time to break away from the winter blues and prepare your living space for the sunny days ahead. It’s a time for cleaning, de-cluttering and makeovers. But this year, why not go beyond the basic spring clean ritual? Here are a few decorating ideas that will bring a bright and airy feeling into your home and get it in shape to welcome the spring with open arms! words dolores o ’ donoghue

Freshen up with spring accessories Replace heavy curtains with a gauzelike lightweight material to allow more light in. Alternatively, if you are replacing curtains, consider a reversible set that has a cosy winter side of warm tones and textures and a reverse side with light neutrals or bright colours for the sunnier months.

Lighten the mood by changing your winter cushion covers to light breezy fabrics like linen or printed cotton.

Spring is a great time to refresh your bedding. It’s amazing how something simple like changing a duvet cover or sheets can brighten up a bedroom and give it a completely fresh look and feel. ing is one of the best ways to reap the benefits of natural sunlight.

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interiors

Let the light in A home full of warm and sunny daylight not only improves our mood, but also improves our health by providing us with vitamin D. If your home isn’t naturally well-lit, mirrors can make a great difference. Place a large mirror opposite a window and it will reflect the incoming light. Use mirrored and metallic furniture in a dark corner or hallway to bounce extra light around the room.

Choose light paint colours not only to make a room appear brighter but also to increase the sense of space. An eggshell or satin finish is preferable, especially for walls opposite windows. It will reflect light around the room whereas matte finishes or dark colours will absorb the light.

Replace solid doors for doors with glass panels to allow the light to flow from room to room.

Don’t forget to clean the windows!

Dirty windows can block a great deal of the daylight, so regular and thorough cleaning is one of the best ways to reap the benefits of natural sunlight.

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Bring the outdoors in Decorating with nature is a great way to waken up a tired room. Potted plants or a few pretty buds in a vase not only bring vitality and life to your home, but they also have relaxing and purifying benefits.

Small natural treasures such as fossils or stones will display well in bowls and jars, or on a plate with a pillar candle as a table centrepiece.

Keep your eyes open for unusual pieces of nature while walking on the beach or in the woods. Driftwood, stones, twigs and beach glass can make beautiful mantle displays or abstract wall hangings.

A splash of paint Investing in some paint is one of the best ways to transform a home. Neutral wall colours will immediately make things feel lighter and more spacious. Crisp white walls, or off-white variations, are becoming very popular in home design. White walls create a blank canvas to layer on other design elements. In contrast, there is also a trend for bold, refreshing colours that can be used for an accent wall or to give energy to a drab space.

Repainting will give any object a fresh, new look. While you may not be in a position to repaint entire rooms, you can paint things like a book shelf, a coffee table or an old mirror frame to make them look new and pretty.

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interiors

Layered lighting The way a room is lit can completely transform the space. In rooms that lack natural light the key to creating a bright atmosphere is to layer the lighting.

Overhead lights can add a wonderful ambience if chosen correctly, so consider the size and purpose before investing.

Next, consider accent lighting such as down-lights for artwork and up-lighters to highlight architectural elements. Finally, take into account where you will need task lighting in areas like the bathroom, the kitchen or at a desk. This can be achieved for example, through sconces on the sides of a mirror, or recessed lighting underneath cabinetry.

With the right combination, you can bring ‘rays of sunshine’ into your home, create drama and even visually alter the room’s dimensions.

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Danish Kitchen Design has 21 years of experience, and a unique approach and insight for designing kitchens and entire open-plan living spaces. DKD is the sole agent for Danish brand Sønderborg Køkkenet. All kitchens are individually made to order, making it possible to create extraordinary kitchens... Something unique.

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Subscribe to avail of delivery directly to your door

One Year Subscription Within Ireland €20 International €25 Receive four issues in print throughout the year. Keep up to date with the latest news in luxury lifestyle and wellbeing, interiors, adventures and destinations, fashion and beauty, art and culture, and more. info@anthology-magazine.com +353 87 1945406

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The Met to honour Comme des Garçons • Best in Bridal 2017

Portugal’s picturesque Alentejo • Red Square and the Kremlin

Showcasing Irish crafts • Photographer and digital artist Ken Coleman

Bespoke furniture makers • The Interiors Association

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Women in Dior • Caroline Mitchell • Haute Couture AW 2016-17

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The freshest type designers exhibit in Limerick City

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Chefs go head-to-head in Limerick Restaurant Awards 2015

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Anthology interviews Matthew McConaughey on set of his new movie

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ANTHOLOGY SPRING 2017 101

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Selecting the

PERFECT Facial Moisturiser – one that actually works

Zelens – Marine Complex

words edel cassidy

R

eplenishing the skin’s natural moisture with a moisturising agent is one of the most important steps in a daily skin care routine.

Whether you are spending the day in the office or out in the sunshine, moisturiser will ensure that your face has a protective barrier to help prevent dryness and improve tone and texture, in addition to providing the perfect base for make-up.

Even though the skin has the ability to moisturise itself and to retain moisture, environmental factors, such as ultraviolet rays, pollution, harsh weather and external stress, can counteract this and cause depletion of moisture. An accumulation of environmental stress can also cause significant damage to cell structures and accelerate the signs of ageing. A good moisturiser will not only prevent loss of moisture and rehydrate the skin but will also help to speed up the process of cell renewal.

Most facial moisturisers offer special features such as sun protection and anti-

ageing, but the three principal functions of a moisturiser are to attract, to bond and to trap moisture. For a product to perform all three functions it needs to contain the following active ingredients: Humectants: attract moisture to the stratum corneum, the outermost tier of the upper layer of the skin consisting of flattened or dead cells. Humectants also prevent the loss of moisture.

Emollients: bond moisture and increase the skin’s hydration by reducing evaporation. They are specially designed to make the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) soft and supple.

Occlusives: form a thin film over the skin, helping to create a barrier against water loss and trapping moisture in the skin to ensure ongoing positive moisture content.

With a vast array of brands to choose from, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. It can be difficult to choose the moisturiser that will best suit your skin. Here are the daily hydrators that I consider to be the best and the reasons why.

As the ageing process sets in, skin begins to thin and may develop sensitivities to active ingredients in anti-ageing creams.

Zelens Marine Complex is perfect for those with sensitive skin in search of a product with strong anti-ageing benefits.

It was created by Dr Marko Lens, a renowned authority on skin aging and skin cancer, who performs and publishes clinical trials on every product. For both day and night use, on application it has a soothing sensation and absorbs nicely into the skin. A key ingredient, marine exopolysaccharide, is a marine alternative to hyaluronic acid, and it protects the skin by retaining moisture to give a plumper, more youthful look. Interestingly, among the many marine extracts the product contains is chondrus crispus (Irish moss), a botanical rich in carrageenans from which polysaccharides are extracted and which act as a second skin, forming a film to protect from water loss.

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REFORM Skincare – Everyday Moisturiser This moisturiser, part of the Dermatology Recommended Cosmeceutical Range, has been specifically formulated for its anti-ageing properties and for addressing issues such as pigmentation, blemishes, fine lines and wrinkles. It contains Vitamin A, which stimulates the dermis, the layer of the skin that contains collagen and elastin fibres. This stimulation can bring about a reduction in fine wrinkles, and can increase smoothness and diminished hyper pigmentation.

Vitamin E protects against free radicals and environmental damage and also suppresses dryness by helping the skin retain its natural moisturisers. This product is enriched with marine and botanical extracts that strengthen skin tissues and balance moisture to maintain a smooth, clear complexion.

Elemis – Pro-Collagen Marine Cream

La Mer – The Moisturising Soft Cream There is a ritual to applying this moisturiser: a small amount should be warmed between the fingertips until the opaque white cream turns translucent before dabbing gently on to the skin. Crème de la Mer was developed by physicist Max Huber after a laboratory accident burned his skin. He set out to create a healing cream and believed that sea kelp was key to skin’s regrowth because of its natural ability to regenerate itself. When applied it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to be absorbed fully into the skin, so it’s best to allow a little time before make-up application. But it really is worth the wait as it’s very hydrating and leaves a lovely glow.

I love the incredibly light gel-cream texture. There is a cooling sensation on application and the skin feels super moist all day. We are all aware of the health and beauty benefits associated with marine extracts. A key ingredient of this cream is purified extract from padina pavonica, a unique Mediterranean alga, which attracts moisture and improves the skin’s suppleness and firmness. It also contains chlorella seaweed, which increases production of the skin’s collagen, the primary protein responsible for elasticity. A third marine extract, porphyridium seaweed, is rich in various essential minerals and contains moisturising polysaccharides which create a protective coating. Surprisingly it does not smell of seaweed but has a beautiful delicate fragrance.

Guinot – Crème Jour Eclaircissante Active ingredients include stabilised Vitamin C, which boosts the skin’s production of collagen and is a powerful antioxidant that can help rejuvenate aged and photodamaged skin. Melanoxyl suppresses melanin formation and, combined with SPF30, reduces dark spot formation, so brightening the complexion while also protecting from skin damaging UV rays. This luxurious cream leaves the skin feeling soft and supple on application and is part of a comprehensive skincare line that works collectively to achieve optimum results. The moisturiser works well alone if you are just looking for an instant boost, as after the recommended 30 days the skin tone is brighter and more even.

Charlotte Tilbury – Charlotte’s Magic Cream This moisturiser was created by Charlotte Tilbury, the world’s most famous make-up artist, when she mixed this special formula for her supermodel and celebrity clients, who quickly became hooked on it. On application it gives the most beautiful radiance to the skin and leaves it feeling plump, fresh and beautifully moisturised. The formula is very creamy, yet it absorbs quickly into the skin and does not leave a greasy residue. The finish is slightly pearlescent, which helps impart an attractive glow. It provides an excellent base for flawless make-up application and also helps the makeup to last. The rose gold packaging is gorgeous and makes a classy gift. anthology spring 2017 103

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The Successful Entrepreneur

‘I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.’ Nelson Mandela

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business

Overcoming the fear of failure Every day, people come up with great ideas for services or products that fill gaps in the market and that could go on to become successful businesses. But not everyone can turn those ideas into reality. So what is the difference between those who do and those who don’t? words edel cassidy

T

here are many reasons why great ideas never come to fruition. For a lot of people, taking that crucial first step on the entrepreneurial journey is the most difficult bit, and fear of failure is often why they give up before they’ve even started.

It’s thirty years since Susan Jeffers published her landmark book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, in which she urged readers to conquer their fears, shake off their apprehensions, build up their self-worth and attempt to realise their full potential. It’s something that Nelson Mandela experienced first-hand. Mandela, who spent twenty-seven years in prison before becoming the first black President of South Africa, maintained that a courageous person feels fear just like anybody else, but persists in the face of that fear.

‘I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it,’ he said. ‘The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.’

Yet being afraid of making mistakes is not innate. Toddlers learning to walk will fall numerous times, yet they pick themselves up to try and try again until they can walk successfully on two feet. They demonstrate courage, persistence, positive attitude and self-confidence to achieve their goal. It’s only as they get older that they learn to be cautious, to avoid failure at all costs. All of us make mistakes at one point or another – it’s what makes us human.

As we get older we become conditioned to believe that failure is unacceptable, that it is shameful, something to be hidden.

The fear of being exposed as a failure stops us from doing the things that can move us towards achieving success.

Not all fear is bad, of course – instinctive fear is necessary for our very survival – but problems arise when that instinctive response (fight-or-flight) is triggered in non life-threatening situations.

Having said that, the risk-taking associated with entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. The thought of abandoning a steady job and salary and relying on your own efforts to generate an income can be daunting. Added to that is the worry of failure: how will you cope if it fails? What will people will think of you, especially the ones who thought your business idea was a crazy one in the first place?

The stereotypical entrepreneur is someone with an inborn ability to face difficulties without fear. But research has shown that the most successful entrepreneurs are those who have experienced failure and who see it as an inherent part of what they do. They have learned by trial and error before eventually accomplishing their dreams.

We’ve all heard the disheartening statistic that eighty per cent of new enterprises go out of business in the first three years.

But dwelling on these kind of ready-made statistics is more likely to encourage the potential entrepreneur to procrastinate or to ditch their business venture entirely.

It would be a lot more useful to examine why those enterprises did not succeed and learn from their mistakes.

Thomas Edison understood that failure provided valuable information.

He made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked him how it felt to fail one thousand times, Edison replied, ’I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.’

Steve Jobs may have been one of the greatest innovators of our time, but he was also famous for his failures, more particularly for his ability to recover from them. In his famous speech delivered at Stanford University in 2005, Jobs said, ‘I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything.

It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.’

When failure is fresh and it is our own, it can be hard to believe that recovery, let alone success, is possible.

But it all depends on how you look at it. A mistake is also a learning opportunity; a setback makes us stronger and more determined. Successful people concentrate on solutions rather than problems, and are quick to review their ideas and adjust their strategies. They enjoy success because they have pushed through the fear of failure. anthology spring 2017 105

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L IFEST YLE

Further

Everybody wants to hit the ball

(A Little Bit)

WORDS IVAN MORRIS

M

ost people shy away from working hard on their golf games (they have enough of that earning a living) and think they can buy extra distance by staying up to date with technology through purchasing new equipment. Well, the good news is: that’s true to a certain extent.

Here are my three tips to help you hit longer drives.

Hit, look, make whatever adjustment is necessary and repeat. Easier said than done, but it guarantees results.

1. To hit the ball further, hit it higher! That means increasing the angle of attack or hitting ‘up’ on the ball. One way to see if you are hitting ‘up’ is to place an empty half-litre water bottle a few inches in front of your ball. If your driver goes over the bottle you’re hitting up. If not, make some practice swings and you’ll quickly learn the feel of an ‘up’ swing. Sooner than you think your distance will increase.

Manufacturers always have to give the impression that their newest product is technically superior to previous products.

Stop and think! Manufacturers are in business to make money. Their main focus is on reducing costs and improving margins.

It’s as true about golf shafts as it is about almost any product you care to mention.

Once a technological goal has been achieved, the next goal is to achieve the same result, only more cheaply and with a better profit margin. That’s business.

Technology revolves mostly around

2. Hit the ball in the sweet spot of the club face – much harder to achieve than missing a bottle! And it may require a lot of practice. The big advantage of hitting the ball in the sweet spot is that the ball will fly straighter as well as further. No one will complain about that. Spray a little powder on the club face and check after every strike which part of the face you contacted the ball with.

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3. Swing faster, which is not as easy as it sounds. Try swinging lighter and heavier clubs alternately, both right-handed and left-handed. It won’t be long before you work up a sweat, lose some weight and gain some distance (again, guaranteed).

one club – the driver. The driver seems to become more ‘user-friendly’ with every new launch (almost). You’d be a fool not to take advantage. Not so with all of the other clubs, with one exception: make sure the grooves on your wedges are fit for purpose.

Apart from the driver, there is no need to change all your equipment every year or two. If you’re like me and enjoy always having a newish set in the bag, be realistic and accept that what you buy today may not be as good as what you had yesterday.

I can’t tell you how many times that’s happened to me – I’ve bought new clubs and and gone backwards! That’s why I’m such a fan of TrackMan technology. It helps me to source new equipment that will have the same (or better) performance than the equipment I’m replacing. If changing a club that has served me well, I try to make sure the new club has the same measurement data. In other words, I buy the same technology, but the club looks just shinier and slightly different. I’ve wasted a lot of time, money and good golfing years chasing the Holy Grail of ‘perfect equipment’.

Modern TrackMan technology is fantastic.

Golf clubs really can be made to suit, but only if we use the technology properly by testing, testing, testing and sticking with what we know suits us, once we have found it.

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FASHION

2

1

3

Masterpieces

of TIME A beautiful timepiece is the ultimate masculine accessory which, if chosen wisely, can be worn and enjoyed for many years. While technological innovations continue to produce watches with all kinds of new features, the discerning gentleman will always have a strong attraction to the classic models

4

6 5

1. Tag Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 5, €2,300 at Hartmann’s of Galway 2. Patek Philippe World Time Chronograph, POA at Weir & Sons, Dublin 3. Rolex GMT-Master II, €8,350 at Keanes, Cork and Limerick 4. Links of London Brompton Chronograph, €440 at Brown Thomas 5. Gents Classic with Black Leather Strap, €55 at Newbridge Silverware 6. Tissot Ballade Powermatic 80 Cosc, €715 at Arnotts, Dublin

ANTHOLOGY SPRING 2017 107

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View from the hilltop village of Monsaraz

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travel

Portugal’s picturesque

Alentejo Strolling through Monsaraz, cruising Alqueva Lake and feasting on regional fare words and photos tom weber

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Medieval road to Monsaraz Castle

Traditional Alentejo cuisine at Sem-Fim Monsaraz

Medieval portal, Monsaraz

P

ortugal’s picturesque Alentejo region, meaning ‘land beyond the Tagus’, is synonymous with history and tradition, and possesses a calming, uncluttered and minimalist beauty. Many buildings are whitewashed in the traditional Alentejano style, imbued with a Moorish flavour and decorated with intricate azulejo tiles. The UNESCO-protected walled city of Évora, with its Roman temple, Moorish alleyways and medieval churches is one of the highlights of the region. The charming village of Monsaraz offers a stunning view over Alqueva, the largest artificial lake in Europe.

Under foreboding skies, I’m buckled into my business-class seat aboard a sleek Mercedes motor coach that’s rolling its way deep into the spacious, fertile Alentejo region of Portugal. Vamos!

Perched atop a rocky hill, with spectacular views of where Portugal embraces

Alqueva Lake Monsaraz village

Spain, is the charming, pedestrian-only medieval village of Monsaraz. Overrun by the Moors in the eighth century and reclaimed

by Christian crusaders in the twelfth, Monsaraz was once occupied by the mysterious Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon – the Knights Templar.

Cobbled streets lined with uneven-walled, whitewashed cottages topped with terracotta roofs are the main attraction, along

with the remains of the fourteenth-century Monsaraz Castle and its sturdy ramparts that carry you halfway to the sky. Way down below, spread out as far as the eye can see, is Grande Lago, Alqueva Lake, an immense artificial lake (250 sq. km), the largest of its kind in Western Europe.

Via a narrow gangplank, I board the Westlander, an early twentieth-century Dutch sailing barge, and we cast off from

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traVel

the marshy shore for a laid-back two-hour cruise. Tiago, the boat’s skipper, and his first mate steer the craft out into open waters and away we go, quietly and effortlessly.

Once all the passengers are settled, Tiago introduces us to Alqueva Lake. I’m all ears.

‘This artificial lake is the result of the opening of the Alqueva Dam in 2002, built on the Rio Guadiana to bring much needed irrigation to the arid and impoverished Alentejo region,’ he tells us. ‘When the length of all of the lake’s fingers on both sides of the Portuguese–Spanish border are added together, the total distance is greater than Portugal’s 943 kilometre-long coastline.’

The introduction over, the skipper and his mate unfurl the burgundy-coloured sail and we begin to pick up speed. Like all good Portuguese hosts, Tiago passes round plates of succulent Iberian ham, sausages and cheese, and then hands out cold beers, soft drinks and, my favourite, cups of local vinho tinto (red wine) poured from a large plastic bag.

Back on terra firma, we re-board the motor coach for the short ride over to Sem-Fim (Never Ending), an unusual restaurant cum olive mill cum art gallery located in nearby Telheiro. Tiago also owns this three-in-one establishment. Swapping his sextant for an apron, he settles us around a long table and gives us a quick overview of authentic Alentejo cuisine as the parade of dishes begins.

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Wild mushrooms and asparagus, a traditional Alentejo dish

This fertile region, comprising a third of the country’s landmass, is unabashedly Portugal’s gastronomic soul. Rustic and wholesome, dishes of the Alentejo are rich with ingredients grown in the area and cultivated by its hard working people: succulent black Iberian pork, fruity extra virgin olive oil, nutty sheep cheeses, juicy tomatoes, wild mushrooms and asparagus, to name a few.

In addition, half of Portugal’s annual wine

Aboard the Dutch sailing barge Alqueva Lake Locally grown pomegranate

production comes from the Alentejo.

From the very first forkful, I know that I’m in for a memorable treat and we all savour a leisurely lunch of authentic Alentejo fare prepped by skipper-turned-chef Tiago and his wife, Gloria, at Sem-Fim. Saúde!

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Pastéis de Belém The Holy Grail of Portuguese sweets

O

n my return journey I stopped off in Lisbon, where I visited Antiga Confeitaria de Belém, the iconic sugar cane refinery turned pastry shop in the bustling Belem district of the city. Here, the Holy Grail of Portuguese sweets, Pastéis de Belém – egg custard tarts – have been baked, sold and consumed since 1837.

Francesco, the head waiter, immediately ushers me inside the bakery for a VIP tour so that I can see what all the fuss is about. He tells me that the centuries-old recipe for Pastéis de Belém is a closely guarded secret known only to an inner circle of three. It was invented and prepared by monks at nearby Mosteiro dos Jerónimos until 1820 when the doors were bolted shut during the Liberal Revolution and the clergy sent packing and forced to sell their prized recipe just to survive.

Reserved seating inside one of the azulejo-tiled rooms awaits, and my coffee order – a pingado, espresso with a dash of frothy hot milk on top – is taken.

The pastry’s shell is made from massa folhada, Portugal’s version of puff pastry, consisting of hundreds of crisp, flaky layers, and it’s filled with a rich, luscious egg custard with its distinctive mottled brown

top. Francesco swears that after just one bite, you’ll understand why Pastéis de Belém are adored by Lisboetas.

Of the 10,000 tarts that’ll be baked on the premises that day, I’m served several. A dash of cinnamon gives them a finishing touch, and I devoured them faster than you could say Vasco da Gama.

Tom was a guest of Insight Vacations, the leader in premium and luxury escorted journeys around Europe.

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travel

Évora

Facade of Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça. Built in the early 1500s, it is a very rare example of Mannerist architecture in Portugal

A walking tour of Portugal’s Museum City

Inside the Capela dos Ossos Evora

W

ith the fragrance of lemons wafting about and a variety of architectural styles dotting the landscape, Évora, the capital of Portugal’s Alentejo region, is truly worthy of its moniker, the Museum City.

Standing next to Maria, a local art historian, my informative walking tour of the historic centre of Évora begins in front of a second-century Roman structure, the Corinthian-columned ruins of the Temple of Diana. ‘Évora’s roots date back more than 2,000 years to the days of the Lusitanians,’ Maria informs me, ‘and during Portugal’s Golden Age, the Museum City became the residence of the country’s royal family. Its unique quality stems from the whitewashed houses and their wrought-iron balconies dating from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries.’

An enchanting place to delve into the past, Évora’s fourteenth-century walls protect the labyrinth of narrow travessas that lead to a striking variety of architectural

works in Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance and Baroque styles.

There’s Sé, the medieval, fortress-like Gothic cathedral of rose-coloured granite, with its ornate main portal of apostolic sculptures and its unique statue of a pregnant Madonna. Then there’s the spooky Cappela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones), a dimly lit ossuary inside St Francis Church where the walls are lined with the skeletal remains of more than 5,000 of the dearly departed. And the town’s focal point, Praça do Giraldo (Giraldo Square), once the scene of countless violent and bloody events dur-

ing the Portuguese Inquisition, is today a tranquil spot lined with restaurants and open-air cafes.

Spectacular architecture and rich history aside, Évora – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is also known for its epicurean delights. Take, for instance, the regional fare served daily

by Patricia and João at Restaurante Maria Luisa, a casual eatery at Praça 1o de Maio (First of May Square) in the city centre. Highly recommended on Maria Luisa’s menu is the succulent, to-die-for lombo de porco preto – grilled black Iberian pork tenderloin.

Buen apetito!

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i nteriors directory

Pinboard We Give It a Whirl

Pemara Design

An Irish online store with a carefully curated range of products for the home and family. Created by sisters Anne and Maureen Rice, it provides a selection of well-made and beautifully designed products that they are happy to stand over. They favour simple, functional and beautiful design with a touch of playfulness. Ideal for gifts, the store offers a diverse mix of home accessories, homewares and jewellery.

Go on – give it a whirl at www.wegiveitawhirl.ie

Founded by Danish designer Per Ploug, who has worked in the furniture industry for more than twenty years.

Combining his experience, engineering skills and knowledge of good interior design, he has created a unique dining table. Other products, such as a complementary bench and chairs, have since followed. Available through Danish Kitchen.

20 Churchtown Business Park, Beaumont Avenue, Churchtown, Dublin 14

Mono Furniture

Blinds in a Box

A family-owned specialist furniture-making business, based in Co. Monaghan for over four decades. Mono Furniture designs and manufactures bespoke sofas, chairs and occasional furniture, combining traditional techniques and the finest materials.

Furniture of the highest quality is handmade in a variety of designs, both functional and stylish, which clients can customise in a modern, classic or traditional setting to complement their living space. Mullacor, Emyvale, Co.Monaghan. +353 86 4161815, monofurniture.ie@ gmail.com

Inexpensive temporary blinds that are easy to install and require no tools. Made from fully recyclable paper, they can easily be cut to size or doubled up for larger windows. They come in three sizes and are available in black or white. Order at www.blindsinabox.ie and they will be delivered to your door in 1–2 working days.

Babateen

Send a Hug

Sign up to Babateen.com to get the latest on sales, new releases and more. This great new website has the finest selection of children’s bedroom ranges, from cribs to cots to teenagers’ bedrooms. Products are sourced that will stand the test of time and grow with your child, both in size and personality. All beds come with free delivery and assembly nationwide! Contact 01-8405637 www. babateen.com

The HUG pillowcase makes an excellent gift for special occasions to remind people that they are loved. It reminds the recipient, when they lie down to sleep, that they are being thought of by those who value and care for them. An ideal gift for friends and family abroad is the ‘HUG from Ireland’ pillowcase.

Full details at www. hugpillowcase.ie

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Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort - The Island - Waterford - Ireland Tel: +353 (0) 51 878 203 - info@waterfordcastleresort.com

www.waterfordcastleresort.com

Available Sim Free instore and online.

Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Galway.

T 1850 66 8888 | www.compub.com Subject to availability. TM and Š 2016 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.