DRIFT 29

Under

the

SURFACE

Only once fully submerged can we hope to truly understand the world in which we live

Volume No29 £10.00

Drift /drift/ noun

1. the act of driving something along

2. the flow or the velocity of the current of a river or ocean stream

verb

1. to become driven or carried along, as by a current of water, wind, or air

2. to move or float smoothly and effortlessly

THE PINNACLE OF LUXURY LIFESTYLE IN CORNWALL

‘What

CEO Ben Pratchett – 01326 574842 ben.pratchett@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Editor

Hannah Tapping hannah.tapping@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Operations Manager

Miguel Belert miguel.belert@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Managing Director

Richard McEvoy – 07771 868880 richard.mcevoy@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Content Manager

Rosie Cattrell rosie.cattrell@levenmediagroup.co.uk

Finance & HR Manager

Charlotte Forster charlotte.forster@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Client Director

Jonathan Perkins – 07587 072706 jonathan.perkins@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Creative Designers

Spencer Hawes

Jamie Crocker

PROUD TO BE PART OF

Drift is published by:

Engine House Media LTD

Holbrook, The Moors, Porthleven, Cornwall TR13 9JX www.enginehousemedia.co.uk www.levenmediagroup.co.uk

ISSN 2632-9891

© All rights reserved. Material may not be re-produced without the permission of Engine House Media Ltd. While Drift will take every care to help readers with reports on properties and features, neither Engine House Media Ltd nor its contributors can accept any liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from editorial features, editorial or advertising featured in these pages. Engine House Media Ltd strongly advises viewing any property prior to purchasing or considerations over any financial decisions. Engine House Media reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit such material prior to publication. Engine House Media Ltd cannot take responsibility for loss or damage of supplied materials. The opinions expressed or advice given in the publication are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of

Credit Control

Tracy Dart – 01326 574842

tracy.dart@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Engine House Media Ltd. It is suggested that further advice is taken over any actions resulting from reading any part of this magazine.

Engine House Media Ltd is a multi-platform media business with a passion for everything Cornish. Visit www.enginehousemedia. co.uk to find out more. Our mission is to create READ-WATCHEXPERIENCE media opportunities marrying together consumers with the fabulous businesses across Cornwall. Our publishing and marketing teams are specialists in creating print and online communications, devised to achieve a range of marketing objectives. With over 20 years of marketing, brand management and magazine experience we develop effective communications that deliver your message in a credible and creative way. We operate across all media channels, including: print, online and video.

On the cover

lies beneath (Porthleven clock tower)’ by photographer Tom Harper. As featured from page 19. wallsofwater.co.uk

Foreword

That which lies beneath the surface is often more intriguing than what we see in plain sight. The intricacies of unearthed meaning, or the discovery of people and places not immediately apparent, offer new perspectives. Photographer Tom Harper (19) is a master of finding the unusual in the obvious. His instinctive documentation of the natural world exposes textures, forms and feeling that don’t always reveal themselves at first sight. Abstract painters, Sophie Capron and Ashley Hanson (32) are linked by an interest in the interactions of man and nature, their marks often gestural. Taking a culinary swerve, The Packet Inn Smokehouse (45) reveals exceptional dining behind its unassuming pub doors, while Coombeshead Farm (63) respects the old ways with a sense of place. The menu is built

around the farm’s produce and celebrated for its simplicity. An unexpected aquatic oasis lies hidden behind the doors of Una St Ives (55). The warm waters of a new, purpose-built lido play host to swimmers seeking sanctuary, as its poolside culinary offering sates pre-workout appetites – a refreshing combination of eating and exercise. Taking a ‘fabric-first’ approach, ARCO2 (106) has created an architectural experience befitting of its coastal location. The simplicity of the building’s exterior belies an attention to detail within, which ensures it sits effortlessly in the environment, all the while maintaining the highest sustainable credentials. At each turn of the page, this coming together of creative luminaries highlights hidden depths and undiscovered nuances, awaiting revelation.

Our contributors

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At a glance

83

Ceramics inspired by the landscape

93 SEA FEVER

Art dedicated to turbulent seas

100 AN ASSOCIATION OF THE ARTS

Pushing the envelope in contemporary art

106 FROM THE GROUND UP

Sustainable house design for the future

114 THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST

Seeking ways to save our planet

122 EVENTIDE

A final word from Emily Stevenson

WATERWalls of

WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING

Tom Harper has spent his whole life in and around the sea, which is likely the reason he’s drawn to working around it. Picking up photography as a hobby some eight years ago, a cheap camera and an iPhone sufficed for taking quick snaps. It wasn’t until he decided to print a couple off that his interest was sparked in taking it further. Purchasing his first proper camera setup two years later, Tom’s photographic career has snowballed from there.

“Photography for me is very personal; it’s the ability to visualise what could be possible, almost without limits,” explains Tom. “Living in Cornwall is inspirational. With a very varied coastline and no two days alike, there are endless possibilities. Even grey, gloomy winter days will see me out with my camera. There’s the chance of coming back with a memory card full of potential.”

The hardest decisions for Tom are choosing between land and sea, which camera setup to select, which lens to use and which coast to discover: “I rarely go out with a fixed plan, more with a few ideas depending on what the weather throws my way. Local knowledge plays a huge part in these decisions however, and it can be very easy to miss out on something happening a stone’s throw away. This can lead to a very reactive, reflexive way of shooting; instinct plays a big part. Don’t get me wrong, the calculated planned approach can work very well, however, I like to keep my options well open, adapting as I go. Many of my favourite images come unexpectedly, off the cuff. Forcing a shot never works for me, it’s more about being flexible and keeping an open mind.”

wallsofwater.co.uk

For photographer Tom Harper, pursuing the unique shot is the inspiration that drives his portfolio.

What lies beneath (Porthleven clock tower)

Tom Harper

Woodford Architecture and Interiors were the winners of the 2020-2021 international property award for the best residential property in the United Kingdom.

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TOP

The tree, Praa Sands

ABOVE Sandy seal pup

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TOGETHER Better

WORDS BY MERCEDES SMITH

Ashley Hanson and Sophie Capron were first brought together as part of a mixed show at AKA Contemporary in Cambridge in 2022. “Our mutual interest in the environment, and our perspectives on the landscape seemed to work well together,” says Sophie. “As artists we are connected by our use of colour and texture, and by our love of the materials and processes we use to record our world.” Ashley agrees, saying “we saw our paintings hung side by side at AKA and there was a wonderful frisson between them – they were different yet complementary. We sensed how exciting a collaborative show on a larger scale would be, with our respective paintings punctuating and provoking each other.” The result of this mutual recognition is a new exhibition at The Crypt Gallery, St Ives, this April. Titled Revealed, this collaborative show considers the landscape from two very different perspectives. “I see the landscape up close,” says Sophie, “every detail, mark, colour and idiosyncrasy, but Ashley works

very differently. Two abstract painters like us can see the same environment from very different points of view, and that’s what this exhibition is about.”

Sophie’s work looks closely at manmade marks on our environment and the stories they tell, as well as looking at the ways in which nature, conversely, can erode the manmade world. “I’ve always had an appreciation for the environment,” says Sophie. “Growing up I was always up a tree or falling into stinging nettles. We camped as kids, travelled to new places, and left things as they were found. Now though, I feel we are slowly spoiling nature’s beauty with crass buildings and cheap developments. But I find it fascinating that, despite our best efforts, nature will always reclaim things. I love the colours of natural decay, of rust and algae. Over time, nature heals and only marks are left where things once stood. All of this heavily influences my practice – I represent these marks, these colours and transitions within my work.”

A new exhibition at The Crypt Gallery St Ives reveals the unique power of collaborative art shows.

LEFT

‘Porthleven 62 (Red Crane)’ Ashley Hanson, oil on canvas, 122cm x 90cm

“Sophie’s approach,” says Ashley, “is different to mine. Her vision is perhaps more intimate, closer-up. What links us, though, is our interest in the interactions of man and nature. This is evident in Sophie’s visual simulations, to quote her own writing, of ‘how nature and time encroach on the flawless wall or immaculate façade’, and is shorthanded in my works by the interplay between curve and line, between geometry and gesture. In addition, we share a love of paint – of what it can do, where it can go – and we both have a dogged approach to questioning and reworking things in our quest for that elusive visual ‘rightness’ of image.”

Sophie’s intriguing works define her concerns for the environment, the power of nature and urban decay using layers of recycled paint and deeply texturizing sgraffito marks. Having studied textiles at Winchester School of Art, she describes herself as “a very tactile person, and this feeds into my practice through the surfaces I create and how they feel or are treated.” She works exclusively with recycled and donated materials, in order to celebrate their previous stories. “My work reflects the community that I live in, and so this is where the materials come from,” she tells me. “It is these connections that underpin my painting and make it poignant and purposeful to me. This paint is not simply discarded and forgotten but repurposed into something new.” Interestingly, despite the seemingly non-figurative nature of her work, Sophie rejects the limiting description of her

paintings as ‘abstract’. “Although I am often classed as an abstract painter, I would also say I am a representational artist,” she says, “as I record marks that I have seen, and then re-work them into my pieces.”

Ashley supports this idea, saying “Sophie and I aren’t abstract painters in the purest sense. We work from a subject, from place and memory, but each with a different emphasis.” For this exhibition, he has been continuing his long running Porthleven series, now extended to 65 paintings, which includes a new tree motif and explores the concept of a ‘hanging harbour’. The new collection includes the painting ‘Polruan Tree Blue’ which has been entered for the 2023 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

“All my work is studio-based,” says Ashley, “so it’s one step removed from reality. It’s all a dialogue between information and imagination, a coming together of map view and image. Although I work from drawings, both before and during the painting process, I see drawing as an abstraction, a simplification, a decision made about what is interesting in the landscape. Abstraction gets to the essence of the subject.” Colour also, of course, is an integral part of Ashley’s work. “Since I was introduced to Bonnard, Matisse, Heron and Frost, to the lineage of colour, when I studied at Canterbury College of Art,” he says, “colour has been critical in my work. Colour against colour, colour proportion, colour resonance; I am always looking for those magical relationships. Even in working from the written word,

ABOVE

‘Porthleven 49 (Geometry and Movement)’

Ashley Hanson, oil on canvas, 50cm x 40cm

‘Porthleven 64 (Hanging Harbour)’ Ashley Hanson, oil on canvas, 60cm x 50cm

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ABOVE ‘Vivid’ Sophie Capron, reclaimed materials, 61cm x 61cm

TOP ‘Melynrudh’ Sophie Capron, reclaimed materials, 50cm x 50cm

PREVIOUS ‘Skrybla’ Sophie Capron, reclaimed materials, 113cm x 76cm

ABOVE ‘Burst’ Sophie Capron, reclaimed materials, 65cm x 50cm

as in my recent ‘20 Books = 20 Paintings’ series, my approach and objective is to find the palette within the novel.”

Like Sophie, he too is deeply involved with his materials, and with the process of painting itself. “Oil paint has always been the medium for me,” he explains. “Beyond its intensity of colour, there is the enormous range of approaches you can take with it, from a translucent wash to a heavy slab of colour. This allows me to explore the contrast between the flowing, organic elements, and more static manmade aspects of harbour towns, typically expressed with more gestural marks for water and something slower and more deliberate for buildings and harbour walls. The slow drying time of oils is also important: it allows time for contemplation, and my incessant manipulation of the paint surface. Oil-paint is brushed and knifed, poured and smeared, layered, cut, peeled, embellished, refined and reflected on. What is in front of me provokes the next move. Lots of change, lots of redrawing, lots of coffee.”

What, then, do Sophie and Ashley think collaborative shows like this offer artists, and also collectors? “I am a lifelong learner,” says Sophie, “and I would hate my work to become stagnant and contrived. Collaborations keep things challenging and engaging for me – seeing someone else work, seeing their style and their ideas, only helps develop my own practice further. Painting can be quite solitary, so working with other artists is refreshing.

Talking about your work to others solidifies your practice and helps you rationalise your intentions as an artist.”

“From a collector’s point of view,” says Ashley, “collaborative shows like ours present a new dynamic and a unique opportunity to see the work of two committed, highly individualistic artists at the top of their game, as well as the opportunity to meet us, talk to us, and make that connection between art and artist. A show like this is the real deal for collectors, on show in an historic space.” Finally, considering the play of difference and duality in collaborative exhibitions, I ask whether shows like this should be about making statements or asking questions. “A collaborative exhibition has the potential to be a real statement, an art-piece in itself, with a surprising juxtaposition of works in a particular space – like the historic Matisse/ Diebenkorn exhibition in Baltimore – two artists with similar aesthetics but striking individualism in their works, a statement show, displaying art as a historical resource that raises questions of how, when and why.”

See Revealed from 22nd to 28th April 2023 at The Crypt Gallery, St Ives Society of Artists, Norway Square, St Ives TR26 1NA. For further information and to book art courses with Ashley and Sophie visit the websites below.

ashleyhanson.co.uk

sophiecapron.co.uk

stisa.co.uk

Smokehouse STYLE

WORDS BY LUCY STUDLEY

It may not be a particularly original thing to say, but The Packet Inn Smokehouse really is one of Cornwall’s best-kept secrets. You could easily pass by this modestlooking old coaching inn a few miles east of Penzance without even noticing it, safe from the knowledge that you’d just missed some of the most enjoyable food in a region packed with culinary highlights. On the other hand, those who discover it become true disciples – spreading the word, singing its praises to anyone who’ll listen, and bringing friends and family to enjoy their prized find.

Modern pub food is probably the best description of what’s on offer, but it’s the local sourcing policy (the majority of produce is from the surrounding coast and countryside) and the smoky edge to the food here that sets it apart. In fact, connoisseurs of the week’s most sacrosanct meal – Sunday Lunch – rate The Packet Inn Smokehouse amongst the very best, if not the best, in Cornwall. The pub is the second in a small but well-regarded family of food-led pubs, skippered by chef proprietor Ben Tunnicliffe. Ben has played

A pub on the south coast is turning up the heat on seasonal food, made with hyper-local ingredients.

Smoked lamb shoulder rigatoni, ‘Nduja, pangrattato, grana padano

Homage to the Bovine beef for Sunday Lunch

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a major role in Cornwall’s meteoric rise as a food destination over the course of his career, which spans three decades. His achievements include gaining Cornwall’s first ever Michelin Star at The Abbey in Penzance back in the 2000s, and launching the food offering at what remains the region’s leading luxury hotel, The Scarlet at Mawgan Porth.

In 2012 Ben opened The Tolcarne Inn in Newlyn Harbour, a humble, maritime pub huddled next to the sea wall in this busy working port. Here, a daily blackboard menu showcases seafood sourced from the nearby fish market, where the daily catch can include almost 50 different species. The Tolcarne has achieved a reputation for consistently excellent food, garnering a steady stream of praise from critics. It remains one of the best places to enjoy fresh fish in the whole of the UK, with a clientele so loyal as to be the envy of its peers.

At The Packet, which Ben took on in 2020, the food offering is very different but still influenced chiefly by its surroundings. Rosudgeon, the little hamlet where the pub is situated, sits between coast and countryside.

From here, winding lanes run down to the picturesque and dramatic south coast jewel of Prussia Cove, but to the north, east and west The Packet is surrounded by rich farmland, craggy hills and ancient woodland. Godolphin, which was a hugely productive estate for hundreds of years, is just a mile or two inland.

“At The Packet, we’re surrounded by some of the best farmland in Cornwall,” says Ben. “There’s lots of small growers operating nearby, either specialising in things like strawberries, salads, asparagus or tomatoes for example, or growing a range of produce using organic methods.” These market gardens, community farms and hobby growers are prized by Ben and his team, as they help add colour and goodness to dishes at The Packet all year round.

Smallholders with a penchant for growing tasty fruit and veg, like Elaine from St Hilary, receive a warm welcome at the kitchen door. Her supplies of purple sprouting broccoli, rainbow chard and cavolo nero have been helping to fill the ‘hungry gap’ – the time of year when winter crops are coming to an end, but spring is yet to deliver its bounty.

Later in the year, Phil’s famous Rosudgeon strawberries will arrive – an eagerly anticipated seasonal delicacy. Meanwhile, Kitchen Porter Nick has his own beehives, producing honey which is served with mozzarella, pit beets and smoked almonds.

Ben explains: “We wanted to give these local farmers and growers a starring role at The Packet, so you’ll often find them named on our menus. Of course, there’s seafood too –some of which is from Newlyn and some of which is fished by small day boats working to strict sustainability quotas in the small coves here on the south coast.” Then there are the family farms and smallholdings where animals are reared traditionally and nonintensively to produce fantastic quality meat. Ben and his team work with them direct or via local butchers to source grass-fed beef, free range poultry and outdoor-reared pork. The latter comes from award-winning Cornish butchery, Primrose Herd, which has its own herd of traditional breed pigs.

Sunday lunch always features Homage to the Bovine’s grassfed beef, which is from ex-dairy cows given lengthy pasture time, making sure every cow is in the best health and condition and is a long time at rest. All their meat is hung for at least 28 days, quality controlled to ensure a tender and flavoursome end-result. At The Packet, beef topside and brisket are brined, smoked and finally roasted for maximum flavour, before being served with all the trimmings.

One of the things which elevates the food here is there in the name itself; The Packet is a Smokehouse and therefore a significant portion of the cooking is done using ‘live fire,’ i.e. over wood and coals. Charring, smoking, fire roasting and burning (when done by experienced hands!) imparts exceptional flavour, adding another dimension to the food. “The flavours and textures which emerge from under the charcoal grills and wood-fired smokers are our signature touch,” explains Ben. Sometimes the influence is

TOP RIGHT Cinnamon doughnuts, smoked salt caramel and condensed milk ice ceam

TOP LEFT Loaded crab fries and the Fish Dog Royale

ABOVE

The Falafel Burger and The Packet Beef Burger

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subtle, elsewhere it’s the defining character of the dish, but you can always expect effortlessly interlocking flavours, remaining delicious to the very last mouthful.

Pickling, fermenting and curing is also a big part of the approach to seasonal food at The Packet. “The art of preserving is undervalued,” says Ben, who has used these techniques to help with diversification of the menu at The Tolcarne for a decade. “For seafood, it helps us keep things interesting when the seas are too rough for the boats to go out. At the Packet, it’s more often about preserving a glut of fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste, and using that to add colour and interest to our dishes at leaner times of the year. We also cure our own meats – our house-cured bresaola, salami and pickles is a firm favourite on the menu.”

Ben is honest and open about the struggles facing restaurants and pubs like his in the current climate and, having opened The Packet in the midst of the Covid pandemic, is eagerly awaiting a ‘normal’ year. “Covid, followed by recruitment struggles across

the industry, and then the cost-of-living crisis, has made running restaurants a sharp uphill struggle for the past few years,” he says. “We’ve been working hard to adapt, introducing things like early dining deals and set price menus to help people get out and enjoy great food and hospitality, while keeping an eye on their bank balance.”

One of the things Ben has successfully trialled at The Packet is introducing a super-charged burger menu, featuring three signature house burgers and the ‘fish royale’ – crisp pollock served with leek top tartare, gem and nori crisps. “We use all the same locally sourced, premium ingredients in our burgers, and our special smokehouse cooking methods, but it’s something that we can deliver at a great price which is accessible for families or just someone heading home after work and needing a good feed,” explains Ben. “I may be a chef but I’m a publican too, and I will always believe that the best food experiences can be found in the unpretentious surroundings of a humble pub.”

thepacketinn.co.uk

THE LUXURY CORNISH HOTEL AWAY FROM THE CROWDS

SPLASHMaking a

WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING

Taking the plunge into the balmy waters of a Cornish lido that offers a heady combination of exercise and relaxation.

When not crafting words, you’ll mostly find me in a swimming pool. My children’s aquatic journeys have given me a new-found respect for the sport and its importance; but why so? I could wax lyrical for many pages about the minutiae of why swimming is good for you, but here are the pertinent points. Whether you live in Cornwall, or visit on holiday, we are surrounded on all sides by water; even our boundary with Devon is demarcated for most of its length by the River Tamar. So, even if we’re just looking at the safety aspect, we should all be able to swim or know how to self-rescue in water.

Swimming also holds myriad health benefits. Water holds up to 90% of the body’s weight making it an activity accessible to all. It’s also an excellent way to burn calories, almost double that of walking, as you have to contend with the constant resistance of the water. Combine that with the fact that swimming uses all the muscles in the body and you start to get the picture. However, it’s not all about lane pounding. Just a few gentle swims a week can have huge wellbeing and mental benefits, lowering stress levels, reducing anxiety and depression and improving sleep patterns – but, I get that the steamy, chlorine-filled atmosphere of a leisure centre pool isn’t for everyone.

© Adj Brown

© Adj Brown

What if there was a place where you could float, kick and stroke in an environment more conducive to relaxation and wellbeing? One where you could also take deep breaths of Cornish air? Una St Ives, a resort best known for its 29 lodges, Una Kitchen and Una Spa, has added a lido to its list of luxuries which does just that. At the height of lido culture, Britain had more than 300 outdoor pools, many of which fell into disrepair, their waters drained and abandoned to the weeds. However, a recent revival has seen not only original lidos being brought back to life but new ones being built. The name lido is derived from an island in the Venice Lagoon where Europe’s rich and famous bathed and frolicked in the 19th century. While the frolicking is best left to the history books, bathing in Una’s lido is a unique experience.

Arriving at dawn, with the sun only just making an appearance over the horizon, I step into a wonderful, watery world. For me,

the changing experience can make or break a swim. No-one wants to be stood in a cold, unwelcoming changing room and Una didn’t disappoint. Changed, and with swim hat and goggles in hand, I walk out into the clear, crisp morning. With the dawn sky reflecting on the water I dive into the 20-meter pool. The combination of cold Cornish air and the gentle 25-degree warmth of the water was a delight. The design details have been carefully considered with natural stone and gentle planting around the pool’s perimeter. The coloured under-water lighting is muted, creating a sense of calm and, as the pool is raised, a delightful flutter of kicking legs can be seen passing by the glass portholes in its side.

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morning dip with breakfast or a swim under the stars with a treatment and dinner. With my body supported by the buoyancy of the water, I begin to swim. For me, the lengths are mediative, each one stripping away another layer of stress or tension. This is an unexpected oasis and one whose experience might start with a lido swim, but certainly doesn’t end there. Lengths completed, I brace myself for the few-yards dash to the sanctuary of the indoor spa. It’s a momentary chill on the skin before I’m embraced by the warmth.

In the sanctuary of the indoor area you also find a 15-metre indoor pool. While a touch too warm for strenuous swimming it’s perfect for gentle lengths. A children’s pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room, are all accessible from the new lido facility, and with four treatment rooms providing an extensive range of pampering and holistic treatments, this is relaxation without bounds. Unable to resist the restorative heat of the sauna, followed by an ice-cold rain forest shower to simulate the blood flow, I change and head to Una Kitchen for a restorative breakfast. Overlooking the lido from my window seat, I reflect on my experience. Una St Ives is a hospitality offering that centres on a sense of retreat. Its holistic environment offers

calm and relaxation away from the madding crowds of the nearby town’s thronged streets and the windbreak enclaves of its high-season beaches. Tucked away between Trink and Carbis Bay, this has been a morning of solitary indulgence; not in its derogatory sense, more in terms of a reset for mind and body.

Una St Ives also offers a more convivial experience should this be your desire. A new poolside dining space with cabanas and retractable roof and an outdoor barbecue kitchen serving a street food-inspired menu have just opened. Combined with expertly mixed cocktails and Sunday live music sessions, the vibe is good. Whatever your reason for visiting, whether for a few hours, a day or longer, this is a place to take full advantage of its aquatic offerings.

The lido is part of a multi-million pound expansion plan that will see a collection of high-end villas with private hot tubs completed for autumn 2023. There are plans for a total of 93 holiday villas, a 55 apartment hotel, and a central piazza with a bar, restaurant, and further leisure facilities to follow. This will elevate Una St Ives to one of the Cornwall’s premier luxury resorts.

unastives.co.uk

Conservation and CULINARY CONTRIVERS

Oscar Holgado

WORDS BY REBECCA HAWKEY

Set amongst 66 acres of verdant meadowland, woodland and oak-lined streams, Coombeshead Farm is a guesthouse and a working farm, offering serene isolation, along with traditional farmhouse comforts, in the heart of Cornwall’s rural countryside. You could not get more idyllic if you tried.

Coombeshead is the brainchild of renowned London and New York chefs Tom Adams and April Bloomfield. Tom was the founder and chef at former Soho go-to Pitt Cue, where he focused on the simplicities of barbecue, bourbon and beer. This proteinheavy, flavoursome, no-fuss dining spot that didn’t scrimp on portion sizes blew upmarket fine dining out of the water. He brings this love of hearty farmyard food to the tables at Coombeshead, alongside business partner, April Bloomfield. April herself is the founder of several

successful restaurants across the pond, having moved to America when she was 30. Together, after a chance meeting at Pitt Cue in 2012, they have created what we now know as Coombeshead Farm.

The story goes that Tom called April with the proposition of a farm for sale in the middle of the Cornish countryside, miles from anywhere and severely lacking in phone signal. “Do you want in?” he asked with a grin. April agreed and embraced farm life with vigour; now she visits for several months at a time to see how the farm is ticking along. Tom, having grown up in a family of farmers, took to this like a duck to water. For him it was second nature, and his gut feeling about Coombeshead pulled him away from the burnout that London was teasing him with, back into the greenery his bloodline was so used to.

By swapping fine dining for farm dining, two prominent chefs from the Big Smoke and the Big Apple, have breathed new life into a slice of Cornish countryside.

Rustic charm in every room

Home grown and home made

Oscar Holgado

Joe Woodhouse

Frankie Thomas

As with any old farmhouse in the wilds of Cornwall, she needed a little TLC, so the team got to work. The rundown dairy farm was converted into a restaurant and guesthouse, providing a space where visitors could dine, degust and discourse next to the log fire. This seems very in keeping with the rustic, flame-cooked meats that Tom and April make a point of showcasing. They serve between the hours of 5:30pm and 8pm in the evening a set three-course menu for £45 with specials that change daily, such as their very own charcuterie and pickles if diners wish to extend their meal.

Coombeshead is a working farm, and it’s this exact atmosphere that visitors come to experience, to be surrounded by cattle, sheep, chickens, you name it. They have even installed a beehive in the gardens, allowing them to harvest the honey, and use the wax to make candles to sit in the guest rooms. They also have a market garden for visitors to explore, and a poly tunnel, which was converted from the old milking shed. They really have made the most of the land in order to create sustenance farming at its finest.

Of the 66 acres that Coombeshead adorns, these lands are a mixture of perennial pastures, meadow and woodland, suiting the diverse range of species that thrive here. To effectively tend to the land and its occupiers big and small, the team decided to operate a farmshare, a cooperative model that brings like-minded farmers together

to share inputs and outputs, knowledge and experience, and the workload. As Coombeshead is home to pigs, cows and sheep, they need all hands on deck to maintain production, and the farmshare enables this, allowing Tom and April the space to breathe, to listen to the land and to focus on the journey their produce takes from field to fork. This is of paramount importance – that and leaving the land in the best possible condition for the generations that will follow.

With this in mind, in 2018 all of the trees in the valley were inspected, dated and recorded for the history books by The Woodland Trust and The Ancient Tree Forum of Cornwall. They discovered that four trees in the valley were recorded as ancient, including two oaks, a holly and a beech. This means that they are among the oldest of their species, finding them in the third, or ‘ancient’, stage of their lives, with high levels of biodiversity and habitat value. The oldest is a pollard oak, which grows in the picturesque valley alongside the stream that runs here. It is 6.69 metres in girth measured between the burrs, and estimated to be between 520 and 590 years old. This remarkable oak would have been alive at the time of the Cornish rebellion in 1497.

To continue their dedication to the lands they now call home, they entered a Countryside Stewardship scheme in 2020, and have since partnered with Forests for Cornwall to begin the long process of

Animals of all shapes and sizes on the farm

A fully stocked farm shop to explore

Charlie McKay

Oscar Holgado

Charlie McKay

Charlie McKay

Frankie Thomas

replanting and restoring the old valley and surrounding meadows. What was once a lush, dense boskage of ancient trees and shrubland, now seems bare thanks to fewer and fewer trees surviving the winter storms. Tom and April are committed to making changes to ensure that this does not get worse. They are passionate about not stripping the land of all it’s worth, but to rather live alongside it, and help it blossom once more. True sustenance living like our ancestors did so successfully for millennia.

Tom and April are not farmers first, they are chefs, but they know the importance of respecting the land they feed from. Their menu reflects this, as it is built around the animals and vegetables that are available, that are reared, grown, farmed and harvested mere minutes from the kitchen. Often cooked over a wood fire, with platefuls of fresh vegetables, meats and freshly made breads, shared with good wine and good company. Here at Coombeshead, the term agritourism comes to mind. A term used to describe honest, warm, and welcoming places where a passion for good produce resonates. The old ways are respected and the sense of place is clear. Tom and April have made it abundantly clear, through their actions, that this is their goal. The finest Cornish agritourism that these lands have to offer.

To experience this first hand, why not pack a bag and wind your way down the country lanes, to find yourself settled in one of their

nine homely bed and breakfast rooms that are available. Set across the refurbished 18th century farmhouse and converted grain store barns, all with well-appointed en-suites, you can step outside, inhale a breath of fresh air, and explore the Inny Valley that is at your disposal. However, if you prefer to have a little peace and quiet to fully immerse yourself into what your own farmhouse life would look like, why not opt for one of their private self-catered cottages, where you and the family (dogs included), can roam to your heart’s content. You can even source your week’s supply of food from the Honesty Farm Shop.

Coombeshead Farm, under the tender touch of Tom and April, has risen from near ruin into a breathtaking slice of Cornish countryside perfection. This is evident from the moment you step foot on the farm. Pigs grunting happily with their snouts in the mud, cows munching grass in the sunshine, bees doing what they do best and saving our ecosystem flower by flower. Fruits, vegetables and vines bursting with colour and vibrancy across the gardens, tugging a smile from passers-by as they let go of life’s stressors and relax into the raw, wild and ever evolving nature that surrounds them. I for one am very much looking forward to exploring this homestead once more, when the sun is shining and the birds are waking me from a deep slumber that only farm life can provide.

coombesheadfarm.co.uk

FARMHOUSE idyll

Peacefully located within the grounds of Mesmear Farm, just minutes from the north Cornish coast and Polzeath beach, The Farmhouse poses an exciting and rare opportunity. Recently restored to exacting standards, and enjoying beautifully presented gardens surrounded by unspoilt farmland, the property boasts stunning views of the Cornish countryside, enjoyed by all four bedrooms – including the principal suite – and the family bathroom.

Downstairs, find your way through the entrance porch and into the open-plan kitchen and dining room with walk-in pantry, before warming yourself by the drawing room’s wood burner, or finding a comfy seat in the glazed oak-link sitting room, both of which have access to the rear gardens. The enchanting gardens, complete with spacious patios and access to a shared private swimming pool, makes for the ideal entertainment space, while the useful outbuilding provides endless opportunities. Further land and lots are also available by separate negotiation.

THE FARMHOUSE

Guide Price: £1.75M

JB ESTATES 01208 862601

sales@johnbrayestates.co.uk

johnbrayestates.co.uk

An immaculate four-bedroom farmhouse, full of character and country charm.

PENTHOUSE prestige

A breathtaking penthouse apartment perched high above the world famous Fistral beach.

With unobstructed panoramic views across the Cornish coast, Ocean Gate Penthouse is a truly remarkable property, offering a whole new way of living. Occupying the entirety of the third floor, the home flawlessly combines coastal living with stylish modern comforts.

Entering the penthouse, you are welcomed by the astonishing view of Fistral beach and the endless stretch of blue ocean over the horizon from the numerous floor-to-ceiling windows and doors, which in turn flood the property with natural light. After a full renovation and re-design, neutral tones adorn the open living space and kitchen. The three double bedrooms each offer spacious tranquillity, with the principal benefitting from en-suite facilities, not forgetting the luxury family bathroom.

The cherry on the cake is undoubtedly the extensive private roof terrace that can be accessed from many of the rooms, making for the perfect place to entertain or unwind with both family and friends after a day in the surf or out exploring the rugged north Cornish coastline.

OCEAN GATE PENTHOUSE

Guide price: £1M

DAVID BALL LUXURY COLLECTION

01637 850850

sales@dba.estate

davidballagencies.co.uk

SYLVAN serenity

An enchanting four-bedroom home in a private setting, complete with a two-bedroom bungalow, tennis court and numerous garages and outbuildings.

With only open countryside and the trees of Forestry Commission owned woodland for neighbours, Higher Lodge resides in a world all of its own, hidden from sight behind an attractive highwalled boundary, with impressive wrought iron entrance gates to welcome you home. A sweeping driveway meanders its way through the 2.4 acres of picturesque grounds. The house itself was originally built as a gatehouse to the adjoining Colquite Estate and now provides a very spacious four-bedroomed accommodation with three of the bedrooms being en suite, three delightful reception rooms, an open-plan kitchen and breakfast room, not to mention the two conservatories, all with stunning views of the grounds. On the opposite side of the courtyard is a triple garage and attached to this is a spacious detached two-bedroomed bungalow, ideal for a two-generation family or added income as a lucrative holiday let. Within the magnificent grounds is a full-size tennis court, plenty of parking, numerous additional garages and outbuildings.

WASHAWAY Guide Price £1.475M

ROHRS & ROWE 01872 306360

info@rohrsandrowe.co.uk

rohrsandrowe.co.uk

THE WORLDThe edge of

WORDS BY ROSIE CATTRELL

Incredible views from the sitting room and wraparound terrace

The master bedroom and private balcony

Perched high above the shining blue jewel that is Porthleven Harbour, Flagstaff House lies in wait. It is here, on the ocean-kissed edge of this charming Cornish fishing village, that a small paradise has been carved out. Confronted with endless blue sea stretching out across the horizon, and with an uninterrupted view of the bustle of working harbour life, the rarest of opportunities has emerged to find yourself in the very heart of what it means to live in Cornwall.

After a last breath of the fresh Cornish sea air that drifts in from the ocean to fill your lungs with a refreshing inhale, stepping inside Flagstaff and closing the door behind brings an immediate sense of quiet calm, a serenity accompanied by neutral tones and stylish yet unassuming décor. The first thing you’ll notice, and perhaps the most striking element of the property, are the incredible coastal views that flood in through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the wonderfully light and spacious living area. Premonitions of early morning coffees come to mind, finding your way from the functional kitchen with a steaming mug in hand to take a seat in front of the most astonishing watery vista; a truly dreamy

start to the day, rain or shine. On warm summer mornings, or indeed whenever there might be the promise of a little Cornish sunshine, you may find yourself drawn outside onto the wraparound terrace through the sliding doors to find a space just made for relaxing and soaking up vitamin D and good vibes, or perhaps a barbeque with loved ones all around. Although, even when raindrops threaten, the conservatory to the side – which also boasts access to the terrace –means you can make the most of these incredible surroundings in cosy comfort all year round.

At the rear of the property, the kitchen itself enjoys a wonderful lookout to the harbour below, as does the adjoining sitting area with a window that opens to full width to make the most of the paradise outside, and draw a little of it in. Right in the middle of the ground floor sit three beautiful bedrooms, one of which would make for a fantastic study for working from home with a view you aren’t likely to find in any office. The flow of the ground floor promotes a relaxed, easy-living atmosphere, fitting for the laid-back lifestyle led by many in Porthleven.

Finding a slice of heaven with an ocean view in one of Rohrs & Rowe’s latest luxury opportunities.

When the events of the day draw to a close, and you’ve watched the sun dip down below the horizon in a sky of gold and amber from your favourite spot on the terrace, the metal staircase will invite you up to the indulgent master bedroom suite, complete with the most luxurious of en-suites with a view out to sea. For a quiet morning moment, or for a perfect view of Porthleven’s evening scenes, make your way onto your own private balcony, an idyllic spot for stargazers and daydreamers.

Being in such a fortunate and elevated position naturally welcomes a collection of benefits for the stunning four-bedroom home, one of which being the incredible amount of natural light that permeates the property all throughout the day and later into the evening, not to mention the breathtaking coastal panorama that infiltrates Flagstaff House. But with all this, one particular plus that may not initially come to mind, is Porthleven itself. A bustling and vibrant hub of activity, Porthleven has become something of a foodie haven, with a host of popular restaurants, pubs and bars dotted throughout the village, and it’s all just a short walk away.

On the other side of the harbour is The Ship, sitting proudly in position as one of Porthleven’s favourite pubs. With famed

food available, and beverages to be sipped in the sun on a hot day, or indulged in by the fire on cold afternoons, it’s easy to understand its popularity. Award-winning restaurants like Kota, Kota Kai and Amelie’s are sure to tempt you inside with the incredible smells that emanate from the kitchens, and if food is your forte, then the annual Porthleven Food Festival that takes place every spring brings everything from celebrity chefs and demonstrations to street food stalls and live music. At this time of year, and indeed all year round, this is truly the place to be.

When the sun comes out, it’s not unusual to see swimmers take to the water around the harbour, exposing previously covered arms and legs to salt, sea and sun, and the multitude of hardy surfers that live locally can be seen tackling Porthleven’s surf scene all year round from Flagstaff’s enviable position. With eyes on the coastline, adventure may well call, and the surrounding beaches, watersports activities and of course, the South West Coast Path, provide everything you need to satisfy the call of the wild. With Helston just a ten-minute drive away, boasting three supermarkets and yet more restaurants, bars and a cinema, you can rest assured that convenience is not altogether foregone in this beautiful spot on the coast.

rohrsandrowe.co.uk

Seeing PRE-HISTORY

WORDS BY JILLY EASTERBY

Ian Kingsnorth

From Saturday 27th May to Sunday 4th June, hundreds of artists, designers and makers from across the Duchy will throw open their studio doors and share their artistic practice against a uniquely Cornish backdrop of creek, countryside and coast.

As we follow the distinctive orange Os that denote these creative spaces in beautiful places, Open Studios Cornwall will provoke thought, enchant the eye and stimulate the senses in an exploration of multiple art forms. But the event is as much about people and place as it is about artistic purpose and process. It provides us with the chance to view Cornwall from myriad perspectives and take inspiration from the many ways in which its natural beauty can be perceived and reimagined.

The power of the landscape to catalyse creativity and evoke memory is a recurring theme that binds this year’s participants –whether it be the chatter of crows on a winter tree, the pleasing symmetry of a ploughed field, the silence of the forest or the roar of the tide. Whether you were born in the

county or drawn to it from elsewhere, there is something unique about Cornwall’s landscape, as ceramic artist, Craig Underhill, explains.

“I was introduced to Cornwall by my partner who was raised near Saltash. She came to live with me in the Midlands but we visited here a lot. It is something about being drawn to the sea but there is also an intimacy to the landscape here that is like no other. In the Midlands, even the countryside seems quite industrial because of the farming techniques that are deployed there but in Cornwall, there is a sort of history that you can see, which just isn’t visible in other parts of the UK.

“I love walking up Trencrom Hill – it’s a real surprise when you reach the top and you can see Godrevy on the north coast and St Michael’s Mount to the west – and when you drive past St Ives down to Zennor, it feels like you are in another country.

“Heading along the road to St Just, you feel like you have crossed a boundary to an ancient land. I have been reading about the

Craig Underhill’s contemporary ceramics are inspired by the landscape.

Craig Underhill

Ian

Kingsnorth

Discover the stories linking King Arthur and the Pre-Raphaelite artists

The Legend of King Arthur: A Pre-Raphaelite Love Story

See the entire Lady of Shalott series of paintings by John William Waterhouse together for the first time.

Running from 17 June 2023 until 30 September 2023 Municipal Buildings, The Moor, Falmouth TR11 2RT T: 01326 313 863 www.falmouthartgallery.com

Neolithic landscape in the Penwith area and when you pause beside its stone circles and standing stones, the connection with human activity, with the people from pre-history who placed them there, is tangible, and that is a sensation which I am keen to explore in my own work.”

Craig’s slab-built vessels that incorporate incised lines, engobes, underglaze, glaze and oxides have been described by writer and curator, David Whiting, as “threedimensional canvasses for his richly abstract painting and marking that explore clay as a strong ground for his resourceful interpretations of landscape, objects that evoke the colour, space and texture of our changing environment.” Paintings on ceramic is how Craig describes his angular, architectural creations, which combine modernist, contemporary sophistication with scratches and etched marks that evoke that sense of pre-history to which he alludes.

“At ceramics shows, people ask if I paint as well and I say ‘Yes, these are the paintings,

but they are done in ceramic.’ It is quite difficult for people to understand them in that way because they are three-dimensional but they are very painterly in terms of colour and contrast; the juxtaposition of gloss and matt.”

Craig began his creative journey with a practical HND in ceramics where he learned about materials, techniques and how to both throw and slab-build clay.

“The Bernard Leach tradition was prevalent, but the course didn’t enable me to explore the ideas that underpinned my work and after two years, I felt there was more to do,” he explains. “Whilst looking for a degree in ceramics I came across a fine art course in Portsmouth that offered me the opportunity to study ceramics and further my technical knowledge but within a fine art context, which proved to be the ideal combination.

“I have always been interested in painting. As a student, I had to write an essay and do a presentation about another artwork. A lot of people decided to do ceramicists but

I was rebellious and did mine on abstract expressionism. Franz Klein loved his mark-making. The New York painters took themselves really seriously. It made me think that maybe this was an activity that you needed to take seriously and devote your life to, which set me on my path.

“I also remember, as a 19-year-old, observing the work of John Maltby and feeling that there was something in it that was just so right that I had to aim in that direction somehow. He used matt surfaces whilst most of the ceramics I had seen were more functional pots with glazes that I didn’t like. There was also a sense of landscape in his work – of placing marks around forms and I was interested in how they complemented each other. I could see that is what he was doing and also looked more widely at other artforms by Cy Twombly, the American painter and David Carson, the graphic designer. I remain drawn to the way in which Carson uses text and his sense of composition – the layout of all the elements and how they seem to connect in some way.”

The principles of fine art and Craig’s early influences are manifest in his ceramic practice, largely through his distinctive use of colour, texture and shape.

Whilst we are familiar with the earthy tones and aqua hues of Cornish ceramics as well as the influences of Cornwall’s industrial heritage, geology and the rich colours of sea and sky, Craig’s colour palette is as unusual as it is striking with its rich reds, chalky blues, sunshine yellows and woodland greens.

“I do see all of those conventional colours associated with traditional ceramics but

by looking a little closer at coastline and countryside, I discover a whole new spectrum as the seasons pass,” comments Craig. “When I first moved here, I cycled to the beach at Godrevy and stopped to look at what was growing in the fields, such as cabbages that were a particular type of bluey green and compared it with what I was used to in the Midlands, with its rather more industrial rurality. I spent ages trying to decide what that colour actually was and I do the same with the sea. What colour is it? Not what you would expect. Not the clichéd turquoises but a little bit yellow. The beach can become tinged with pink in a certain light. I really like looking closely at colours – looking at small spaces – landscapes, not big areas, where you can hone in on a few bluebells or something. The colours that I use are not dominant in the landscape but they exist within it and that is what I see. Even on a wet, grey day when a shard of sunlight breaks through the clouds, the light will reflect in a certain way and it changes everything for a moment and all the colours change as well.

“The more you live here, the more you begin to notice the day-to-day elements of the landscape that might appear mundane but give the whole environment its character. The big beachscapes are wonderful but the smaller spaces are just more intimate and one of the best things about it is that it is all free. Going out and walking and looking at things doesn’t cost you anything yet you learn so much from what’s around you if you just go for a wander and open your eyes.”

The intrinsic temporality, the ‘see it and then it has gone’ side of nature is at the heart of Craig’s creative output. “I love going to Godrevy as it looks different every time

TOP Landscape Vessels

Three Small Vessels

slab building process

Ian Kingsnorth

Ian Kingsnorth Ian Kingsnorth

Ian Kingsnorth Ian Kingsnorth

whether that is due to season, light, tide or swell. The Towans, with their sense of history and derelict concrete buildings that are the relics of the former dynamite works – another example of human intervention in a dramatic natural landscape – are an ideal place for inspiration.

“I love how industry and nature get on and work together hand in hand. In time, the concrete will erode and nature will take over. I love how nature will always find a way.” Texture literally adds another dimension to the surface, which is what drives Craig to work in clay. “My ceramics are not just about colour and making marks. I add ceramic materials to create texture such as areas of glossy, shiny glaze to contrast with a rougher surface. All the marks I make, I never think of them as decoration. I avoid that word because it makes it sound like they are separate from the form. The marks and the form have to work well together. Steps cut into edges might become part of the form. A square drawn onto the surface might jut out from the edge.

“Shape evolves quite slowly. I aim to replicate the feel of the drawings in my sketchbook. Simple pencil drawings have a certain spontaneity; the line has a bit of energy. Years ago, I tried to transfer that into ceramics but it got a bit too sharp and lost its looseness. I am trying to achieve the same quality now. I don’t want the edges to look sharp and straight. I want a vertical line with a little bit of a wobble, a softness to it, a sort of imperfection.”

The stone distance markers in Cornish country lanes, covered in layers of lichen;

the organic form of granite boulders and how they interlock in harbours, and a nighttime walk alongside the inky dark waters of Copperhouse Pool all find their way into Craig’s lexicon and imbue his work with an energy that he wants people to feel.

“I encourage people to pick up my work. It is tactile. You appreciate something else about it through touch. You can feel the textures and surface, which adds a bit of understanding. Ceramics are meant to be tactile, which is quite different from painting where you wouldn’t be encouraged to touch the surface. When you do pick up my work and turn it round, you see how the marks move around the surface, how they continue around the corner. It is like a little narrative of marks going round the pot, to which each individual responds differently.

“A woman saw one of my pots in a gallery and said ‘That’s just like a walk I went on along the coast.’ I love that my work evokes a hint of this idea of place – a sense of place, a connection to a landscape that triggers a memory for someone. I really like that, the thought of communicating on a profound level through marks on a piece of clay, which say more than words can.”

For more information about Open Studios Cornwall, and how to visit the featured artist’s studio and the hundreds of participating artists, designers and makers, visit the Open Studios website. Craig Underhill’s work can also be viewed at The Yew Tree Gallery in Zennor in an exhibition entitled The Joys of Life from Monday 29th May to Sunday 23rd July 2023.

Sea FEVER

WORDS BY LUCY STUDLEY

There can be few better settings for a solo show exploring the powerful vitality – and volatility – of the sea than The Old Coastguard in Mousehole. As its name suggests, the Victorian building was once a coastguard lookout point overseeing an all-too perilous stretch of coast. Now a soulful 15-room hotel and restaurant, the homely interiors (think Bloomsbury set, transported to the Cornish coast) provide perfect shelter from whatever weather the Atlantic might disgorge on the shoreline beyond the hotel’s garden gate.

For the small village of Mousehole, centred on its historic harbour, the sea has both bestowed riches and claimed countless lives. The awesome power of the sea and its life-giving qualities are the subject of oil painter Penny Rumble’s solo show, which will hang in the restaurant and bar area at The Old Coastguard until the 11th June. Meticulously planned by Penny’s fellow artist

and curator Gillian Cooper, the show consists of 14 canvases, most of which are on a dramatic scale. “It will be quite an immersive experience for our guests, diners and art lovers who come to visit specifically to see the show over the next few months,” says Gillian. “Penny’s work is absorbing and exhilarating – you can almost feel the salty spray when you’re in a room surrounded by these wonderful paintings!” Alongside the work is displayed an extract from John Masefield’s poem, Sea Fever, from which the exhibition takes its title: ‘I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied.’

It’s a call which resonates strongly with Penny – an avid sea swimmer. From her home studio a mile or so inland from the shores of Mount’s Bay, Penny often succumbs to the irresistible pull of the sea. “When we moved to Cornwall in 2008, I decided then and there that sea swimming would be part of my life,” explains

This spring, The Old Coastguard in Mousehole hosts an exhibition dedicated to the turbulent seas of Mount’s Bay.

Penny Rumble PREVIOUS ‘Light Fantastic’

ABOVE LEFT ‘Pressure Drop’

ABOVE RIGHT ‘Beware of High Tide’ TOP ‘Out of the Blue’

Penny. “I swim all year round now, and have even co-authored a book with my friend Sand Rothwell documenting our swimming adventures in Mount’s Bay.” Swimming Mount’s Bay tells the story of an aquatic journey of 8.5 miles, undertaken in 15 swims. Each swim is helpfully documented, with detailed information of entry and exit points including a log of the crucial post-swim cake and coffee spots, of which The Old Coastguard is one of course.

Understanding this passion of Penny’s for cold water immersion – a health-giving act when performed with common sense and respect for the sea – is vital context for her work. Many generations of artists have painted Cornish seas, but it’s unusual to find it as pure subject matter. ‘Clifftop painters,’ capturing swathes of sky, rugged coastline and the sea outwards to an unbroken horizon are much easier to find. But Penny’s canvases place the viewer firmly in the sea itself, our perspective is one of the swimmer, either navigating the waters, or contemplating launching in.

“I often think about painting when I’m swimming,” says Penny. “I’ve swum with an underwater camera before, and that desire to capture the behaviour of the water is always hovering in my mind when I’m in the sea.” A real understanding of the behaviour of our coastal waters, gained by sometimes painful experience, is another quality which sets Penny’s work apart. Her training as a

zoologist taught her to observe nature closely – an instinct which has never left her. “When your laser-like focus is on one subject, i.e. the sea, it has to look real,” she explains. “That seems an obvious thing to say, but you must consider the natural behaviour of waves and tides at that distance from the shore, plus the impact of wind direction and how the light hits the water at certain times of day... So, the paintings might appear abstract on the surface, loosely painted, and emotionally charged, but in actual fact there’s a scientific element to them as well.”

Penny always carries a sketchbook, where she makes notes as well as watercolour sketches, and often has a camera slung over her shoulder. In the studio, she surrounds herself with these snippets of inspiration, gradually imbibing them as visual aids while she prepares her canvas. First a thick layer of gesso is applied and allowed to dry. This gives the canvas a distinctively rich texture and is the first layer of what will become a thick, almost pliable body of paint.

In some ways, Penny’s method verges on the sculptural, as she creates a relief-like surface. She applies layers of paint, preferring oil to acrylic as it dries slowly and therefore can be manipulated for longer. It’s an energetic, physical process. “When they learn I’m a painter, people often start talking about how therapeutic and relaxing it must be,” recalls Penny. “I’m afraid that’s not the case for me

personally! Painting in this way is visceral and quite exhausting. It’s intense and requires concentrated effort, the outcome of which is sometimes frustration but more often it’s uplifting and very rewarding.”

Penny labours away, applying shades of white, grey and blue, often using her hands to smear and manipulate the paint as she works across the canvas. A palette knife is a favourite tool, used to reveal earlier layers or flick paint onto the canvas. She might sweep a small cloth across an area to suggest passages of water pressed smooth by wind. “There must be areas of calm within a painting, otherwise there’s nowhere for the eye to rest,” explains Penny.

Like many painters, Penny finds it difficult to define when a painting is finished. “Because oil paint takes so long to completely dry, there’s always a risk I’ll return to a canvas and that can be problematic. However, what generally happens is that I look at a painting and decide that it’s overly worked, so I strip back the layers, smooth and simplify in certain places, finding a better balance across the whole composition.”

Penny’s work is distinctively modern, yet her canvases look fantastic when juxtaposed with antique furniture – another passion of hers. Alongside her husband Simon, Penny made her living as an antiques dealer when the couple lived in the Cambridgeshire fens before their move to Cornwall. Their present home near Penzance, a lovingly renovated Cornish farm dwelling with outhouses-turned-

workshops, now houses the antiques business as well as Penny’s studio.

The couple plan to launch this joint venture to the public during Cornwall Open Studios in May, after which people will be able to visit both the long barn housing antique furniture and original works of art, and Penny’s painting studio. “Galleries have their place, and I am represented by some fantastic ones, but I love to show work in different settings,” explains Penny. “I think people get a more personal feel for the work when they see it in my studio, alongside these amazing pieces of handmade furniture, or in relaxed settings like at The Old Coastguard.”

You’ll also find Penny’s work on display at The Gurnard’s Head at Zennor, which is sister establishment to The Old Coastguard. Edmund Inkin, who runs the two acclaimed ‘restaurants with rooms’ alongside his brother Charles, said: “Penny has long been a favourite artist at our two Cornish outposts. Her seascapes in oils really resonate with our guests, and this solo show is incredibly impactful in the sea-facing rooms at The Old Coastguard. I would urge everyone to come and see it, have a glass of wine or stay for lunch, and let Penny’s wild and restorative seas wash over you!”

The exhibition began on 1st April and runs until the 11th June, with a ‘Meet the Artist’ talk scheduled for 20th May.

oldcoastguardhotel.co.uk

pennyrumble.com

An association THE ARTS

Penwith

Ever since I can remember, art has been a pillar in my life. My greatgrandmother would show me how she used a sponge to create clouds in her watercolour paintings, and my grandmother showed me how to use a soft graphite pencil for shading in her still-life drawings. From a young age I started experimenting with paints, pencils, charcoal and pens as a creative outlet, a way of staying mindful and connecting to the land that surrounded me. As I grew older I found peace in meandering around the many galleries we are lucky to host here in Cornwall, being inspired by local artists, an activity I still very much enjoy.

Penwith Gallery St Ives is one such gallery. Also known as The Penwith Society of Arts (PSA), this fellowship was founded by some of the most influential of artists, including the likes of Dame Barbara Hepworth, Peter Lanyon, Ben Nicholson, Bernard Leach, and Sven Berlin to name but a few.

After several years exhibiting their work in various galleries across the county, the PSA moved their operation to an old pilchard packing factory which they acquired in 1961, a historic site that they reside in to this day. A charitable company – Penwith Galleries Ltd – was set up to work hand in hand with the PSA to help organise the programming of exhibitions, the execution of the day-today, and to manage the entire complex, given its grandiosity and historical significance.

Penwith Gallery is now home to three public galleries, ten artist’s studios, Porthmeor Printmakers Workshop, a sculpture courtyard, a shop and an archive. Since its inception, the gallery has established itself in the annals of British art, and it continues to showcase some of the most impressive, contemporary and influential work seen across the Duchy, inspired by the wilds that we can call home. To dive into their history a little deeper, I spoke with Julia Kerrison, who has been managing the gallery since 2020.

Society of Arts, in Cornwall, continues to push the envelope in contemporary art.

LEFT

Sculpture by Tom Leaper, ceramics by Sutton Taylor, paintings by Jeff Powell, Jason Lilley and Jenny Woodhouse

Could you tell me about the artists that you work with here at the gallery, and do you feature permanent collections?

A bit of both! The PSA Members obviously exhibit with us all the time, and are guaranteed at least one piece on display in the Members gallery. We then have the Associate Members, who always have three annual exhibitions, but the exhibitions are selected from submitted works so that different artists are chosen each time. Other than that, we have some artists who have exhibited with us many times, and we try to give new people opportunities too; this ensures we have a really diverse, high-quality programme. The full Members must be within Cornwall but Associates and guest artists can be from anywhere. All works must be for sale, and we encourage artists to experiment and try out new ideas. All three gallery spaces are very different and can be used in different ways.

That must lend itself to quite a varied exhibition selection. Do you go through a specific process when curating your exhibitions, and is there anything you look out for?

Great question, and it depends very much on the exhibition. In our three contemporary gallery spaces we have a PSA Members exhibition showing all the time in their own gallery, and this changes every eight weeks. We then have the New Gallery and the Studio Gallery, which are for guest exhibitions which change every four weeks.

Three times a year in the New Gallery we have a curated exhibition of the Associate Members of the Society, who bring work in for selection by a panel of full Members. The other slots in the rentable spaces are booked by artists submitting a proposal. The PSA Board meets up once a year to look at proposals for both spaces and chooses

Assemblage by David Kemp, paintings by Clive Blackmore and Rod Walker

ABOVE RIGHT

Assemblage by David Kemp, painting by Karen McEndoo

ABOVE LEFT

Sculptures by Glyn Walton and Mark Verry, paintings by Clive Blackmore, John Emanuel and John Piper

TOP

Sculpture by Aidan Hicks, paintings by Anthony Frost and Margrit Clegg

TOP LEFT

Sculptures by Glyn Walton and Tom Leaper

TOP RIGHT

Assemblage by David Kemp, paintings by Noel Betowski, Lieke Ritman and Clive Blackmore

ABOVE Ceramics by Christine Feiler, painting by Noel Betowski

the exhibition programme for the following year. They like to have a varied programme of high-quality contemporary art, and it is important to us that we have a breadth of experience too – we show some of the most well-known and successful contemporary artists around, but also give opportunities to up-and-coming artists and collectives. Last year we launched our Young Penwith Artists programme, where an artist within Cornwall aged 35 and under is given a monthlong show in August in the Studio Gallery. This is run by two of the gallery staff, who themselves are Young Penwith Artists. This has already become a very important part of our regular programme.

In regards to the aforementioned Porthmeor Printmakers Workshop, this is a great initiative to encourage creativity within the community, how does it work?

Porthmeor Printmakers Workshop is actually in one of our studios, and is run separately, although the artist in charge is a PSA Member and studio holder in her own right. They run workshops for schools and artist groups throughout the year and also have a

weekly session for independent printmakers to use the facilities, and learn from the more experienced artists there. It is a great facility and we’re very proud to have it on site. Penwith Gallery itself is in the process of expanding our education offer, something we’re really passionate about. We already offer talks and events throughout the year, particularly during the St Ives September Festival, and have recently started a monthly Art History Club which is open to anyone interested. We are also hoping to run some summer workshops for local children in the area.

It is clear that Penwith Gallery is a truly unique space, and as Julia explains, it is still run by practising artists who are all passionate about continuing the PSA’s legacy. We are lucky, in Cornwall, to have a community so dedicated to the arts that they are always willing to give their time, and expertise, to educate and enlighten the younger generation. Penwith Gallery is at the forefront of such initiatives, so why not explore their current exhibitions, and be inspired by the legends of old.

Sutton Taylor, lustreware

Sculpture by Tom Leaper, paintings by David Moore and Jeff Powell

GROUND UP From the

WORDS

BY HANNAH TAPPING

Situated high above one of the most sought-after bays on the north Cornish coast, Mawgan Porth, ARCO2 were commissioned to replace an existing dwelling that was no longer fit for purpose with a contemporary, highly sustainable home that would make the most of the ocean views at every turn. ARCO2 were chosen by the clients in part for their passion for highquality architecture in Cornwall, but also due to the fact that they design ‘healthy’ buildings built around the lives and needs of their clients.

The build was a ‘fabric-first’ construction. By maximising the performance of the components and materials that make up the building fabric itself, before considering the use of mechanical or electrical building services systems, helps to reduce capital and operational costs, improve energy efficiency

and reduce carbon emissions. With a complex design, Director of ARCO2, Nathan Davis, explained how some of the challenges were tackled: “The use of 3D design software helped us to overcome most construction related complexities at the design stage. Thankfully, the main contractor (Billy Fullerton, Dan Hatfield and Ben Rushton of Lion Park Construction) had an exceptional eye for detail, taking great care and attention throughout the entire construction period. We had a close working relationship with them, with weekly meetings in order to keep the detailing on track. Each and every meeting was solution-led with Billy investing his time into bringing solutions rather than problems.

“The steel frame installation was a lengthy and painstaking process as they had to be millimetre perfect to enable a multitude of junctions to meet correctly. Cold bridge and

Sustainable architecture informs a design for the future.

Education I Environment I Experience

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airtightness detailing had to be detailed and then rehearsed on site. Again, Billy had exceptional foresight in working through details with us ahead of the construction programme. As outside and inside elements required continuous insulation as part of the ‘fabric-first’ approach, this required a further considered approach. Due to the elevated location, it often experienced 70+ mph winds and rain which the build team took in their stride at each and every stage of works.”

Due to its ocean-front location, the aptly named Elements gifts the occupants with a view of the sea from every internal living space; although ARCO2 were careful to design the building so no two were exactly the same, making each vista unique due to exterior treatments and framing. The glass bridge and opening roof combination to

the main entrance foyer also provides an architectural experience that is fitting of the of this coastal location.

Working very closely with the clients, Nathan and his design team were able to realise their vision down to the finest of details: “The clients were entirely engaging from start to finish; being blessed with such accommodating, kind and open-minded clients has made this project a pleasure to work on. All building projects come with unforseen challenges, and it’s these that are a true test of a professional working relationship. In this case, despite some tricky problems that would need to be solved, the clients remained focused on their goal of achieving the highest quality family home with supreme architectural interest.”

arco2.co.uk

first cut The the DEEPEST is

WORDS BY MARTIN HOLMAN

The title of the painting is ‘Isn’t She Lovely?’ Is it the central figure who thinks of herself as lovely? The spectator looking into the frame cannot tell because part of the woman’s face is hidden. She is certainly dressed up to the nines –or is it a masquerade? Her clothes imply another era than our own. If we are what we wear, then the shiny frock with lace cascading from the neckline and sleeves projects a certain dated glamour.

Another question: are we among theatrefolk or is a party in full swing? The woman throws an appreciative gesture towards another element the viewer has to imagine, the unseen audience. They must be standing in front of her, in the space that same viewer occupies, and enthusiastically acclaim her entrance. But what is that barrier that she seems to be standing behind? Festooned with pink swags like icing around a cake, it encircles her

like a waist-high container. Indeed, could it be a gigantic, fake and hollow cake, out of which our star is exiting. We can almost hear the onlookers coo in appreciation, ‘Isn’t she lovely?’.

This absorbing image is a tour de force of storytelling that has halted well short of its outcome, left hanging in suspension between humour and pathos. That is one reason among many to applaud its creator. Elizabeth Saskia Langley is not the theatrical figure whose depiction has captured our attention. Unlike that character, whose attire, coiffured hair, richly painted lips and a cheek that maybe sports a beauty spot suggest advanced years gamefully restrained, Langley is a fresh presence on the art scene. A Londoner by origin, she graduated in fine art from Falmouth University in 2020. Soon after she received a Cultivator Graduate Studio Award with which she moved into the

Emerging figurative painter Elizabeth Saskia Langley brings a fresh presence to Cornwall’s art scene.

‘Carousel/Around and Round they go’, 2020, oil on canvas, 107 x 143 cm

Elizabeth Saskia Langley in her studio at CAST, Helston Photograph by Martin Howse

creative environment at CAST in Helston. Last year, her first solo show took place at Daisy Laing Gallery in Penzance, which has since shown this artist in Bristol and London.

For years, Langley’s chief source of imagery has been photographs. Originally, that material mostly came from family albums. The small painting on wood of a man looking relaxed in a domestic interior, a remote control in hand, started that way. This painting shows Langley’s skill at choosing an image, then detaching it from intimate family history to make it public, its meaning up for imaginative grabs. Yet as a kind of transformation takes place, the intimacy is preserved. In the journey from casually-made snap to oil painting, the scene has picked up significant layers from making and retelling. The image acquires new resourcefulness.

That enrichment is partly due to the associations we bring to our interpretation of the medium. Ideas about the permanence and even seriousness of oil painting come from remembering the great themes of art, and Langley understands that. Upon those perceptions she spreads rich colours from which events gain their materiality. With their almost buttery tonality, these borrowed scenes seem bathed in the mellow light of evening, at that moment when the electric lights go on. Some of her work is very small, carried out on blocks of wood a few inches in size that

she collects from friends’ studios, offcuts from another process and already a little worn. Langley says: “I like how the paint applies itself viscously to the wood’s thick and smooth base, and shapes the more sculptural forms.” Some finished paintings easily fit in a palm, like chunky cells separated from a graphic novel and set adrift from the original story. Their meanings are shrouded: ‘We Need to Talk’ spells out one; ‘Prom Night’ is the title of another; ‘Perfect Pair’ is a third. That elusiveness has a sensual quality that brushstrokes then embody, appearing broad and even luscious on the miniature surfaces. Paint drips down the panel’s side as if the picture is trailing off into another state altogether. They are not quickly made: a small painting is a week’s work; a larger painting 20 inches wide can take a year, with several others on the go simultaneously. “I like the intimacy involved in painting and viewing. It makes the objects or figures painted on these surfaces appear fragile or precious. This contrasts nicely with the more unsettling nature of the imagery.”

Langley makes work for the viewer to do, another aspect of her work’s richness. Questions flow from what we see. For instance, almost consumed by the swirling fabric pattern of the sofa in the untitled painting of the standing man is the swaddled form of an infant. Or is it a doll, perhaps one belonging to a child out of shot? Moreover, as she paints she

TOP ‘Isn’t She Lovely’, 2022, oil on canvas, 101 x 71.2 cm

ABOVE

‘Untitled (Man with Remote)’, 2020, oil on board with tape, 21 x 17 cm, private collection

TOP LEFT ‘Rainbow Slice’, 2019, oil on Arches paper, 35 x 31 cm

TOP RIGHT

‘Iced Buns’, 2019, oil on Arches paper, 35 x 31 cm, private collection

ABOVE ‘Bring Down the Curtain’, 2021, oil on board, 51 x 51 cm

edits. “My ‘invention’,” she says, “comes in the process of selecting and cropping images, or in the idea I instil into somewhat unassuming images.” So why has the top of the man’s head gone to leave only his smile? It used to be said, very poetically, that eyes were the windows into our souls. “The discomfort of this decapitation is intentional,” Langley admits. “Hiding a face lends an air of ambiguity to the character and that person’s motives. If the head belonged to a villain, the crop serves to make her seem more threatening.” So narrative is an important feature of the painting’s fascination for the viewer; we feel moved to fill the gaps in meaning with stories of our own. Langley offers the elements – in colour, lighting, cutting and gesture – that set the tone for ongoing speculation.

The elaborately dressed woman in the hollow cake has also lost much of her head but the image has no family connections. “Now I predominantly use found images,” the artist says. “I find them online, through blogs, articles, and image boards such as Pinterest or Instagram, or from taking screenshots from films and TV… I found this image online. The woman is not beautiful, but instead haggard and frightening. Her dress is suggestive of 18th century costume, as if from the time of Marie Antoinette, when vanity and an obsession with white lead makeup lead to death.” The fate of that French queen is well known.

“Until I went to A-level college my life was centred around the performing arts and I

spent most of my childhood training and working as an actress.” Acting syphons lessons from life into the artifice of drama; theatre then distils reality through stagecraft into our imaginations. The painting ‘Carousel/ Around and Round they go (2020)’ displays that awareness, underlined by witty visual wordplay. Twisted language and rounded shapes link a slide projector to a fairground ride in toy form and, layered above both, a cake. Like narrative, movement also seems suspended, until the viewer moves events along. In the shadows of the painting we see a loop of bunting. A party? But no one appears to be present. So, the party is finally over and it is time to call it a day.

Langley enjoys double-meaning; her images eagerly supply it. Parties acquire an unfestive edge. On these occasions, a cake can represent anticipation, celebration – or insincerity that curdles into a lie. Evident in ‘Isn’t she lovely?’ is the suggestion of an uneasy atmosphere. “The woman leaping out of the ‘pop-up’ cake has her male keepers standing on either side,” she points out, as if the woman’s liberty was compromised. The pop-up cake is a longstanding trick of decadent parties, a staple of films depicting the ‘Roaring Twenties’. And in cinema it has an evil twin: “The Doom Cake,” Langley explains, “is a cinematic tradition in which a beautifully decorated cake serves as a harbinger of imminent catastrophe. A perfect example is Some Like it Hot, starring Marylin Monroe. A gangster pops out of a cake spraying bullets from a machine gun.”

When looking at Langley’s work, cinema often comes to mind. The artform uses many of the same visual techniques. “Having studied media and working in film and theatre for most of my life, I’m highly aware of visual semiotics and I have a fascination with symbolism.” So Langley manipulates some familiar triggers to build suspense, like the pig’s head depicted in profile against a plain background. One way of seeing it is as an emblem in a butcher’s shop or even an illustration from a child’s fairy story. The experience of film has taught us not to trust the innocent explanation. Langley’s rendition recalls the terrible clarity of a film close-up on a macabre detail caught in the strong tones of Technicolor. She turns the pig’s snout upward and open-mouthed, reminiscent of William Golding’s devilish pighead in his chilling novel, Lord of the Flies, famously adapted for the screen. “I imagined ‘Squealer’ as a visual translation of an audio cue in cinema,” Langley says. “For me, it is the equivalent of the piercing strings in the film score of Hitchcock’s Psycho we all know that precede the next shot of immediate disaster.”

Childhood and play are recurrent themes. Langley remembers both as the time when art came into her life. Again, photographs fuel that memory: “One of my favourite family photos is me, aged four, standing next to my first easel. My parents gave me every opportunity possible to make art. I watched the TV programme Art Attack and had all the books. My grandma and I would often go around art galleries in London… and while my parents say they aren’t artistically inclined, I remember my mother hand painted the walls with ivy, pillars and

fruits; I found that as beautiful as anything I saw in museums.”

The security of children has justifiably become a high priority for society in the digital age. But writers like Golding depicted childhood 70 years ago as a time marked by tribulation and terror. The young boys in his novel, with no adults around, struggle between civilised and barbaric behaviour. With that in mind, the battered toy depicted in ‘Bring Down the Curtain (2021)’ might have got that way after generations of devoted playful attention. Play sometimes gets tragically out of control and invites a noirish dimension. “Childhood, although filled with pleasant memories, was still a tough time for me. I was an anxious, only child, and to cope with turbulent times I became very imaginative. My toys were often my best friends and I spent a lot of time injecting life into them. I found revisiting aspects of childhood was a way of healing. I have wanted to use my work to express the identifiable struggles of growing up.”

Like a good storyteller, Langley does not divulge all her sources. Painting has always claimed the right to invent, subvert, to be more abstract than representational and to confound. With confidence, this artist pulls in allusions by the dozen from the wider world beyond art. By harnessing drawing and painting, the oldest image-maker, to probe everyone’s scrutiny of images, Langley underscores the inexhaustible potency she perceives in her medium.

elizabethsaskialangley.com

TOP LEFT ‘The Conductor and the Train Driver’ (diptych), 2019, oil on board, 25.5 x 25.5cm & 25 x 24 cm

TOP RIGHT ‘Astray’, 2020, oil on wood block with Brio toy, 7 x 13 cm

ABOVE ‘Squealer’, 2021, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 cm, private collection

Eventide

WORDS BY EMILY STEVENSON

It was our first beach clean after the initial relaxation of lockdown rules; everything had changed, but some things remained very much the same. It was the first time in over a year we had seen some of our volunteers, our friends. We all cautiously and distantly walked onto the beach with our eyes transfixed on the high tide point, waiting to feel that euphoric moment of collecting your first piece of plastic. I remember looking up for a moment at the other volunteers, and then out to sea. As I faced the horizon and breathed it in, one of our volunteers stood beside me and said something I will never forget: “As you face the ocean and look out at its vastness, all of your problems and all of your stress are both physically and mentally behind you. All of your deadlines, all of your debts, all of your desperation is literally on the land behind you, and in front of you is one big, beautiful, hopeful ocean”

This is a feeling I carry with me every time I’m cleaning the beach or exploring nature.

My connection to nature is what I owe everything to. All of my successes come from the inspiration I take from the natural world. All of my joy or happiness and the trauma or sadness I have overcome has been because of nature. I share this connection with so many others, which is why we must now do all we can to preserve it and to ensure green and blue spaces are accessible to all, especially young people suffering with mental health issues and eco-anxiety.

At Beach Guardian, we strive to empower communities to tackle plastic waste. To preserve and protect our coastline here in Cornwall, for both people and planet.

Beach Guardian is an award-winning community interest company based in Padstow. If you would like to join Beach Guardian, details can be found on their Facebook page. Alternatively, you can email emily@beachguardian.co.uk.

beachguardian.org

BeachGuardian

Emily Stevenson

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