A1 8 Fresh by fentonandgregory

People, Places & Lifestyle

Fresh: Art Fair

A new kid on the art fair block

contemporary

Neil Cox: Wren Gallery

Sir Peter Blake: Wet Paint Gallery

Steven Lindsay: Lime Tree Gallery

27-29 APRIL 2018

46 LEADING UK GALLERIES : 5000 WORKS NEW OUTDOOR SCULPTURE PARK

Visit: freshartfair.net

CONTENTS

6 11 14 16

19 32

19 24 28 32 36 40 44 48

LUXURY: Emma Willis MBE GENERATIONS: Donnington Brewery ART: Fresh: Art Fair MUSIC: Bath Recitals BUSINESS: Air Salvage International HOTELS: La Reserve Paris COUTURE: Caroline Groves ART: Paul Oz ARTISAN: Ottely Leather CARS: Rennsport MAKING: Hercules Propellers LAST WORD: A very special Porsche

A1 is an online magazine published by Fenton & Gregory. Copyright 2018: Design, photography & text Derek Gregory. The right of Derek Gregory to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the copyright designs and patents act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The articles published do not necessarily represent the views of the author, publisher or Fenton & Gregory. Artwork production by Graphic Bubble. Derek Gregory, Fenton & Gregory, 30 Gay Street, Bath BA1 2PA England In all correspondence please E Mail: gregory@fentonandgregory.com

English Spring Baroque The King’s Musick: Restoration music from the Chapel Royal Tickets Full Price £16 Discovery cardholder £15 (only available in advance) Available at bathrecitals.com or the Bath Box Office, Bridgwater House, 2 Terrace Walk, Bath BA1 1LN Box office: 01225 463362

Saturday 14 April 7.30pm St Michael’s Church, Broad Street, Bath

PUBLISHER

elcome to A1, people, Places & lifestyle issue 8; In this issue I have been visiting people who work in, and operate artisan businesses. People like Emma Willis MBE, who makes her high quality luxury shirts from her rather special factory, Bearland House, in the heart of Gloucester, and then sells them through her shop on Jermyn Street in London. I’m also delighted to announce the second annual Fresh: Art Fair is nearly upon us, and I cannot wait to visit again. Anthony and Eleanor Wardle are working very hard to have everything ready for the end of April, and you can read all about it in this issue. From art to music, and I’m looking forward to the Spring concert in mid April organised by Bath Recitals, which has been serving the City of Bath with wonderful classical concerts since 1982.

If it’s cars that drive your interest, then I hope you’ll enjoy reading about Rennsport who are based in the heart of the Cotswolds and are helping to recreate the true driving experience of the iconic early Porsche 911’s. Not too far away, close to Stow-on-the-Wold, there’s been a brewery on the Donnington Estate since 1865, and I was delighted to visit and watch the full brewing process, with master brewer, Phil Janka. If aircraft could talk, what a fascinating story one particular aircraft at Cotswold Airport could tell. I visited Air Salvage International and heard all about a Boeing 727 with a very interesting history. I do hope you enjoy this issue as much as I have enjoyed putting it all together ■

Derek Gregory Derek Gregory Publisher

A few days out of the Cotswolds and a short hop flight from Bristol to Paris, where I had the pleasure of visiting La Reserve Paris, which is a rather special and intimate boutique hotel with just forty rooms.

A1 LUXURY

EMMA WILLIS MBE, SHIRT MAKER FOR THE A-LISTERS

Specialising in high-quality British shirt-making since 1990.

hadn’t realised that the bespoke shirt shop I passed most days on Jermyn Street, when working in London, was in fact a Gloucestershire based company. After researching, I was delighted to find that Emma Willis shirts are indeed made in Gloucester, and within a stone’s throw of the Cathedral, and within the rather beautiful 18th century Bearland House, which she moved operations to in 2013. Emma Willis, who was awarded an MBE in 2014 for entrepreneurship, divides her time between her London shop and office, and her Gloucester factory, and from where not just her famous shirts are made, but also Pyjamas, and boxer shorts and other beautifully hand-made and finished items. Emma has been specialising in highquality British shirt-making since 1990 and is regarded as one of the best at continuing the use of traditionally English techniques. She employs a team of highly skilled cutters and seamstresses at her factory and uses only the finest materials, such as Swiss and Egyptian cotton for her beautifully finished products.

There has been a tradition of shirtmaking on Jermyn Street for over a century, and over the years, a gentlemen would first visit his tailor on Savile Row for a suit, and then walk a few minutes to be fitted for bespoke shirts on Jermyn Street. A tradition that still applies today, but nowadays Emma has broken the perceived tradition of shirt-making being a male-dominated business, and has become the only female shirt-maker on Jermyn Street. ▶

A1 LUXURY

To have a bespoke shirt made by hand is a real treat, especially today when we live in such a ready- to-go world. A perfectly fitting shirt with the exact length sleeves and tails, a choice of collar and cuff style, as well as button choices and whether to go for Swiss or Egyptian cotton, and for that fully bespoke service,

‘Emma only uses the finest Swiss and Egyptian cottons for her shirts.’

some customers choose the added personalisation of hand monogramming to complete their shirt. Wonderful choices to be able to make. Having said that, for the man who is perhaps in more of a hurry to own an Emma Willis shirt, she does also have a very high quality ready to wear range of shirts available online. Within the making process, Emma keeps a bespoke paper pattern for each customer at the factory which she and her staff can use and adjust for future orders. For ‘Bespoke Online’ customers, she will often photograph the shirt being cut and made, so the customer can enjoy the tangibility of the process and get an insight into the care that goes into the making of their shirt. It’s these small personal touches that go towards making an Emma Willis shirt such a pleasure to own. Emma has been in the shirt-making business since 1990 having studied Fine Art at The Slade School of Art in London, and she’s been specialising in and designing shirts ever since. Nowadays Emma makes bespoke shirts for celebrity and Royalty. In 2009 she founded the charity Stylefor-Soldiers www.styleforsoldiers.com, visiting the military rehabilitation hospital measuring and giving complementary bespoke luxury shirts, suits, walking sticks and hats to servicemen and women injured in service to their country – a modern-day gesture of thanks, and a great help in their transition to civilian life and for job interviews for new careers. The Style for Soldiers Christmas reunion party is the largest reunion for injured service personnel in the country, hosted by Emma at London’s Spencer House, and in 2017 attended by HRH The Prince of Wales who also made a moving speech to the servicemen and women whom he has so often visited in Headley Court. HRH The Prince of Wales is also a bespoke shirt customer of Emma’s ■

A1 LUXURY

A1 GENERATIONS

FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION…

Visiting one of the Cotswolds longest running artisan businesses.

ead brewer, Phil Janka knows a lot about brewing good beer, and also about the history of the company he works for. On my visit to photograph the brewing process, Phil also gave me the fascinating history behind one of the Cotswolds longest running artisan businesses.

‘The main building at Donnington dates back to 1291.’

There has been a brewery at Donnington since 1865, when Richard Iles Arkell started brewing beer alongside the farming enterprise. The building itself dates back to 1291 when it was one of the mills of Broadway Manor. Broadway is just a short drive away, as is Stow-onthe-Wold, but the village of Donnington itself is the perfect hiding place for ▶

A1 GENERATIONS

the brewery, and arguably the most photogenic brewery in the country. Sometime in the 16th century the millrace was built and the building, like many others in the Cotswolds where the wool trade was dominant, was used as a cloth mill, before being converted by the Manor into two corn mills in 1580. Inside the building nearly all of the mechanics that helped to grind the corn are still in existence; including the 2 stones, gearing, cogs and exterior waterwheel. What makes a visit to Donnington so interesting, other than the brewing process, is seeing these age-old pieces still in operation today. Proof if needed, that sometimes the old ways are the best ways, and the old machines and equipment dating back over one hundred years, including The old Bobby mill is still used in the brewing process, along with the internal water wheel, drive belts for mashing, and pumps for the copper. Early in the 17th century the mill became a separate freehold estate and in 1827 it was bought by Thomas Arkell, and it was his nephew Richard, who began brewing beer in 1865, and who’s father John Arkell founded Arkell Brewery. Phil explained that they still have ledgers from some of the first beer he brewed. “Too heavy,” says one entry. “Not the right colour” says another. Richard’s sons eventually took over the business from their father, and his son Herbert finally bought his brother out to run it alone. Herbert had two sons and two daughters but it was his son Lawrence Claude, more commonly known as Claude, who came back from the second World War as an RAF Officer in 1951. Claude successfully ran the brewery until his death in 2007, but with no children of his own, he left it to his cousins Peter and James Arkell, who also run Arkell’s Brewery. Claude and James share the same Great-Great-Grandfather, John Arkell, who started Kingsdown Brewery in Swindon. Claude knew he left this

A1 GENERATIONS

‘Early in the 17th century, the mill became a separate freehold estate and in 1827 it was bought by Thomas Arkell.’

beautiful brewery in safe hands: James learned the art of brewing alongside his cousin at Donnington Brewery and under his guidance Donnington Brewery continues to flourish. Today, any visitors to the brewery see much the same as they might have done 100 years ago: The honey-coloured buildings sit quietly in the valley next to the mill pond, with its black swans, originally from Australia and introduced by Claude who took an interest in the birds. Many families have worked, father and son, alongside Claude and James and I am delighted to note that they still do ■

A1 ART

A NEW KID ON THE ART FAIR BLOCK

Something happened in May 2017 that raised the game in British art, and it happened in Cheltenham. That something is happening again in April. Co-founders of Fresh: Art Fair, Eleanor and Anthony Wardle tell the story. PARAGON GALLERY Alexei Bazanov, Togetherness

hat actually is an art fair? In our case, it’s 46 leading art galleries from all over Britain showing 5,000 mainly contemporary paintings and sculptures from emerging artists to Royal Academicians …in one place. In an increasingly online retail world, fairs are a vital way for galleries to reach more customers face-to-face. Similarly, Fresh: Art Fair is a brilliant opportunity for time-poor art lovers to see high quality art from an enormous choice, in a couple of very pleasant hours. It’s also a relaxed and helpful place for newcomers to contemporary art. Our galleries are experts in their markets …they exhibit proven artists and know how to spot new talent, which means that newcomers, enthusiasts and established collectors can all buy with confidence. Why Cheltenham? Because we have a gallery there …The Paragon Gallery in Montpellier Street. Because we could see there was a gap in the market …there’s no major art fair between London and Manchester. Because the Cotswolds is a fantastic art hub that deserves its own Fair. Because Cheltenham is just off the M5 and an easy drive from more or less any direction. Because the Racecourse is an amazing venue with unlimited parking and its own helipad (and no racing). Because, because, because … How did the first one go? It was extraordinary. We knew we had wonderful galleries showing world-class artists. We knew we had something for everyone …original prints and paintings, sculpture, glass and ceramics from £100 to £50,000. But an hour before the doors opened we had literally no idea how many people would come and whether they would buy. Then they came, 4,300 of them … “Wow” they said, “This is much bigger than we expected” …”the art is much higher quality”. There was a huge buzz. They bought nearly £500,000 of art in 3 days and one kind art lover was heard to say “It’s the best contemporary art fair outside London”.

A1 ART

GALA FINE ART Dan Parry-Jones, Rendez-vous, acrylic, oil, screen-print and collage on board, 80x80cm What’s new in 2018? The name Fresh: seemed like a great idea at the time but it does put us under pressure. So we guarantee that there will always be something new at Fresh. Twenty-six of our best exhibitors are coming back, all of them with one or two new artists and fresh work. There will be twenty outstanding new exhibitors including London’s Quantum Contemporary, Dublin’s Doorway Gallery, Gallery Pangolin, the John Davies Gallery from Moreton-in-Marsh and Art Salon, Bath. There’ll be a new outdoor Sculpture Park showing some 70 large sculptures by 15 artists. There’ll be bigger and better Fresh: Cafés, a Happy Hour on Friday evening with free wine, new painters and sculptors working live and new Talks each day. We very much hope there will be many more visitors and a big increase in art sales. So, you’re a big event company? Far from it …we’re a daughter and father on a mission. With the Paragon Gallery in Cheltenham, we exhibit at art fairs ourselves but feel that galleries too often

get a raw deal. We wanted to make Fairs more affordable for galleries and more accessible for art buyers. And we do tick the two essential boxes …daughter with 14 years running galleries and curating exhibitions, and father with years beyond count in marketing and advertising, some with the art world’s mercurial Charles Saatchi. It was a pretty big risk …all those brilliant galleries making a huge leap of faith. There were some sleepless nights, but it was worth it in the end and we are now in a strong position to build Fresh: Art Fair into Britain’s leading provincial art fair brand ■

Contemporary Art Fair Cheltenham Racecourse 27th – 29th April 2018 Visit www.freshartfair.net

A1 MUSIC

Oxford Bach Soloists

Conductor Tom Hammond-Davies

A1 MUSIC

ENGLISH SPRING BAROQUE The king’s Musick: Restoration music from the Chapel Royal.

ath Recitals comes back with another strong year of concerts during 2018. One of Bath’s premier classical concert series, Bath Recitals has been entertaining locals and tourists with a regular series of concerts since 1982. Beginning its 2018 season with a return to the popular Church of St. Michaels, in Broad Street Bath, Bath Recitals launches with a Baroque Season of concerts for 2018, starting with a welcome return from the Oxford Bach Soloists on April 14th and a spectacular evening of Baroque music from the English courts… Following their recent Christmas Baroque sell-out concert, English Spring Baroque will bring us music by composers such as Henry Purcell and Mathew Cooke alongside some favourites including Handel’s Anthem for the coronation of George II Let thy hand be strengthened as well as John Blow’s uplifting Ode for the coronation of James II Behold O God, our Defender. The Oxford Bach Soloists, are conducted by one of the most versatile conductors of his generation, multiple award-winning choral director, Tom Hammond-Davies. Amongst his many accolades, Tom was awarded 1st prize in the Birmingham Conservatoire Sir Michael Beech Conducting Award and 1st prize in the Three Choirs Festival Conducting Award.The musicians of the Oxford Bach Soloists all play on period instruments and are the next generation of young vocalists and instrumentalists. Tickets are available from either www.bathrecitals.com or the Bath Box Office, by calling 01225 463362.

Musica Poetica Looking further ahead with Bath Recitals, and continuing their Baroque theme for 2018, other concerts in the series include; Italian Baroque. Saturday 30th June 7.30pm - St. Michael’s Church, Broad Street Bath Musica Poetica return to Bath with a glittering concert celebrating the majesty and opulence of the Italian Baroque. Alongside composers such as Frescobaldi, Cozzolani and Caccini, a particular highlight will be a complete performance of Carissimi’s Jeptha. Music Poetica play on period instruments and will form part of Bath Recital’s Baroque Season of concerts across 2018. Grand Baroque. Saturday 25th August - 7.30pm - St. Michael’s Church, Broad Street Bath Once again, Bath Recitals are delighted to welcome back the ever popular Oxford Bach Soloists, for the Grand Baroque,

delivering the opulence and grandeur of the Baroque as celebrated in this concert featuring the four coronation anthems Handel wrote for King George II and his magnificent Dettingen Te Deum first performed in 1743 in the Chapel Royal of St James’s Palace, London in the presence of King George II in celebration of the glorious defeat of the French at Dettingen. German Christmas Baroque. Saturday 22nd December - 7.30pm - St. Michael’s Church, Broad Street Bath Bath Recitals culminates its 2018 series of events with this glorious celebration of a Baroque Christmas, and once again welcoming back, Musica Poetica, who will perform the music of 17th and 18th century Germany. Last year’s Christmas concert was sold out in advance, and we expect the same will be the case this year, so please ensure you book at your earliest convenience, either through www.bathrecitals.com or by contacting Bath Box office on 01225 463362 ■

M A G A Z I N E H E AV E N Rediscover the joy of print at Magalleria. Visit our vast range of independent and specialist magazines. It’s one of the largest you’ll see anywhere – right here in Bath!

Magalleria 2 2 A B R OA D S T R E E T B AT H B A 1 5 L N Telephone 01225 471586 e: magalleria@icloud.com W W W. M A G A L L E R I A . C O . U K

A1 BUSINESS

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DOâ&#x20AC;¦ This unusual but highly successful business has been based at Cotswold Airport for 16 years, dismantling as many as 50-60 aircraft a year.

A1 BUSINESS

hen Mark Gregory started his business over twenty years ago, he would I’m sure himself have struggled to comprehend just how globally successful it would eventually become. With redundancy money he received from Dan Air, he purchased an aircraft and began to dismantle it. He sold the various parts to brokers and airline companies around the world - and even to artists who wanted to buy parts of a wing

to turn into a unique office desk. Making a profit on his very first aircraft, he knew he was onto a good business idea, and the rest as they say is history. Of course it’s not been as easy over the last twenty years of growing the business to where it is today, as I’ve just made it sound, but nowadays Air Salvage International (ASI), is the recognised leader in the field of aircraft dismantling, with much of the work

‘If aircraft could talk, one can only imagine the stories this particular one could tell us…’

A1 BUSINESS

being carried out at Cotswolds Airport near Cirencester, as its HQ, as well as at several other global locations. If you have ever driven past this small private airport in the Cotswold countryside you may well have noticed one or two large aircraft tails, and that’s because Air Salvage International is the biggest aircraft dismantler in Europe, dismantling around 14% globally of the world’s aircraft being broken down. This unusual but highly successful business

has been based at Cotswold Airport for 16 years, dismantling as many as 50-60 aircraft a year. Apart from the technical side of aircraft dismantling, which can often be of a Boeing 747, ASI also offer the services of asset management, aircraft storage and maintenance, aircraft incident recovery, and cabin adaption and reconstruction. However, the main expertise that makes ASI exceptionally unique is the capacity to dismantle, move and rebuild aircraft (military and commercial). This complicated and often time consuming task has been carried out on over 30 aircraft to date for insurance companies, loss adjusters, museums and private individuals. Furthermore, in 2004 ASI was awarded the prestigious contract by British Airways to dismantle, move and rebuild two Concorde aircraft. Their skilled engineers re-assembled them to their former glory and they are now viewed by thousands each year at National Museum of Flight (Edinburgh) and Brooklands Museum (Surrey). More recently, the company removed the wings of an RAF Nimrod that flew into

their fixed base. It was then transported by road to Cosford Royal Air Force Museum where the wings were re-fitted back onto the aircraft – returning it to its former glory. All projects are carried out to the highest ethical standards in compliance with strict Government regulations, including the Environment Agency, and ASI were the first UK disassembly company to be awarded the, Airline Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) BMP accreditation. Whilst on site, Mark showed me around one specific aircraft of interest, notably a Boeing 727 with a tail crest belonging to the Kuwait Royal family. The aircraft was being retired, but had a very interesting life, not least as one of the Royal jets, but during the first Gulf war, it was stolen by the Iraqis and flown to Baghdad, where for a time it was used by Saddam Hussain as his own personal jet. It was however later repatriated at the end of the war back to Kuwait, and now sits just off the runway at Cotswolds Airport, where it awaits its ‘retirement’ fate. If aircraft could talk, one can only imagine the stories this particular one could tell us… ■

h ayman jo yc e .c o .uk

Paxford Charming Grade II Listed cottage, in the pretty Cotswold village of Paxford. Entrance hall, farm house style kitchen/dining room and dual aspect sitting room with wood burning stove. Spacious master bedroom with en-suite shower room, two further bedrooms and family bathroom. South facing garden and off road parking.

Guide Price ÂŁ550,000

Moreton-in-Marsh | 01608 651188 B RO ADWAY

MO R ETON-I N-MARSH

MAYF AI R

h ay ma n jo yc e .c o .uk

Long Compton A beautiful detached period spacious family home, situated in a much desired village. Welcoming hall, charming sitting room with stone fireplace, spacious farmhouse kitchen, utility and family room. Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, guest bedroom with en-suite shower room, two further double bedrooms and family bathroom. Garden with decked area and gravel driveway for several cars.

Guide Price ÂŁ650,000

Moreton-in-Marsh | 01608 651188 B R O ADWAY

MO R E TON-I N-MARSH

MAYF AI R

A1 HOTELS

LA RÉSERVE PARIS More like a private members club, than an Hotel.

taying at La Reserve, Paris you enter a world of privacy and calm, and where you can disappear from everything, and if desired, everyone. The overriding sense of calm pervades the hotel, and where every possible request is met with style and grace. La Réserve in Paris, whether to sample afternoon tea, in order to partake in the quietness and serenity of the surroundings, or to check-in and stay a few nights, you will enjoy a style and service like no other. Check-in is as discrete as everything which follows at La Réserve. There is no official check-in desk, just a sofa where you can have some tea, whilst completing formalities, or better still as I was, taken straight to my suite, where my concierge simply scanned my passport with a portable scanner, then explained the controls of the room and was gone. Zero check-in. Now that’s how hotels should try to operate. Surely these days there is enough technology to do exactly as La Reserve have? After unpacking my bag, (and my concierge did offer to do this), I decided to explore, first the immediate surroundings - before the surroundings of the hotel itself. Located on Avenue Gabriel, just one block from the Champs-Elysées, the building was originally built in 1854 for Charles de Morny, the half-brother of Napoleon III.

The inside has been completely renovated by Jacques Garcia, although five of the original fireplaces remain, including one in the Ambassador suite, but in order to create his vision to within the period and ambience, no less than 250 tons of marble along with 6,000 meters of fabric went into the project. The hotel projects a private club atmosphere, though always inviting, and certainly not stuffy. There are public areas, but most rooms are, quite rightly, set aside for those staying at the hotel, including a sumptuous dark-wood library, with a marble fireplace and a wonderful display of books, including many coffee table books on Paris and several luxury companies which surround the hotel. Behind the library is a smoking lounge, and downstairs is a 16-meter swimming pool with three spa treatment rooms, including one designed for men. The hotel combines the feel of a much larger hotel, but in reality is an intimate boutique hotel with just forty rooms, the majority of which are suites and with attention to the finest detail everywhere around you. Wonderful fabrics and decor, matched to the very latest technology, including hidden Television’s in the mirrors. One in the living area and one in the bathroom mirror - and perfectly placed for relaxing in the bath, whilst watching the television. There are even convenient ▶

‘The interior of the hotel has been completely renovated by Jacques Garcia.’

A1 HOTELS

stands and places for your iPhone and iPad to rest, and each suite has an iPad to control everything within your personal suite, but for traditionalists and or technophobes, there are also â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; buttons and switches for everything should you prefer. Many suites have sprawling views of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, and the Grand Palais, and in the Presidential Suite the panorama continues the entire length of the suite, from the living room, complete with its own private bar and grand piano.

A1 HOTELS

‘Many suites have views of the Eiffel Tower, and the Grand Palais.’

Dinner was an epic affair, at Le Gabriel, the 50-seat restaurant on the main floor, as Chef Jérôme Banctel created a masterpiece in culinary skills, and I tried my very best to eat my way through seven courses, and he alone is a great draw to this hotel. Having come from both Le Crillon and L’Ambroisie, Chef Jérôme is now serving his own take on traditional French cuisine, and clearly cooking up a storm, as the restaurant has secured and maintained not one, but two Michelin stars.

To perhaps best sum up my visit to this hotel, I will say this; When you travel and stay at hotels, you want to feel welcome, and you want to feel comfortable. You want to feel as if it is your home, as for however long you stay, in many ways it is your home. At La Réserve, I felt very much at home, and very welcome and the staff within every department knew exactly how much privacy I wanted and how much I wanted to stop and chat. And that is the fine art of hotel management, and La Reserve have got it absolutely perfect. Six stars! ■

A1 COUTURE

CAROLINE GROVES IS ONE OF JUST A FEW TRADITIONAL BESPOKE SHOE MAKERS IN THE WORLD… Making shoes for film stars, the wives of oligarchs, and business women around the world.

hilst most of us think of shoes as a ready made pair from a high street store, there are some who prefer a more bespoke approach. Bespoke to Caroline means quite literally from sketches and meetings with the client, who can be in the Cotswolds, or in London or New York, through to the end result of a perfectly fitted shoe. There are of course many stages throughout the process, before Caroline is ready to hand over the shoes to the client. The process begins with an initial consultation, which includes making a choice of potential leathers and trimmings, whereupon a ‘mockup’ will be created to evaluate on the second visit. At this stage alterations can be made, if required, before heading towards the final stage. Here the final shoe is presented and fitted. This sounds easy enough, but there is so much going on in her workshop to allow Caroline to get to the point of the hand over… To create the perfect shoes for each bespoke client, Caroline will first source leathers and might if appropriate, ▶

A1 COUTURE

suggest vintage trims or commission additional embellishments from other craftspeople. This might be embroidery details, jewels, carved heels or maybe even parakeet wings! Only the finest leathers from France and Italy are used for the uppers, and the leather for the soles, insoles and stiffening comes from the last oak bark tannery in Devon. Clients include film stars, the wives of oligarchs, and business women, all of whom must have at least one thing in common, (other than good taste), and that’s money. Caroline’s shoes are like

‘I was fortunate to visit Caroline on the day she was just finishing a pair of shoes for Whoopi Goldberg…’

any other work of art, as they take a long time to produce, using the finest materials available, and this means prices start at around £3,000 for shoes and a little more for boots. The most elaborate work which could involve 22ct gold tooling, solid silver or gold fittings, embroidery, hand carved walnut trees etc, will command a significant price. With the quality of her work and artistry, one can equate her shoes to someone who would perhaps purchase a work of art for their wall, or perhaps a bespoke piece of jewellery, or furniture for their house.

A1 COUTURE

Caroline regularly takes apart shoes she likes from the 1930’s or 40’s. The many pieces of thin leather are a reminder of the complications involved in the construction of a good shoe. She loves nothing more than discovering how the manufacturers back then solved different problems, and she turns that to her advantage in her skills today. Born into a family of craftspeople her great-grandfather was a cabinet maker associated with the Arts & Crafts movement and her grandmother

a silversmith - it was perhaps inevitable that she would follow a creative path. Caroline Groves is one of the few in the world, a traditional bespoke shoe maker. Her self named label was set-up in 2003 following a 15 year period in leatherworking and shoemaking and has since built up an international following of clients who are both fashion forward women and established creatives - authors and artists alike. With over 30 years of leather working experience her creative talent crosses the boundaries between craftsmanship, fashion, art and fantasy ■

A1 ART

WHETHER FORMULA 1, THE TOUR DE FRANCE, CELEBRITY OR STAR WARS… Paul Oz has got it all covered.

t all started on a visit to an art gallery, whilst looking for something to put on a white wall in his new flat. ‘I could do that’, he remarked of a painting, and so to almost prove the point, he later armed himself with a 4 pack of acrylics and rediscovered an almost forgotten talent he had from his school days. ‘A subjectively attractive looking mess’, was basically his thought, and this moment became the start of his life changing story… To begin with, Paul would paint at weekends as a break from his career working in software brand development, but soon found that he was buying more and more time for painting, until in 2008 he had his first gallery show. It was to be just two years later in 2010 that he said goodbye to software and hello to full time painting, and has not had the time to look back since that day. Paul admits to not necessarily being a textbook artist, and that his entire aim is for visual impact, and his paintings certainly achieve that. He creates portraits, some of which may mean something to you, or if you’re a fan of a specific person or subject, will mean everything to you. Paul’s aim with all of his works is to create the maximum in 3D effect using several techniques combining for the end

A1 ART

All of this makes occasions like being part of official Star Wars art shows, live painting at F1 race weekends, and being commissioned by Tour de France winners, just incredible to Paul, and he is thrilled and honoured that the above also just happen to work commercially for him. It also makes it pretty bewildering to him, how this has now become his day to day life, and readily admits It’s difficult not to be a fan boy when he’s working with his own personal heroes! Limited editions from much of Paul’s work are available, or commissions of original paintings, and the best way to own one of Paul’s works is to find your nearest Wishbone art gallery and they can advise what is currently available. Short editions of signed, certificated paper prints, or hand embellished canvases with loads of paint added on top are created in house.

result. Every one is large scale and around 2cm thick oils in places (which means he gets through a fair amount of the stuff), usually on board for a completely flat background so that the texture of the subject really comes out at you. Recently using home made neon paint too which really is a visual punch in the face, and with a team of incredible photographers so he can reproduce the effect for limited editions. Paul is fascinated with how perceptions change with distance – the biggest unintentional compliment he’s had was that his work looks like a photo from a distance, and porridge close up. A lifelong sportsman… many of his ‘eureka moments’ have come stuck inside his own head out on his bike, which he is passionate about. There’s no such thing as a crazy idea any more…which in itself is the most inspiring and empowering thing if you truly believe it.

Published by Wishbone Art, in partnership with galleries covering the UK. Representation in USA, UAE, Mexico and Asia. About half of Paul’s work is motorsport related, including with British Embassies around the World promoting ‘Innovation is GREAT Britain’ during F1 weeks. The rest… features anything he personally loves in, icons of film, music and sport.

Original paintings are available through gallery show launches, or by commission. There are perhaps a couple dotted around gallery partners too, and probably two thirds of Paul’s work is on a commissioned basis – albeit with a few months lead-time, near anything is possible ■

For Paul, F1 has been a passion for as long as he can remember… perhaps through a marriage of his background in competitive sport and studying Aerospace Engineering at University. All he watched as a youngster was Star Wars, with his 10th birthday a cinema trip to see Empire Strikes Back. Nowadays, he has a movie accurate Stormtrooper in his hall, (as well as a movie accurate IronMan), which he can actually fit into, but declined my offer to prove it…

h ayman jo yc e .c o .uk

Chadlington A most charming detached house with a south facing garden, in the beautiful village of Chadlington. Spacious entrance hall, kitchen/utility/breakfast room, generous sitting room, dining room, study and cloakroom. Bedroom one with en-suite bathroom, three further bedrooms and family bathroom with separate shower. South facing gardens, double garage and off-road parking.

Guide Price ÂŁ780,000

Moreton-in-Marsh | 01608 651188 B RO ADWAY

MO R ETON-I N-MARSH

MAYF A I R

h ay ma n jo yc e .c o .uk

Broadway A substantial Grade II listed detached house in the exclusive upper High Street. Entrance hall, sitting room, dining room and kitchen. Two double bedrooms and bathroom on the first floor and two further double bedrooms and shower room on the second floor. Cellar. Lovely garden with good outbuilding. Private parking close by.

Rent ÂŁ1,750 pcm

Moreton-in-Marsh | 01608 653606 B R O ADWAY

MO R ETON-I N-MARSH

MAYF AI R

A1 ARTISAN

FROM ART GALLERY MANAGER TO LUXURY LEATHER GOODS… Toby Thomas only uses the very best leathers for his exceptional products.

orking from his studio in Chalford near Stroud, former London art dealer Toby Thomas decided in 2011 to up sticks and move to the Cotswolds, where he and his wife could raise their young family surrounded by glorious countryside. Toby worked for several leading contemporary art galleries for over 18 years, most recently managing Damien Hirst’s Other Criteria galleries. In 2011 he decided to leave the art world and moved to Gloucestershire and set up Ottely. Setting up his own leather studio creating beautiful bespoke leather goods, fulfilled a long held dream from many years before, when he studied shoemaking at Cordwainers College. Now in 2017, Toby’s studio makes bespoke leather products using only the finest leathers produced by artisan tanners in the UK and Italy. Toby seeks out producers, such as J & F.J. Baker in Devon, which is the last remaining oak bark tannery in the UK and Toby believes produces the finest bridle hide anywhere in the world. The Baker family bought the business in 1862 ▶

A1 ARTISAN

and the site in Colyton, Devon has been a tannery since the Roman era.Â Toby uses the leather from this tannery for his bridle hide belts. Everything is made at the Chalford studio using traditional techniques in both the production and hand stitching, and with a care and attention to detail which will mean each product lasts a lifetime and beyond. Whilst Toby specialises in belts and bespoke commissioned bags, he is also very keen to work on commissions for other leather products and has made everything from luxury watch straps to luggage straps for classic vintage cars. Toby also often works alongside other designers and will produce prototypes and welcomes collaborations with other artists and artisans. In addition to his commission work, Toby makes bespoke bridle hide belts that can be ordered online with a choice of leather, buckle, stitching colour and width. Made to measure and crafted by hand from the finest materials they will last and last. The beauty of this product, as with many others he makes, is that each one is made individually

to order, so it can be customised to make the perfect belt. Extra stitching, brass or contrasting leather loops, interchangeable buckles, and foil blocking with initials are just some of the possibilities. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the attention to every detail, that makes a hand made belt special. Traditional techniques that have been developed and refined over centuries and the finest material combine to make a belt that will last for years and years and get more beautiful with age. Starting with the finest bridle leather, only the best and strongest part of the hide is used. The belt blank is cut parallel to the spine as this has the greatest tensile strength. Many belts are cut from the shoulders perpendicular to the spine and consequently stretch more. Ottely belts are made specifically for each customer, to whatever length is required right down to the last 1/8 inch, so that they do up to the middle hole, no more having to make do with ill fitting standard small, medium or large belts â&#x2013;

A1 CARS

ENGINEERED BY SOME OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED PORSCHE TECHNICIANS IN THE COUNTRYâ&#x20AC;¦ in a state-of-the-art building that creates the perfect working environment, it has to be Rennsport. 40

A1 CARS

‘The Rennsport HQ is a fantastic building… and that’s before you step inside…’

isiting Rennsport on a business estate on the outskirts of Moreton-inMarsh, I was immediately struck first by the size of the building. A vast two-floor purpose-built complex, with a spotlessly clean workshop. No dripping oil or tyre marks to be found here. I expected to see the engineers and staff wearing forensic suits and hats, but instead all were casually dressed with some in Rennsport shirts and sweatshirts. I was introduced to Paul Cockell who is Rennsport’s Managing Director. There is always a story behind the creation of every company: a point where vision

and desire meet with opportunity. The Rennsport story is no exception. With the creativity and drive of Paul and Keith Cockell being realised in the formation of 911 Rennsport at a time when interest in specialist Porsche recreations and restorations has never been higher. Rennsport are recreating the driving experience of the iconic Porsche 911. Their aim is for you to enjoy the experience of the build to your own specification and have the excitement of driving this celebrated car as if it was new from the factory. Exclusivity is what makes a Rennsport Porsche so special: They’ll recreate your car exactly to ▶

A1 CARS

your personal specifications, allowing you to become part of the process from the initial selection of your donor car, through the entire build, to the moment you drive away. Paul, along with his Father Keith, who is Chairman are ‘old School’ engineers, which means they still like to get their hands dirty, and indeed whilst I was there Paul was busy inside, under and driving one or two of the cars he and his Father work on for their growing client base. Paul has worked for over twentyfive years on air-cooled 911’s, which is their speciality, and after serving his apprenticeship at a Porsche main dealer in 1986, Paul went to work with Mike Jordan and Team Eurotech and it was to be this experience which began the journey that has led to Rennsport’s newly opened, purpose-built factory. If you are a true Porsche aficionado, you will know that Moreton-in-Marsh is famous not just for the Rennsport Porsche’s zipping about, but it is also the home of the Porsche Club GB HQ, and which can be seen from the upper floor of Rennsport’s building. How much of a great marque can one little place in the Cotswolds have! Rennsport has a target of producing a bespoke car for a customer in around three months, which for most is great news, as others might take 18 months to two years, which Paul feels is simply too long and often cost prohibitive to the majority of clients. And it’s the majority of clients Paul would prefer to work with, ensuring they receive not only the best service and engineering, but ultimately the very best Porsche for their investment. And an investment it certainly is, although Paul is quick to admit that some of the purists might baulk at the thought of taking a perfectly good 3.0-litre SC or 3.2 Carrera and backdating it, but he says there are plenty of cars out there that he can use. Prices for donor cars continue to rise significantly in the marketplace, but

A1 CARS

Rennsport always has cars in stock ready to be built into exactly what its customers want; whether that’s one of their 2.7 RS recreations, a wide body 930 RSR or anything else they desire. Costs vary, but around £100,000-£150,000 will get you a fully built car including the donor car cost. I wasn’t surprised to hear that many Rennsport owners have real RSs in their garages, but due to their increasing value and rarity, Rennsport does offer

‘Rennsport are recreating the driving experience of the iconic Porsche 911…’

a choice, and there is a very healthy market out there for the sort of classically built, and bespoke 911’s that Rennsport can deliver, and now the iconic Porsche 911 is being built to bespoke specification in the heart of the Cotswolds. Engineered by some of the most experienced Porsche technicians in the country, in a state-of-the-art building that creates the perfect working environment, Paul and his dedicated team will ensure a stunning final appearance and superb quality from start to finish ■

A1 MAKING

A BOY’S OWN ADVENTURE… Vintage aircraft, Spitfires, and propellers in Tahiti.

ngineer Rupert Wasey founded Hercules Propellers in Stroud, Gloucestershire, when he couldn’t find a suitable propeller for the plane he hand-built. It was 2001, and Rupert began the mammoth task of building a Staaken Flitzer, single seat bi-plane, the design of which was influenced by German sport planes of the inter-war period. In 2005, the aircraft was completed and won awards but Rupert felt that the performance was not what it should be. Realising that the propeller was not well matched to the airframe and engine, he spent a considerable sum of money buying and test flying different propellers but none seemed to be correct. The propeller manufacturers he tried didn’t seem to be able to supply a propeller that would efficiently harness the power of the engine. Typifying the Flitzer, Rupert realised that if he wanted an optimal propeller for his machine, he would have to design and build his own. Two years of studying propeller theory ensued before producing his first examples. It was this experience that led Rupert into establishing Hercules Propellers in 2008, and in the years since Rupert crafted the company’s very first propeller, things have gone from strength to strength, with hundreds of different propellers having been born in the factory, and hundreds more sent in, refurbished and restored to things of beauty.

Visiting a friend’s workshop, Rupert saw a CNC (computer numerically controlled) router at work, cutting intricate shapes from wood. Seeing the machine at work, he was instantly inspired that uniquely designed propellers can be produced extremely efficiently. From then, as they say, the rest was history. Workshop premises were acquired before the design and manufacturing process was perfected until he was in a position to offer his propellers to other aircraft owners wanting improved performance and fuel efficiency. Now Hercules Propellers is enjoying great success and is able to boast stunning performance results through employing a highly skilled team. The company produces propellers for a wide variety of types, from First World War fighters all the way through to composite speed and racing machines. Hercules are huge advocates of using high technology to produce the most consistent, reliable and efficient results in their production processes. To that end they use an in-house designed and built Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machine to sculpt each propeller from their laminated wood blanks, before handing them over for some final hand-crafted finishing work. The CNC machine uses the 3D computer models created as part of the design process to run several stages, then when fully completed, Hercules ships its propellers to countries including Tahiti, Singapore, Belgium and the United States. If this was the end of the story, it would already be a great story, but there’s more…▶

A1 MAKING

Having already made many different vintage aircraft propellers, fate was to show its hand in the next stage of Hercules Propellers development, as an out of the blue call came from a business called Permali which had previously bought a company called Hordern-Richmond. Hordern-Richmond used to make Spitfire propeller blades and other aircraft but it has stopped making them now. Because it had taken on the company Permali it had also acquired lots of original propeller designs, which had been sitting in their offices in Gloucester. When Rupert was offered about 200 original drawings of traditional propeller designs dating back to the 30s, he could not believe his luck. The company was going to throw them away but it offered the hand-drawn plans to Rupert instead, and so he inherited a huge archive of over 200 drawings of designs for technical propellers dating back to the 1930s. Rupert and his team were delighted to see the designs, with the Spitfire being the pinnacle of technology when they invented it. So now, not only does he have the original propeller designs but the company which manufactured blades for the Spitfire, Dowty, based at Gloucestershire Airport is on board with the project to build new Spitfire propellers from the old original plans handed down to Hercules Propellers, offering more drawings and their advice and help. Rupert hopes to have the first propellers finished within a couple of years, and he has already made the first prototype with multiple layers of compressed wood. The image from which Rupert is making Spitfire propeller blades is dated March 12, 1942 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; right in the middle of the Second World War. An amazing aircraft for its time, and now with new propellers about to be created from the original plans, these incredible flying machines will be able to have a perfectly created and original propeller â&#x2013;

A1 MAKING

A1 LAST WORD

1985 PORSCHE 911/930 TURBO RENNSPORT RSR FOR SALE - £120,000

Our Last Word for this issue is a recently spotted Porsche Rennsport RSR, for sale through Rennsport.

he iconic Rennsport Porsche 911’s are being built to bespoke specification in the heart of the Cotswolds, a continuation of over 25 years working on air-cooled 911s. Engineered by some of the most experienced Porsche technicians in the country, in a state-of-the-art building that creates the perfect working environment, it ensures a stunning final appearance and superb quality from start to finish. This example is a rebuild of a 1985 original 930 3.3 litre, intercooled turbo. This 930 turbo RSR was originally a dry-use only, Gulf State lefthand drive with a great history, converted into a 1973 Carrera 2.8 RSR specification, with a fully galvanized body-shell.

The quality of the build and finish is as staggering as the ferocious performance producing an estimated 380 bhp and sounding every bit as good as it looks - all this in a car that weighs just circa 1,250 kg compared to a modern day Porsche 911 at 1,745 kg. This is a rare opportunity to purchase a car to enjoy immediately without the usual wait for your Rennsport built Porsche to be finished. A flawless finish matched to precision engineering combined with an on-the-road 911 experience second to none, the new owner is sure to be the envy of many a Porsche and classic car enthusiast, and viewing is strongly recommended. Interested parties are invited to contact me at dg@fentonandgregory.com ■

*words and pictures courtesy of 911Rennsport. 48

contemporary

Will Rochfort: The Wey Gallery

Mel Fraser MRBS: Sheridan Russell Gallery

Iryna Yermolova: Paragon Gallery

27-29 APRIL 2018

46 LEADING UK GALLERIES : 5000 WORKS NEW OUTDOOR SCULPTURE PARK

Visit: freshartfair.net

Saturday 14 April 7.30pm St Michael’s Church, Broad Street, Bath