MANOR Issue 6 The Arts Issue

Autumn 2015 Issue 6 | £3.95

Anthony Loyd Reflects on life and war

Andy Hughes

Photographer, social commentator

Michael J Austin

From comic books to fine art

Sandy Brown

The Temple at Sotheby’s ‘Beyond Limits’

ShelterBox

Aid and relief around the world

Caro

Eat, shop and sleep in Bruton

Private jets Flights of fancy

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Tiverton, Devon

A very private country house surrounded by its own land Tiverton 2 miles, Tiverton Parkway 8.5 miles, Exeter 17 miles (Distances are approximate) Non listed 6 bedroom house, 9,170 sq ft property, with extensive entertaining and reception rooms. A detached outbuilding provides two flats, stabling, stores and extensive garaging.

Mature gardens and grounds, and walled garden with great potential for additional accommodation (subject to obtaining planning permission). About a mile of predominantly double-bank freehold fishing on the River Exe. In all about 14.9 acres. EPC: F Guide Price ÂŁ2,000,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE110288 4

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KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter william.morrison@knightfrank.com 01392 976047

Baring Crescent, Exeter

One of Exeter’s premier addresses

KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter william.morrison@knightfrank.com 01392 976047

City Centre 0.5 miles, Exeter St. David’s Station 2 miles, Junction M5 Motorway 2.5 miles.

Exeter International Airport 5 miles (All distances approximate) A spacious Grade II listed house of about 5,532 sq ft situated on one of Exeter’s most exclusive and historic crescents overlooking private gardens. 5 reception rooms, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, plus 2 bed annex, private gardens and parking with communal gardens exclusive to Baring Crescent owners.

Guide Price £1,750,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE140127 MANOR | Autumn 2015

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Accounts . Wealth . Legal

Contents

Autumn 2015

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Regulars 15 TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE Correspondence from across the divide

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TRENDS Need for tweed, autumn , jewellery

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MANOR CONFIDENTIAL Cornish Food Festival, Turner Locker Barnfield Revival

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Features 30 SHELTERBOX Alison Wallace discusses what led her to run the disaster-relief charity

AS I SEE IT...

Anthony Loyd, award-winning correspondent for The Times

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THE POLITICS OF WASTE Andy Hughes addresses ocean detritus through photography

Style & Beauty 19 BEAUTY TUTORIAL

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TRAJECTORY OF TALENT Michael J Austin – from comic books to fine artistry

Autumn lips

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MY FEEL GOOD REGIME Falmouth-based dancer Kuldip Singh-Barmi

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THE STYLE SHOOT A style that’s thoroughly moorish

Photostory 40 ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE Matt Austin’s vivid theatrical portraits

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66 Culture 62 THE DREAM WEAVER Author and illustrator Michael Broad’s work takes a folkloric direction

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TEMPLE Sandy Brown’s ceramic temple at Sotheby’s ‘Beyond Limits’

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SOUTH WEST MUST SEES...

96 Space 96 BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME New entrant to Bruton’s lifestyle scene, Caro

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WORTH MAKING THE TRIP FOR...

Cultural highlights from the metropolis

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WORTH STAYING IN FOR...

Quality time from your sofa

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CONVERSATION PIECES Lorraine Osborne, upholstery divine

What’s on around the region

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SHOPPING FOR SPACE Decorative pieces to warm your winter

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Q&A Richard Swift of Touch Design Group

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Food 110 A TASTE OF THE BEST

MANOR school 134 NEWS IN BRIEF Art in a bag, champion cyclists, mountain climbing for charity and rugby’s new hope.

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READ IT AND EAT South West kitchen bookcase

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BITES Food news from across the peninsular

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READY TO READ Professor Ruth Merttens offers the third in her series on how to Help Your Child at Home

A review of cookery courses - part one

THE TABLE PROWLER ...dines out at The Jack in the Green, Exeter and Hix Oyster House, Lyme Regis

Property 143 THE BULLETIN Experts’ tips on speeding up a sale

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PROPERTY OF NOTE Southfield House - city seclusion

Escape 126 PREPARE TO FLY, MR BOND

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SNAPSHOT COMPARATIVE A selection of properties across the South West alongside a bolthole in London

The world of private jets

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CYCLE LEGS Two-wheeled adventures in Cornwall

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A FOWEY FEAST The Old Quay House

Back page 162 BLACK BOOK Secrets from wedding and event florist Caroline Hodges

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is brought to you by PUBLISHING EDITOR

Imogen Clements imogen@manormagazine.co.uk

COMMISSIONING EDITOR

Jane Fitzgerald jane@manormagazine.co.uk

FEATURE WRITER

Harriet Mellor harriet@manormagazine.co.uk

ARTS EDITOR

Belinda Dillon belinda@manormagazine.co.uk

FOOD EDITOR

Anna Turns anna@manormagazine.co.uk

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Fiona McGowan, Alice Humphrys DESIGN

Guy Cracknell ADVERTISING SALES

Rachel Evans, Rae Muscat advertising@manormagazine.co.uk

THE COVER Fine knit top, Zara, ÂŁ15.99; Stylist: Mimi Stott; Photographer: Tom Hargreaves; Model: Laura Eve Thyer

Š MANOR Publishing Ltd, 2015.

MANOR Magazine is published by Manor Publishing Ltd, Registered office: MANOR Publishing Ltd, 52/54 Higher Compton Road, Plymouth, PL3 5JE. Registered in England No. 09264104 info@manormagazine.co.uk. Printed by Warners Midlands plc.

The views of the writers in MANOR Magazine are not necessarily those shared by the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or transparencies are accepted on the understanding that the publishers incur no liability for their storage or return. The contents of MANOR Magazine are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without permission.

By submitting material to MANOR Magazine, MANOR Magazine Ltd is automatically granted the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use, reproduce, edit, distribute and display such material (in whole or part) and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist in such content. The contributor acknowledges that material submitted may be published in any

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publication or website produced or published by MANOR Publishing Ltd.The contributor agrees not to submit material where they do not own the copyright and where they have not obtained all necessary licenses and/or approvals from the rightful owner. With respect to any photographs submitted, the contributor confirms that all necessary model and property releases have been obtained from any clearly identifiable person appearing in any image, together with any other relevant consents required.

Prices and details of services and products are genuinely believed to be correct at the time of going to press, but may change. Although every effort is made to maintain accuracy we regret we are unable to honour any incorrect prices or other details that may be printed.

The South West has always been a rich source of art, and the sheer volume and variety in all its forms that emerges from the region has allowed us to put together a visually breathtaking and quite inspirational Arts Issue of MANOR. Andy Hughes, for example, uses his photography to bring to our attention the scourge of plastic waste in our oceans and he does so in such a way that one image conveys a message more powerful that words could ever achieve.

We profile Michael J Austin, whose career started in comic books – drawing Judge Dredd and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – before being commissioned by nationals as a feature artist and then forging his own reputation among esteemed galleries across the country as one of the region’s best fine artists.

Matt Austin is well-known and highly respected as one of the South West’s best photographers. In this issue of MANOR he presents a collection of theatrical portraits that, through his skill with light and perspective, presents each character so vividly they almost jump off the page.

Art sets out to affect you with its sheer beauty and/or the message it conveys.

Words can do the same. The award-winning Times correspondent Anthony Loyd has lived through and witnessed more than many of us ever will, but through his writing has transported us right there and moved us profoundly, as only the most skilled journalists can. He does so again with reflections on his own life, the extremes and the everyday, that will stay with you long after you’ve put the magazine down.

The transience of news and current affairs means that Syria and the horror of drowning refugees come and go from the nation’s consciousness. ShelterBox, however, remains a constant source of aid to this and many other crises across the globe, providing tents and resources to refugees and disaster victims wherever in the world they may be needed. Fiona McGowan profiles the charity’s chief executive, Alison Wallace, and discovers more about the incredible work ShelterBox undertakes and the path that has led Wallace from her birthplace in New Zealand to the company’s headquarters in Helston, Cornwall.

This issue of MANOR is as rich in words as it is in art, to be pored over and enjoyed by all who pick it up. That’s our intention with every issue. Until the next,

Imogen Clements FOUNDER & PUBLISHING EDITOR

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TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE Darling...

Sweetness...

I’ve been dabbling in acrylics. No, not the synthetic, easy-wear variety – the paint. You know, vibrant colours, luxurious textures. Quick to dry and quite beautiful to look at, even though I say so myself. I think my style could be best described as ‘Pollockesque bearing influences of Heron’. I can see it now – catalogues, coffee table retrospectives. Didn’t know I had an artistic flair, did you, sweetness?

Well, it may be country air or midlife crisis, or both, but I have come to the conclusion that being rich is no longer the goal it once was. No, we need to aspire to something far more profound, a club with higher barriers to entry, and I have decided it is The Artists’ Club – ideally The Successful Artists’ Club (where, of course, wealth and fame are natural by-products).

Have I lost you yet? I know it’s all rather metaphysical and existential, darling, but I tell you everyone here in the countryside is an artist – it’s doubtless because there are less distractions and more room to contemplate, but I’m beginning to feel left out.

Plus there’s time to build up one’s portfolio and body of work without the urban rat-race forever chivvying you along, or worse, those big corporate monsters bearing down on you, ready to plunder your embryonic idea at the first sniff of commercial gain and mass-produce it to death. Keep calm and bash your head against a brick wall, that kind of thing.

Anyhow, I am fully equipped with rags, canvases, easel, brushes and aforementioned paints and looking forward to discovering the wild post-modern expressionist that lurks deep within me.

I hear you snigger, but mark my words, you’ll be queuing up at Tate Modern in a couple of years to see how it all turned out.

I can’t wait! All those Rich Club members will doubtless be snapping you up!

But I agree, that’s the usual passage, isn’t it? Create it down there, sell it up here. There’s nothing us townies love more than an opening night to sup wine and talk art knowledgeably to one another – I’m becoming quite a buff.

On to more pressing matters: I have decided to embark on an evening class, what with the nights drawing in. I too am in search of fulfilment on a deeper, spiritual level, so I’ve taken up acting classes. Coincidence, don’t you think, darling?! We are both looking to break into The Artists’ Club, only I want to be ‘an artiste’ of a different kind – a performance artiste.

So far, so good. The first class had us exercising our vocal chords and manipulating limbs in order to loosen all those very British inhibitions we carry around with us. Come the second week, however, I was horrified at being tasked with improvising a fly being chased by a spider. It is becoming clear to me that to be an actor of any merit you have to be prepared to humiliate yourself entirely and that the only way to do so is to exist outside of your own being and inhabit another world.

Am I sounding a little too metaphysical, sweetness?

Living in West London I am, of course, hyperconscious of every aspect of my being, so pretending to be a fly under attack was not an inconsiderable feat for me. You’ll be proud to know I achieved it with flying colours and died in a way that was nothing short of Oscar-winning.

I could tell that I’d moved the tutor by the look on his face, and feel I have finally discovered my true forte. After all, it’s never too late!

WHAT’S COOL IN THE COUNTRY?

WHAT’S HOT IN THE SMOKE?

City of Lights, the lantern parade in Truro on 18 November and attracts tens of thousands. The 2015 theme is Museum of Lost Stories, inspired by the Cornish Archives and County Records.

Mr Foote’s Other Leg starring Simon Russell Beale as an 18th Century one-legged transvestite actor/comedian and contemporary of Garrick transfers to the West End from 28 October.

On 23 October Dartmouth Food Festival joins with Dartmouth Galleries Festival to offer visitors a feast for eyes and taste buds. Special mention: Coombe Gallery on Foss Street for recipes by famous chefs brought to life through art.

On good authority, The Celts at the British Museum, are definitely worth discovering, until January 2016.

Pidgin – tiny eatery in East London serves up artful plates, including crab crackling and candied olive.

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The need for tweed Alutzarra AW15/16

What gentlewoman would be without her tweed? Match with a little faux fur and a pussybow or Victoriana blouse to soften and the look is very much Lady of the MANOR. There’s something rather Sherlock about it. All that’s missing is Watson…

Pussybow blouse, Marks and Spencer, £35

Hacking tweed jacket, Topshop, £49

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Suede boots, Dune, £129

Tweed skirt, Marks and Spencer, £99

trends Topshop AW15/16

Leather bracelet, The White Company, £40

Blouse, Warehouse, £42

Tweed skirt, Unique by Topshop, £155

Tweed cape, Zara, £89.99

Tweed trousers, Zara, £39.99

Boots, Marks and Spencer, £99

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trends

Autumn florals Florals transcend the seasons and we have a deeper range of beautiful prints to choose from on the high street – much again is all about mixing up the texture – light dress with cosy knit or hardy coat and a pair of boots. Femininity should not be weather-specific.

Silver nugget necklace, The White Company, £75

Dress, Jaegar, £150

Tunic, Zara, £39.99

Jumpsuit, Zara, £29.99 Dress, Whistles, £150

Handbag, Jaegar, £125

Shoes, Zara, £49.99

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Suede boots, Dune, £99

beauty

Watch your lip MARKS & SPENCER

Cosmetics companies are making the most of the shift into autumn with new lipsticks in rich, bold colours.

Make-up artist Elouise Abbott shows you how to get your pout lipstick-ready, and picks the season’s top products.

N

othing says autumn like a statement lip, and lipstick is the product of the moment, with plenty of new technology to keep our lips plump, hydrated, and super pigmented. But are you ready to pucker up? When it comes to looking lip-smacking good, it’s all about preparation and application technique. Follow these simple steps for the perfect pout.

EXFOLIATE

Flaky, chapped lips are a big no-no when it comes to lipstick application, especially when using matt lipsticks and strong colours. Before application, exfoliate lips using a scrub like Bubblegum from Lush. A damp baby brush can also work wonders; just use small circular motions over lips for about 30 seconds to remove any loose, flaky skin. The increased circulation will plump the lips a little, too.

CONDITION AND HYDRATE

Lips always benefit from a balm – to smooth, condition, hydrate, and protect. I’ve always been a huge fan of Carmex original lip balm for the ultimate soft pout. Apply the balm ten minutes before lipstick application, and then remove any excess; this will ensure the balm doesn’t cause the lipstick to move, while leaving a soft, smooth base ready for your lipstick application.

PRIME

A primer, such as MAC’s Prep + Prime Lip, ensures that lips stay conditioned, provides a smooth base, and prevents your lipstick from bleeding. It’s especially important if you are applying a matte lipstick, as they can be drying. Another tip is to apply a little foundation over the lips; this will ensure you get the true colour of your lipstick, fantastic when using lighter or nude shades.

LINE THE LIPS

Using a lip liner will prevent the lipstick from bleeding. Use a very neutral shade or a close colour match to your lipstick. Avoid using a darker shade as this will be unflattering and shrink the lips. Apply lip liner slightly on the inside of the lip line to make lips appear smaller and slightly on the outside of the lip line to make them appear fuller. Apply lip liner to the entire lip prior to lipstick for extra longevity.

APPLY LIPSTICK

I like to apply at least the first layer of lipstick with a brush because it gives me more control of the shape, as well as giving excellent even coverage. If you then want to top up your lipstick directly from the bullet you know you already have a good base.

Blot your lips on a tissue between layers – this will ensure minimal transfer. You can set your lipstick by simply taking a single ply of tissue, placing it over the lips and dusting over with loose powder using a fluff brush. This will add a slightly matt finish, so avoid if you would prefer a high shine look.

TIP

Apply highlighter to the V of the cupid’s bow to make your lips appear fuller.

With the 90s really influencing this season’s colour trends, brick reds, deep berry and plum tones are leading the way for the ultimate autumnal lip. Here are my top five lipsticks for autumn.

If you love a matt lip then you cannot go wrong with MAC Retro Matt. This beautiful product goes on as a liquid and dries to a long-lasting highly pigmented matt finish. Oxblood lends a beautiful rusty red hue – stunning, and perfectly on trend.

If you prefer a glossier finish to your lipstick, there’s Laura Mercier’s Lip Parfait Creamy Colourbalm in Blood Cherry. The creamy formula hydrates your lips like a lip balm and plumps them, whilst giving the shine of a gloss with absolutely no stickiness.

I am loving the new formula of Clinique Pop demi-matt lipstick. Lavish colour, hydration for up to eight hours, while also acting as a smoothing primer… what more could you want? Berry Pop is a truly lovely violet tone, perfect for autumn.

If you need your lipstick to last, Max Factor’s Lipfinity will do just that. Staying put for up to 24 hours, this lipstick is waterproof, smudgeproof and won’t break the bank. Hot is a fantastic burnt red shade with just a hint of shimmer – perfect if you like a frost.

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www.goldsmiths.co.uk

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trends

Demelza Pendant: Tolgus Tin and Sterling silver, Cornwall Gold, £75

Bracelet: Tolgus Tin and sterling silver, Cornwall Gold, £295

Necklace, green amethyst with diamonds, Polkadot, £1,037

A little sparkle...

Gift season is fast approaching and so we present you with a page of inspiration – a veritable treasure trove of jewellery to suit a variety of moods, occasions and bank balances.

Ring, green amethyst with diamonds, Polkadot, £883

Jade pendant, Mortimers, £2,650

Jade earrings, Mortimers, £4,450 Swarovski slate grey duo bracelet, Drakes, £59

Scintillation white gold and diamond pendant, Drakes, £495

Swarovski Cypress small pendant, Drakes, £74

Cornwall pearl rings, Emma-Kate Francis, Cornwall Gold, from £49

Annamaria Cammilli white gold and diamond Dune ring, Drakes, £1,925

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My feel-good regime Kuldip Singh-Barmi lives in Falmouth. He is a Senior Lecturer in Dance & Performance at Falmouth University, teaching contemporary technique and creative movement, a job he has taken up after many years as a dancer working for major choreographers, and leading workshops nationally and internationally. He is a founder member of Candoco Dance Company, which promotes inclusivity in the arts. His personal dance focus at present is around improvisation.

PHOTO: DANIELA BUDA

This summer has been a transformative time in changing my fitness and nutrition regime. I’m a city boy but I’m enjoying adapting to Cornwall and am now learning to kayak and sea-swim at Gyllyngvase Beach. In or on the water a little way from the shore I find it very peaceful, relaxing and meditative.

My job is physically and mentally demanding. To keep fit I alternate between resistance training at the Fit Pit in Falmouth, and my version of High Intensity Interval Training. This involves selecting an exercise, giving yourself a minute to do as many repetitions as you can, resting for a minute, and then repeating or moving on to another exercise for a total about 20 minutes. I do pilates with Grace Sellwood from Freefall Dance, a colleague on the Dance programme at Falmouth.

I’ve invested in a new road bike to keep up with my super-fit brothers. One is training for Iron Man and the other has just completed a charity bike ride across the Alps from Geneva to Milan. My daily commute from Falmouth to the Penryn Campus on top of the hill doesn’t quite compare but is an ideal warm-up prior to leading dance training. I prefer biking for cardio-vascular exercise as opposed to running as years of performing have taken their toll on my ankles.

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Nutrition is at the centre of my lifestyle change this summer. I’m on a ketogenic diet, which means high fat (approximately 70%), low carbs (approx.

10%) and moderate protein (approx. 20%). For fat, for example, I eat avocados, coconut oil, butter, cream, extra virgin olive oil and macadamia nuts.

Green leafy vegetables, salad and berries are my main source of carbs and I get protein from fish, eggs, cheese and meat. Fortunately, in Falmouth I’m able to buy food from local businesses such as Myatts the butcher, Arwenack Fisheries, The Natural Store (a health shop) and Stokes the greengrocers. A ketogenic diet means giving up sugar (very hard for me), bread, pasta, potatoes and all processed food, for example.

Since I started this diet I’ve noticed a huge difference. My energy levels have been more balanced and my mental focus has increased and at last my quality of sleep is improving. All these elements have had a dramatic effect on my overall sense of well-being.

I’m having to cook more, which includes experiments with baking using almond flour, coconut flour, Stevia (a plant-based sweetener), berries and bananas.

To ensure that I’m not missing out on vital nutrients while I adapt to the diet, I supplement with Mega Food One Daily whole food multivitamin, Good State natural ionic trace minerals, Mega Mag magnesium as well as krill oil, which is known to be good for cardiovascular, joint and brain health.

Gyllyngvase Beach, Cornwall

My lifestyle whilst touring and performing was ‘work hard and play hard’, so I suppose I’m making a considered effort to move away from many bad habits I got into, health-wise. I try to keep to my diet and lifestyle but sometimes, of course, it has to relax.

To relax, unwind and meet friends I go to performances: dance, theatre and live music at the Academy of Music and Theatre Arts (AMATA) at Falmouth University, the Hall for Cornwall in Truro, Sterts near Liskeard, the Barbican Theatre and Theatre Royal in Plymouth and other regional venues. A recent highlight has been Cheap Date Dance performing How I Lost It at AMATA – an exciting new company. I enjoy going to Beerwolf, a wonderfully quirky bar-cum-bookshop in Falmouth, for the atmosphere and the books; Miss Peapod’s, a café and evening music-dance venue on the waterfront in Penryn, for a boogie or a band; and Cribbs for Caribbean food or Espressini for a good artisan coffee with friends.

LANGUISHING IN MY BATHROOM I’m not really a products man and because I eat coconut oil I don’t seem to need them so much as my skin, nails and teeth feel very healthy. The few products I do use are: Clinique for Men – facial moisturiser; Sanctuary Spa radiance exfoliator; Sanctuary Spa 5-minute thermal detox mask; and Faith in Nature shower gel and shampoo.

beautiful fused glass interior pieces, handmade at our cornwall studio. bespoke design service available. galleries at st ives, padstow, fowey and launceston, cornwall and ripley, surrey. www.jodowns.com

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The Great Cornish Food Festival On 26 - 27 September, tens of thousands of people descended on to Truro’s Lemon Quay for the Great Cornish Food Festival, now in its 12th year and as popular as ever. The event is completely dedicated to Cornish food and drink. Over 100 different food experts and chefs from across the county, including Nathan Outlaw who closed the festival, were among the line-up of exhibitors, live demonstrations and children’s activities to get people trying, tasting and learning about Cornwall’s fabulous larder. Photos by Sean Gee. seangeephotography.com

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confidential

Jewellery from the heart of Cornwall OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Peak Mon to Sat: 9:30am–5:30pm Sun and Off Peak: 10:00am–4:30pm

TOLGUS MILL, NR REDRUTH, CORNWALL, TR16 4HN | TEL 01209 203 280 | cornwall-gold.com

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The Turner Locker Barnfield Revival On Saturday 26 September, Barnfield Crescent in Exeter played host to the TLB Revival 2015. This was the event’s second year. In 2014, Turner Locker Barnfield, commercial property letting agents consultants in Exeter, decided to have a day out dedicated to their passion outside office hours: vintage cars and motorbikes.

This year, participants and visitors gathered from 11am to 4pm around a vast array of vintage classic cars and vehicles, and many donned vintage costume in a genuine homage to Goodwood Revival & Salon Privé. There was music from the close-harmony vocal trio The Siren Sisters, The Delta 88s, and swing band The Nightowls.

A café and food was provided by the Hidden Treasure Tea Room (cakes) and Fancy That! (Caribbean curries).

Funds were raised throughout the day for Help for Heroes. Photos by Andrew Butler. andrewbutler.net

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confidential

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PHOTO:AMAYA HINTON MELLOR

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As I see it...

Anthony Loyd is an award-winning special correspondent for The Times who has spent 22 years reporting on conflict, including wars in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo and Sierra Leone, and is the author of two books. He lives in South Devon with his wife Harriet, daughter and step-daughter.

I have to live with different personas and I have to be good at compartmentalising to exist in different worlds: war, home and the places between.

To successfully report on and survive in war – always an environment of uncertainty and sometimes one of chaos – I assume a selfish, single-minded alter ego. I like to think my personality back at home is much more self-less: it’s about being a dad and a husband, picking up the dog turd, paying the bills, and doing stuff for other people.

I no longer go to war for the excitement and adrenalin factor as I did when I was 26 years old. I go to war now because I still think journalism is an important job and, after doing it for 22 years, I feel that I’m just about qualified to do it properly. The confluence of age and maturity; the experience of so many wars; my own list of dead friends and sadnesses; my awareness of fortune and a couple of bullet wounds: all these have given me a broader understanding of people and their emotions. Every war story is just a story about people.

I try not to talk about war when I’m not in a war because inevitably I get to hear other people’s opinions and often get irritated, especially if someone is telling me about war while never having been in one themself. It is not a personal rule but it should be.

As a child I was raised in a house of women and animals. As a man I am happy to live in similar company.

I am aware of the impact of so much violence and death in my life, but I am also conscious of finding great solace in the wild. It is a good gift to have.

Step-parenting is much more challenging than parenting – there are so many more variables and unknowns. As steps, you’re both pitched into a relationship that is primarily to do with someone else’s choices. When it goes well, it goes very well, and when it goes bad it goes loco.

My step-daughter and I are the minorities in our own ghetto: we know the complications better than any of the bloods in the house. But if things get tense for any reason at home, the first barricades to go up are between she and I. We have a good relationship and it is our own, built to our own rules and understandings, but it’s never a given – we never have the quick default setting to ‘peace’ you’ll have after a barney with your own blood.

I was a heroin addict for about seven years, a long time ago. Scrambling out of addiction is a laborious and painful path, and one is obsessed by the ball and chain when it is there. But once you put some real time between you and drugs it all seems to recede back into the distance. It’s quite

hard as a 49-year-old to really revisualise the space I was in at the time. I hardly ever think about it now. Just once in a while, when I’m doing my accounts, I think ‘screw this, I’d rather be getting wasted’.

A journalist friend told me he was in a café in London recently when he caught the eye of a tramp who was reading a book. They got into conversation. The tramp said, “I knew a journalist once called Ant Loyd, we were in rehab together 17 years ago.” That was a pretty sobering thought. Here I am with a career, family and a home, and there he is with smashed teeth, stitches in his head, dirty clothes, homeless on the streets of London.

Fishing brings huge amusement to my family, who see me grim-jawed walk out the door with a fishing rod more times than I care to count and return more often than not empty handed. I guess my love of fishing is in the pursuit of the fish rather than the actual catch – it has to be.

I’m quite an emotional and often an angry man, and I find great peace and balm being amongst natural things or lifeforms. I am not angry when I am walking my dogs, when I am at the water’s edge or on a boat in the water, fishing. I’m very easily amused and distracted by the antics of the birds, the insects, the animals.

It is inevitably frustrating having worked so long in the war in Syria to see only now that it’s entering people’s consciousness. Those of us who have reported from Syria have warned for many years about the overspill from that war. By and large our reports went unheeded.

It is only now people really pay attention. But that is human nature. Rationally I can’t begrudge it, although emotionally I get quite annoyed about it. What did everyone think when Syria first started falling into the abyss with hundreds of thousands dead? That the survivors would hang around?

I wrote My War Gone By, I Miss It So not long after the end of the Bosnian war, the conclusion of a definitive period in my life, and the story is as much about a rite of manhood as a tale of war. It begins with a young, narcissistic man who hitch-hikes off to war because he wants to see what war is like. It is quite strange now, looking back coldly, 22 years after that start point, to see how time has changed me. To look back with a bit of a wry smile and think, ‘I still know you’.

My War Gone By, I Miss It So by Anthony Loyd is being reissued 20 years after the end of the Bosnian war with a new introduction on 3 November by September Publishing.

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A tent, a box and a bigger story ShelterBox responds to disasters around the world by providing shelter and vital equipment. Its CEO Alison Wallace talks to Fiona McGowan about the challenges faced by this Helston-based charity. Photos by Adj Brown.

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Y

ou can imagine Alison Wallace as a diplomat or a senior politician. She speaks quickly and she has a lawyer’s acumen for conveying information efficiently. There are few wasted words and fewer hesitations.

As chief executive of the charity ShelterBox, her style of communication could not be better suited: ShelterBox’s mission is to provide shelter and vital equipment in response to disasters around the world – often at a moment’s notice. The ops team might get a report about an earthquake in Chile, and within hours they will be organizing for the distinctive bright green crates to be shipped to the area hit by the crisis.

ShelterBox was providing shelter to Syrian migrants on the tiny Greek island of Lesbos before most people in the world knew that there was a refugee crisis on the way. It is an organization that has to think on its feet, to be flexible in its responses and to mobilise volunteers in a way that is reminiscent of the Lifeboat crews.

Only on a global scale…

It is appropriate, then, that Alison is a global citizen herself – hailing from the small city of Hamilton in New Zealand, she grew up with an admirable passion and a belief in her place in the whole world. “I grew up in a very internationally minded family,” she explains. “My parents played a part in local politics, but also in a lot of international campaigning – they had a big role in the antiapartheid protests of the 1980s, for example.” She recalls evenings around the dinner table where everyone had to sit in silence while they listened to the six o’clock news, making international current affairs an intrinsic part of her home-life. Widely travelled themselves, Alison’s parents encouraged their three daughters to have a global outlook.

“There was always the sense of ‘this is a wonderful world: it’s exciting, it’s challenging, there’s a lot that is wrong – so what’s your role going to be in that?’

So, from the beginning, I knew I was going to do something that mattered, something that would make a difference – however small in some ways – to somebody’s life.”

And here she sits, in an unassuming office in Helston, West Cornwall, making a very great difference indeed. This year alone, ShelterBox has responded to crisis after crisis, many of which have gone under the radar of the major news channels.

Of course, ShelterBox had a pivotal role in helping displaced families in the wake of the Nepal earthquakes earlier this year, but who remembers the floods in Malaysia and Malawi, refugee crises in Tanzania and Cameroon, cyclones in Vanuatu and volcanoes in Chile? Only last night came the news that a huge earthquake had hit central Chile. I contacted press officer Mark Nicholson to ask about

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Alison Wallace

ShelterBox was providing shelter to Syrian migrants on the tiny Greek island of Lesbos before most people in the world knew that there was a refugee crisis on the way.

ShelterBox’s response. “Our operations team in Helston was aware of the situation within hours via a contact in Santiago,” he tells me. “Over the next day, we will be focused on properly assessing whether to deploy [ShelterBox equipment and volunteers].”

The great humanitarian issue right now is the mass migration of Syrian refugees across Europe. I ask Alison whether providing aid for these people is in ShelterBox’s remit, when it usually helps to deal with situations in comparatively smaller locales.

It turns out that ShelterBox had already begun to provide shelter to the first waves of desperate people several weeks ago – before many of us were aware that a crisis was building. “I’m very proud of the work that we did,” says Alison. “We sent a team to the Greek island of Lesbos four weeks ago. The fact that we were doing that before there was massive international interest is really pertinent to the way that ShelterBox operates.”

Unfortunately, the lack of co-ordination and sheer

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number of people arriving on the island meant that ShelterBox and other organisations could no longer provide help in that location. It is currently aiming to find another location on the mainland, where efforts are better coordinated, and ShelterBox response volunteers can work with other shelter charities as part of the UN-designated ‘clusters’, which have worked well in the past.

Alison’s background in working for campaigning and advocacy organisations, such as British Refugee Council, Friends of the Earth and Amnesty International, gives her an impressive understanding of the wider geopolitical causes of the crises that ShelterBox responds to. “I studied Global Politics at Birkbeck because I wanted to round out some of the experience that I was getting.” She can see clearly that everything has a context: “The European refugee crisis is not a single-cause, easily solved, national or even regional issue. It’s a geopolitical thing. It brings in Russia, the EU, and the US. The

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thing with mass migration is that people can move so easily now. They speak multiple languages, they are well educated, they can walk across borders…”

Alison is keen to point out that ShelterBox appears to have a simple remit: “You’re displaced from your home. We’ll bring a tent. A box with kitchen equipment and household equipment,” but it is actually part of a bigger story. “We work in this incredibly complex changing global environment.

And we can’t do anything without a very clear understanding of how that impacts on our work.”

ShelterBox has recently joined 400 separate organisations calling on the UK government to make better provision for 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next four or five years. Clearly, advocacy and campaigning is still one of Alison’s strong suits.

Britain has had an amazing impact on Alison since she first arrived in 1992, fresh out of law school and thinking that she was going to work in New Zealand and “be like Susan Day in LA Law – doing human rights and labour law, all heroic stuff.” In Britain, she sensed that she was in the middle of something. “I think, for me, Britain has always played a very global role. That’s always been attractive about the UK: its international news coverage, its role in the European Union and in key UN structures and agencies.” She has huge praise for the British public, too: “I think British people are amazing,” says Alison sincerely.

“The news can sometimes portray them as inwardlooking or not caring about others, but time and time again, in all of the roles I’ve had in this sector, that has been totally disproved. British people are very, very humanitarian-minded.”

ShelterBox, she adds, is like the central part of a Venn diagram for her – the overlap between ‘international outlook’, ‘helping others’ and ‘Britain’.

It is inspiring to be with someone so genuinely enthused by the work she does, as well as the human context in which she has carved her career.

Learning more about the complexities of her job, though, makes me wonder if she finds it particularly challenging. She spends a portion of her working life in London, where ShelterBox has an office, and the rest at ShelterBox HQ in Helston. She shuttles between the two regularly by train, dashing in and

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Having a close relationship with the world-wide network of the Rotary Club is key to helping ShelterBox get information out and to helping bring in aid using charter planes, to connect with local governments and with local groups

out of high-level meetings. Alison points out that any chief executive works in a similar way – living part-time in Cornwall doesn’t seem to faze her. The challenges she faces are simply the challenges of working for a rapid-response aid organization.

The key to ShelterBox’s strategy and success is that it tends to focus on relatively small-scale disasters, which means it can be both flexible and efficient. The organization has a ‘pre-positioning’ model, where the big plastic boxes are stored at 20 locations around the world, in transport hubs such as Dubai, so it can be a relatively short hop to bring the boxes to a disaster zone. Another factor is the speed with which information is passed to the organisation. Using resources like Reuters, the International Organisation for Migration, Global Disaster Alert Coordination System and the Met Office, the ops department can track and flag up any potential flashpoints, but it is the relationships that the organization has on the ground that make all the difference. Having a close relationship with the world-wide network of the Rotary Club is key to helping ShelterBox get information out and to helping bring in aid using

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charter planes, to connect with local governments and with local groups. In spite of all this preparation and careful logistical planning, Alison says that the biggest challenge about working at ShelterBox is “the unpredictability, the changeable nature of plans. It’s a logistical spider’s web.” At the same time as overseeing the logistical decisions, Alison is the public face of the agency, maintaining and building relationships with fundraisers and volunteers, and dealing with any inter-organisational issues.

She does, incredibly, manage to spend quality time in Cornwall. “I am, bit by bit, knocking off sections of the South West Coast Path,” she says with a smile. “I’ve made it from Falmouth to Penzance so far. And I’m an amateur, poor and unfit cyclist, and there’s a lot of very good off-road cycling for someone like me.” Alison is clearly not going to let her hectic work life affect her enjoyment of living right by the stunning Lizard peninsula. “My bike is down here. My walking boots are down here. I’m not moving back to London any time soon.” shelterbox.org

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The politics of waste Taking plastic as his subject – in both a metaphorical and literal sense – photographer Andy Hughes is documenting the impact our throw-away society is having on the natural world.

Words by Fiona McGowan.

Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, West Cornwall, England, 2003, C-Type print, 100 x 100 cms

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I

t is 1984. The streets of mining towns in Yorkshire are thrumming with the anger and frustration of thousands of miners on the picket lines protesting bad pay and bad working conditions.

The combination of aggression and solidarity give the grim streets a war-zone mentality. Weaving his way among them is a young man with a camera, capturing this moment in history; a teenager who grew up embedded in this mining community, whose family members have worked in the mines for generations.

As a Southerner, I only have dim memories of this time – seen through the lens of TV cameras, newspapers and documentaries, then updated in technicolour in films such as Billy Elliot or The Full Monty. To have lived through it, though, must have etched something visceral on the psyche. No artist could have grown out of this crucible without it fundamentally influencing their creativity.

So it is with Andy Hughes. The photographer’s Yorkshire accent is still evident as we sit in Porthtowan beach café, cupping cappuccinos while a gale batters huge waves onto the shore and throws rain like stones against the window. At first, it seems as though the northern mining towns are as remote as you can get from this stretch of the Cornish coast, which has been Hughes’s home for nearly 20 years.

But there’s a lineage that connects it all.

Andy’s ‘Billy Elliot moment’, as he calls it, came when he decided not to leave school at 16, but to go to college and study art. He would get on the bus in Castleford, he says, enduring the looks and comments as he lugged his portfolio case around with him.

Later, when he left Yorkshire to study fine art at Cardiff, he was led away from his roots in some ways, but in other ways he remained connected. “South Wales,” he explains, “is another mining community.”

He saw the same social and environmental problems, and spent his spare time photographing the gritty

lives of mining towns and villages that had been decimated after the pit closures. “It was all about waste, even then, the stuff that people pull out of the ground and leave lying around.” It was this passion for photography and reportage that began to draw him away from the strictures of a Fine Art degree – by the time he graduated, he had set his mind on studying Photography at London’s Royal College of Art, and impressed the board of interviewers enough to win a bursary. “I think they noticed me at first because I was so skint that I couldn’t afford one of those leather-bound portfolios, so I made my own out of cardboard and sticky tape,” says Andy, laughing. “They told me that they looked at it first, because it stood out so much.”

Fast-forward 25 years. Andy Hughes is still passionate about documenting the results of human consumption. His journey has taken him from the slag heaps and discontent of closed coal mines to the impoverished clay- and tin-mining communities of Cornwall. But his artistic destination lies beyond heartlands of these places: he was drawn by his passion for surfing to the coast and the ocean. Here, he began to document the fallout of a wasteful society.

Inspired by the work of Surfers Against Sewage, with which he worked from its inception in 1993, he takes exquisite images of the plastic that litters the world’s coastlines. He explains that he was powerfully influenced by conceptual artist Keith Arnatt – who took remarkable, almost abstract photographs of rubbish such as tin cans and rotting bread. Andy’s work, however, is something all of its own. Focusing sharply on plastic items that have been discarded, usually set in an aesthetic context of blue lapping waves, a glowering sky or a grainy beach, he brings the juxtaposition of beauty and the moral dilemma of our times onto the canvas.

The result is exceptional. A piece of abstract art that

Focusing sharply on plastic items that have been discarded, usually set in an aesthetic context of blue lapping waves, a glowering sky or a grainy beach, he brings the juxtaposition of beauty and the moral dilemma of our times onto the canvas.

Above: Andy Hughes in Alaska

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Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles, California, 2005, C-Type print, 100 x 100 cms

North Beach, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, 2005, C-Type print, 100 x 100 cms

Gwithian Beach, West Cornwall, England, 2004, C-Type print, 100 x 100 cms

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carries a deep message about the crisis of our throwaway culture and the damage it is doing to the life in our oceans. In 2010, he produced a book, Dominant Wave Theory, which showcased images of flotsam and detritus from beaches around the world, and featured essays by leading environmental activists and advocates including Chris Hines of Surfers Against Sewage, marine biologist Dr Richard Thompson and environmental author Lena Lencek. Designed by renowned graphic designer David Carson, the book is an artwork in itself and received critical acclaim around the world.

In 2013, Andy Hughes was invited to join a small number of artists, scientists and educators in an expedition to the wilderness of Alaska. What he found in Anchorage surprised him. “It’s a very young population, and there is a real enterprising spirit. People are coming up with all sorts of surprising businesses – like a guy who makes glasses frames out of wood.” In Alaska, they’re marketing the incredible growth in small businesses as ‘the modern-day gold rush’.

But outside of the vibrant, eco-friendly city, the story is not so positive. In the remote seas, the team were shocked to discover the amount of plastic waste and marine debris that littered the vast, seemingly untouched landscape. They carried out a huge cleanup of Hallo Bay in Katmai National Park, where debris from the Japanese tsunami in 2011 has washed ashore, damaging ecosystems and killing wildlife. Andy’s images from this expedition are currently part of a major exhibition in LA (‘Gyre – The Plastic Ocean’ is at USC Fisher Museum until 14 November 2015).

It was while he was in Alaska that he also had a close encounter with a grizzly bear and her three cubs. It was to affect him deeply. “I sometimes suffer from anxiety,” he says, “but when I think of the moment when a grizzly was a few metres away from me, and we had no way of defending ourselves… nothing else can ever terrify me like that.” The moment was so intense that Andy and some of the other crew members burst

It’s clear that the younger generation has no more understanding of waste than the ‘use-it-and-chuck-it’ generation that embraced the plastic revolution of the 80s, 90s and Noughties.

Balnakeil Beach, Sutherland, Scotland, 2004, C-Type print, 100 x 100 cms

into tears after the bear and her cubs walked away. “It’s about respect. We’re guests in their home,” Andy says. And it is our trash, the shadow of our physical presence, that is encroaching on that home.

Of course, the burning question is, ‘what can be done?’ Highlighting the problem is, of course, vital – and using art is a powerful way of communicating the urgency of the need to change. Andy’s reportagestyle zine, shot this year at Glastonbury, shows a sickening amount of plastic waste carpeting the festival grounds. It’s clear that the younger generation has no more understanding of waste than the ‘useit-and-chuck-it’ generation that embraced the plastic revolution of the 80s, 90s and Noughties.

“The main problem is single-use plastics,” says Andy. “The way that people drink from a bottle and throw it away. There need to be incentives to take bottles back – perhaps reverse vending machines that give you money back when you return your bottles.

The Somersault festival [in Somerset] had a great idea: the organisers gave money back on every used plastic cup that was returned. There were whole families collecting huge towers of cups – and there was hardly any waste after the festival.”

He points to a culture that insists on plastic water bottles in corporate meetings. “What’s wrong with a jug and glasses of water?” he asks. Andy is certainly not going to sit quietly – from teaching photography to students at Truro college to working on an advertising campaign for a major eco corporation and getting involved with grassroots campaigns around the world, he uses his artistic lens to push for society to change its attitude to waste.

Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles, California, 2005, C-Type print, 100 x 100 cms

andyhughes.net Andy’s work is currently part of the ‘Gyre – The Plastic Ocean’ exhibition at USC Fisher Museum of Art in Los Angeles. His photographs also form part of a grassroots campaign to educate people in Peru about plastic waste called ‘Life out of Plastic’.

West Beach, Santa Barbara, California, 2005, C-Type print, 100 x 100 cms

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“These portraits were taken as commissions for theatrical productions over the last two years. I love using light to elevate photographs whether it’s natural light or studio lights. I particularly enjoy photographing theatre and productions of any kind because you’re working with actors and dancers who are very comfortable in front of a camera and happy to experiment. This and the lighting mean you can get a real feel of drama in the images.”

MATT AUSTIN

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Macbeth, Four of Swords Theatre, Beer Quarry Caves, 2014

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China Doll, Bad Habit Theatre, 2015

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Opposite and above: Doctor Faustus, Four of Swords Theatre, 2014.

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Both images: Engage Project, Northcott Theatre, 2013

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Eloise and the Curse of the Golden Whisk at the Bikeshed Theatre from 8 December, 2015

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A Christmas Carol, Creative Cow Theatre at the Northcott, Exeter, from December 4, 2015

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The Common Players, Jerusalem

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Kirsty Tancock charity calendar shoot for transplant troopers, 2014, in the Barnfield Theatre

Duplicity, Substance and Shadow Theatre, 2013

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Northcott and Exeter City Football club Brazil production, 2014

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Northcott and Exeter City Football club Brazil production, 2014

MATT AUSTIN “I have been a photographer for 15 years after taking a trainee job as a press photographer at the Express and Echo newspaper based in Exeter.

“I was led into photography by my father, Richard Austin, a well-known professional photographer. He used to photograph premiership football and would take me to the matches. I would sit next to him on the pitch and take a few pictures of my own but my main job was to run the film back to the darkroom at the ground to be processed as the game was going on.

“I’m now in my fourth year as a freelance photographer. The best thing about my job is that every day can be very different.

The range of things you get involved in and the different people you meet from so many walks of life is amazing.

“I have a small shop and studio in my home town of Lyme Regis in Dorset where I’m very thankful that my wife Marie runs things, organising my diary and leaving me to get out and take pictures.” maustinpics.wix.com/mattaustinimages

The Three Bells, 2015

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Head XII, 111.5 x 66.3 cm 54

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A trajectory of talent From his beginnings in the world of comic books, artist Michael J Austin is now renowned for creating oil paintings of startling realism. Imogen Clements joins him in his Devon studio to talk process, paint and new directions.

M

ichael J Austin is sitting in the neat studio adjacent to his home in Down St Mary and, rubbing his chin, ponders the question. “It comes down to time really,” he responds. “Many paintings you see these days have been done relatively quickly.

Much is inspired by the 50s and 60s St Ives set, which is no bad thing; it’s just unusual today to see work that has taken a long time to create – doubtless down to the pressure of galleries, and modern life.”

My question was why art like his, so fine and rich in detail, seems such a rarity these days. Looking at Michael J Austin’s paintings, you’re reminded of the work of celebrated Old Masters hanging in the National Gallery. Theirs is a feat of light and colour in oils that depict scenes or subjects more real than reality; such work it’s hard to believe is painted – until you’re up close and can see the brush strokes.

As it is with the work of Michael J Austin.

When you do come across a painter like Austin, two questions come to mind: how does he do it, and how did he come to be such an accomplished painter?

In Austin’s case it was nature over nurture. At least, he was self-taught rather than the product of any esteemed art school. Rewind back to childhood and he quickly became known as the best artist in his school; if anyone wanted anything drawn, they would go to Michael.

On leaving school, he lived at home with his parents, drawing comic strips and sending them to

prospective employers. Within a year, Marvel Comics had published one – a cover for Ironman – and that was the start of Austin’s 15-year career in comic books.

It proved good discipline for an aspiring professional artist. “Comic book drawing is notoriously difficult to do well. They have to be drawn from scratch direct onto the page – it’s very unforgiving in that you can’t make a mistake when inking-in as it’s impossible to correct, plus each stage needs to be drawn in such a way that the reader’s engrossed.”

He elaborates: “You’re given a script to work from and you can’t have every box on the page showing two talking heads – the reader would quickly lose interest.

One can show the talking heads, the next just the eyes of one character expressing some kind of emotion, the next something pertinent that one of the guys may be focused on, and so on, different angles, changes in focus… just as a cameraman would in filming a drama.”

This was good grounding. Austin honed his sensitivity to nuances of emotion and expressions of strength and, although he continued to draw for comic books, he was also being commissioned to illustrate features and short stories by national newspapers and magazines. “People tended to like me for my realism. Even the comic strip people would pick me for the realistic scenes, when all I really wanted to draw were giant robots with big guns.”

From fantasy to reality was clearly the direction his art was taking. As a successful freelance, Austin would

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People tended to like me for my realism. Even the comic strip people would pick me for the realistic scenes, when all I really wanted to draw were giant robots with big guns.

Judge Dredd as featured in 2000AD

take three months off a year to explore new subject areas. During one of these periods he created a series of nudes and decided to present them to a number of galleries. Most turned him away, refusing even to look until approached through the formal channels, but The Albermarle Gallery in London did look, and exhibited the series in 1996. They all sold, marking Austin’s first successful foray into the gallery world.

He followed this up with a mailshot to some 30 galleries, and two responded: one was interested but thought he should go to art school first to broaden his field; the other offered to represent him. The immediate commercial option beckoned, and in 1997 Austin exhibited for the first time, represented

by Jonathan Cooper, at Art London. Again, the exhibition proved successful and Jonathan Cooper has been his main gallerist ever since.

“My first exhibition for Jonathan was a random mix of subjects – nudes, animals, quasi-religious scenes – then it became clear what sold and Jonathan

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was particularly keen on the animals, hence I began to focus on horses, bulls and farm animals. I’ve probably done about 14 horses heads, many of them large canvases, about four foot in height.”

These works, in the main, depict just the head and neck of a horse that’s larger than life and breathtaking in detail – the veins and tendons seem to almost tremble and twitch, the curve and shine of its neck make you want to reach out and stroke it. These paintings sell for anything between £10,000 and £18,000, and it’s no wonder he sold so many. He continues to do so. There is one drying in his studio as we talk.

So, just how does he do it? How does a painter using oils, medium and a brush achieve such vivid detail on such scale?

“I work from photos, but to take the photo you need to know what you’re looking for, which I will have formed an idea of through sketch-work. What I’m after will come from a mash-up of different photos rather than one, then with my painting I aim

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Nude on a Chair, oil on canvas, 35 x 30 cm

Fallow Buck, oil on canvas, 92 x 122 cm

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I tend to disappear into my own world where at the end of the day you know something’s happened but can’t quite see what.

At work on Head XII

to get inside the photograph, inject life into it, using my imagination.”

A painting such as the horse takes between two weeks and a month to complete.

“You can’t speed it up. The process starts with painting a representation of the animal really quickly.

I let that dry, then work on each section in detail, moving my way around the canvas and blending in one with the next. Oils allow you to do this, given the time they take to dry. Once it’s fully dried – around five days – I’ll go back over it again, pulling key things out.

“It’s a laborious process, and requires a degree of confidence because occasionally it will look crap. You have to know that what you are trying to achieve will all come together.”

Austin makes it sound easy, but even he realizes that there is something inexplicable in what he creates: “I tend to disappear into my own world where at the end of the day you know something’s happened but can’t quite see what.”

Although still asked for animals by various galleries, which of course he delivers to maintain a living – he’s married with three young children – Austin is currently exploring new territories, quite literally.

This summer he and a cameraman, Justin Evans, went on a road trip around Spain. Austin would

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stop at various points en route, paint scenes, urban and rural, and Justin would film or photograph the painter at work.

“The trip allowed me to explore new subject areas and allowed Justin to record both the setting and the process I go through when painting. It’s fascinating to watch, even to me. Many, on seeing the video, assume it’s been speeded up – my brush strokes are bizarrely fast.”

Austin came away with a passion for the Spanish landscape – its grassy planes, gnarled olive trees, and the heat’s effect on the environment. Transfixed by the colours of Spain, he decided to create a body of work that would record his travels and the sights that greeted him. It wasn’t the first time he’d painted while travelling – in 2003, Austin was invited by Prince Charles to be his tour artist on an official trip to India and Oman. This time, however, he was doing it for himself.

“Landscapes are a departure for me, but all artists look to move into unknown territories, to broaden their repertoire and stretch themselves. Trees, for example, are not easy – you can’t paint every branch.”

Gallery demands and commissions permitting, Austin hopes to exhibit this latest body of work next year in Devon and London, but Justin Evans’s atmospheric film of the paintings’ raw beginnings, the scenes that inspired them, and specifically Austin’s technique, is viewable online now on Michael’s website. The films offer a rare insight into the practice of a highly accomplished fine artist, something that’s been denied us with those Masters of old. michaeljaustin.co.uk Michael J Austin is represented by: The John Davies Gallery (from November), Gloucestershire Jonathan Cooper Park Walk Gallery, London SW10 Cross Gate Gallery, Kentucky, USA Beaux Arts, Bath Fine Arts Commissions, London SW1

BEASTS: EQUINE, BOVINE & MORE An Exhibition of Paintings by Fine Contemporary & Period Animal Painters November 7th - 28th

Alexandra Klimas

Charley Snow

Alexandra Klimas

Michael J Austin

Michael J Austin

Michael J Austin

Michael J Austin

Michael J Austin

(detail)

Gavin Watson

Valerie Hinz

Deborah Jackson

40-page colour catalogue £15

The Old Dairy Plant · Fosseway Business Park · Stratford Road · Moreton-in-Marsh · GL56 9NQ 01608 652255 · info@johndaviesgallery.com · www.johndaviesgallery.com MANOR | Autumn 2015

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01548 853 799 .

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6F, South Hams Business Park, Churchstow, Kingsbridge, Devon, TQ7 3QH

Culture

Michael Broad | Sandy Brown | Coombe Gallery South West must sees | Worth making the trip for | Worth staying in for

Christine Allen’s Memory and Places Until 2 November at Penwith Gallery, St Ives. penwithgallery.com

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Following his move to the West Country, children’s author and illustrator Michael Broad immersed himself in folklore, and found his work taking a new direction.

Words by Belinda Dillon.

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culture

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he West Country has long been a mecca for artists of all kinds. They come for the light and the space; the broad skies and the lost hollows. With its wild moorland, galloping coastlines, and hamlets that seem hidden except during a blue moon, there’s the sense that the worlds of myth and legend are much closer to the surface than in other places; the boundaries blurred or somewhat less substantial. The traditions of storytelling are embedded in the very ground beneath our feet.

As a writer and illustrator of children’s books – including the Jake Cake fiction series, the first of which was shortlisted for the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize, and picture book Scaredy Cat and Boo!, nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal – Michael Broad is no stranger to the conjuring of alternate realities. After all, the man who created Space Mutts: Fluffy Assassins from Mars, about an intergalactic war between the animal kingdom’s oldest rivals, clearly has no trouble creating imaginary worlds and characters. But it was the move to Exeter from London in 2013 that deepened his interest in traditional stories as a source of inspiration, and sparked a shift in the tone of his work as well as in the form: characters he’s been sketching and thinking about for years are now demanding a space in the world – and not just on the page but on canvas and, more recently, in porcelain.

“I certainly got more into folklore when I moved down here – it just seemed the thing to do,” says Michael, as we sit in his sunny kitchen overlooking Stoke Woods, Bella the black Labrador snuffling at our feet. “I got hold of books by Katherine Briggs, who in the 1970s catalogued as many versions of British folk tales as she could find. It was really inspiring to go through them and pick subjects, sometimes even just motifs, and go from there. That’s where most of my recent paintings came from.”

Michael had always used painting as a way of drawing a line between writing projects, but in early 2014 he took three months off and devoted the time to capturing the ideas and images that were bubbling up – and there is definitely an atmosphere of the unconscious about the work. In contrast to his illustration work for children – which beam with bright colours and cute animals – these paintings come from a more muted, often monochrome, palette, and teem with fantastical characters that shift between animal, human, plant and everything in between; the boundaries between beings fluid and interstitial. Intriguing and surreal, they draw you in and invite multiple readings.

In summer 2014, a painting, The Secret, was accepted into the Royal Academy. Michael then took part in a joint exhibition at Glorious Art Café in Exeter, where he met Ek and Eunice, who run

Dreamweavers

Night Procession

I like the idea that people get to own their dream worlds and choose where they go – a world that’s entirely of their own creation.

Michael Broad

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The Secret

Thoughts

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Unearth Pottery in the city. And from there, Michael’s work has moved from two dimensions into three.

“I’d been saying for years I wanted to do ceramics, but not through classes – I just wanted to make stuff,” says Michael. “Ek and Eunice invited me to pop in, they’re such lovely people, so I went down to Unearth with my sketchbook, which is full of all these characters I’ve been drawing for years – some are from books and stories, others are just preoccupations. I knew I wanted to make them physically, but I didn’t know how.”

And the process – the learning about different glazes and techniques, the experimentation, the shaping and honing – has been liberating. “It’s been such a lovely thing to discover, and has completely freed me up,” says Michael. “You do the same thing over and again, and you begin to feel like you’re getting predictable, that you know what you’ll be doing next, or how, but this was completely new.

Porcelain is very hard to work with because it’s so soft, but it has such a luminescent quality that it’s worth it – it’s so much finer, more beautiful, and stronger once it’s made. I’d already been knocking back the colour in my paintings, and here the black worked so well, too, and it’s subsequently filtered into

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I wonder how much richer life must have been for people when their lives were dominated by stories and a solid belief in the existence of fairy roads and magic.

my children’s books. At the moment there’s more of a grey area between what’s for children and what’s for adults. Mine have been traditional up to now, and it’s only since my detour in art and ceramics that I’m coming back and thinking of trying new things.”

Tantalising, intriguing pieces, the figures are very touchable, and seem to glow with their own internal light, as if they’ve leapt, fully formed, from the pages of Michael’s sketchbooks or climbed down from his canvases. There’s a dark-haired woman, for instance, who crops up in a number of places, guardian-like, as if she’s ushering these characters forth from his imagination into the world, demanding to become more tangible through time. Egg-like pieces have faces on one side, calm and in repose, but turn them round and they reveal another character all together, or a creature hidden inside, peeking out.

“I like things that you open and look inside, that you discover for yourself,” says Michael. “When I was a child I was fascinated by cuckoo clocks, by the world inside that would be revealed every hour. All the eggs represent daydreams or thoughts – a glimpse inside a character’s head.”

A preoccupation with drawing out what’s inside almost led Michael towards a very different career: following a BA in illustration, he trained as a psychotherapist, and had been practising for a couple of years when his first children’s book was published, and life took a more creative turn. But the interest in internal worlds and hidden depths is there still, infusing his work. And actually, the roles aren’t so different – whereas writers shape stories to immerse readers, pulling them in to imagined worlds, psychotherapists are bringing people’s hidden narratives to the surface in order to heal. Stories are part of our DNA; they are how we understand the world.

“I’ve definitely moved from external stories to internal narratives,” says Michael, who is currently working on a new picture-book project (the specifics of which we’ve sworn to keep secret) about dreams.

“The pieces I call the towers of tales, in a way these were my sketchbooks for the new book. It was a way for me to work through the ideas – what is dreamland, what are dreams, who’s in control of them, how do I want it to work?

“I like the idea that people get to own their dreamworlds and choose where they go – a world that’s entirely of their own creation. One of my favourite artists is Leonara Carrington, and she was often asked if the characters and places she painted were real. She used to say that she didn’t know where the imagination comes from, so perhaps those places really do exist. That’s a valid answer.

Those things really excite me. I’m creating my own alternate reality, and I don’t know that it’s not real.

These things are coming from somewhere – from my experience of life and art that I see – and the world builds and builds and it’s real to me, I go there all the time, see these characters. Some of them recur, some of them I draw and immediately know they’re not right, and other times it’s like, ‘oh, hello, there you are again.’”

How different is the creative process of writing a book to creating characters and narratives in porcelain? “This is more spontaneous, because I’m not responsible for a reader making sense of it; I don’t need to take anyone from a to b. With these, I know someone can just appreciate it aesthetically. They could try and unravel the stories that I’ve put in there, but I’d rather they bring their own narratives to it.

When I had the exhibition, people told me that they recognised a place as somewhere they’d been to in a dream, and I really like that.”

And living in Exeter, where you can stand in the middle of the bustling high street and see fields and woodland all around, provides plenty of spaces in which to wonder and dream. “I go out walking a lot with Bella the dog, and you soon realise how easy it is to let your imagination run away with you,” says Michael. “These are modern times, we know how the planet works, but when you’re in the woods, and it’s really quiet, and you see something flit past or hear something behind you… it’s so easy to imagine, what if ? I wonder how much richer life must have been for people when their lives were dominated by stories and a solid belief in the existence of fairy roads and magic.”

It strikes me that the porcelain figures and towers, so rich in interpretive potential, are in themselves like the magical objects at the heart of so many traditional fairy tales; talismans that imbue power or allow entry to other dimensions.

“Magic is what ever you think it is,” says Michael.

“These pieces are just clay and glass, a painting is just canvas and acrylic, and yet you look at it and recognise something in it; it’ll mean something to you. You have an experience with it, and that’s magic.”

Michael’s ceramics and paintings are available to buy through his Etsy shop. For full details and prices visit michaelbroad.co.uk

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Sandy Brown’s ceramic temple is creating waves at Sotheby’s ‘Beyond Limits’ exhibition at Chatsworth.

Andy Christian reflects upon the challenges encountered in the making of this place of sanctuary.

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PHOTO: SIMON BROADHEAD

andy Brown’s workshop and studio are housed in a former glove factory overlooking the Torridge estuary and out to Lundy. On the first floor of the building, the high-ceilinged gallery is lit by huge vertical windows that face directly out to sea. The town of Appledore lies beyond Bideford and fluctuates seasonally from being a quiet place between autumn and spring and as a busy summer tourist destination. The ground floor of Sandy’s building is where the clay is stored, and the preparation, making and firing of her ceramics takes place, and this last year it has been in constant production. Her self-imposed challenge to create a ‘Temple’ from thousands of individual hand-formed tiles has been a massive undertaking.

The opportunity to make the ‘Temple’ came about through the enthusiasm of curator and ceramics dealer Joanna Bird and Simon Stock at Sotheby’s. They saw the potential for a major piece of Sandy’s work to be included in ‘Beyond Limits’, the tenth annual exhibition of sculpture at Chatsworth House this autumn. But it was Sandy who took responsibility for setting herself such a huge task. The size of every tile had to be planned, and the inner and outer tiles of the roof dome had to be mathematically calculated. Sandy has had a faithful and unfazed team supporting the project: Sally Alderson has helped out one day a week, Angie Whitaker handled the maths, Richard Mounce has been the craftsman builder and technical assistant, with general assistance provided by Fiona Matthews.

Firing and glazing thousands of tiles has meant that the studio’s kilns have been constantly hot for six months. Sandy has been driven by her desire to create a building that could be used for meditation, contemplation and spiritual retreat. She wanted it to be a special place, both exciting to approach from outside and embracing the visitors inside. When the project was first talked about, others suggested a folly might be a good subject. Nothing could have been further from Sandy’s thinking. Her work is spirited, vigorous and truth seeking. The idea that she might just create an object of amusement in the landscape was out of the question.

Her work has always been a search for significance.

During the nine months of making, I visited the Appledore studio on several occasions. Sandy drove the project with huge energy, and her leadership of the small team was as impressive as their commitment to

PHOTO: SANDY BROWN

To enter the ‘Temple’ you are obliged to step over the lip of a circular entrance. The height insists that you make a bow.

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PHOTO: SANDY BROWN

Roof detail

Firing and glazing thousands of tiles has meant that the studio’s kilns have been constantly hot for six months.

PHOTO: SIMON BROADHEAD

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her dream. There was never any sense that a problem might lack a solution. Slowly, in the gallery on the first floor, tiles were added to the wooden skeleton. I missed seeing the last couple of weeks’ work, which took it to completion, but that makes a visit to Chatsworth even more compelling. After every piece was put in place, including eight circular portholes made by glass artist Simon Moore, each had to be taken apart, wrapped and shipped to Chatsworth.

There her team unpacked, sorted and reassembled each piece on a specially prepared site.

Some years ago Sandy took up gig racing. The physical demand of this activity has combined with her strong visionary sense to give her fitness and forceful purpose. When we last met, towards the end of the making process in Appledore, I was aware that her energy was so absorbed and her thoughts so consumed by the ‘Temple’ project that she was too spent to answer any lightweight questions or deal with unnecessary intrusions. By that time, much of the ‘Temple’ stood completed in front of me. Her voice was within it. We talked, shared lunch with her team and after an hour everyone was focused back on the project. There were few questions about what to do next. Each team member concentrated on their next task and Sandy intervened only if asked a question.

To enter the ‘Temple’ you are obliged to step over the lip of a circular entrance. The height insists that you make a bow. Within the circular space the vibrant tiles are decorated with dancing lines and geometric forms. Two ceramic stools allow a perch around a ceramic globe. If you look up into the dome, tiles of diminishing size lead your eyes to the

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PHOTO: SIMON BROADHEAD

Sandy painting tiles

PHOTO: SIMON BROADHEAD

centre, the origin. Though this is a secular space, it encourages a state of mind that allows the viewer to leave the everyday behind. Children are immediately excited by it. As the ‘Temple’ was being erected at Chatsworth, there was an immediate response as soon as they saw it; they ran towards it. The bright colour, the joyful brushstrokes and the sense that it offers a place of sanctuary or delight add to its magnetism.

This is the first time an artist who works primarily with clay has been invited to show work in the ‘Beyond Limits’ exhibition. The break away from more conventional sculptural materials is well overdue.

Artists who choose to work in clay have few enough opportunities in Britain to show their work. Sandy Brown’s work has been heralded in Europe and in the US, but conservatism still dominates British ceramics and much innovative work remains unseen. The ‘Temple’ deserves being in a public space after the Chatsworth exhibition closes.

When I left Sandy Brown and her team still making and decorating the last runs of tiles in Appledore, I was aware that after such an immense project there will need to be a time for recharging, for reflection, perhaps even a return to gig racing. What is absolutely clear to me is that this assured and energetic artist will be thinking beyond the ‘Temple’ this winter. She has the benefit of choice of scale. Her ranges of bowls and dishes are a sensual delight.

But she has made a piece of work that has found its place in the landscape and there is every indication that this will be followed by other interventions in the environment.

‘Beyond Limits’ exhibition is at Chatsworth, Derbyshire until 26 October 2015. sandybrownarts.com

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South West must sees...

PHOTO: JOHAN PERSSON

Desert island risks Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s spectacular Lord of the Flies – which wowed audiences and critics on its original run in 2011 – gets a welcome revival as it heads on tour this autumn. Skilfully adapted by Nigel Williams from William Golding’s 1954 novel, the production’s visual aesthetic strikingly charts the descent of a group of teenage boys into feral savagery after their plane crashes on a desert island. Exploring the eternal struggle between civilization and the call of the wild – as personified by morally upstanding Ralph and powercrazed Jack – the result is a nightmarish vision of lost innocence.

Suitable for ages 11+. 20 - 24 October at Hall for Cornwall, Truro. hallforcornwall.org.uk

Pass it on An aeroplane flies from India to England. Everyone on board is weeping.

Everyone except you. On the ground, the weeping spreads. Is it a strange new disease? An outbreak of hysteria? Or has the world become genuinely sad? Going Viral is the latest development in Daniel Bye’s unique blend of storytelling, playful comedy and performance lecture, and here he explores how things spread – disease, panic, ideas – and what it means to be connected. The run will launch, on 17 November, with The Six O’Clock News – a performance experiment in which Daniel and a team of specially selected artists will digest and respond to the day’s headlines.

18 - 21 November at Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter. bikeshetheatre.co.uk Daniel Bye - Going Viral

Tune in Head to the Cornish village of Calstock for four days of music at the Jazz and Blues Festival.

22 - 25 October at various venues in Calstock, East Cornwall. calstockjazzfestival.co.uk

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Clare Thornton’s Triadic Croquet

Layers of meaning Featuring the work of four artists, ‘Surface/Contact’ explores notions of layering in relation to the human body and the act of sensing: Katy Connor’s large bill-posted prints originate in data visualization based on microscopic samples of her own blood; Bryony Gillard’s frottaged fabric panels are layered with sound, projected concrete poetry and performance; Mark Leahy’s video performance work explores relations between the spoken word and the speaker; and Clare Thornton’s sets of notional croquet hoops make reference to costumes designed by Bauhaus artist and designer Oskar Schlemmer. The interplay between medium, process and concept is echoed in a further set of prints developed during a residency period with Double Elephant Print Workshop. Part of their wider ‘Redefining Print’ project, this aimed to bring contemporary sculptural, digital and performance-based practice together with the processes, facilities and expertise of the print workshop and offered the four artists the opportunity to explore these in relation to their own practice. On Saturday 5 December, at 2.30pm, exhibiting artists Bryony Gillard and Mark Leahy will stage performances related to the exhibition, followed by the opportunity to try out Clare Thornton’s Triadic Croquet for yourself.

13 November – 30 December at Exeter Phoenix. exeterphoenix.org.uk

Driven to abstraction The Penwith Society was founded in 1949 by a group of artists in St Ives, under the leadership of Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Bernard Leach. It now presents a full programme of exhibitions by members and associates, together with featured shows by artists from Cornwall and elsewhere. ‘Unconscious Statements’ is the first exhibition by the Abstract 7 group – painters Sue Davis, Sean Hewitt, Christine Allen, Peter Morrell and Karen McEndoo, and sculptors Tom Leaper and Richard Holliday – all of whom favour the modernists’ approach and philosophy of abstraction.

Until 2 November at Penwith Gallery, St Ives. penwithgallery.com

Argon by Sean Hewitt

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History repeating itself

PHOTO: SKIRMISH MAGAZINE

For a second year, Tavistock Heritage Festival will bring together performers, historians, artisans and re-enactors to celebrate the town’s arts, music, culture, history, and community spirit. There’ll be walks and talks, workshops and displays, including live musket and cannon-firing, and you can learn the art of Medieval sword fighting. For art lovers, Professor Sam Smiles will be talking about J.M.W. Turner’s adventures in the Tamar Valley, and Devonborn historian and author Dr Matthew Kelly will be delving into Dartmoor’s myths and legends.

30 October – 2 November at various locations in Tavistock. tavistockheritagefestival.org.uk

His dark materials

Portrait of Sophie Mortimer

Face time

Until 31 October at Green Hill Arts, Moretonhampstead. greenhillarts.org

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Until 13 November at Burton Art Gallery and Museum, Bideford. burtonartgallery.co.uk

PHOTO: COURTESY OF LIBERTY SMITH

Over several months, photographer Nicky Thompson has been using an old technique called Wet Plate Collodion to capture the faces of a small Dartmoor town. From her portable darkroom (made from an Eskimo’s fishing tent), Nicky has created a series of glass plates that evoke a sense of nostalgia combined with something much more ethereal – the process is so time-sensitive that the slightest movement in the sitter can cause them to fade and blur, or to disappear altogether. The exhibition, ‘Portraits of Moretonhampstead’, will also feature more contemporary selfies and video portraits drawn from a series of workshops aimed at specific age groups, developing knowledge and skill throughout the community. On 24 October, at the Parish Hall, there will be a screening of a short silent film created from the combined works, accompanied by improvised music courtesy of local musicians led by the Seat of the Pants Orchestra.

A rich earth pigment that occurs only in the North Devon cliffs, Bideford Black was mined until 1969 and was central to the manufacture of paint, make-up and military camouflage. Since the demise of those industrial applications, it continues to be prized by artists working with traditional media. ‘Bideford Black: The Next Generation’ is the outcome of a year during which artists from across the UK pushed Bideford Black pigment to its physical limits and asked what the material might mean today. Selected through an open-call process, the artists chosen were: Tabatha Andrews (Devon), ATOI (Cornwall), Luce Choules (Essex/Spain), Corinne Felgate (London/France), Neville and Joan Gabie (Stroud), Littlewhitehead (Lanarkshire), Lizzie Ridout (Cornwall), and Sam Treadaway (Bristol). Together, their works alchemically transform the clay, both materially and through meaning. A work by creative filmmaker Liberty Smith (Devon/London), also part of the exhibition, documents the artists’ progress over the year, and on 24 October, Grizel Luttman-Johnson will be running a monotyping workshop using the pigment.

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Food for thought A new exhibition at Dartmouth’s Coombe Gallery fuses the cultural with the culinary. Harriet Mellor gets a taste of what to expect.

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n the quaint cobblestones of Dartmouth’s Foss Street, a striking shop front brings many a passer-by to a halt.

There are three huge neon pink boards and figures in Nike trainers, one standing on a can of Spam. On a rolling video installation beneath, a Morph-type moving head uses a spoon to eat its own brain.

Mark Riley, the gallery owner, has the confidence to break out of the aesthetic box with an eye for new and existing talent.

Rather than sticking to the safe bets, he exhibits pieces such as Will Kendrik’s Chromosexual 3, pictured right, whose wider appeal transcends the tourist trade seeking canvas memories of boats and beaches.

Amongst these are works by sought-after names with local and international reputations who frequently choose Mark and Coombe to sell a unique one-off or exhibit their solo shows: James Stewart, Sarah Gillespie, Bridget McCrum, Jilly Sutton – even Sir Peter Blake came in person to accompany a show of his Pop Art screen prints.

“The artists are not purely West Country-based,” says Mark.

“I like to show others to keep it fresh.”

The same ethos extends to getting the Coombe Gallery beyond Devon and showing at the big art fairs – coming up is the Edinburgh Art Fair in November and the Affordable Art Fair in London. “Being known around the UK increases the mailing list, increases the market and it can bring those collectors down to visit here.”

The next Coombe exhibition, ‘Palate to Palette’, combines two elements that put the town on the UK’s cultural and culinary map. During Dartmouth Galleries Week, 12 local galleries including Coombe, fling open their doors for a simultaneous ‘first night’, and the week merges into the start of the highbrow feeding frenzy that is the Dartmouth Food Festival.

Mark’s 2015 contribution has been to persuade well-known food festival contributing chefs – including Mitch Tonks, Nathan Outlaw, Mark Hix, Fergus Henderson and Angela Hartnett – to give their recipes to equally celebrated West Country-based artists including James Stewart, Simon Drew, Kate Marshall and Paul Riley (Mark’s father) and see what shakes out with their individual interpretations. “Food has always been more popular than art,” says Mark. “Now you can acquire a work of art that you can cook from.”

Another novel idea from this highly innovative Westcountry gallery and one that will doubtless impress discerning dinner party guests, in every sense.

‘Palate to Palette’ opens Dartmouth Galleries Week and runs from 16 October - 8 November. coombegallery.com

PALATE TO PALETTE RECIPE INSPIRED EXHIBITION: 16th Oct. - 8th Nov. 2015 Artwork you can cook from.

Recipes by: Nathan Outlaw, Mark Hix, Mitch Tonks, Angela Hartnett, Fergus Henderson, Jane Baxter & Richard Turner

Saddle of Hare. Art by Simon Drew

Red Mullet. Art by James Stewart

Pork Vindaloo. Art by Simon Drew

Artwork by: Jill Fanshawe Kato, Paul Riley, Alex Miller, James Stewart, Fran Gynn, Simon Drew, Marc Farrell, John Gillo, Malcolm Cheape, Kate Marshall & Lorraine Calaora.

COOMBE GALLERY: 20 Foss Street, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 9DR. mark@coombegallery.com 01803 835 820 www.coombegallery.com MANOR | Autumn 2015

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Worth making the trip for...

Picture perfect With a multimedia practice extending over 40 years, Susan Hiller is one of the most influential artists of her generation, and this first major solo exhibition in London since her Tate retrospective in 2011 will present work dating from 1969-2015 across both of Lisson’s Bell Street galleries. Among the historic works on display will be a series of Sewn Paintings and Photomat portraits not exhibited since the 1970s. A number of her groundbreaking video works, such as Resounding (Infrared) (2013) will also be represented, as well as new pieces such as On the Edge (2015), her latest large scale multi-part postcard installation.

13 November 2015 – 9 January 2016 at Lisson Gallery, Bell St, London. alissongallery.com

PHOTO © THE ARTIST; COURTESY LISSON GALLERY, LONDON

Emergency Case Homage to Joseph Beuys by Susan Hiller

Your face or mine PHOTO: © MADRID, MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO

A boundary-breaker, and highly regarded by Delacroix, Degas, Manet, Picasso and Bacon, Goya is one of Spain’s most celebrated painters, yet until now his story as a portraitist has never been told in an exhibition. Presenting around 70 of the artist’s most outstanding works, including paintings, drawings, and miniatures, ‘Goya: The Portraits’ reveals the artist’s unflinching eye and particular gift for psychological insight.

The Marchioness of Santa Cruz by Francisco Goya, 1805, oil on canvas

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Until 10 January 2016 at the National Gallery, London. nationalgallery.org.uk

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Memories of you

PHOTO: SIMON ANNAND

Now 80 years old, Andre was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter Anne and her husband Antoine. Or was he an engineer whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre?

The thing is, he is still wearing his pyjamas and he can’t find his watch.

He is starting to wonder if he’s losing control... Winner of France’s highest theatrical honour, the 2014 Moliere Award for Best Play, and garnering eight five-star reviews from major national newspaper critics, The Father is a heartbreaking yet darkly funny exploration of one man’s slide into dementia.

Starring Kenneth Cranham and Claire Skinner, it is a staggeringly good production that epitomises the perfect fit of form and content.

Until 21 November at Wyndham’s Theatre, London.delfontmackintosh.co.uk Kenneth Cranham (Andre) and Claire Skinner (Anne)

David Jamin “Variations en bleu”

Thomas Bossard “It’s your turn to get them”

Oil on canvas 80x80cms

Oil on canvas 50x50cms

62 Church Street, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 3DS 01326 219323 | 07913 848515 | info@artworldltd.com | www.artworldltd.com

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Art in the park The 50th incarnation of the Affordable Art Fair sets out its stall in Battersea Park to showcase work by 1,100 artists from more than 100 UK and international galleries. As well as the hotly anticipated Recent Graduates’ Exhibition, which previews the country’s best emerging talent of 2015, there’s the chance to unleash your own inner artist with a programme of interactive workshops and activities. With artwork priced between £100 and £5,000, it’s an ideal opportunity to invest in up-and-coming artists, or source gems from well-known names. There’s a wrapping station on site, meaning you can take home your prize on the same day.

22 - 25 October at Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park. affordableartfair.com

DECORAZON gallery, Anne-Valerie Dupond: Lea 5

Cop a load of this

IMAGE © MUSEUM OF LONDON. CURATED FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE METROPOLITAN POLICE.

Since its establishment by serving officers in the mid-1870s, the Metropolitan Police’s Crime Museum has previously only been open to police professionals and invited guests. This October – for the first time ever – never-before-seen-objects will go on public display in ‘The Crime Museum Uncovered”, a new exhibition at the Museum of London. Using original evidence from some of the UK’s most notorious crimes, the exhibition will consider the changing nature of crime and advances in detection over the last 140 years, as well as the challenges faced in policing the capital, such as terrorism, drugs and rioting, and will explore our enduring fascination with this hidden collection and its stories.

Sacred spaces With a background in urban planning as well as sculpture, Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates makes work that is rooted in social responsibility, often collaborating with architects, researchers and performers to challenge the boundaries of what we expect from visual art. Invited

by Bristol arts producer Situations, Gates – winner of the 2015 Artes Mundi prize – will create his first public project in the UK as part of Bristol 2015 European Green Capital, gathering materials from derelict sites across the city to build a temporary structure inside the ruins of Temple Church, which will host a continuous programme of performance over 576 hours, sustained by Bristol’s performers, musicians and bands. You will be able to enter ‘Sanctum’ day and night; performers will be announced, but not who is playing when, so you might encounter a headlining band or come across a gospel choir handing over to a spoken word artist.

Gates will also be involved in a special launch event at St George’s on 31 October at 7pm – book tickets via stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

29 October – 21 November at Temple Church, Redcliffe, Bristol. sanctumbristol.com

Until 10 April 2016 at Museum of London, London Wall. museumoflondon.org.uk IMAGE SARA POOLEY

The Krays – briefcase with syringe and poison Theaster Gates

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Worth staying in for...

Boxing clever Darkening evenings and a drop in temperature create the perfect conditions for nights on the sofa bingeing on hot buttered bagels and box sets. Those lovely people at 4oD have delved deep into their nostalgia cupboard and made available some of the best series from the archives. Let’s hope it rains from now until January so I don’t feel guilty about turning down all social invitations for the next few months…

PHOTO: CHANNEL 4

Bursting from the surreal brainpan of satirist Chris Morris (left), Brass Eye (first broadcast in 1997) is a delicious slice of genius lampooning the frenetic style, barely concealed moralising and fear-mongering sensationalism of current affairs-style news programmes. Alongside hilariously outlandish reports and interviews, each of the six episodes features some hapless celebrity exposing their stupidity by delivering knee-jerk pronouncements on various click-bait topics, including sex, crime and drugs - in describing the dangers of new narcotic ‘cake’, Bernard Manning warns that one girl vomited up her own pelvis and another ‘kiddy cried all the water out of his body’. The series was repeated in 2001 to accompany the ‘Paedogeddon’ special, which attracted a record 3,000 complaints, including from apoplectic politicians who later admitted to never having seen it.

PHOTO: CHANNEL 4

Initially a games reviewer, Charlie Brooker went on to become the best reviewer of all things on the telly (via his columns in The Guardian) before jacking it in to concentrate on writing some of the best things on the telly, including five-part horror series Dead Set (2008), which imagines the Big Brother house as the last vestige of humanity following a zombie apocalypse. But it’s with the two three-part series (plus a Christmas special) of Black Mirror that Brooker’s dark humour and keen awareness of the terrors intrinsic to our increasingly tech-obsessed world reach their dystopian peak. In the episode ‘Fifteen Million Merits’, for instance, the population are constantly pedalling on static bikes to generate power while trying to accumulate enough ‘merits’ to earn a place on an X-Factor-style talent show – to win is their only hope of escape from their drone-like existence. But sometimes winning is a route to just another kind of enslavement…

A scene from Black Mirror

PHOTO: CHANNEL 4

From 1999 to 2001, Brooker was also behind TVGoHome, a fantastically surreal and often obscene website parodying listings mag the Radio Times. Chris Morris was an occasional contributor and the pair went on to joint-author a six-part series starring one of the site’s best inventions, Nathan Barley – a ridiculous ‘self-facilitating media node’ scootering his way round the pre-hipster streets of East London.

First broadcast in 2005, it charts the increasing despair of journalist Dan Ashcroft as he witnesses ‘the rise of the idiots’ personified by Nathan and his ilk, and foresaw the increased infantilisation of society and digital information overload with astounding prescience. And it’s absolutely packed with high calibre stars in sometimes tiny roles, including Benedict Cumberbatch as a fretful accountant and Ben Wishaw as Nathan’s put-upon assistant Pingu.

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Feline felonious We love a bit of Euro crime, so Sky Atlantic’s new sixpart series The Last Panthers – about a daring diamond heist that exposes a shadowy alliance of gangsters and ‘banksters’ – should hit the spot. Starring Samantha Morton as Naomi, a British loss adjustor charged with recovering the stolen diamonds whatever the cost, the series is penned by Jack Thorne, the award-winning screenwriter and playwright responsible for Skins, The Fades and various TV incarnations of Shane Meadows’s This is England.

The Last Panthers will air on Sky Atlantic in November.

Samantha Morton

Off the rails The long-awaited new Young Adult novel by Carnegie and Guardian Book Award winner Philip Reeve, Railhead has been in gestation for 10 years, and is inspired by Dartmoor, its massive spaces and changing skies. As a non-driver, Reeve spends a lot of time on trains, which then fed into the book.

He says, “Watching the rails and stations go by, I started to realise that trains are far stranger and more romantic than any spaceships…”

Railhead follows Zen Starling (a petty thief trying to survive) as he attempts to perform the riskiest heist ever and take down the ‘Guardians’ of the Great Network – the place of the thousand gates, used to transport people across the galaxy in seconds – under orders from a mysterious man named Raven.

Even for non-sci-fi fans, this is a book that’s easy to get into, being set in a recognizable future whose inhabitants still have tenuous links to our world today, which they refer to as ‘Old Earth’. This puts a surreal yet credible twist on a world that otherwise seems quite normal… apart from the interstellar travel, of course, which involves old-fashioned, sentient steam trains zipping through ‘K-gates’ to transport people across the galaxy to neighbouring planets.

The trains themselves are self-aware, and full of character – as is Zen’s robotic friend, a ‘moto’ called Nova (like a female Terminator, but less evil) – which is one of the book’s most satisfying aspects. Similarly appealing is the casual gender fluidity of the motos, and the openness within the narrative to different sexualities; there still aren’t many YA novels that include these topics without making a big deal about it.

Content-wise, Railhead is suitable for preteens and up, although older readers might find it a bit mild in terms of the language used (realistically, teenagers do use swear words), and the simplistic, almost childlike way the characters approach everything. Happily, there’s been mention of a sequel, so hopefully Reeve will introduce some slightly edgier themes, and will unravel the mysteries set up in the closing pages of this entertaining and enjoyable tale.

Reviewed by Dixie Jordan, 16, who is studying A Levels in English Literature, Philosophy, Biology and Chemistry at Exeter College.

Railhead is out now, published by Oxford University Press. Philip Reeve will talking about the book at Bristol Old Vic on 14 November, 10.30am. Tickets costs £4 (plus booking fee) and are available via bristololdvic.org.uk

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Moor style There are few places more enigmatic than Dartmoor, with its majestic granite tors, miles of dry stone walls and endless views of bleak grassy planes silverlined with streams and peppered with wild ponies.

We headed up to Haytor early on a sunny autumnal morning and found the perfect backdrop for knits and pleats, woollens and wellies. Fun was had with the breeze…an altogether moorish experience.

STYLIST: MIMI STOTT PHOTOGRAPHER: TOM HARGREAVES

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Cropped sweater, Zara, £39.99; pleated skirt, Zara, £29.99

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Fine knit top, black, Zara, £15.99; pleated skirt, Topshop, £55, blue scarf, stylist’s own

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Sweater, Zara, £25.99; pleated skirt, Zara, £39.99; Hunter boots from Office, £99

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Jacquard sweater, Zara, £29.99

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Sweater with turtleneck, Zara, £25.99; skirt, The White Company, £55; boots, model’s own

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Fine knit top, black, Zara, ÂŁ15.99

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Location: Dartmoor Photographer: Tom Hargreaves; Model: Laura Eve Thyer; Stylist: Mimi Stott. tomhargreaves.photography

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hand crafted frames Carpenter Oak create beautiful, award winning timber framed spaces.

Hand crafted by expert carpenters in our Devon workshops, we’ve raised frames across the UK and abroad for over 25 years.

If your dream is to have a truly individual and sensitively designed new build, extension, or cabin then we’d love to hear your ideas.

01803 732900

hello@carpenteroak.com

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100% bespoke, handmade kitchens & furniture for the home

24A West Street, Ashburton, Newton Abbott, Devon TQ13 7DU

Tel: 01364 653613 www.barnesofashburton.co.uk 94

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Space

Caro, Somerset’s new lifestyle store | Lorraine Osborne’s bold furniture creations Shopping for Space | Designer’s Q&A

Wire lamp. Touch Design Group, Exeter. touchdesigngroup.com

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Build it and they will come

PHOTO: EMMA LEWIS

Based on Quaperlake Street in the Westcountry town of Bruton, Caro is a new lifestyle store, café and B&B that brings contemporary design to the country. Founder Natalie Caro Jones talks to Alice Humphrys about expanding her brand, fleeing the capital, coffee, cake and creative networks.

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I like the idea of customers walking in here and buying something they never knew they wanted.

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t’s not every day you walk down what looks like a sleepy Somerset high street and stumble upon a shop where you can buy designer stationery, a homemade gin kit, some beard oil and a Bella Freud candle… and while you’re there, prop yourself up at the coffee bar and enjoy a silky smooth flat white, spectacular cakes and chat emerging design trends with the welcoming shop keeper, who feels like a new best friend. Caro is the new lifestyle store in Bruton that has got people talking, and its founder, Natalie Caro Jones, has only just got started.

Before moving to Somerset, Natalie was a high-flying creative in London, where she worked as a trend forecaster for Future Laboratory and then an account manager for branding and design agency Winkreative, run by Tyler Brûlé – founder of Wallpaper and Monocle magazines. Her job was to co-ordinate a team of illustrators, web developers and designers for high-end brands including Hermès and Lexus cars. “I had to project manage, follow the design brief and stick to the schedule,” she says. “I loved being surrounded by creative people and it’s only now that I’ve left that I realise how important that is to me.”

space But her heart belongs in the West Country, where her partner, Tom, lives and works as a teacher. They met in London eight years ago but after enduring long-distance and weekend commuting, something had to change. “I did look at other design agencies in the South West but I was ready to do something different,” she says. “Opening a shop has been a long-held ambition of mine, but it had to offer more than your standard retail experience. I’ve always loved opening up my home, having people over and sharing and chatting, so it felt very natural for me to open a shop but with a coffee house and rooms, too.

My passion has always been interiors, ever since my degree in interior design. Pooling that love with my experience in branding, design and trend forecasting, I just thought, let’s do it!”

Natalie knew it had to be in Bruton – a market town she had grown to love. Based in a pretty pocket of Somerset, Bruton has become a popular hotspot for the successful and design-savvy in search of The Good Life. The opening of international art gallery Hauser & Wirth last summer has hugely boosted its appeal and drawn visitors from far and wide.

“For a fairly unassuming town, this place has such a creative energy and is full of really interesting people: photographers, film producers, journalists, stylists, and chefs – they’re all here,” says Natalie.

Natalie and Tom started to hunt for the right property, one they could use for the business but which could also expand into a family home. An

18th-century terraced cottage, known by locals as ‘the former bakery’, came on the market. It was slightly off the beaten track in Bruton but it had an original shop front and loads of potential. “It was damp, musty and none of the windows had been opened on the front façade so there had been no air circulation. It had been rented out for years so hadn’t been properly looked after and needed serious attention.” Natalie knew it was the right place and excitedly put in an offer while Tom was off on a school trip. To her delight, the offer was accepted, Tom came round to the idea and they got the keys in August 2014 during the same week art gallery Hauser & Wirth opened.

Natalie spent the next 10 months projectmanaging the renovations and learning fast about retail. They wanted to restore the property back to its original character so chose London-based architects Emil Eve, who helped re-imagine the space, and Bruton-based builders GDW Building and Renovations Ltd. They removed the cement render to expose the original stone and were delighted to reveal Victorian green tiles below the shop front window that were hidden under a thick layer of cream paint. All windows were restored and they discovered beautiful flagstone tiles below a layer of concrete that covered the ground floor. Natalie also had to put together a proposal for her business and reapply for commercial status. She decided to set up an online store, too. “I wasn’t scared about the bricks

PHOTO: EMMA LEWIS

A well-edited selection of household goods, including local ceramics, cushions, desktop accessories and modern kitchenware. Natalie plans to start selling these bespoke tables with Marmoleum tops and hairpin legs

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Gwalia enamelware coffee pot

PHOTO: HELEN BAKUNOWICZ

A selection of artisan cakes from resident baker The Bakemonger

THREE MORE REASONS TO VISIT BRUTON AT THE CHAPEL

Stacking Boy

28 High Street, Bruton, Somerset BT10 0AE. 01749 814070. atthechapel.co.uk A super-chic restaurant with rooms in a converted Baptist chapel. Owners Catherine and Ahmed have transformed Bruton high street, serving fantastic modern British food with an irresistible bakery and wine shop.

HAUSER & WIRTH Durslade Farm, Dropping Lane, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0NL. 01749 814060. hauserwirthsomerset.com With galleries in London, New York and Zurich, this international art centre opened its doors last summer and is the latest big thing in the art world. It’s only a 15-minute walk out of Bruton, down a country lane and set in a Grade II listed former farmhouse and outbuildings.

ALL PRODUCT PHOTOS: BELLA FENNING

MATT’S KITCHEN 51 High Street, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0AW. 01749 812027. mattskitchen.co.uk Garnering rave reviews, this informal and cosy restaurant is in Matt’s house, where he serves up a simple menu featuring one dish-of-the-day and a selection of starters and desserts, and a bring-your-own-booze policy.

Booking is advised, as it’s not very big!

Nude Thermos flask

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space and mortar aspect of setting up a shop, it was online retail that intimidated me, but I thought I should get things going and try to sell online while setting up the physical shop.”

Before approaching suppliers, Natalie spent time on her branding. “Investing in good branding is one of the most important things – visual communication is key.” She built the website and commissioned a former colleague, Corinna Drossel, to design the Caro logo. “I couldn’t have done this without my creative connections.” She also set up an Instagram feed, posting regular updates. “It was a great way to build up interest and a following before we opened,” she says.

With an eye for contemporary design, Natalie knew she wanted to stock a range of brands from around the world. “I wanted to pull together unique products that you don’t find on every high street,” she says, starting with her favourite Australian skincare brand, Aesop, and Danish homeware brands HAY and Nomess. Other suppliers include Welsh lifestyle company Blodwen, candles by Laboratory Perfumes, and she stocks independent magazines Kinfolk, Cereal and Hole & Corner. She sourced her coffee from local roasters Round Hill Roastery near Bath, and met, via a mutual contact, Helen Bakunowicz, aka The Bakemonger, who makes inventive cakes that look like works of art, crafted by hand in her kitchen in Frome. “I have plans to expand the café menu but for now we’re keeping it simple and focusing on very good coffee and very good cake,” says Natalie.

After 10 months of hard graft, they were ready to open the doors in June 2015. The now cosy but modern space is laid out across three rooms. Natalie’s edited selection of design accessories, homeware, skincare, furniture and stationery makes for a shop like no other in Bruton. “I like the idea of customers walking in here and buying something they never knew they wanted,” she says. Plans for the B&B are under way, with rooms above the shop opening in the autumn. “I’m looking forward to people staying here and enjoying the space in a different way.”

Natalie is excited about different ways to evolve the business and is willing to be led by what her customers want. “If you sold cider, I’d stay here all afternoon,” says a local on paying for his coffee. “That’s a great idea!” replies Natalie, and immediately starts brainstorming about seasonal pop-up events, and supper clubs for the evening.

She’s already hosted a launch party for independent magazine Hole & Corner, and is planning a trends seminar for local creative businesses.

Caro is reminiscent of a hip design store you might find in a trend-setting city, but forget about any preconceptions you might have – this is a warm, friendly and inspiring space worth seeking out as you explore the town. It’s the perfect addition to

buzzy Bruton and the place to pick up a stylish and covetable present. With Natalie’s passion and boundless creativity, Caro is becoming a multipronged brand to watch.

If you like the look of her shop, Natalie is also available for interior design commissions. Email hello@carosomerset.com or call 01749 813931. carosomerset.com

Q&A Who are you?

Natalie Caro Jones, founder of Caro.

When did Caro open?

6 June 2015.

What do you offer?

We sell modern homeware and accessories for both men and women – little everyday luxuries you didn’t know you needed.

We love contemporary design with a nod to craft.

How would you describe yourselves?

A home-from-home design shop, coffee house and rooms. We’re offering an open invitation for people to join a creative space to meet, chat, shop and share ideas.

What are your biggest sellers?

Stationery – anything that makes your desktop look the part.

HAY officeware, Nomess cork notebooks. Being organised can be a pleasure rather than a chore if you love everything you use.

I love the William Morris quote: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

What are your favourite products amongst your range?

I love the enamelware from Welsh company Blodwen, which starts at £20 for a bowl. The stationery from Danish brand HAY is hard to resist; our brass bulldog clips are £6 each and the stylish brass scissors are £10.

What is the cost of staying in a room? £120 per night with the option of a continental breakfast at Caro or a classic English breakfast at modern restaurant, At the Chapel, which is only a short walk down the road.

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Conversation pieces Confessions, graffiti and gossip are the stuff of Lorraine Osborne’s bold, beautiful and exquisitely crafted creations. By Belinda Dillon.

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n a busy workshop deep in Devon’s leafy South Hams, an upholstery class is underway. Calico is being stretched taut across the inside back of a delicate little two-seater sofa, while across the room, a traditionally sturdy wing armchair is getting a new lease of life with the application of a smart polkadot fabric; one student fires a staple into the back of a deep-buttoned headboard, the snap of the pneumatic gun sudden against the steady thrum of the air compressor. It’s hot, and there’s no room to swing a cat-shaped cushion, but the mood is buoyant, the conversation lively, and in the midst of it all – nipping

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space

PHOTO: KATE MOUNT PHOTOS: KATE MOUNT

from student to student, administering advice here, assisting in the cutting of a tricky corner there – is Lorraine Osborne.

A professional upholsterer for 30 years, Lorraine only started teaching five years ago, “sort of falling into it,” she says, and wracked with nerves from the off – a surprising admission given her easy manner with students and the overwhelming success of her courses. Not only is there a permanent waiting list of 30 – students complete their six weeks and love it so much that they immediately sign up for more – but such is the level of confidence and competence Lorraine imbues that many here are working on commissions for paying clients or restoring furniture to sell. But inside this craftsperson an artist lurks, and Lorraine is combining her exemplary practical skills with her wilder creative side to create oneoff pieces that don’t just make a statement but spark conversation and debate – and not just about how comfortable they look.

“These pieces haven’t really got anything to do with furniture – they’re more to do with design and art,” says Lorraine. “I’m not interested in tailoring to the practical needs of an armchair and I don’t care if no one ever sits in them. These days, I only want to produce furniture that makes people say ‘wow!’”

All Lorraine’s pieces functional perfectly as furniture, of course – her craftsmanship standing up to the keenest scrutiny and the heaviest backsides – but it’s the interplay between fabric and form that makes these pieces worthy of a pedestal rather than simply a place by the fire. Consider ‘The Threesome’: a Victorian ‘conversation’ sofa – historically, a stalwart of the most refined parlours – covered in a Timorous Beastie-designed velvet adorned with bird-filled trees.

Luxurious and inviting, it also offers a subtly knowing narrative. “I was playing with the idea of gossip, and like the idea that you say, ‘a little dickie bird told me’,” says Lorraine. “You can sit there and discreetly listen to everything that little bird has to say – that was my starting point.”

It was also the piece that attracted the attention of Annie Bowie, whose Totnes gallery had already moved beyond the more usual fine art collections with the launch of the seating-oriented ArseArt. Annie saw the potential of Lorraine’s work immediately. “Not only is Lorraine the uber-upholsterer of all time, but she’s full of very bright and original ideas,” says Annie. “That’s what elevates her work into the realm of art.”

Some of the pieces Annie has commissioned from Lorraine respond to work that’s on display in the gallery, such as a 1970s egg chair upholstered in Osborne & Little’s ‘Butterfly Garden’ – which is in a kind of visual conversation with ‘The Social Butterfly Effect’, a show by James Stewart featuring insects cut from bank notes, beer cans and lithographs, among other material. To complement the colour palette

A selection of confessions gathered by Lorraine

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Elephant Chair

of Teresa Pemberton’s vibrant paintings, Lorraine upholstered a chair and a sofa in eye-popping handwoven cotton that she’d found while on holiday in Sri Lanka. She also built the furniture from scratch.

“My carpentry is cave-woman – crash, bang, wallop – but I do it because I have an idea about what I want to put the fabric on,” says Lorraine. Inspired by the beautiful animals she’d seen on her trip, the chair evokes a fluorescent elephant, and the delicate little sofa channels a chameleon. Totally unique, simple yet utterly striking, they demand centre stage.

But it was a collection of pieces inspired by the riots in the summer of 2011 that saw Lorraine really flex her creativity, and take her ‘arseart’ to the next level with the design and manufacture of her own fabric.

“When you read the report, it’s clear that it was an episode of group madness – it was all about nicking stuff, and lots of people were prosecuted who’d never done anything wrong before,” says Lorraine. “But they described the feeling of being excluded from mainstream life, which nowadays is all about buying stuff, and being excluded from the means to buy stuff by not being able to get jobs. I wanted to create a fabric that told that narrative.”

In collaboration with her son, Billy Osborne,

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a London-based graphic designer, Lorraine pulled text from the report and combined it with her son’s graffiti-style images to create a show-stopping fabric across a mix of textures, including velvet, hopsack, drill and linen. Words blaze across the seat and arms of a sturdy little armchair; on the back of a twoseater sofa, a hooded character stands with arms outstretched, as if conducting the crowd in a moment of revolution; along the seat, a bolster reads, ‘It was like the Wild West or something.’

“That idea fit perfectly with this dear little sofa, which looked like something you’d find in a saloon in the Wild West, with the red velvet and matching footstool,” says Lorraine, laughing. The perfect fit of fabric and structure – and the five-piece set became the focus for a show called ‘Reading the Riots’ at The Bowie Gallery Totnes, for which Annie commissioned artists James Stewart and Alice Leach to also produce work on the theme. The response was fantastic and Lorraine’s furniture practically flew out the door.

“Her pieces are real conversation starters,” says Annie.

“I’m thinking of doing a pop-up in London in February – I’ll take about three artists, and some of Lorraine’s furniture. Her work deserves a bigger audience.”

space of really nice attention, and that tends to be in quite short supply for late-middle aged women. I’d like to devote the time to really throw myself into the artyfarty thing, but I think it would be terribly mean to stop this now. I’m sure I can keep them both going.” upholsteryclas.info You can see Lorraine’s ‘Confessional’ at the CONFESS! exhibition at The Bowie Gallery Totnes, 20 November to 5 December. arseart.com

PHOTO: KATE MOUNT

And going bigger is not something Lorraine shies away from: for the last few months she has been gathering anonymous ‘confessions’ – including from her students – that will be digitally printed onto velvet, and will cover a modern chaise longue that she’s building herself.

“It’ll be a day bed, wide and low like a psychiatrist’s couch – something that could have come from Freud’s salon,” says Lorraine. “Some of the confessions are really outrageous – about people who’ve been bumped off! – and I’ll incorporate invisible deep buttoning so they’ll look as though they’re emerging from deep inside.”

‘Confessional’ will be revealed at a joint show alongside two-dimensional work by Alice Leach at The Bowie Gallery Totnes this winter, and is likely to catch the attention of anyone interested in installing a piece of truly original art in their home. Surely it won’t be long before Lorraine will be forced to hang up her teaching apron to work on more bespoke commissions?

“Over the years, women – and it is mostly women – have gone through all sorts to get here, to not miss their class,” says Lorraine. “It’s a very positive thing to do, to restore furniture – to take a piece of crap and do something amazing with it. I always think that it’s a bit

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Artistic license This being The Arts Issue, we thought we’d use this page to provide decorative inspiration. After all, as winter approaches there’s much more time spent indoors, so freshen it up with some new wall art, cushions, rugs and throws, and hunker down in what feels like a whole new room.

Framed William Morris prints, John Lewis, £60

John Lewis Brink and Campman rug, John Lewis, from £250 Calvin Klein rug, Houseology, £339

Cashmere throw, John Lewis, £90

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Monde mosaic, Amara, £59

Marks & Spencer

Liberty cushion, Amara, £95

Butterfly prints, Amara, £45

Cushion, Amara, £69

Ted Baker cushions, Amara, £48 each

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Q&A Richard Swift has managed the design studio for Touch Design Group for the last four years. TDG is an Exeter-based studio and workshop that operates nationwide providing clients with a complete design and manufacturing facility – architecture, bespoke kitchens through to the design of individual furniture pieces – all under one roof.

What are you currently working on?

TDG are currently working on various kitchen projects: we are finishing off the installation of a kitchen in a huge new build on the outskirts of London; the workshop is producing a kitchen for a barn conversion in Bath; and we are just about to start manufacture on two different coastal properties in Devon.

How do you approach a project? How does the work come in?

Each project is unique, but our approach is always the same: we start with a comprehensive kitchen design questionnaire that is used to create a design brief for the project. Questions cover family and lifestyle needs, aesthetics, space plan options and storage requirements.

Work will often come from referral and we work with many architects and interior designers who appreciate the levels of creative design, customer service and project management that we offer. Some jobs will just be kitchens but generally TDG work on all aspects of a project where we will be designing and manufacturing the architectural joinery, fitted and free-standing furniture along with the kitchen.

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What are the key rules in any kitchen design?

I think the kitchen has always been the most important room in the house. Interior architecture is constantly adapting to the different demands of people and, as such, our perception of what a kitchen space should be changes, too. As the walls come down, kitchens are becoming more integrated into the rest of the house and the boundaries between kitchen, dining and living areas are becoming ever more blurred.

What are the areas that people – end consumers and other kitchen designers – frequently get wrong?

Clients are often worried by what ‘others’ may think. They can often get fixated on certain materials or design trends that may look great in a magazine or showroom but often don’t translate well into the actual kitchen interior.

What has been your most challenging project?

I worked in San Francisco for a number of years and understanding the subtle differences between UK and USA kitchen design and culture was a steep but enriching learning curve. Generally, clients were much less design

savvy and more traditional in what they expected. The European kitchen companies really only have a strong foothold on the East and West coast. Most aspects of European kitchen design are a mystery to even architects and interior designers. As a showroom manager, I needed to retrain my staff in how to design a contemporary European-looking kitchen as they were so ingrained in the traditional American kitchen aesthetic. The diversity of clients was also greater than in the UK – many of my clients in San Francisco were Chinese or Japanese so they had a very different set of requirements with regard to food preparation, cooking and storage.

What has been your most satisfying project?

We recently completed a contemporary kitchen design in Budleigh Salterton using a rough-sawn smoked-oak veneer sourced from Italy. Although a period property, it had a glorious modern extension. The kitchen sat in both parts of the house and had to work with the old and new architecture. The clients were very brave and bold in the use of colour and materials, resulting in a striking but timeless kitchen design. We also designed a cocktail bar using copper sheet combined with the same rough-sawn veneer. This was combined with a copper tap and sink.

What are your current favourite materials and who are your go-to suppliers?

Sourcing and selecting the finest and most innovative materials is one of the unique aspects of the TDG Kitchen Design Studio. I am lucky to get the chance to visit design and material shows throughout Europe to find materials and make them available for our clients. This often means we are using and designing with materials before they are common in the UK. If we can’t access the material direct then we will partner with a manufacturer (usually in Italy) to supply us with the product or material.

On a recent visit to Italy I found some beautiful weathered/aged veneers that are made from the old staging posts used in Venice to tie up the gondolas. These veneers are unique and have a story all of their own, which clients like. They have ‘added value’ and are quite rare, being only available in limited quantities. I could imagine using them in a modern design but where a client doesn’t want a purely clinical look.

We have just been visited by an Austrian company called

Alfa who are manufacturing some of the most interesting timber-board materials available in Europe.

What are your sources of inspiration?

Design shows, blogs, magazines, Pinterest… all are used as a source of inspiration.

Innovation in the contemporary kitchen industry is driven by the manufacturers in Italy and Germany, although there are some very interesting kitchen design companies emerging in Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands that I like to keep tabs on. These are often smaller and more bespoke, like ourselves, meaning they can be more flexible in approaching projects.

What are the current trends – do they vary between London and the South West?

The contemporary kitchen trends in the London market often filter through to the South West. The biggest trend is for distressed, weathered, textured brushed and scratched finishes. Many of the properties we work on in the South West are coastal and a common theme is to design with more texture and use an eclectic range of materials.

Reinventing traditional forms with more modern materials is also an area of design that we employ in more period properties in the South West; for example, using roughsawn veneer, sand-blasted timbers, textured stone worktops, concrete renders, and recycled timber flooring.

What does the kitchen of the future look like?

Key elements will be: a more modular and less fitted aesthetic; materials that self-heal when scratched; methods of internal composting and recycling; cold storage rather than fridges to reduce energy use; finally, the trend for restaurant-style cooking techniques – such as blast chillers and vacuum cooking – will change the type of appliances clients use and how we design the space plan. touchdesigngroup.com

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Bes�oke Classic �Contem�orary Kitchens HANDCRAFTED IN DEVON

ASHGROVE

KITCHENS, BEDROOMS, BATHROOMS & HOME STUDIES Telephone 01363 773533 • www.ashgrovekitchens.co.uk Lords Meadow, Crediton, Devon EX17 1ES. Open 9am - 5.30pm weekdays & 10am - 4pm on Saturdays or by appointment.

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Food

The South West’s best cookery courses, part two | MANOR’s favourite mouth-watering reads Bites, the latest news and events from Devon and Cornwall’s vibrant food scene The Table Prowler

PHOTO: DAVID GRIFFEN

Petits fours served at Q Restaurant, The Old Quay House in Fowey

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A taste of the best PART TWO PHOTO: DAVID GRIFFEN

MANOR’s team of writers taste test more of Devon and Cornwall’s best foodie masterclasses and cookery schools. Each with their own style of teaching, there’s a course to suit all ages, levels of ability and every palate.

Nasi goreng with prawns, chicken thighs and an egg

Best for fish Laura Barnes puts a fishy twist on one of Rick Stein’s favourite Asian dishes at Padstow Seafood School.

As I arrived at Padstow Seafood School for my evening masterclass in how to make Nasi Goreng with mackerel, yachts sailed lazily across the stretch of water between Padstow and Rock – a contrast to the swathes of human traffic around the cookery school, deli, and fish and chip shop.

Raised by the rains of Cornwall, fishing is in head chef and lecturer Mark Puckey’s blood, from his childhood in Looe to his varied work in kitchens around the world. Having cooked overseas throughout his career, Mark considers Nasi Goreng one of his staple dishes. Likened to Malay fried rice, and with variable contents, it is traditionally garnished with a ‘rustic’ fried egg and crispy shallots.

Our class was a fair size at 16, which was about equally divided between couples and individuals, locals and visitors. At the beginning we were strangers nervously chattering about previous cooking courses. Just an hour and a half later, we sat down and ate, drank and bonded.

Despite being a relatively simple dish, Nasi Goreng consists of various elements, and we learnt how to fillet the mackerel. With this taken into consideration, it was a pretty fast-paced demonstration, with equal parts given to hands-on

NASI GORENG MASTERCLASS

cooking, and watching Mark skilfully create the dish.

I was paired with John, a keen world cook. We shared the work between us, hoping we’d remembered each step as we cooked. Mark prepared the Goreng paste and rice to speed things up for us, and gave us lots of information about the ingredients. For example, the green core of garlic can cause indigestion, as can the skin of a cucumber. And interestingly, Mark confirmed something I have always suspected: the main source of Omega 3 in fish is close to the skin, and he demonstrated that because of the oil content, the fish needs to be held flat for a few seconds to stop it from curling. Mark explained that mackerel are actually oilier in the summer, due to the abundance of fish they consume themselves, and suggested any protein as a replacement for this element.

The idea behind Padstow Seafood School, which opened in 2000, is for lunch to be a key part of the day and to pass on the skills of preparing, cooking and matching seafood. This year, the cookery school was awarded Best Cookery School in the Food Magazine reader awards.

I particularly enjoyed benefitting from Mark’s experience, as well as sitting back and enjoying our finished dish with several glasses of wine and great company. I acquired a lot of knowledge outside of the actual recipe, which I have already tested on my partner at home. It was fairly easy to replicate.

£40. Tutor: Mark Puckey. 6-8pm. Next one-dish evening course: Madras fish curry, 20 November. Padstow Seafood School, Riverside, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8BY. 01841 532700. rickstein.com

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Best for carnivores Belinda Allen attends her first nose-to-tail course at River Cottage HQ and learns to love offal.

On arrival at River Cottage HQ, with a view overlooking the beautiful valley that has become instantly recognisable to millions of people across the globe since taking Channel 4 by storm in 1998, eager foodies were transported down the bumpy track to Park Farm. Chatting to fellow students over coffee, it was clear that places on this course were highly sought-after, with many travelling from as far away as Japan, Australia and Spain as well as Cumbria, London and Kent. The group included two ‘serial’ food fanatics, both making their seventh visit to this gastronomic heaven on the Devon/Dorset border.

The objective of the day was to find out more about sustainability by learning to prepare and cook the often-discarded parts of a carcass, including trotters, offal and bones. Our tutor for the course, head chef Gelf Anderson, gave us an entertaining and enlightening introduction to the many less popular cuts of meat and their uses.

We began by preparing a stock pot: slow cooking the trotter, which we continued to add to throughout the day and which bubbled away slowly on the induction hob. Next we were taught how to successfully joint a chicken (the super sharp knives made this easier than expected), using the normally discarded bones in the stock pot after cooking them at a very high heat until caramelised. A leg was then boned, stuffed with a mixture of chicken liver, garlic, fennel and cashew nuts rolled tightly with cling film

and dropped into the bubbling pot to simmer slowly.

The smells throughout the room at this point were amazing and a glance around the room showed a group of busy and focused people completely engaged with the culinary challenge in hand.

A second chef, Joe, demonstrated how to make a Great British Banger using a mixture of pork cuts, fresh herbs and sourdough breadcrumbs, and we all had great fun filling the natural skins, taking care to avoid the explosive air pockets. The sausages then formed the base of our lunch, an amazing toad-inthe-hole served with a rich gravy and lightly steamed monk’s beard, which we all enjoyed together with a well-earned drink.

Gelf shared further hints, tips and demonstrations throughout the afternoon. We prepared a simple but delicious pork terrine to take home and then served the slow-braised stuffed chicken and the deboned trotter in gravy made from our bubbling stock pot and reduced red wine. More eating, drinking and general conviviality continued before we headed home back up the hill, either on foot or in the back of the tractor, clutching our pork terrine and a River Cottage cookery book or two from the selection available in the shop.

The experience and ability of the group was very varied but both Emma, our host, and Gelf ensured that everyone had fun, got the most out of the day and left with new knowledge, skills and confidence. I’m already tempted to return to discover more on another of the 36 courses on offer at River Cottage; it’s certainly a very special piece of Devonshire countryside.

NOSE-TO-TAIL

£240. Tutor: Gelf Anderson. 9.30am-5pm. Next course: 5 December. River Cottage Cookery School, Trinity Hill Road, Axminster, Devon EX13 8TB. 01297 630300. rivercottage.net

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Best for children Lena Müller, 12, spends a day cooking at Exeter’s Fun Kitchen.

When I arrived at Fun Kitchen’s venue in central Exeter, I felt a little bit nervous about doing a cookery course with a roomful of people I didn’t know. I had butterflies in my tummy, but I was also excited about doing some cooking.

Tutor Joe Mann and his assistant Lydia led the course, teaching the group of 16 children. The tables were covered with cheerful red and white checkered tablecloths, set in a horseshoe shape, so we could all see everybody. There was a chopping board in front of each person. The plan for the day was to make our own snack, lunch and dinner: spinach and feta pasties, pizza pie, Börek (a Turkish spiral filled pastry which we took home) and pudding, some cream cheese and raspberry tartlets.

The theme of the day was pastry. We made pizza dough for the pizza pie and pasties, and really cool filo pastry for the spiral Börek and tartlets. With the pizza pastry we didn’t just learn how to make it – we also had a little technology lesson as Joe told us how yeast actually worked. First, he filled two bottles with

CHILDREN’S HOLIDAY WORKSHOP

Lena with tutor Joe Mann

warm water and two bottles with cold. He put the same amount of yeast in each bottle, but more sugar in one of the warm ones and less in the rest. We drew funny faces on four balloons to tell the difference, then we put the balloons on top of the bottles and carried on with the next part of the lesson.

As we were filling up our pizza pies, we noticed that the balloons were growing, and that our balloon (the one with the warm water and the most sugar) was the biggest! Joe explained that this was because warm water wakes up yeast, so it can consume the sugar and release carbon dioxide into the rest of the dough.

That’s what makes bread rise: it gets pumped full of carbon dioxide, making bubbles. So our balloon (Mr Gassy) was acting like our dough, and was already really big! So now I know how yeast works.

It was also lots of fun making the filo pastry, as we had to smother it in cornflour then push it through a pasta roller lots of times to make it really thin. We turned that into the tartlets and the spiral pastry. I had a great time elaborating on the decorations, and making things as neat and pretty as I could.

Luckily the course wasn’t too hard, as it was tailored to an age group of 8 to 13 years old. The atmosphere was chatty yet still focused, and Joe the teacher was easy to understand and made everything entertaining. At the end of the day my legs were aching, and the floor was absolutely covered with flour. But I had lots of yummy food to take home, so it was worth the effort.

£59. Tutor: Joe Mann. 9.30am-5pm. For October half-term course dates, please check online. Harry’s Meeting Room, Longbrook Street, behind John Lewis, Exeter, Devon. 0845 5390953. funkitchen.co.uk

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Best for local specialities With a host of trusted recipes from ‘Granny Spears’, Anna Turns learns some Cornish culinary traditions the Philleigh way.

Despite being a relatively new kid on the block, Philleigh Way really impressed me. Based on the family farm in the tiny village of Philleigh on the Roseland Peninsula south of Truro, it’s an inspirational place to escape to and refine your cookery skills. Before the cookery school opened two years ago, the building was a stable block for four horses; now it’s a well-equipped teaching kitchen which retains a farmhouse feel – there are work stations for up to ten students and a large wooden table to sit around whilst watching demos or eating.

Chef tutor George Pascoe grew up on the farm: “Here at Philleigh Way our ethos is based around recipes we grew up with,” he said as he talked us through the plan for the day while seven of us drank proper coffee and ate freshly baked melt-in-yourmouth-brownies... always a good way to start a day in my book.

This ‘Cornwall in a day’ course was a mix between demo and hands-on cooking, so it felt relaxed but the pace always had a good momentum, plus chilled-out Spotify tracks were cranked up each time we ventured off to our work stations to replicate each recipe. First up, after a short demo, we prepared our dough for saffron buns, a speciality that arose when imported saffron was exchanged for Cornish tin in days gone by. While we waited for this to rise, George showed us how to make real clotted cream using his Granny’s antique milk separator. No need for fancy, expensive gadgets, this did the job and separated fresh raw milk from the Fresians on the next door farm into skimmed milk and double cream, which was then simmered over a pan of boiling water to ‘clot’.

George then showed us how to make and crimp the perfect Cornish pasty, the way his Granny Spears taught him. None of the techniques were tricky, but this isn’t something I personally would have attempted to make in my own kitchen without being shown how first… George was hands-on throughout, giving tips (use plenty of cracked black pepper between each layer of potato, swede, steak and onion) and helping us to get a real sense of when the pastry was ready to roll, for example, and how much filling to use. Everyone enjoyed a cheeky glass of prosecco whilst making

pasties too, then while our pasty lunch was baking in the oven, we finished making our saffron buns and George quickly showed us how to make scones which we’d then use for our afternoon cream tea at the end of the day.

After a sociable lunch with a glass of red wine around the rustic dining table, it was time to kill, pick and dress a brown crab caught in pots just off Porthscatho. You can’t get more hands-on and messy than hand picking a crab. It was fun though, and I think everyone on the course will appreciate the painstaking hard work that goes into the next crab dish they eat.

For the last demo of the day, George showed us how to make hog’s pudding, once again using a traditional, family-owned sausage-making kit. And finally we ate our clotted cream tea with homemade jams and preserves, before tasting hog’s pudding and packing up our saffron buns and dressed crab to take home. All in all, a proper Cornish education.

Philleigh Way clotted cream tea.

Anna egg washes the saffron buns before baking

CORNWALL IN A DAY

£115. Tutor: George Pascoe. 10am-4pm. Next course: 14 October, 10 February. Philleigh Way Cookery School, Court Farm, Philleigh, Truro, Cornwall TR2 5NB. 01872 580893. philleighway.co.uk

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Read it and eat

Food editor Anna Turns handpicks the best books about food and drink from across the South West. Discover the ideal Christmas gift... or one to put on your own wishlist.

Saltwater Kitchen Cookbook

by LOUISE SEARLE AND HAYLEY SPURWAY

Get back to nature and bring the taste of Cornwall’s foodie revolution into your kitchen. This cookery book is as much about the coastal lifestyle as it is about recipes, with mouth-watering photography and personal stories from the front line. Featuring fresh fish cooked straight from the fishing rod, gourmet feasts made from foraged ingredients and simple lunches for carefree summer days by the sea, these fresh, easy-to-replicate recipes are intertwined with the lowdown on the very coolest places to eat, drink and hang out by the Cornish coast. The stars of the book are the foodies, often travellers or surfers who have chosen Cornwall as their home, who are now pioneers of the Cornish food revolution with hip street food, trendy pop-ups and independent cafés with a health kick. Plenty of inspiration for a road trip around Cornwall to collect local produce and ingredients for a Cornish feast!

Muse Media. £17.99

The Seahorse: the restaurant and its recipes*

by MITCH TONKS AND MAT PROWSE

Exquisite seafood specials from the Dartmouth restaurateurs, plus stories from behind-the-scenes at The Seahorse, from daily grappa rituals to Mat and Mitch’s annual truffle hunt. Absolute Press. £25

The New Kitchen Garden: how to grow some of what you eat no matter where you live*

by MARK DIACONO

Grow what you love to eat and be adventurous. Mark’s new take on starting an allotment is a trusty companion for beginners and more advanced growers keen to experiment with unusual species.

Saltyard Books. £25

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Rick Stein: from Venice to Istanbul*

by RICK STEIN

More than 100 recipes from Cornwall’s favourite TV chef, on his travels through the cuisine of the Eastern Mediterranean.

BBC Books. £25

food

Fermented*

by CHARLOTTE PIKE

Fermented foods are the hottest new trend in healthy eating and Charlotte’s beginner’s guide to making your own sourdough, yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir and kimchi is a great way to start cooking up nutritious preserves that last. The processes really aren’t that taxing – you’ll just need a few bottles or jars, some string and a muslin cloth – and these accessible recipes make it easy to become an expert in your own home. Charlotte covers fruit and veg, yogurt and labneh, beans and pulses, sourdough baking and drinks. Plus recipes inspired by international cuisines include bacon and potato soup, tempeh stir-fry and the perfect sourdough chocolate cake, plus of course tips on how to make essential pickles, vinegars and chutneys. Kyle Books. £16.99

Game: River Cottage Handbook No. 15

How to Eat Outside

by GENEVIEVE TAYLOR

by TIM MADDAMS

A comprehensive guide to harvesting, prepping and cooking game, a healthy alternative to red meats, plus the ethics of sustainable hunting and seasonality.

Full of fresh air feasts for every season, get inspired to concoct delicious recipes in the big outdoors. Bantam Press. £17.99

Bloomsbury Publishing. £14.99

The Great Cornish Fish Book Written and edited by RUTH HUXLEY AND ROSIE WILLMOT

A feast of recipes, tales and discoveries from Cornwall’s coastal larder, this is the welcome follow-up to the award-winning Great Cornish Food Book, published in 2013. Championing local chefs, producers, fishermen and, of course, sustainable sourcing, these beautifully presented chapters will give you a real taste for the diversity of seafood available from Cornish coasts. With a foreword

by Rick Stein, this book is created by the team who produce Truro’s Great Cornish Food Festival, and £1 from each copy is shared between the Fishermen’s Mission and the National Lobster Hatchery, Padstow. Cornish Food & Drink. £17.99

Taste: The Infographic Book of Food

by LAURA ROWE and illustrated by VICKI TURNER

Explore the complex and colourful traditions, origins, trends and unusual facts from the world of food, presented in graphics. A great book to dip into for foodie inspiration and impressive dinner party facts. Aurum Press. £20

Autumn and Winter Cooking with a Veg Box, Riverford Companion*

by GUY WATSON

Helping to transform seasonal produce into tasty stars of the show with recipes from the team of Riverford cooks.

Riverford Organic Farms. £16.99

EAT YOUR WORDS

A lively programme of mouth-watering discussions, debates and foodie conversations, Eat Your Words is part of Dartmouth Food Festival (23 - 25 October). Books marked by * feature in this year’s programme. Buy tickets at dartmouthfoodfestival.com

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Bites

Winter Fayre

PHOTOS: CHRIS CAMPKIN.

A new generation of Cornwall’s chefs enter the limelight at Watergate Bay’s Winter Fayre. From 10.30am on 28 November, chef demos include Jack Stein of Stein’s with Ross Geach of Padstow Kitchen Garden, Elsie Pinniger of Gilmore’s Newquay with sommelier Debbie Warner, Rick Toogood and Rob Brinham from Prawn on the Lawn plus Jack Bristow from Fifteen Cornwall.

With seafood from Matthew Stevens, meat products from Primrose Herd, Cornish Duck and Deli Farm Charcuterie, and breads from Da Bara Bakery, local produce is the star of the show. Gordon Lawrence, previously head sommelier at Fifteen Cornwall, offers festive wine-matching advice at the Wooden Hand Beer & Wine stall, plus sample some of Southwestern Distillery’s artisan Cornish pastis and Tarquin’s gin.

28 November. 9.30am-3.30pm. Extreme Academy car park at Watergate Bay. Free.

A Quicke rebrand Devonshire cheesemaker Quicke’s Traditional has launched a new brand identity with packaging featuring a woodcut carved by Joe McLaren depicting the landscape around Home Farm and reflecting the family’s strong farming heritage. Cows, goats and ewes that provide the milk for cheesemaking, plus the mysterious Quicke’s beast that featured in the original 1973 logo, are all incorporated. “I am inextricably linked to the land and our herd,” says Mary Quicke.

“My family have farmed this beautiful patch of Devon for 15 generations, so it is satisfying to see these aspects borne out in the new designs.”

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Great Taste Following 10,000 products being blind-tasted and judged, 23 out of the 130 products awarded a Great Taste 3-star accolade in 2015 are winners from the West Country, including a savoury marmalade with tamarind, which has a “kick and crunch of mustard seeds” by The Proper Marmalade Company in Barnstaple; red deer venison loin from Crediton’s M. C. Kelly; and rhubarb, rose and cardamom jam from Louise’s Larder, also in Crediton.

Quicke’s Goats’ Milk Cheese was awarded two Great Taste gold stars, as were products from Bad Boy Chilli in Launceston, Cloud Nine Marshmallows, and Liskeard-produced Cornish Blue Cheese. Judged by more than 400 of the most demanding palates, belonging to food critics, chefs, restaurateurs, cooks, producers and a host of food writers and journalists, Great Taste is widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers. Hillside Foods has come up trumps with its take on the classic lemon curd, with plenty of citrus zing and an appealing golden yellow colour. “Thick, sharp and sweet from to start and finish,” said the judges, who decreed that the Exeter-based producer had “nailed it”.

Hotelier Robin Hutson and food writer Xanthe Clay were on the panel of judges for Great Taste Awards 2015

James Staughton (St Austell Brewery) with Nick Lawrence (National Trust South West Coast Director) toast their new limited-edition pale ale at Gribbin Tower just west of Fowey. 20p from every pint or bottle sold goes to the National Trust’s Neptune Coastline campaign. Named The Gribben Ale after the Cornish headland gifted to the National Trust by the brewery chairman 50 years ago, just 23,000 pints of this ale are now for sale.

Send your food news and stories to food@manormagazine.co.uk

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Wine expert Susy Atkins leads the drink seminars this year

Michelin star chef Simon Hulstone will take to the stage in the demo kitchen on Sunday 25 October

A mouth-watering line-up Dartmouth Food Festival returns this October with a mix of delicious regional food and drink, chef demonstrations, workshops, lively food debates and fun for all the family. This three-day event is a foodie’s heaven, celebrating the very best food, drink and culinary skills from the South West. Seafood chef and festival advocate Mitch Tonks says: “The Dartmouth Food Festival is a celebration of the fresh and exciting produce we have available to us locally.

With the coast and countryside on our doorstep and the strong character of our farming community, we are able to produce some of the very best, truly delicious food and drink.”

Mitch takes to the stage to host cooking demonstrations and will be joined by other food heroes, with the likes of Simon Hulstone, Darrin Hosegrove and Nick Evans from Rick Stein’s St Petroc’s Bistro sharing their skills. Wine seminars are led by wine expert Susy Atkins in Browns Hotel plus the Eat Your Words programme of foodie discussions and debates promises plenty of food for thought in The Flavel Church. With highly regarded chefs, writers, producers and critics taking to the stage to lead discussions, the event will also include taster sessions. The Flavel Arts Centre is the hub for a series of events including the Festival Feast, wine and foodmatching sessions and an Italian-themed Saturday lunch created by chef and food writer Jane Baxter.

Dartmouth Food Festival. 23 - 25 October. Free. dartmouthfoodfestival.com

ALL PHOTOS: ORIGINAL IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

Dartmouth Food Festival celebrates the exceptional food and drink producers of the South West. Festival chair Camilla Beloe joins chef and festival advocate Mitch Tonks, chef director Serin Aubrey and Dartmouth fishmonger Mark Lobb.

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Recipe to retail Julie Waddell, award-winning food entrepreneur and creator of the market-leading gourmet humous brand Moorish, has launched the first and only food and drink business academy in the UK. The Little Food Academy advises clients on how to successfully launch their product to the food and drink market. In just three years since founding the Little Smoked Food Company, ex-BBC journalist Julie has taken the brand from her kitchen table to being one of the top gourmet dip products stocked in the UK’s premier retailers, including Waitrose, Whole Foods and Harvey Nichols. Devon-based Julie guides new businesses through online training and masterclasses with trusted industry experts. “The food and drink industry is both highly technical and excruciatingly competitive,” she comments. “Breaking into this market is very tricky if you do not know what you’re doing. We aim to prepare businesses for all the loops and bounds that they will be faced with when launching their business and products to the market.” littlefoodacademy.co.uk.

Buttering up Trewithen Dairy’s new Buttery Baking campaign uses all Cornish produce to inspire more people to get baking delicious recipes, such as this pistachio and strawberry celebration cake.

To get your Buttery Baking booklet posted free to your door, email happyhealthycows@trewithendairy. co.uk before 31 October.

New brew

Roll with it

Thirsty people of Exeter recently gathered at Oddfellows for the launch of Exeter’s newest craft beer brewery. Head brewer John Magill was proud to introduce the two beers Powderkeg serve from their bar: Cut Loose, a flavoursome and crisp pilsner; and Speak Easy, a well-hopped pale ale.

Learn the Japanese craft of sushi-making with Truro-based Cherish Kitchen. One-hour masterclasses cost £10 (ingredients provided).

Contact: naoko@cherish-kitchen.com How to make a dragon roll (smoked salmon roll covered with avocado): 15 October, 6.30pm and 22 October, 6.30pm at Penair School, St Clement, Truro, TR1 1TN. The art of making a lucky giant roll: 26 November, 6.30pm at Penair School, St Clement, Truro, TR1 1TN.

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The Table Prowler The Jack in the Green, Exeter As far as unassuming pubs go, this one’s full of surprises.

Situated on the semi-rural outskirts of Exeter, Jack in the Green Inn has been voted in the Top 50 of the UK’s gastro pubs no less than four times. With this expectation-raising knowledge in mind, I arrived after a relatively tricky bus journey (it’s certainly advisable to drive) to be greeted by a disconcertingly empty lounge area with slightly faded furnishings.

I sat to read the menu finding no less than four sections, a set menu, tasting menu, a ‘pub style’ section and five-page wine list. I began to wonder whether I was about to experience a restaurant that didn’t quite know what it was.

The first surprise: a few steps from the bar the atmosphere was transformed into a spacious, convivial setting with large and small groups at various stages of their meal. The next surprise, the service: attentive and attuned, I wondered if I was eating in a polished city restaurant rather than an out-of-town pub. I placed my order, and water and tasty fresh bread arrived – I realised I might just be in for a surprise.

Next surprise: the food. Head chef Matthew Mason knows his craft. An amuse bouche whet the appetite, before a tender carpaccio of cured longhorn beef, complete

with sweet, delicate, caramelised griddled onions and a luxurious truffle cream (£7.25). My main, two plump cod fillets (£18.50), lightly fried and drenched in a buttery sauce, and augmented with a tasty salt cod croquette. The plating was ornate and the fish fittingly fresh.

Don’t skip dessert for they are perhaps the greatest surprise – the pastry chefs here are true artists. Not only beautiful, my deconstructed rhubarb parfait (£7.25) was sweet, delicate and served with ginger and meringue for crunch. I may return for the peach melba cheesecake.

Reflecting on my error in bussing (I had to rush to make the less than regular service), I downed my espresso and lamented I couldn’t linger longer. I was in Devon on a three-day weekend, eating out at least twice a day. Jack in the Green Inn was easily the most memorable meal I had. Go for the food and the service, but most of all go for the surprises. jackinthegreen.uk.com Food 8 | Service 8 | Location 6 | Ambience 6

Hix Oyster & Fish House, Lyme Regis It’s rare to find an established restaurant that maintains a reputation of excellence many years after opening.

Not least one that has a brand and views to rely upon to encourage custom. And after reading the somewhat negative online reviews, I wondered whether Hix had fallen from glory.

There was only one way to find out. I arrived for lunch, on what started as a drizzly August day. Perched in the gardens above the yellow sands of Lyme Regis’s beach, the view from Hix is second to none. The clouds rolled across Lyme Bay, dark then light, while the crooked arms of wetsuit-clad swimmers poked from the water.

Eventually a flash of blue, then another, until the outline of the Isle of Portland appeared.

I was impressed with the locally sourced menu of snacks, oysters, starters and mains: Portland crab, Lyme Bay cod, Burry Inlet cockles. Spoilt for choice, I was grateful when a waiter gently helped me to navigate the menu. A nibble on cockle popcorn (£3.95) was both appetite-raising and fun. A wine from Dorset’s Furleigh Estate was recommended, a citrusy Bacchus Fumé 2014, which helped wash down the cockles, and went on

to honour the rest of the meal: I chose the Lyme Bay mackerel (£7.95) with picked chanterelles to satisfy my urge for local fish. My mouth watered as the acidity of the pickled Scottish mushroom contrasted the crispy, hot crunch of the mackerel. For main course, a barbecued St Mary’s Bay Huss (14.50). The meaty fish was encased with a southern-style barbecue marinade, spicy and peppery yet, sweet and nutty, it transformed the Huss into something akin to a spare rib. With a side of fries, it was formidable.

Hix isn’t new, certainly. A spot of polish and a lick of paint might help lift the interior, and if Tripadvisor reviews are anything to go by (though they rarely are) there are days when the service is a little off. I left Hix sated, warmed from good wine, food and service, and engorged upon the sunny spirit of one of southern England’s most spectacular natural environs. hixoysterandfishhouse.co.uk Food 7 | Service 8 | Location 9 | Ambience 7

Jared Green (@EdibleJared)

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Loaf Learn to bake the perfect loaf of bread with the artisans at Column Bakehouse based at Devonport Guildhall Plymouth, PL1 4EL. 25 October: Italian breads.

10am - 1.30pm. ÂŁ75.

6 November: Introduction to bread making. 5.30 - 9pm. ÂŁ75.

Call 01752 395028 to book

DON’T MISS...

25 OCTOBER FoodFest Celebrate North Devon’s finest produce with more than 100 local food and drink businesses showcasing everything from ales and wine to cheese and chocolates.

10am-3.30pm. Barnstaple Pannier Market and Queen’s Theatre.

7-8 NOVEMBER Knightshayes Beer and Wine Fair Meet local beer, wine, ale, cider and juice producers.

10am-4pm. Free. Knightshayes, Bolham, Tiverton, Devon EX16 7RQ. 01884 254665 15 NOVEMBER Clovelly Herring Festival Celebrate the heritage and sustainable fishing of the silver darlings of the sea.

10am-4pm. Admission charges apply. clovelly.co.uk

Send your food news and stories to food@manormagazine.co.uk

Traditional High Tea for two ÂŁ25 Prosecco High Tea for two ÂŁ35

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e are situated in the Lizard Village, boasting wraparound views of the Cornish coastline. Our restaurant is recognised by both the prestigious Michelin and Trencherman’s Guides and also boasts an AA Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence.

Aut umn & Winter 3 for 2 Open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Non-residents are welcome.

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PHOTO: SEAN GEE

Signature dish Andy Appleton has been a big part of the Fifteen family for many years – originally a senior sous chef at Fifteen London, he was part of the team that launched the Fifteen concept back in 2002, and has been head chef at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall since 2010. “For me, Italian food is about more than the recipes – it’s a whole attitude and lifestyle that makes great food the focus of every day,” says Andy. “It’s about sourcing the best seasonal ingredients at their peak, and letting them do the talking without unnecessary clutter and complexities.”

Recipe: Slow-cooked Cornish duck with white polenta, cavolonero and salsa verde Serves four INGREDIENTS FOR THE DUCK CONFIT

• 100g coarse sea salt, such as ‘grossel’ • 4 large duck legs • 900g duck or goose fat FOR THE POLENTA

• 600ml full cream milk • 600ml water • 200g white polenta (preferably not instant) • 75g butter • 50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

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FOR THE SALSA VERDE

• • • • • • • • • •

10g flat leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped 10g mint leaves, roughly chopped 10g basil leaves 3 tbsp capers in brine, drained and rinsed 3-4 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained 1 fat garlic clove 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1½ tbsp good red wine vinegar 100-120ml extra virgin olive oil 400g cavolonero, leaves stripped from their central stalks • 25g butter • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

food

METHOD

PHOTO: DAVID LOFTUS

1. Make the duck confit at least 24 hours before you want to cook this dish, but the further in advance you make it the better.

Layer the duck legs in a glass bowl with the coarse salt, cover and leave in the fridge for 6 hours, turning the legs over half way through. But don’t leave them any longer or they will become too salty.

2. Rub the salt off the duck and pat them dry with kitchen paper.

Bring the duck or goose fat to a gentle simmer in a large, flameproof casserole in which the duck legs will fit snugly. Add the legs, making sure that they are completely submerged, cover and leave to blip away very gently for 2½ hours. Remove the pan from the heat, leave to cool and then chill for at least 24 hours or until needed.

3. The next day, or when you are ready to start cooking, bring the milk and water to the boil in a medium-sized pan (non-stick would be perfect). Slowly trickle in the polenta, stirring all the time, and bring to a simmer.

Lower the heat and leave to cook very gently, stirring every 4-5 minutes, for 1½ hours, until silky-smooth.

4. After the polenta has been cooking for 1 hour, preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7.

Bring another large pan of salted water to the boil for the cavolonero.

5. Lift the duck legs out of the fat and wipe off most of it with kitchen paper. Put them skin-side up on a rack resting over a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden and the meat has heated through. If the skin does not crisp while roasting pan-fry it until it is crisp.

6. While the duck and polenta are cooking, make the salsa verde. Put the parsley, mint, basil, capers, anchovies and garlic onto a chopping board and chop together into a coarse paste.

Transfer the mixture into a bowl and stir in the mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste.

7. Shortly before the polenta is ready, drop the prepared cavolonero into the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes until just tender. Drain well,

lightly press out any excess water, then return to the pan with a little butter and some seasoning and toss together well.

8. Stir the butter, grated cheese and some salt to taste into the polenta and spoon it into the centre of four warmed plates. Pile a few cavolonero leaves on top, and then finish with a duck leg. Drizzle over a little of the salsa verde and serve the rest separately.

ANDY’S TIPS • Different brands of polenta take varying times to cook, so always read the side of the packet for additional cooking advice.

• Instant polenta is, as it suggests, much quicker to cook. It is yellow in colour and doesn’t have such a good flavour, but if you are short on time, it only takes 40 minutes or so to cook.

• Take care when cooking polenta as it can be quite ‘volcanic’ while it is cooking. Cover the pan with a meshed splatter guard if you have one.

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Flying private is easier than you think |Two-wheeled adventures around Cornwall A weekend break at the Old Quay House, Fowey

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PHOTO: JET NETHERLANDS. WITH THANKS TO THE OWNER OF THE FALCON 2000 EX FOR HIS KIND CO-OPERATION

Prepare to fly, Mr Bond You may well assume that the world of private jets is very much the preserve of 007, heads of state or the rich and famous.

However, flying private, it seems, isn’t as beyond our reach as many of us may think.

Words by Imogen Clements.

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ccording to Chris Beer, Head of Corporate Aviation at Exeter Airport, the market is booming. “It comes down to the fact,” he says, “that flying on a private jet is much more affordable than it ever used to be, people are generally richer than they were, and there are now many more places to land a small plane.”

Therein lies the core benefit: the ability of small private planes to land on grass, sand or any airport, big or small, means that you can pretty much fly home, or to the office, or to that sunny secluded beach inaccessible by car on the west coast of Belize.

You know the one? Big airliners can’t do this.

They need long runways on which to land and are scheduled to commercial flight timetables.

The demand for speed and flexibility in travel has grown in this sector just as it has in every other. To get to a business meeting in, say, Frankfurt through the normal methods, an executive would have to turn up at an international airport, queue to go through check-in and security to board a flight that’s scheduled, then wait to get through passport control at the other end. He’d then have to stop over at a hotel before going through the whole thing again to head to Paris for another meeting. Were he flying

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private he could do both meetings in a day and be home in time to read the kids a bedtime story.

There are clear advantages, but where does one start? What would I need to do to fly by private jet?

“You would charter one,” Chris replies matterof-factly. “Very few planes are owned, to save on servicing, upkeep and pilots, and so forth. Chartering a private jet comes with crew, landing rights, a plane that’s fully serviced and fuelled, plus immigration procedures. Regarding security, the majority of private flyers are pre-checked on booking their flight so they don’t need to go through the usual passport and airport rigmarole. They simply show up and get on. At the other end that same passenger would usually get off the plane and straight into their waiting car. If immigration and visas are required, these can be checked and processed in the comfort and privacy of the private lounge. The immigration officer simply comes to you, equipped with the necessary machinery to process the documents.”

The benefits of private flying are becoming better known and more widely exploited by those who can afford it. By which, in the main, read the corporate world flying senior executives to meetings, or more often on corporate jollies and bonding days.

Case in point: September through to the end of January is Exeter Airport’s Corporate Aviation department’s busiest time of year, because it is shooting season. As such, Chris Beer sees around eight private jets flying in daily, often from Northern Europe and the US, occupied by businessmen here to enjoy a weekend’s shooting on Exmoor with all that that brings: stately homes, fine dining, expensive wine – many will bring their own prized vintage with them, plucked from the cellar and dusted down.

There will be the planned recreation using top-ofthe-range guns, although many will be bad shots and fell nothing. But no matter, a good time will be had by all, and, of course, the requisite multimillionpound business deal will be sealed, which is essentially what it’s all about.

To big corporations looking to seal mega deals, chartering a private jet will be a mere snip. But for the rest of us, just how much money are we talking?

“To fly from Exeter to London for a weekend’s shopping and theatre on an eight-seater plane would set you back around £4,500, so between eight passengers just over £500 per person,” he tells me expectantly. I’m not buying. “To fly Exeter-Paris on a romantic jaunt in a four-seater would cost £12,000

September through to the end of January is Exeter Airport’s Corporate Aviation department’s busiest time of year, because it is shooting season.

Bovey Castle on Dartmoor is a popular luxury country hotel for those who fly to the UK in private aircraft

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Flying private: a little more luxurious than your average passenger plane

return, and to really push the boat out and fly to New York and back on a 16-seater plane for, say, a birthday celebration, would cost £180,000 return.”

Hold on. Before you stop reading altogether on the assumption that this is a world that you will never occupy, consider the fact that every one of those planes has to fly back to base and it is highly uneconomical to fly empty. Hence, the equally fastgrowing market for ‘empty leg’ flights.

“A plane flies into Exeter from Cannes,” Chris explains. “You fancy a few days in the south of

France. You hop on to fly back with it. The cost of doing so is substantially cheaper given that the plane is flying there anyway.”

Again, I tentatively enquire, just how much?

“To catch an empty leg flight to Paris would cost approximately £700 which, on a four-seater, works out cheaper than most of the low-cost airlines, but comes with all of the luxury and convenience that means you arrive in style and don’t end up spending half your weekend in Charles de Gaulle.”

Apparently they’re easy to book, too. If you go to

CHRIS BEER, HEAD OF CORPORATE AVIATION, EXETER AIRPORT

Corporate aviation is an important revenue stream for Exeter International Airport, owned by The Rigby Group since 2013. It involves celebrities, royalty and a wide variety of high net worth individuals who fly to Exeter privately for different reasons and pay for the extremely high quality of service they receive when they arrive.

Chris Beer has been Head of Corporate Aviation at Exeter for ten years.

He manages corporate aviation across The Rigby Group’s Regional and City Airports division, which includes Exeter, Blackpool, Derry, Coventry, Norwich and Daedalus airports.

Over that period, Chris has looked after the likes of Stephen Spielberg, Johnny Depp, the Dalai Lama and Naomi Campbell, amongst others. He meets a wide range of requests including renting crowds to greet needy celebrities, ordering Beluga caviar from Harrods to have it flown by helicopter to Exeter in time for the departure of a private flight back to Russia; and buying in an £800 bottle of red wine and a marguerita pizza for one celebrity who took three hours to disembark (Chris, of course, was there to greet him when he did).

As well as catering to the rich, Chris manages around 20 organ transplant flights a year, 150 medical flights (including around five each year where the injured individual has no travel insurance) and welcomes military flights and the Red Arrows when they are in town. He concludes: “There is never a dull day and no request is too challenging, but I also oversee emotional reconciliations with families, the transit of incredibly important and much admired individuals, and witness the life-saving passage of vital organs direct to those who need them. I love the job and feel extremely honoured to be doing it.”

FOOTNOTE: The Rigby Group also owns British International Helicopters and Bovey Castle through its hotel arm, The Eden Collection. There are clear synergies – passenger arrives by private jet at Exeter and is flown by helicopter to one of the region’s smartest country hotels, Bovey Castle. Not a rare occurrence by all accounts.

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escape privatefly.com or flyblink.com, you can book empty leg flights all the way up to February of next year.

The tricky thing is getting back, but simply book the commercial ‘no-frills’ well ahead and you get to compare and experience both ends of aviation’s class spectrum in one trip. Plus it means the planes are no longer flying empty; there’s almost a duty to fill them.

If it all seems rather profligate, there are obvious, highly necessary and practical advantages. The speed that flying privately affords you can help clinch that business deal or a house where exchange needs to happen in a matter of hours. Money spent on the flight may pale compared to what you’re set to lose if you are not in the right place at the right time.

And, of course, it doesn’t just apply to material goods but lives, too. Private jets fly the injured to hospital from far-flung corners of the world; they fly life-saving organs from the deceased to the seriously ill; and they fly soldiers home to their loved ones, as well as those – heads of state, top-tier royalty and government officials – for whom the usual flight paths and passage would cause mega hold-ups for everyone else along with security risks.

If flying private still seems beyond your bank balance or, indeed, inclination, at least now you know how it operates, and you never know when you

Money spent on the flight may pale compared to what you’re set to lose if you are not in the right place at the right time. might need it – one to remember this season when you’re hurtling down that black slope and look down to see the tips of your skis crossing… And perhaps, with a little forward planning, it might be quite fun to take advantage of an ‘empty-leg’ for a big occasion.

Canapés, Champagne on ice, enough leg-room to play Twister at 40,000 feet? One day, perhaps. For now, though, it’s back to normality – doors to manual and crosscheck, we’re coming in to land.

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Celebrate the end of the working year with an elegant Christmas party at Bovey Castle. Christmas parties include a glass of prosecco on arrival, three course lunch or dinner, hire of private dining room and festive table decorations.

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Christmas Party Lunch from £30.00 per person Christmas Party Dinner from £35.00 per person

Bed & Breakfast accommodation for Christmas parties from £75.00 per room. Terms & Conditions apply. Subject to availability.

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Cycle legs With cooler weather and quieter roads, autumn is a great time to hop on your bike and explore. Cornish Cycle Tours has everything you need to discover the Duchy’s gems at a gentle pace. Photos by James Ram.

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f you haven’t hopped on a bike for a while, now is a great time of year to try a spot of cycling.

The roads are quieter, there’s often a few days of sunshine back-to-back and you’re guaranteed to grab a seat in local restaurants. Wadebridge-based Cornish Cycle Tours runs a five-day coast-to-coast break that takes in plenty of hidden lanes and offthe-beaten-track scenery.

The average daily distance is 23 miles, which sounds like a lot, but on wheels it’s an okay pace.

This being Cornwall, there are inevitably hills, so rather like preparing for a ski holiday, it might be worth working on those legs a few weeks in advance. What you get on this trip is a micro-shot of the county – wild and exposed on the north coast, dense and green on the south. All the tours are self-guided so you can set your own pace and they are designed for different fitness levels.

B&B accommodation in small towns and fishing villages is included and your luggage is transferred for you.

FIVE-DAY COAST-TO-COAST TOUR

The coast-to-coast tour is £540 per person in autumn. cornishcycletours.co.uk

Day 3

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Day 1 The tour begins in Wadebridge, an increasingly popular spot for tasty food and wine. After checking in at your B&B, you’re free to explore the lovely shops and cafes, or you could stretch your legs ready for the start of your tour by cycling the Camel Trail to Padstow.

Day 2 Cyclists head south with the reward being Charlestown, a village named after Charles Rashleigh, a Cornish mining entrepreneur. In 1792, Rashleigh employed John Smeaton (the civil engineer who created the red and white tower on Plymouth Hoe) to design the harbour, the construction of which transformed the hamlet into a thriving centre of trade. Now it’s a picture-perfect location for the BBC series Poldark, among others.

After a night at The Rashleigh Arms and a big breakfast, cyclists head along the south coast towards Truro, taking in Mevagissey, Caerhays Castle – which has an authentic-looking dairy-style café, which

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CYCLE TOUR ESSENTIALS What to bring (in addition to the usual casual clothes/accessories that you would normally take on holiday) • Cycling gloves • Waterproof clothing • Two pairs of shoes • Cycle helmet • Water/drink bottle

we’ve tried and tested – and the beautiful Roseland Peninsula. The King Harry Ferry takes you across Carrick Roads (the estuary of the River Fal), from where it’s a short ride to Truro.

Day 4 Is all about going wild on the north coast. Follow uncharted country lanes from Truro to Cornwall’s surf capital, Newquay. This seaside town has undergone something of a culinary revolution in the last 18 months. Above Fistral Beach, expect to spot sophisticated diners enjoying the seafood at Fish House Fistral and, more recently, a Rick Stein restaurant. A firm favourite remains Lewinnick Lodge, perched on a headland overlooking Crantock on one side and Fistral on the other. They do a mean Sunday roast.

Getting there • Free transfers to and from Newquay airport or selected railway stations. If you choose to drive, you’ll receive a free car parking space for the duration of your tour.

• Ferries: tickets are provided for local ferry crossings as part of your cycle route.

Bikes • Emergency cycle repairs are included (if hiring).

• Cycle hire is available at the rate of £15 for a standard hybrid or £30 for an electric cycle per day cycled on the tour.

• Puncture-proof tyres as standard on all hired cycles.

Day 5 The final day takes you through lanes and farmland to Padstow. This route is faster and flatter than the shorter coastal road, which can get busy, especially in summer months. Padstow is the starting point of The Camel Trail, the final leg of your tour, taking you back to Wadebridge. Stop at your leisure for some Stein’s fish and chips. And the best part about cycling?

You’ve burnt off the calories in advance!

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PHOTO: DAVID GRIFFEN

A Fowey feast

MANOR’s food editor Anna Turns escapes to The Old Quay House Hotel for 24 hours of foodie indulgence, seafront views and messing about on the river like Ratty.

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owey always feels to me like a cross between Salcombe and Dartmouth. Those narrow winding streets, the stunning estuary, trendy independent café culture and stylish shopping, plus the distinctive lines of cottages painted in heritage pastels hugging the shore. Steeped in history and the source of inspiration for authors such as Daphne du Maurier (her family owned Ferryside on the Bodinnick side of the river as their holiday home) and Kenneth Grahame (Toad Hall is thought to be based on Fowey Hall Hotel), there’s no more luxurious a retreat in this quaint harbour town than The Old Quay House Hotel.

Stepping through the door, we receive a friendly, warm welcome from hotel manager Martin Nicholas.

Nothing twee, the general atmosphere feels casual and relaxed but with quality at its heart. With just 11 rooms, it’s certainly ‘exclusive’ and what draws most repeat customers back must surely be something to do with the stunning and ever-changing waterside panorama from the restaurant, which has French doors opening onto the terrace. From our room, we have a pleasant side view across the estuary, so there’s always something to watch – The World cruise ship moored just opposite a few weeks ago, which must have been quite a sight.

The bar and restaurant are adorned with a few fun quotes (along the lines of ‘save water, drink

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wine’) dispersed amongst the calm yet sophisticated grey decor. The drinks menu is comprehensive, with everything from mocktails to locally produced Polgoon cider and some pretty potent cocktails. For dinner, we were impressed with dishes served up by chef Ryan Kellow. The lamb cutlet starter arrived with shallot oil and crunchy herb crumble, although the mint panna cotta was a little too rich and creamy for my tastebuds. The succulent duck was served with sweet beetroot tartin, kale and baby carrots. Both dishes offered a creative mix of textures as well as a sense of fun.

Provenance is a key theme throughout the menu, with suppliers including Fish for Thought in Bodmin and Kittow’s Butcher in town. Where possible, all ingredients are sourced within the county and the menu often changes to add in catch of the day in response to what the local dayboat fishermen land. The following morning, we enjoyed a lazy breakfast with plenty of fresh fruit, delicious pastries plus a full (non-greasy) cooked Cornish breakfast complete with hog’s pudding.

Recently taken over by a South African private equity fund managed by Fairtree Capital, there will no doubt be a few changes and upgrades this winter when the hotel closes for three weeks, but with the same team of dedicated, attentive staff I don’t expect this hotel will lose its essence or personality. As we were checking out,

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PHOTO: SEAN GEE

Martin gave us a bar of white chocolate produced by Kernow Chocolate, “to continue the guest experience once you get home” – a nice final touch.

Before hitting the road, we couldn’t resist hiring a small boat to have a potter around the estuary and get a real feel for the place – there’s no better way to really arrive somewhere than become part of the scenery and explore the waterways. Brett Daniel, owner of Fowey River Hire, showed us the ropes and we headed off upstream then back out to the mouth of the estuary, the limit for all hire boats.

If you’re spending the whole day in Fowey, I highly recommend proper coffee at Brown Sugar in the town centre, a spot of gift shopping at places like The Webb Street Company and Brocante, as well a late lunch at Sam’s Diner – family-friendly, with locally caught fish on the specials menu. And then a long coastal walk might be in order to burn off some calories!

ESCAPE TO FOWEY

The Old Quay House Hotel, 28 Fore Street, Fowey, Cornwall PL23 1AQ. theoldquayhouse.com PHOTO: MIKE EVANS

Fowey River Hire, 17 Passage St, Fowey PL23 1DE. foweyriverhire.co.uk

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For teachers and parents of children studying in the South West Schools news in brief

Teabags help Georgie’s art make the A grade... and win her some tea!

WHEN GEORGINA FRANKPITT was thinking about what to do for GCSE art, her love of tea led to inspiration. Georgie, aged 16 and a pupil at Blundell’s School in Devon, was looking for a unique material for her art piece when her daily routine of a cup of English Breakfast tea after meals came to the rescue.

She experimented with dyeing and starching various shapes of teabag but found Twinings were the best as she could open them easily, giving her a versatile medium.

Georgie used more than 200 teabags for her artwork,

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using some of the contents to achieve a sepia tone. She printed part of a photograph of herself as a small child onto each teabag then suspended them on string to give a composite whole. She hung the labels from the teabags along the bottom of the piece to add variety and texture.

All Georgie’s hard work was worth it as she was awarded an A for her art GCSE and on hearing of her results, Twinings sent her two boxes of spicy Chai tea, which she says she became addicted to whilst working on her piece.

school

Stover School in partnership with local rugby club STOVER SCHOOL have formed a partnership with Newton Abbot Rugby Football Club to assist in the development of promising young rugby players in the local area.

Mr Richard Notman, Executive Head Teacher, is excited by the potential benefits of the programme: “Stover School is delighted to be building a stronger partnership with Newton Abbot Rugby Football Club.

We recognise there is great rugby talent in the region and this offers young players an opportunity to become more involved in the sport.”

Truro High cyclist finishes third at National Time Trial Championships A TRURO HIGH SCHOOL cyclist is celebrating after finishing in third place overall at the GHS National Time Trial Championships near Ware in Hertfordshire. Alanah Wickett, 15, clocked a personal best of cycling ten miles in a time of 26 minutes and 22 seconds into tough head winds on a dual carriageway.

She said: “I was competing against many 15-yearold girls who also had to get through a regional selection process to be able to qualify for this event.

I was so delighted that I came third. However, I was only five seconds off second place and 27 seconds off coming first, which is now an aim for next year!”

Trinity student walks for water so others don’t have to A BIG-HEARTED Trinity student has walked to the top of the UK’s three highest mountains within just five days to raise money for a charity he feels passionately about.

Freddy Thompson, 11, from Bishopsteignton, won a Rotary Speaking Competition at Trinity School last year talking about the work of WaterAid, a charity that provides clean safe water and sanitation to some of the poorest people across the world. Freddy was so moved by the fact that more than 1,400 children die unnecessarily every day from diarrhoea that he decided to take action. He set himself the goal to walk the three peaks during the summer break to raise £500 to support WaterAid’s work but his efforts have far exceeded his expectations, seeing him raise almost £1,100 so far. Freddy explained: “I wanted to make a difference. It just isn’t right that we have so much when others have so little. I was happy to walk for three days to raise some money but imagine having to walk day in, day out to get water rather than going to school! I’m

very happy that so many people supported me with donations, thank you to everyone.”

Freddy’s proud dad, Mark Thompson, along with their chocolate Labrador, Lola, also did the walk. Mark said: “The three peaks of Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis are challenging walks for anyone. I found it hard at times but whenever Freddy hit a difficult moment he would say, ‘I’m doing this for people who don’t have water,’ and that would keep us both going.”

WaterAid were so impressed with Freddy’s efforts that they invited him to their London offices this week to meet their Chief Executive, find out more about their operation and present him with a certificate. If anyone would like to contribute to Freddy’s fund for WaterAid, they can donate online through: justgiving.com/Mark-Thompson45

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Ready for reading In Help Your Child at Home, Professor Ruth Merttens provides parents with advice on how they can assist their children’s learning. In the third part of this exclusive series for MANOR, she focuses on helping younger primary school children (4 - 7 years) with reading.

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earning to read is one of the hardest things that children ever learn to do. Reading is a complex endeavour, comprising two types of skill.

Transcriptional skills are those skills required to help us ‘decode’ a line of print. We have to separate the text into individual words, and ‘decode’ those words. We can do this in two ways: by identifying and then blending the sounds, in the way that /sh/ /o/ /p/ can be sounded out as three separate sounds and blended to give ‘shop’; or by recognising the word, i.e. Harry will recognise his name, he doesn’t need to read it, and ‘once upon a time’ is recognised as a common story start.

Semiotic skills are those related to ‘meaning making’, the fact that we need to understand a text in order to take and share its meaning. These skills are just as important as the ability to decode a line of text. Some children learn to decode but cannot predict what may happen or answer comprehension questions. We call simple decoding where no meaning is absorbed ‘barking at print’. As children who do this move further up the school, their lack of high-level reading skills becomes increasingly an issue. In the end, these skills are what will enable your child to achieve high academic standards and also – most crucially – to read for enjoyment.

The importance not only of helping our children

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to decode a line of text but also to develop a passion for reading cannot be over-estimated. Not only is ‘reading for pleasure’ a really good predictor of academic success, it is also only through reading, immersing themselves in a book, that children expand their horizons, extend their imaginations and share in the experiences of others. Television, films and, to some extent, computer games do all provide alternative possible worlds and scenarios, but only reading takes us inside the head of other human beings in other circumstances, fictional or real. Only reading opens children to the vast world of traditional stories, myths and fantasy or real-life fiction as well as enabling them to search for and gain a wide variety of information about anything that interests them – including dinosaurs!

During the first years at primary school, as children get to grips with the basics of reading, our main role as parents is to make the most of regular opportunities for practising reading outside school and, more importantly, to make sure that reading remains a fun and interesting activity that our children want to do. Children need lots of encouragement to help them learn to read – it can be a long and arduous process, seemingly a lot of pain and no gain! It is vital that we not only keep them focused but also that we keep them enthusiastic. A child who can read but never does is little better placed to succeed than a child who cannot read.

school HOW PARENTS CAN HELP – SOME ‘DO’S AND DON’TS’ • DO keep reading to your child, aside from his reading practice. Read books harder than he can read himself. This will help him to remember how interesting and enjoyable books are, and will keep him motivated to want to read himself.

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DON’T point out every mistake your child is making. Children need encouragement and positive reinforcement to be confident, and a confident child makes a better learner.

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DO your best to stick to a ritual of ten minutes’ reading practice, most evenings (at least 6 out of 7). It doesn’t always have to be with a book – it could be a game (see below) or an activity, such as looking for the word ‘because’ or ‘there’ in a magazine.

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DON’T forget to give lots of praise for your child’s efforts, even if you think she’s not trying her best tonight. Learning to read is a tiring and lengthy business. It is really important to keep your child motivated.

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DO stop to look at the pictures and talk about them. Your child’s teacher won’t always have time to linger over things like this but pictures are a huge part of a book’s attraction for children.

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DON’T forget to point out words and print all around you. Road signs, cereal boxes, shop posters, and so forth, are all good places to find letters or words to read, which will help your child see themselves as a ‘reader’.

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DO give your child opportunities to read things she already knows by heart – jokes, song lyrics, birthday card messages or simple books for younger siblings.

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DON’T forget how important your input and attention is – just a little and often will help your child to want to learn to read and to understand how important you think reading is.

you start the story off, or you read every other page. Help your child understand that this is a joint enterprise – you are learning to read together. It is not a test.

At school, a lot of attention is given to letter sounds and word-level skills in the early stages of reading. Home is the perfect place to focus on the meaning of a book. Discuss the characters, their feelings, the pictures, what might happen next, and make links with other stories or programmes your child has enjoyed.

AND ONE MORE THING… Remember, the higher-level semiotic skills can be developed without the child decoding a single line of text! Story CDs are a fantastic way of helping a child to develop the comprehension and prediction skills required at this age. Listening with your child to some really good stories – these can be well above the level at which your child can decode – will enable them to follow a story, discuss the characters and plot, and say what they think is going to happen or how it is going to end. Once children have got the ‘listening bug’ they will listen to a story every night if given the chance. The value of this is extraordinary as it means that a whole set of ‘reading skills’ are being developed the whole time and the process is enjoyable. Most libraries lend CDs and it is now possible to download stories at very little cost. Happy listening!

BOOKS GOING HOME Nearly all UK primary schools send home books for children to practise reading. Your input here is absolutely essential! Like all new skills, whether it’s cycling a two-wheeler or tying shoe laces, the more minutes of practice that are put in, the better your child will master reading. Ten minutes a day (rather than half an hour twice a week) is perfect – any more and your child might get turned off. After a full day at school, many children are justifiably tired. Suggest

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school GAMES AND FUN ACTIVITIES Each of these activities focuses on helping children’s reading by improving their word-level or transcriptional skills. The higher-level skills can be developed as suggested above, by talking about stories, reading stories to your child and listening to story CDs. All the activities below are for two people.

Tricky word card game

Preparation: Cut up a large cereal box to make small cards – you need 24. Write the following words on the plain side of the cards, making two cards for each word: because, once, one, some, was, want, what, where, there, were, who, they.

To play • Spread out the cards face down.

• Take turns to turn over 2 cards. Read them.

• If they match (are the same word) you may keep them.

• If they don’t, turn them back over face down.

• Play until all the pairs are collected. Who has most?

Giggling dinosaurs

Preparation: Write clearly or type (lower case) and print out a list of animals. Do the same for some –ing words. Suggested animals: dog, cat, shark, mouse, horse, dragon, dinosaur, wolf. Suggested –ing words: hopping, jumping, singing, shouting, clapping, giggling, yelling, peeing…

To play • Have a list each.

• Each choose an item from your list.

E.g. Sam chooses ‘shark’, Mum chooses ‘yelling’.

• Each draw this animal doing the action! Write both words beside it.

• Repeat to get other wacky combinations.

Sounds good

Time to rhyme

To play • Take a strip of paper and a pen each.

• Each write a simple cvc (consonant sound – vowel sound – consonant sound) word at the top of your strip and fold it over. E.g. Sam writes ‘bash’ and Mum writes ‘chip’.

• Each player swaps strips.

• Look at the word and change one sound, either the vowel sound in the middle, or one of the consonant sounds. Write the new word below it and fold it over. E.g. Sam writes ‘ship’ below ‘chip’. Mum writes ‘bosh’ below ‘bash’.

• Keep playing like this, swapping strips and writing new words until you reach the bottom of your strips.

• Open up your strips and read all the words. Are some funny?

• Repeat with a new strip and a new starting word each.

To play • Spread out the cards face down. Without looking at them, take six each. Keep them face down!

• Take turns to play.

• Turn over your top card. Read the word aloud.

• The other player must say a word that rhymes with your word. If they can’t do this, they take the card and turn it face down at the bottom of their pile.

• If they do say a rhyming word, you must say a different rhyming word. If you can’t, you must take the card back.

• If you can say a rhyming word, then the card stays in the middle.

• The first person to get rid of all their cards is the winner.

You need some strips of paper and pens.

Preparation: Cut up a large cereal box to make small cards – you need 12. Write these words on the plain side of the cards: that, where, mug, fox, wish, sun, yet, kid, are, what, some, can.

HELP YOUR CHILD AT HOME PART FOUR In the next part of this exclusive series, Professor Merttens will focus on how to help older primary school (7 - 11 years) children with reading. If you have missed an issue and would like to access a part of the series, please write to school@manormagazine.co.uk.

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property

Property

The Bulletin | Property of note: Southfield House, Exeter Snapshot comparative

Mount Radford Crescent, Exeter. Guide price ÂŁ1,950,000. On the market with Savills - see Snapshot comparative, page 151 savills.com

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DARTMOUTH, South Devon

â– Guide

Price ÂŁ1,600,000

A unique Grade II listed property dating from the 19th century, built in the Gothic Tudor style with sumptuous high quality craftsmanship throughout and stunning uninterrupted views over Warfleet Creek and the River Dart. Impressive drawing room, 4 double bedrooms, mature gardens and ample parking. No EPC required. Web Ref 84743 Uninterrupted views over river | historical architectural features | beautifully presented throughout For further details please contact our Prime Waterfront & Country House Department on 01548 857588

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property

The Bulletin Moving house is a stressful endeavour, so how do you ensure you get the price you want within your desired time-frame with the least amount of heartache?

Imogen Clements calls in the experts.

W

e’ve all been there, or at least seen friends and family who have – which is, put the house on the market and wait three months, six, nine, and still no sale. Viewings start to dwindle and you agonize between lowering the price below what you think the property’s worth or taking it off the market altogether.

So, when you do decide or need to move, how can you ensure you’ll get a quick sale while getting the best possible price for your property? We consulted key experts in the region on what they would advise. It came down to three key factors: price, presentation, and choice of agent. Plus a couple of other tips that you might like to consider…

Those consulted were: PM: Prunella Martin of Marchand Petit; JB: James Baker of Strutt and Parker; JC: Jonathan Cunliffe of Savills; and PMay: Patrick May of Qwest, the property search consultants.

PRICE PM: Getting the price right is vital in the current market.

If you put the property on the market at too high a price you can do irreparable damage to its sales potential.

Choose the valuation from the agent who has most experience of selling in the region. Last year we sold 64 houses over £750k in the South Hams, which gives us a thorough understanding of the sort of values we can achieve.

JB: See three agents, all with a proven sales record for property of your kind in the region, and you’ll have a range of pricing. Be cautious with agents that are promising a sale at the higher end; ask for comparables to support this price.

PMay: When establishing a price, do your web research first, starting within a five-mile radius of your property to help set the price parameters. Look at sale prices over a three-year period on Nethouseprices and Zoopla. Do this before you meet the agents. Ask each agent to run through comparable property they have dealt with and to explain similarities and differences, and how they arrived at the price.

PRESENTATION PM: All the senses are important when selling, but one we often forget is smell. A sweet-smelling house that’s also visually stunning is all good. No doggy smells!

JC: It doesn’t matter how good the location, views, or how expensive the kitchen, if the house is generally scruffy or untidy, people won’t see through this and a sale is likely to be delayed and the price readjusted. That said, don’t be tempted to remove all personal belongings and ‘clutter’, as homes sell much better than houses.

PMay: Keep on top of the garden. An overgrown garden not only gives a bad first impression but makes a would-be buyer feel that the garden would be a chore to maintain.

If needs be, cut shrubs earlier than normal

and keep verges and paths clear.

A cold house can be a major turn off, as is damp or bad decoration around windows. Significant dog smell is not good – bad enough in one area but much worse still if dogs are given free range.

Ensure easy access – enough room for visitors to park and turn around (remove cars and park down the road if necessary).

AGENT PM: The agent should be able to show the vendor comparables of the properties they have sold within the last six months that are similar to that being valued.

PMay: The agent’s enthusiasm is one thing but should be tempered by knowledge of the market and recent sales. If the agent knows their market and is firm on their commission rates they are more likely to better negotiate for you, too. Agree a review period that suits both agent and owner, then regularly review the situation. The key question is: “What number of viewings is typical for this type of property?” If the viewings fall well short of the expectations created by the first meeting with the agent, ask why and what can be done to rectify this, then if necessary refer to the review period.

PHOTOS JB: Choose the optimum number of photos for web that show the very best aspects of the property. The more you show the more likely a buyer is to see something minor that’s sufficient to put them off. Plus, buyers don’t often click beyond ten shots, so make these the best ones.

HIDDEN HORRORS PMay: It’s important to know the hidden costs so that you can answer a pertinent question with confidence. If you know there are any outstanding repairs or improvements required, get a quote. In the case of larger period houses that require updating, consider getting a survey first.

FINALLY, WATCH THE CHIT-CHAT PMay: Over-chatty and friendly owners (or people who work for them) can be irritating to those looking around and sometimes a deal could be missed. A good agent should not be afraid to suggest an owner takes the dog for a walk while a viewing takes place or, in some instances, telling the owners they should be there to bring ‘alive’ what it’s like to live in their house and demonstrate the sense of community.

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savills.co.uk

1 BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED 16TH CENTURY MANOR WITH LOVELY VIEWS teign valley, edge of dartmoor Great hall / dining room ø 4 further reception rooms ø long gallery / gym ø 7 bedroom suites ø 2nd floor office & staff flat ø sunken walled garden & swimming pool ø parkland ø Grade I Listed ø about 10 acres ø EPC Exempt Offers in excess of £2 million

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Savills Exeter Richard Addington raddington@savills.com

01392 455 755

savills.co.uk

1 VILLAGE LIVING AT ITS BEST the old vicarage, constantine, falmouth, cornwall Grade II listed ø stunning period residence ø five bedrooms ø three reception rooms ø two bedroom coach house ø hand crafted kitchen ø study and office ø courtyard and private gardens ø garage and store ø 4,778 sq ft including coach house

Savills Cornwall Matthew Rowe mrowe@savills.com

01872 243 200

Guide £950,000 Freehold

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City seclusion Skilfully designed to merge into the landscape in a desirable pocket of Exeter, Southfield House offers contemporary living on a grand scale.

Words by Imogen Clements.

T

his issue’s Property of Note was definitely a candidate for Channel 4’s Grand Designs.

It is very much a 21st-century abode of high design specification that took almost two years to build from planning approval through to completion.

“Funnily enough, I did consider contacting the TV programme,” laughs owner Sarah Furby, “but I didn’t want to end up pregnant. Nearly all the women on Grand Designs seem to have gained a child as well as a house by the end of the project!”

Southfield House is a new build in one of Exeter’s highly desirable corners. It has four double bedrooms plus a fifth on the lower ground floor that could equally act as a snug or games room. Sarah and her husband, a property planning consultant, built the house within the plot of their own family home.

“We moved to our own house about seven years

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ago and realized immediately that it had much more garden than we needed, so we looked into the possibility of building on it. The precedent had already been set – numerous houses in the vicinity had done the same thing – so we knew there shouldn’t be too many planning issues regarding the build.”

They did, however, set their own strict brief about what kind of property they were looking to build.

“We wanted it to feel very much its own house – separate and well secluded from our own. We were also very sensitive to surrounding neighbours and wanted to ensure that the new property in no way overlooked theirs; plus, of course, we didn’t want our own view blighted. We wanted the new house to blend into the surroundings harmoniously and not obstruct our or anyone else’s view.”

The Furbys enlisted the help of local architect Chris Dent, who suggested that they further take

property of note

advantage of the topography of the plot. The Furbys’ garden already sloped away from the main house, which ensured any new home enjoyed was set apart from their own. However, the couple were keen to build a family home so Dent suggested they dig down further, to create a two-storey building through the addition of a lower ground floor. As such, the building would be far less imposing.

Chris Dent also suggested a Sedum roof for the property, which would effectively camouflage it, but also provide insulation, attract wildlife and absorb water. Sedum roofs are good floodwater solutions as they absorb a considerable amount of rain water rather than drain it away through guttering.

All these factors were vital in the development of the house in that it needed to be a modern property, offering maximum light and space, be eco-friendly and, of course, energy efficient.

The house oozes calm and, for those looking for privacy, it’s literally tucked into the landscape and crowned with a living, grassy roof.

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The entire house has been designed to the highest specification, with freeflowing living areas, state-of-the-art feature lighting (which is also lowenergy), and with light and space maximized throughout.

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“I wanted it to be a calm house that sat comfortably in the setting and wasn’t just another white rendered box,” says Sarah. “Our house is Edwardian and red brick, so we chose handmade bricks of similar colour for the new property. Nick Helsing was our artistic director and site manager, and was great at sourcing all the materials.”

The house was fitted throughout with underfloor heating, resulting in a welcome absence of radiators, and the type of boiler installed was a Veissman, known for its energy efficiency.

Given the modern open-plan layout of the home, Sarah was keen that the interior was warm in both look and feel. To achieve this, there is oak ash flooring throughout together with beautiful carpentry features like the ‘end of grain’ curved steps designed by

Sebastian Blakeley that lead from the reception to the upper level study area, and the banister on the stairs that has been carved to form a shoot. “‘For my teddy!’ shouted a child delightedly when her family were viewing the house recently,” recalls Sarah.

The entire house has been designed to the highest specification, with free-flowing living areas, state-ofthe-art feature lighting (which is also low-energy), and with light and space maximized throughout.

There is clever use of clerestory windows to flood light into the rooms and wide bi-fold doors that connect the reception area to the open-plan kitchen/ diner, with the kitchen/diner itself extending seamlessly onto the garden with wall-to-wall, opencorner sliding doors.

Southfield House would suit a family with young children, but equally an extended family with older children – there is a separate self-contained area downstairs with utilities and a cooker that would make the perfect teenage annexe or granny flat.

There is space and flexibility that will suit most – certainly, there’s great potential for entertaining with the open-plan design and doors onto the garden from both the principal living spaces. But also the house oozes calm and, for those looking for privacy, it’s literally tucked into the landscape and crowned with a living, grassy roof.

All in all, Southfield House is probably best described as a very contemporary, clever and rather discreet grand design.

Southfield House is on the market with the Exeter branch of Wilkinson Grant for £1,250,000. wilkinsongrant.co.uk

chrisdentarchitect.co.uk sebastianblakeley.com

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TEIGNMOUTH, South Devon

â– Guide

Price ÂŁ2,250,000

A superb 6 bedroom detached house of striking contemporary design enjoying breathtaking panoramic coastal and estuary views, just 20 minutes from Exeter. Offering stylish, beautifully proportioned accommodation with indoor pool and leisure facilities. Additional land/plot available. Web Ref 86147.

Breathtaking coastal and estuary views | 20 minutes from Exeter | unique contemporary design For further details please contact our Prime Waterfront & Country House Department on 01548 857588

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property

Snapshot comparative Exceptional properties on the market from around the South West along with a desirable pad in the capital.

Waterside

Ferry View, Dittisham, Devon Guide price £1,250,000 Arguably the finest position in the village – a quintessential, pretty Grade II Listed four-bedroom thatched cottage that dates from the 17th-century. Its situation is unique in that the garden sweeps down to the banks of the River Dart and it is possible to launch a boat from the gated slipway. savills.com

Golsoncott House, Rodhuish, Somerset Guide price £2,250,000

Equestrian

A Grade II listed, Lutyens-style five-bedroom Arts & Crafts family home in an elevated position on the edge of the Exmoor National Park. There is a detached stable block with manège and excellent riding out over Exmoor, along with a one-bedroom groom’s flat. Boasts magnificent gardens and grounds including a large lake, woodland, rill garden, tennis lawn, Acer arboretum, extensive lawns, orchards and paddocks. 13 acres. knightfrank.co.uk

Town house

Mount Radford Crescent, St Leonards, Exeter Guide price £1,950,000 Magnificent Grade II Listed eight-bedroom family home in one of Exeter’s most exclusive crescents, beautifully adapted for 21st-century living. The late Georgian stucco house, with its many notable period features, has been meticulously renovated by the present owners and is presented in immaculate order throughout. savills.com

London bolthole

Edenvale Street, Fulham SW6 Guide price £950,000 A two-bedroom, two-bathroom upper maisonette stretching across 958 sq feet. The property has been completely refurbished, is well laid out and further benefits from an impressive roof terrace with far reaching views.

Edenvale Street runs off Townmead Road and therefore benefits from the shopping and transport facilities of the local area including Chelsea Harbour and Imperial Wharf. struttandparker.com

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We are proud to present the latest edition of

showcasing some of the best coastal, river and lakeside properties from the UK and around the world.

For your copy, please contact: Knight Frank Exeter T 01392 458612 KnightFrank.co.uk/waterfront

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Oare, Exmoor

Hidden within a private Exmoor location commanding spectacular views

KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter william.morrison@knightfrank.com 01392 976047

Lynton 7 miles, Exford 9 miles, Porlock 6 miles, Junction 25 at Taunton 34 miles, Taunton to London Paddington in under 2 hours by train. (Distances and times are approximate) Recently renovated substantial non-listed Georgian house with spectacular views. Separate 2 bedroom flat. Extensive range of traditional stone barns around a courtyard and modern agricultural building. Shooting rights across adjoining land. EPC: B. In all about 167 acres.

Guide Price ÂŁ2,500,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE130268 MANOR | Autumn 2015

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NEAR KINGSBRIDGE, South Devon

■ Guide

Price £1,350,000

An outstanding recently renovated farmhouse in approximately 8 acres of gardens and farmland with beautiful “Homes & Gardens” interiors. Includes a substantial American style barn and outbuildings and a detached barn with PP for conversion into holiday lets. No EPC required. Web Ref 86589 8 acres of land | excellent access to A38 | income potential For further details please contact our Prime Waterfront & Country House Department on 01548 857588

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NR MODBURY, South Devon

â– Guide

Price ÂŁ1,595,000

A magnificent newly renovated 5 bedroom detached house with character and style set in approximately 3 acres of beautiful South Hams countryside. To one end is a self-contained annexe which can be used with one or two bedrooms. EPC Rating E. Web Ref 78904 Superbly finished spacious house | beautiful location 3 miles from the sea | self-contained annexe For further details please contact our Prime Waterfront & Country House Department on 01548 857588

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Mamhead | Devon

An exceptionally well-presented house with exquisite views over open countryside Exe Estuary 5 miles, Newton Abbot 9 miles, Exeter 11.5 miles

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Guide Price: ÂŁ650,000

Entrance hall, sitting room, dining room, family room, sun room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, ground floor shower room, master bedroom with ensuite shower room, three further bedrooms, family bathroom, landscaped garden with stream and pond, paddock, greenhouse, approximately 0.85 acres (0.343 hectares)

Shobrooke | Devon

A delightful thatched house in rural surroundings with no immediate neighbours Crediton 2.4 miles, Tiverton 10 miles, Exeter 11 miles

Guide Price: ÂŁ650,000

Entrance hallway, kitchen/breakfast room, utility/boot room, cloakroom, larder, sitting room, dining room, ground floor shower room, master bedroom, three further bedrooms, family bathroom, integral annexe with two further bedrooms and bathroom, double garage, gardens.

Further land by separate negotiation

Exeter 01392 215631 Exeter@struttandparker.com 50 offices across England and Scotland, including 10 offices Central MANOR in | Autumn 2015 London 157

www.wilkinsongrant.co.uk

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PROPERTY & ACQUISITION AGENTS

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Available throughout Devon and Cornwall, and on sale from Paddington through to Penzance, MANOR is a must-read for any quality-discerning style-seeker with a base in, or a hankering after the South West.

Featuring fashion, beauty, architecture and design, MANOR covers the areas that inspire us all, while showcasing the very best of the region. A premium publication aimed at the modern active professional, MANOR has all that a quality national title delivers, but from a different perspective, the South West perspective.

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High . Isabel de Pedro .

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KITCHENS

Arrital Kitchens

16-17 Drakes Mill Business Park Estover Road Plymouth Devon PL6 7PS Tel: 01752 787131 E-mail: info@arrital-kitchens.co.uk www.arrital-kitchens.co.uk Parent company www.arritalcucine.com Facebook http://www.facebook.com/arrital.kitchens

Bespoke Kitchens Fitted Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms Studies Office & Life Space Joinery Specialists in bespoke kitchen furniture and free-standing handcrafted pieces

Telephone: 01626 336629 Mobile: 07736 779307 Email: jon@kkandj.co.uk

25 years experience

www.kkandj.co.uk MANOR | Autumn 2015

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BLACK BOOK

A wedding and event florist and mother of two young girls, Caroline Hodges shares her love of walking, the seaside and cake with MANOR.

I

t is only since becoming a parent that I’m able to can pretty much get your week’s groceries in the wellappreciate how lucky I was to grow up by the sea. My stocked store! mum and dad owned the sailing school in Newton Since becoming a mum, my cake-eating has become Ferrers, South Devon, so boating was a given and I spent a serious pastime – hence good cake vendors feature my early summers messing about on the River Yealm. regularly in my little black book. It helps if a venue also After travelling and living abroad during most of my has a great space for kids, too – East Soar Farm fits this twenties, I was more than ready to move back to the South bill perfectly. The short walk from the National Trust Hams with my husband, Toby, when I was pregnant with car park is ideal for scooters/bikes/trikes and the rustic our eldest daughter, playground provides ample Lola. That was four fun for the duration of years ago and we have cake indulgence! Another no plans to move favourite is Staverton anywhere again. With so Bridge Nursery & Café. much to do right here, The pear and chocolate we now rarely even tart is delicious, there’s leave the West Country! a great little Wendy Toby, Lola (4), house for kids and I love Agnes (1) and I live mooching around the in the small village of stunning plants.

Thurlestone. Our ideal But it’s the beach and Sunday afternoon is on sea that we are always our doorstep: Bantham drawn back to as a family beach/surf time, a float – endless and largely from the river mouth up cost-free entertainment. the Avon on the tide, Bantham beach is just Fishing at Bantham Walking on Thurlestone Sands followed by a drink in down the road and is our The Sloop. year-round hang out. A We love to walk favourite low-tide walk is across the fields near along the foreshore from our house, and onto Cockleridge to Burgh the cliff path. Our Island, stopping for a favourite route skirts cheeky pint at the 13ththe golf course: hang century Pilchard Inn. a left at the cliff and We have a little dinghy keep on going to either we use to get afloat and the Beach House at escape the crowds in the South Milton (great summer. It’s perfect for coffee, pastries, moules finding a deserted lime frites or surf ’n’turf, kiln for a picnic or a Looking towards Bigbury with Burgh Island in the distance depending on the time secluded cove when the of day), or The Cove beaches are rammed. at Hope Cove.

We had a fantastic afternoon/evening recently at the For an inland alternative, a lovely walk is along the National Trust’s Big Night Out at South Milton Sands. disused railway at Loddiswell – perfect for spotting wild All the kids had a blast making lanterns and kites, rock flowers, collecting all sorts of woodland ‘treasure’, and the pooling and treasure hunting, swimming and trying out little waterfalls seem to captivate the kids. And, of course, paddle-boards while the adults enjoyed barbecues, picnics after a stroll there you can justify a cuppa and slice of cake and a beautiful sunset. at the Avon Mill café.

It was one of the highlights of another incredible Other favourite cafés include Sailor V in Salcombe summer enjoying the simple pleasures of the seaside (incredible pancakes, delicious coffee and feel-good through our daughters’ eyes. Here’s to many more... smoothies, all in a quirky, relaxed setting) and Stokeley Farm Shop (generous scones and yummy cakes). And you carolinehodgesflowers.co.uk

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Model shown is XE S in Italian Racing Red (with optional 20” propeller alloy wheels with space saver wheel, advanced parking assist pack, panoramic sunroof and lighting pack priced at £48,835).

DESIGNED TO ENTICE In celebration of Aston Martin’s long-standing association with James Bond, and to mark the release of the new film Spectre, 150 DB9 GTs have been placed on special reserve for the creation of individual DB9 GT Bond Edition models. Each Limited Edition comes equipped with an exclusive specification, featuring unique 007 badging and bespoke Bond themed accessories.

To experience the DB9 GT Bond Edition for yourself, please contact us on the details below.

ASTON MARTIN EXETER, YEOFORD WAY, EXETER EX2 8LB 01392 300621 / www.grange.co.uk

Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the Aston Martin DB9 GT Bond Edition: Urban 13.4 (21.1): Extra-urban 28.8 (9.8): Combined 20.2 (14.0). CO2 emissions 325g/km The mpg/fuel economy fi gures quoted are sourced from official regulated test results obtained through laboratory testing.

They are for comparability purposes only and may not reflect your real driving experience, which may vary depending on factors including road conditions, weather, vehicle load, and driving style. Vehicle shown for illustrational purposes only.

and related James Bond Trademarks ©1962-2015 Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation.

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and related James Bond

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