CON T R I BU TOR S
Destination Art, p114
Culture Casualty of War , p110
Finding Freida, p102
Heart of the Hunter, p70
Maya Binkin
Ivan Lindsay
Clare Naylor
Jonathan Young
Favourite wild place in the UK? The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, though I’m not sure how ‘wild’ it is as everything seems to be so carefully positioned, sheep and all. I am glad to have some time in Pembrokeshire this September, where I am working on an exhibition on Graham Sutherland. I have been told that part of Wales is stunning. What does a life in balance mean to you? It’s a cliché but I love what I do so I don’t feel like I’m working. My family is my most precious thing so my balance is making sure I spend time with my husband and son. I leave little time for myself but that’s the female experience. Favourite thing about autumn? Those lovely autumnal flavours, cinnamon and pumpkin, burnt ochre and orange. It’s also the start of the art world season so there are bound to be some fantastic new exhibitions to explore.
Favourite wild place in the UK? The UK is so diverse that exploring pretty much anywhere off the beaten track is rewarding in its own unique way. The coast, the Downs and the Dales are all near the top of my list. How do you switch off? With ease. There is always something interesting to explore or study in the vicinity. I like to go walking in beautiful places. What does a life in balance mean to you? That would be a question for my therapist... if I had one. Since I am not sure how one ascertains if one’s life is in balance, and the reasons are probably in the subconscious, I don’t have a satisfactory answer for this. Favourite thing about autumn? For me it’s a bitter/sweet season. The vivid colours of the fall are offset by the melancholy of another year passed.
Favourite wild place in the UK? Salmon Leaps on the River Teign in Devon for a wild swim. There are Victorian stone pools that act like natural Jacuzzis and the water’s clear as glass. How do you switch off? When it’s all a bit too much, I take my lurcher, Otis, and we run away. Not far, sometimes just down the King’s Road, but I don’t tell anyone I’m leaving so it feels like I’m escaping. I’m a big believer in running away from things! What does a life in balance mean to you? I have to rein in my domestic side and tie myself to my desk when there’s a deadline looming, so somewhere between cleaning windows and finishing a script. Favourite thing about autumn? Subjecting my children to TS Eliot’s Preludes: ‘The burntout ends of smoky days’ line is autumn in the city for me. Cue lots of eye-rolling. Also, rediscovering my jumpers.
Favourite wild place in the UK? The foreshore at false dawn on a cold December day. The only sounds are the making tide, the plaintive call of redshank and curlew and the whistle of wings of unseen wigeon. How do you switch off? In the countryside I never switch off. Like my terriers, I’m always alert for the slightest movement, whether it’s the scurry of a field vole or the speck of a peregrine suddenly materialising in a summer sky. What does a life in balance mean to you? I’ve never divided up my life. My work is my passion and I’ve always marvelled that I’ve been paid to do what I love. Favourite thing about autumn? The smell of fresh rain on willowherb and bracken. Somehow it always seems especially strong in lowland Scotland.
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14 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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