BRITAIN’S BEST-SELLING PERIOD HOMES MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER 2014
SEPTEMBER 2014 ISSUE 292
H O M E S ❋ D E CO R AT I N G ❋ G A R D E N S ❋ A N T I Q U E S & V I N TAG E ❋ R E N OVAT I O N
New British
DESIGNERS
45
PAGES OF REAL HOMES & GARDENS
THIS SEASON'S WALLPAPERS & FABRICS FROM OUR HOME-GROWN TALENT
VICTORIAN GEMS
INTERIOR SOLUTIONS
LIGHTING ADVICE KITCHEN ISLANDS LOFT EXTENSIONS
ART FOR OUTDOORS
SCULPTURAL PIECES INSPIRED BY NATURE www.periodliving.co.uk £3.99
S H O P P I N G T R E AT S ❋ D ECO R AT I V E M O U L D I N G S ❋ D R E A M H O M E S F O R S A L E
THE PRESERVATION OF RARE & HISTORIC GLASSHOUSES
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Your fascinating journey
IN EVERY DETAIL
THE PLEASURE OF CREATION Garden Rooms | Furniture | Shading | Paint www.marston-and-langinger.com +44 (0) 20 7881 5700 @MLanginger
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THE PLEASURE OF CREATION
THE BEST PAINT IN THE WORLD Marston & Langinger paints are not only beautiful, but also technically advanced. They are self-priming, extraordinarily durable with impeccable environmental credentials.
Exterior Eggshell | Chalky Interior Matt | Interior Eggshell Sample pots available www.marston-and-langinger.com +44 (0) 20 7881 5700 @MLanginger Also available from Brewers
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Editor’s Letter
‘
‘
Welcome
Putting your own unique stamp on a property is the best bit about owning any house
I always enjoy perusing the Readers’ Homes section (from page 44) and discovering creative gems that I can repurpose in my own space. For me, putting your own unique stamp on a property is the best bit about owning any house, period or not. Forget the flaking paint, slightly rotten sills and cracked window panes – focus on what really matters: will the blue Chesterfield and off-white wall colour transform the room or not? Sometimes you get it right and wonder why you didn’t do it years before; other transformations take longer to live with and be accepted by friends and family visiting your “castle”. After being inspired by a reader’s home a few years ago, I decided to chequerboard my floorboards, which took me the best part of a year – or so it seemed at the time. Some visitors comment on them, usually decorators, shaking their heads, while others clearly think I have too much time on my hands. Every time I walk through the hall, I remember all those hours spent scrambling around on my hands and knees getting the chequering, masking and painting just right. But I love them – and that makes all the hard work feel worthwhile.
RACHEL WATSON, EDITOR
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT Eclectic country house finds, page 75; cosy throws and blankets, page 18; salvaged gems, page 133; rustic family kitchen style, page 51; upcycled vintage pieces, page 21
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H O M E S ❋ D E CO R AT I N G ❋ G A R D E N S ❋ A N T I Q U E S & V I N TAG E ❋ R E N OVAT I O N
The Team
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Period Living is published monthly by Centaur Home Interest Media, a division of Centaur Holdings plc, Wells Point, 79 Wells Street, London W1T 3QN. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published in Period Living, the publishers can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Although Period Living has endeavoured to ensure that all information inside the magazine is correct, prices and details may be subject to change. No guarantee can be made of the safe return of unsolicited text or photographs. Letters may be adapted at the discretion of the editor. Copyright for all materials published in Period Living remains with the publishers and nothing in this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the publishers. Designed using Apple computers. Printed by the Wyndeham Group. Distributed by MarketForce. Period Living ©2014 is published monthly. ISSN 0958-1987.
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68
September
Contents THIS MONTH’S COVER FEATURES
DECORATING & SHOPPING
13 Shortlist 17
16 117
17
32
BRITAIN’S BEST-SELLING PERIOD HOMES MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER 2014
35
SEPTEMBER 2014 ISSUE 292
DESIGNERS
45
PAGES OF REAL HOMES & GARDENS
THIS SEASON'S WALLPAPERS & FABRICS FROM OUR HOME-GROWN TALENT
25 The cool, calm collector
Marc Allum reflects on the heyday of the car boot sale, plus shop for your own early-morning-bargain finds
S H O P P I N G T R E AT S ❋ D ECO R AT I V E M O U L D I N G S ❋ D R E A M H O M E S FO R S A L E
162 My vintage world
Vintage blogger Catherine Beck shares her ideas and inspirations
ART FOR OUTDOORS
SCULPTURAL PIECES INSPIRED BY NATURE
It's Showtime
HOW TO DISPLAY TREASURED CURIOS & COLLECTIBLES
REAL HOMES
44
28
88
52 60 68
107
Echoes of memories
Sue Swain and Steve Ford turned a tired Georgian property into a perfect family home
Behind the scenes
Film director Rob Sorrenti put his creativity to the test when he transformed a run-down basement flat into a stylish living space
Triumphant return
Matt Whitby took on his most challenging renovation project to date when he converted four bedsits into his dream home
A bouquet of creativity
Shaun Clarkson and Paul Brewster have added a sense of grandeur and tradition to their quaint country cottage
GARDENS
88 On the grapevine 91 98
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A British vision
Be inspired by fabrics and papers from the latest home-grown design talent
New happenings, views and events in the antiques, vintage and art worlds
VICTORIAN GEMS
INTERIOR SOLUTIONS
Prepare for the colder months ahead with our pick of snug throws and autumnal copper home accessories
21 Past to present
THE PRESERVATION OF RARE & HISTORIC GLASSHOUSES
LIGHTING ADVICE KITCHEN ISLANDS LOFT EXTENSIONS
Boutique
ANTIQUES & VINTAGE
H O M E S ❋ D E CO R AT I N G ❋ G A R D E N S ❋ A N T I Q U E S & V I N TAG E ❋ R E N OVAT I O N
New British
The latest and most stylish interiors offerings, chosen by the editor
Garden news, products and advice
Journey of discovery
Amateur gardener Marie du Boulay has carefully linked traditional and modern design to create a flowing country garden
Full to brimming
Bob and Shirley Stoneley’s cottage garden brings a welcome burst of colour to the landscape well into the autumn months
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113 FEATURES
28 77 82
44
The artisan
Taking inspiration from the surrounding countryside, ceramicist Pauline Lee crafts beautifully textured botanical sculptures
A natural romantic
Leida Nassir-Pour demonstrates how to display your favourite collectables in style
130
Spotlight on...
One couple have carefully restored the derelict Victorian greenhouses in their traditional walled garden
107 Out & about
We explore the 400 years of domestic history on show at the Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch, London
130 Best of British
91
HOME ESSENTIALS
35
Discover the rich history behind Kirkpatrick, a historic West Midlands-based manufacturer of traditional ironmongery
113 117
123
10 of the best lighting ideas
The most illuminating design solutions for period properties
Island living
Find the perfect kitchen work table or breakfast bar for your space, style and needs
138
133
Lofty ideas
The experts advise on converting and extending the loft space in a period home
RENOVATION & PROPERTY 133 Reclaim & reuse
We trawl for treasure at the salvage yards
135 Repair or replace?
Douglas Kent advises whether you should preserve or replace clay roof pantiles
137 Mastering plaster
Keep traditional mouldings in top condition with our guide to renovating plaster
140 Dream homes
Cover photograph
MARK SCOTT
Our pick of beautiful period properties on sale across the UK
REGULARS
162
110 Subscription offer Subscribe and save 30 per cent plus get three free issues for a friend
142 Stockists
Where to find products listed in this issue
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123 18/07/2014 15:24
A COLLECTION OF LUXURY WARDROBES
01483 22 55 00 To view our online brochure & find your nearest designer
theenglishwardrobecompany.com
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This Month...
Prepare for the changing of the seasons by giving your home a fresh new look, taking inspiration from our decorating feature celebrating British design talent, and expert guides to loft conversions, kitchens and lighting
A WARM WELCOME
AUTUMN FLORAL CUSHION, £10; BOLD HAND-PAINTED FLORAL CURTAINS, £70, ALL TESCO DIRECT (TESCO.COM)
PORTOBELLO RUSTIC PINE TRESTLE BENCH, £99; EMBROIDERED FLOWER CUSHION, £12; CUT VELVET STRIPE ORANGE CUSHION, £14;
Create an inviting entrance with accessories in a rich autumn palette. See our pick of copper homewares and cosy throws, from page 17, for more ideas
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News
MOROCCAN ESCAPE
SOFT TO TOUCH
Created using a montage of vintage postcards from the 1920s to 1930s, this Cartes Postales du Maroc wallpaper by Space Innovation exhibits beautiful images depicting period scenes across Morocco, from Marrakech to Casablanca. Measuring W52cm, it costs £85 per 10m roll. (spaceinnovation.co.uk)
Family run British business Helen Moore offers luxury faux fur fashion, including stylish homewares. This Ermine throw, £270, and Ermine cushions, £40 each, would bring sophistication to any autumnal living room. (01884 860900; helenmoore.com)
September shortlist The editor’s pick of the latest and most stylish interior offerings
WILD WOODLAND Cherith Harrison’s new collection, Woodland Roots, features homeware decorated with wild creatures including owls, stags and robins. The red squirrel bone china mug celebrates this elusive animal with an illustrated design taken from pencil drawings and pretty polka dots, priced £10.95. (07711 851608; cherithharrison.com)
Classic choice Designed to resemble the iconic piece of furniture, the Eames style DSW Eiffel chair is an affordable way to add a statement piece to your interior. Moulded to suit any shape, it is available in 18 colours, £33.98. (0800 092 1636; my-furniture.co.uk)
Talent spot
After graduating with a degree in illustration in 2012, Josie Shenoy established her own design business based in Deptford, London. Inspired by vintage colourways, Josie creates designs for lighting, stationery and greetings cards using a range of techniques, including pencil drawing, collage and traditional printing methods. Her designs are often influenced by her love of nature, folklore and storytelling. Her lampshade designs are priced from £55. For more information, visit josieshenoy.com.
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Rustic lighting
Sociable seating
With summer now over, Out There Interiors’ latest rattan furniture collection will bring a sense of the outdoors inside. Natural braided chair, £195; wide braided chair, £395; Grey rattan chair, £295. (020 8099 7443; outthereinteriors.com)
Laura Ashley’s Hedgerow collection explores nature with an autumnal, neutral palette and a selection of foliage-inspired prints. The Rusper lantern, £70, is rustic in appearance, with plug-in mains power for continuous light. (03332 008 009; lauraashley.com)
MONOCHROME LINEN
Set a tabletop to be proud of with these modern napkins from LinenMe. Made from linen flax with handmade fringing, the napkins are available in a variety of plain, striped or checked patterns, allowing different combinations to make an eclectic set. The black striped linen napkin, shown here, is priced £3.99. (020 8133 3853; linenme.com)
EXOTIC STITCHING Add tropical colour to your home with a block-printed cushion. Inspired by the Kantha embroidery practised in India, these quilted cushion covers are sewn to create a wrinkled texture. Available in five colourways, £30 for a set of two. (020 3651 8194; reasonseasontime.co.uk)
Closing their antiques shop in Wales after nine years, husband and wife team Ken and Lynne Bundy’s new venture, Retrometrohome, sells a carefully curated selection of antique, salvaged and artisan objects including furniture, lighting and decorative pieces. This Queen Anne style wing armchair is priced £595. (retrometrohome.co.uk; 01550 777558)
September news .indd 14
KATHLEEN SPRIGGS-BUSH
A new eco-friendly, easy-clean finish, elite emulsion has been added to Zoffany’s paint range. Its pigment ensures a low sheen but vivid colour, shown (from top) in Pebble, Smoke and Russet. £42.50 for 2.5ltrs. (0844 543 4600; zoffany.com)
Words
Web watch
Perfect paint
COUNTRY CREATURES
Embrace a rural interior with this quirky Wild Boar wallpaper, new from Lush Designs. This illustrated design reworks a traditional country pattern with a characterful modern twist, with the print featuring on several Lush Designs products, including china and lampshades. Made in the UK, the Wild Boar wallpaper is priced at £49.50 per 10.5m roll. (020 8694 1664; lushlampshades.co.uk)
17/07/2014 09:14
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Boutique
Create warm ambient light with this large Loft copper pendant lamp, £195, Alexander & Pearl
Graham & Green’s Isaac iron armchair, £85, has an industrial look with a brushed finish
Nick Fraser highlights the natural shine of copper with this pipework candlestick, £45
Burnished
Feature KATHLEEN SPRIGGS-BUSH
GLOW
Embrace autumnal russet tones and add warmth to your interior with our selection of vibrant copper pieces
Hammered for a textured surface, this bowl is perfect for storing trinkets, £30, Cox & Cox
The French Bedroom Company offers this Polygon side table, also ideal as a stool, £285
Contrast pale blooms with this mouthblown, artisan LSA Remi vase, £32, Black by Design
For a more traditional take, try this copper effect metal jug, £20, Laura Ashley
This Koppel clock by Georg Jensen, £185, draws on an iconic original design from 1978
As the longer nights draw in, light your garden with Broste’s Brenton lantern, £29.99, Selfridges
For suppliers’ details, turn to stockists page
Shopping_Copper_Kat.indd 17
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Boutique
WRAPS
As the cooler nights begin to draw in, snuggle up with our stylish selection of the latest cosy throws and blankets
The Wool Company’s Castillo mohair throw in Jade, £119, is finished with hand-knotted fringing
With red and blue stripes, Joules’ cotton Ticking Stripe throw, £85, has a coastal feel
This By Mölle Mill blanket, shown in Chocolate, is made of pure Scandinavian wool, £119, Amara
Made of pure wool, this English mustard yellow throw has a textured weave, £48.50, Clare Loves
Woven in Ireland’s Avoca Mills, this Trudy check blanket is £79.99 from Coast & Country Interiors
Occa Home’s alpaca mix Elvang Manhattan throw, £90, complements a calm interior
This knitted wool throw, £207, Really Well Made, has a reworked traditional Norwegian pattern
Made of biodynamic merino wool, this Twist a Twill Petrol blanket is £98 from Hus & Hem
This Monceaux Saffron checked blanket is made of mohair and lambswool, £185, Designers Guild
Feature KATHLEEN SPRIGGS-BUSH
Under
For suppliers’ details, turn to stockists page
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JL Period Living Glass 290x213 Sep_Layout 1 10/07/2014 17:52 Page 1
NOTHING SIMILAR IS QUITE THE SAME
To experience the full range, request your free copy of the Jim Lawrence brochure: call 01473 826940, email sales@jim-lawrence.co.uk or visit www.jim-lawrence.co.uk Showroom at The Ironworks, Lady Lane, Hadleigh, Suffolk IP7 6BQ
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ys Vintage Bu
In a spin
Antiques & Vintage
Past to present The latest word from the auction rooms, and news and reviews from the antiques and art worlds
Dream of far-flung adventures with this antique French globe on a wooden base, £99.50, Pastel Lane. (07949 339416; pastellane.co.uk)
Must-see exhibition The hot seat
Photographs CARRY AKROYD ONE SWAN (CENTRE); HADLOW TOWER (TOP RIGHT)
This 1950s G Plan easy chair has been reupholstered with a retro-style fabric from John Lewis. H80xW50xD70cm, £320, Elephant & Monkey. (07721 042363; elephant andmonkey.co.uk)
Carry Akroyd and Malcolm Ashman, two artists passionate about the rural landscape, are showing their latest work in Field Pattern at The Jerram Gallery in Dorset, from 20 September to 8 October. Ashman depicts the rolling hills of Wessex, jotting notes and sketching as he travels, and then painting his compositions in oils partly from memory in his Bath studio, while Akroyd’s acrylic and watercolour images derive from her walks in the Fens, where she lives. Admission free. Open Monday to Saturday, 9.30am-5pm. The Jerram Gallery, Half Moon Street, Sherborne, Dorset. (01935 815261; jerramgallery.com)
Bringing hidden histories to life, Heritage Open Days celebrates its 20th anniversary with a four-day festival, running from 11 to 14 September. From towers and tunnels, factories and follies, to chapels and synagogues, thousands of England’s unique historic sites will be throwing open their doors for free. (0844 335 1884; heritage opendays.org.uk)
MY GREAT DISCOVERY
Chris Holmes Owner of Chris Holmes Decorative Interiors in Harrogate, Yorkshire
Antiques news.indd 21
What is your favourite find? My favourite find is potentially whatever is around the corner tomorrow. The thrill of discovering a special or rare piece is why I’m in this business. Today, I’ve chosen a wooden horse, made in around 1870 for a fairground. In the 1920s it was converted into a rocking horse and over-painted white. We’ve taken it off the rockers, and are having a stand made for it. What’s intriguing is how the top layer is peeling away to reveal the original fairground reds, blues and
greens beneath. It is just such a wonderful piece of social history. Of all the items you’ve dealt with, which do you most want to keep? A beautiful gilded angel, dated about 1600, which came from a private chapel in southern Italy. It’s the quality of carving, and the intensity of the look in the eyes – I love it.
ABOVE This fairground horse is well travelled LEFT Chris likens the intensity of this angel’s stare to an Old Master painting
18/07/2014 14:08
The largest stocks of Persian and Afghan rugs in the UK
1000’s in stock in each store with sizes up to 27’x17’
Stores at:
Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 8UD
1/2 Mile from Junction 16, M5
Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 7FJ
At the roundabout of the A460 and A4601
Bodelwyddan, N. Wales LL18 5TZ
Just off Junction 25, A55
0845 4 900 600 14/12 ghf176_14-12_270x193_v2.indd 1
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Antiques & Vintage
Marc Allum
The Cool, Calm Collector
Boot sale challenge Marc Allum takes a trip down memory lane and wonders whether the heyday of the car boot sale is over, or whether he just can’t get out of bed anymore…
Y
awn! It must be a symptom of my underactive thyroid, but these days the prospect of jumping out of bed at the crack of dawn in pursuit of car boot sale bargains seems to have become a distant memory. Harking back to those early days of post-apocalyptic bomb-site foraging, I remember with great nostalgia the excitement of filling my stylish Renault Fuego with Georgian glasses, wacky (and largely unsaleable) pieces of stainless steel, tribal art and 1950s furniture. True, hardly a week goes by when I don’t buy an object; some weeks I buy several. It is my condition, you see. Sadly, the early morning gusto of my youth has been replaced by the relative (but stylish) simplicity of a Nespresso, buttered crumpets and a large, touch-sensitive computer screen, which saves me having to set foot in muddy fields. I view the auctions online, maybe toddle along if I see something that tempts me, and then I bid on the internet while writing a book or an article. Perfect – or is it? Looking back on previous decades, I do have a habit of fondly recounting those early profitable purchases. If the tales were all about girls, I would no doubt be disdainfully ostracised by people bored of my boastful hormonal exploits, but instead, I seem to get away with the bargain basement banter of youthful joie de vivre and adventitious discovery. My early days of collecting were like a serendipitous joyride through the countryside of providential acquisition. Fate played its part, and I loved the idea that no day out on the hunt would be the same, that the
Fate played its part, and I loved the idea that no day out on the hunt would be the same ABOVE In his early days of car boot hunting, Marc chanced upon a Rossetti chair, like this one by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co, and snapped it up for a mere £15 RIGHT Bargains can be found; maybe nestled in a box of brass items is an Adam and Eve charger?
Marc Allum september.indd 25
chance purchase of a fabulous signed Nicholson Alphabet print or a Christopher Dresser toast rack might be as likely or as unlikely as finding a good roadside bacon butty. Few of those early purchases have survived into the “core collection”, but instead they were useful stepping stones: house deposits and cars, savoured for a while then traded up the property ladder of life in style-changing sell-offs and momentous reinventions, as personal success became measured in Georgian rather than
Victorian real estate. I miss those things – the Fijian war club bought for £7, the 17th century brass Adam & Eve charger bought for £5, the Rossetti chair bought for £15, the Biagini car mascot bought for 50 pence… They all have their niche in my gallimaufry of nostalgic procuration. I smile when I think of the camaraderie that my best friend and I developed as we wandered the lines of sagging pasting tables vying for the largest Georgian glass haul. (I always won.) Not for me the hatchback scrum; I always preferred to let the hardened crack-squad of commando totters mount their full-scale assault on some poor hapless person with a car full of baby clothing, then strategically use the 20 second stall-scan technique as a general precursor to a more detailed trawl later on. It seemed to work well. Over the years, as the professionals moved in with cheap motor oil and tomato plants and my evolving yet exhausting career emphasised the importance of weekend lie-ins, I began to pick and choose, only stirring from my Empire lit-enbateau to eat Eggs Benedict or vet a posh boot sale. I love those charity events – country types in shooting brakes and Range Rovers, the smell of horse boxes stuffed with goodies dredged from the aristocratic barns and attics of old family piles in the heart of hunting country. Yet, greed and avarice still abound as infiltrators masquerade as vendors to scale the drawbridges of equine logistics and polite society to carry off the booty of an unsuspecting do-gooder. “Stop!” I shout, as an 18th century Dieppe ivory Madonna is handed over for a paltry £5, only to find myself threatened by a seriously tough chap as he quickly sees the ill-won prospect of his £1,500 profit quickly evaporating. “Surely not,” I hear you say, but sadly this is by no means an uncommon scenario, as I pit my wits against the worst aspects of the human condition. Such is the life of an antiques specialist, frequently called upon to adjudicate and pontificate, often harangued, nearly assaulted, sometimes appreciated but never deterred – a champion of the cause: the Cool, Calm Collector.
Buy car boot gadgets
16/07/2014 15:31
Antiques & Vintage
ONLINE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM Go modern metric or opt for old school imperial with the Victor traditional cast-iron kitchen scales, shown in pale blue, £60, Artisanti; in a brass finish as shown, or in chrome, this butler’s bell kit is based on a Victorian design, £115.20, Tuscanor; just as they made it in the 1930s, the Zig Zag corkscrew removes even stubborn corks with a satisfying pop, £25.94, Tanglewood Wine.
ANTIQUE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM This 19th-century Coalbrookdale cast-iron garden roller will make a decorative statement, £340, Jardinique Garden Antiques; an idea from the past that faded away, the Bump stapleless paper fastener cuts, folds and tucks, $55, approx £32, Patented Antiques; this late 19th century hot water urn is £230 from Below Stairs of Hungerford Antiques.
IN STORE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM Bialetti’s Moka Express is the iconic stove-top coffee maker invented in 1933, from £28 for a three-cup size, John Lewis; shown in red, the Alessi kitchen timer with a mechanical movement can time up to 60 minutes, £19.95, Selfridges; impress guests with homemade lasagne or spaghetti squeezed through this chrome pasta machine, £25, Marks & Spencer.
Feature JACKIE HERALD
At your service
Car boot sales are a haven for tool fans, so will the gadgets of today become tomorrow’s collectibles?
For suppliers’ details, turn to stockists page
Antique_Shopping_july 2.indd 26
17/07/2014 09:15
Have you heard...
“I have fallen in love with Neptune all over again” Louise, Maidenhead - June 2014
neptune.com NEPTUNE STORES:
Bury St. Edmunds · Fulham · Hailsham · Reading · Southport · Tonbridge · Wilmslow · Winchester
PREMIER PARTNERS:
Aberdeen Tree House Interiors · Blackheath Woods of London · Chippenham Closa · Derby Hunters of Derby · Dorchester Woods · Falmouth Richard Cook · Holt Living at the Appleyard Gallery · Leeds Aberford Kitchens & Interiors · Newcastle Bridgewater Interiors Ltd · Rye Concepts Rye · Worcester Holloways
PICTURED:
Madeleine Chairs in Millet £365, Eva Armchairs £1,990, Olivia Medium Sofa £1,695, Henley 120cm Coffee Table £495, Accessories by Neptune
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Botanical
FORMATIONS
With her ceramic sculptures, Pauline Lee reflects the natural forms and textures surrounding her idyllic garden studio, set in a peaceful pocket of the ruggedly beautiful Devon landscape Words RACHEL CROW Photographs POLLY ELTES
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The Artisan Sue in her garden studio, where her prints and enamels sit side by side in happy harmony. ‘It is so important to have a space of my own, surrounded by things that inspire me. It’s a mental space as well as a physical one,’ she says
THIS IMAGE Pauline’s peaceful garden studio, against the backdrop of Dartmoor woodland and surrounded by her ceramic sculptures ABOVE The artist and her work. ‘I am forever moving pieces around the garden,’ she says
FROM FAR LEFT A pair of sculptures stand out against giant gunnera leaves in front of a bamboo tea house; ‘this piece was improvised from a flower form,’ explains Pauline; her inspiring garden with its imaginative planting
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T
he approach to Pauline Lee’s house is a magical journey, winding through atmospheric valley woodland beside the flowing course of the River Dart in Dartmoor National Park. Her home, one of two small lodges that stand at the entrance of the driveway to Spitchwick Manor, is nestled in a sunny clearing among the trees, and behind it spreads her enchanting garden, which she and her partner Jeff have gradually created over the course of the 17 or so years that they have lived there. Meandering grass pathways snake through densely planted naturalistic borders and past exotic areas shaded by the immense leaves of giant gunnera, while a small brook babbles its way through to meet at the garden’s edge with the murmuring river, at the other side of which the woodland rises steeply up the bank. Here and there dotted around the garden, peeking from behind foxgloves and arum lilies or taking shade under the spread of ferns, Pauline’s ceramic garden sculptures are inspired by the botanical forms that surround them. ‘When I came here, I could just see forms everywhere and developed such a passion for gardening and plants, and for the landscape, that it started coming through more in my work,’ she explains. Sitting harmoniously alongside their lush and verdant environment, her abstract sculptures
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How I work f I wake ABOVE up early LEFTand There take the dog is order to the for a walk before I gochaos to the studio. On Cathy’s brimming a goodofday, I’ll work until about 5pm, workshop, where every with a bit which might be interspersed inch of space is used of gardening, or I’ll pick some flowers. My work andOPPOSITE the gardenCathy is very integrated. often sits to onBBC the stone f I will listen Radio 4 to keep wall surrounding her me company, and sometimes a pot will garden lookingafternoon play remind metoofdraw, a particular to Iopen fields it, but I think that was out on as was making CLOCKWISE I do better work withFROM music playing. Shelves painted f ABOVE In summer it is lovely in here; in winter bluebut provide it canlight be cold, I havethe a log-burning backdrop to stove inperfect the corner. Sometimes the clay showcase herend work; can freeze, so I may up taking it Cathy handsews a detail into the house to sculpt there. on a street scene, of f My advice for anyone interested in which she about you and sculpting is tomakes look around 12 a year; a framed start sketching. Take an ordinary object, picture costs natural or man-made, start drawing it around £225, and and then play around witha its shape pincushion and dimensions, and£14.50 this becomes an extension of your imagination. Eventually the object you started with comes out as something completely different.
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clearly display the influences of natural creations – seed heads, artichokes and fungi to name a few. ‘I don’t try to copy things rigidly; shapes and forms will catch my eye as I’m in the garden, or taking my dog Ruben for a walk in the woods, and I will sketch lots of variations of the same form, noting down what it is about the shape that I want to achieve,’ she explains. ‘It’s quite free and I just improvise. The work of German photographer and sculptor Karl Blossfeldt (1864–1932) is a massive inspiration to me. His black and white photographs show plants in sculptural ways.’ Pauline’s artist’s studio sits at the far end of the garden. Made from two modified sheds, it blends into the garden landscape, with honeysuckle and clematis creeping over the roof and fragrant pink roses up the walls. Inside brims with her various fired stoneware sculptures, pots, figurative work and wall tiles, plus the sketches of their origin, as she prepares to open for Devon Open Studios. Having studied fine art and sculpture at the former Hornsey College of Art in London, it was not until she was in her mid-thirties and living in Devon with two small children that Pauline started to experiment with ceramics. ‘I found a BTEC course in ceramics in Plymouth, which
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‘I developed such a passion for gardening and plants, and for the landscape, that it started coming through more in my work’
The The Artisan Artisan
I did for two years, and that gave me the confidence to buy a kiln and rent a little studio space. I started making domestic mugs and bowls, which I sold at first in a shop opposite the studio. As it progressed, I found I couldn’t keep repeating the same things because I’m not methodical enough for that type of work, and my ceramics became more sculptural.’ There is also a strong textural element to her work, and she will often incorporate imprints from nature’s bounty – leaf and flower impressions, or from beachcombing finds – in the clay’s surface. Working on a ‘pineapple-type form’ at her potter’s banding wheel, Pauline builds up the sculpture using a technique of coiling and pinching, where she adds one coil of the brown clay on top of another, joining and sculpting them together, gradually refining the form. Pushing from the inside of the malleable clay, she creates small bulges. ‘I like lumps and bumps,’ she smiles. ‘This is quite a traditional form for garden finials. I am inspired by trips to Madeira and the Canary Islands and love the tropical kind of look.’ She then applies washes of oxides and coloured slip to stain the sculpture before bisque-firing it in the kiln, after which more washes, glazes and decorations are added before a second firing. ‘If I’m not happy with the colour or finish I can add a bit more. You never know exactly how it will turn out as it depends on the application and what’s underneath, and the reactions that occur in the kiln.’ With the wall tiles, she will roll out a slab of clay and apply imprints to create textures, then scratch CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Pauline will first sketch variations of an idea for a shape in charcoal, and develop these in more detailed pencil drawings; she works on a pot, ‘slipping and scoring’ to join each coil of malleable clay to the next; some of her designs incorporate pierced elements; oxide washes of red iron, manganese and copper are applied to a bisque-fired piece; Pauline’s work combines her skills as a sculptor and painter; abstract interpretations of seed heads; ‘this pot is made from two segments and that way I can build up and play around with the shapes,’ she explains
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The Artisan
in and paint on designs. ‘The glazes and slips catch the textures and create different effects. I try to think of the colour from the beginning, because it is going to impact on what a piece feels like. ‘The decoration was also getting quite elaborate on my pots,’ she continues, ‘so I decided to keep them more sculptural; any decoration now tends to follow the form rather than be imposed upon it.’ Working in such an idyllic setting, with only the sound of birdsong or the rush of the river to filter through into her thoughts, it is no wonder Pauline is never at a loss for inspiration.
TOP LEFT Pauline’s textured and decorated wall tiles reflect scenes of the surrounding woodland. ‘Texture is a really important element of my work. I can’t work on a smooth surface,’ she says ABOVE A fungus shaped vase perches on a tree stump LEFT Pauline’s light-filled studio brimming with her work and tools FAR LEFT Her sleepy companion Ruben
Visit paulineleeceramics.com. Pauline is one of 250 artists opening their studios for Devon Open Studios, from 6 to 21 September. Download the free brochure at devonartistnetwork.co.uk/AboutDOS
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