ARTISTS & MAKERS OF FROME WITH LAURA HOLDEN
WIND IN THE WILLOWS
ISSUE 128
FESTIVE GIFT GUIDE
NOVEMBER 2021
AT THE MERLIN THEATRE
YO U R GU I D E TO E VE RY TH I N G FR O M E
BIG B AT HR O O M
SALE S TA R T S 2 N D O C T O BER
Station Approach, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1RE 01373 474817 | info@dimensionstiles.co.uk | www.dimensionstiles.co.uk Tiles | Showers | Bathrooms | Accessories | Design | Serving Frome for over 20 years
ISSUE 128 NOVEMBER
Rose Langley
I
n an hour ’ll be on holiday. As I write I am only a short time away from bundling
Our holidays have always followed a certain pattern. Firstly, I am almost always working.
my gang into the car and heading off to…. well, to Somerset. After being postponed three times, my family holiday is finally happening, and while the destination may not be exotic, the event itself is something else. The house we stay in sits on a hill overlooking the sea, with glimpses of Wales on clear days. The garden is
We drink far too much on the first night, and the next day we are always surprised by the sheer number of empty bottles. We get fish and chips from Crispy Zang’s (you’ll never taste better), and walk along the coastal path. We read the papers and play Trivial Pursuit. And we always eat, drink and talk a lot. Come 4pm, someone will ask if it’s too early to have a ‘weakie’, (your basic strong G & T). We spend our time just passing the time. It’s easy, and it’s oh so familiar.
Come 4pm, someone will ask if it’s too early to have a ‘weakie’, (your basic strong G & T). incredible, with little streams running through raised beds, the occasional out-of-place palm tree, and perfectly placed seats from which you can easily lose an hour. We used to go to the house when it was just a bog standard holiday home – the only one which could fit us all in, and allow our ever growing number of kids and dogs too. Several years ago, the owner decided to give the house a facelift, replacing walls with glass, adding an unimaginable number of bathrooms and ensuring every surface was made out of some ultra modern and swishlooking material. It is now far too smart for our family, but still we go, drawn in by the magic of the house that watches over the sea.
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» Cover story
12-13
» Artists and Makers of Frome
18-19
» Food with Folk
20
» Festive Gift Guides
22-32
» Home & Garden
33-37
» The Fossil
38
Our last family holiday was in 2019, and subsequent attempts to get together en-masse were scuppered by well-documented global events. Getting back to the familiarities of pre-pandemic life is a joy and one that I want to soak up (while it lasts!). We humans don’t need much. The return of my family holiday is yet again another reminder of just how much value there is in a small and simple life. It is nothing to write home about. No posh hotel, no cocktails on the beach, no exciting bazaars. But they are, for me, full of everything that is important in life. One filled with people you love in places that are special, food on your plate, and a snoring dog at your feet.
Design: blackinkstudio.co.uk Front cover: The Merlin Theatre Copy deadline for the December issue: November 12th
Published by Rose Langley, trading as Make a List Publishing, Sole Proprietor Editor Rose Langley 07957878717 rose@thelistfrome.co.uk . thelistfrome.co.uk *The publishers shall not be liable for any loss occasioned by the failure of an advertisement to appear, or any damage or inconvenience caused by errors, omissions or misprints.
» the list recommends «
Police Dog Hogan
Aswad
November 11th, Cheese & Grain
November 20th, Cheese & Grain
Police Dog Hogan are a high-energy and eclectic eight-piece, combining fiddle, trumpet, mandolin, drums and guitars with four-part harmonies in an exuberant and genre-defying fusing of country, pop, folk and rocking urban bluegrass. Much-loved Guardian columnist Tim Dowling adds his banjo to the musical mix. Tickets available at: cheeseandgrain.com
Reggae giants Aswad are coming to Frome this November. With twenty one studio albums stretched across five decades, Aswad is one of the most important reggae groups ever to emerge from the UK. Early hits from the 1970s, like ‘Warrior Charge’ and ‘Three Babylon’ established a huge following for the band, which culminated in a UK number one hit with ‘Don’t Turn Around’ in 1988. Tickets available at cheeseandgrain.com
Artists Open Houses
LEWIS BAREFOOT
November 19th – 21st, Beckington Village
26th November, Silk Mill Singer songwriter and Alt Folk artist Lewis Barfoot has announced her headline Irish and UK tour to celebrate the release of her debut album Glenaphuca. Glenaphuca is a folk prayer to the ancestors, an album full of evocative, autobiographical and original compositions and reinventions of traditional songs from Ireland and the UK. Poignant and profound, melancholic and beautiful, Lewis muses upon life, death, loss and the silenced feminine voice with the deepest grace. Playing in Frome will be extra special for Lewis as she recently discovered family ties to the town, dating all the way back to 1757. To buy tickets go to lewisbarfoot.com
Beckington Creatives showcase their wonderful wealth of talent and their Open House event, where visitors will find a wide variety of art on display, including paintings, sculptures, printmaking, photography, mosaics and jewellery, all from local artists. Look out for the Beckington Creatives brochures, from November 1st, listing all individual artists and locations, or go to Facebook/Instagram @ Beckington-Creatives, for more information. Open 10am - 5pm Launch Preview, Thursday November 18th, 4 - 6pm
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M AG P I E M A R K E T S U N DAY 7 N O V 1 0 A M - 2 P M FREE ENTRY C H E E S E A N D G R A I N .C O M M A R K E T YA R D . J U S T I C E L A N E F R O M E . B A11 1B E
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BOX OFFICE 01373 455420
FRO M E A R T SOC I E T Y PRIZE WINNERS EXHIBITION
5 O C T - 14 N OV 2 0 21
galleries | round tower | studios | shop | cafe 2 Bridge St . Frome . BA11 1BB | 01373 473980 Thu - Sun 10am - 4pm | FREE ENTRY
www.blackswanarts.org.uk Registered Charity No.292463
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» the list recommends «
SOMERSET PRINTMAKERS November 6th – 16th January 2022, RISE The Whittox Gallery at RISE will be hosting the latest work from renowned collective of artists, Somerset Printmakers, for this year’s Christmas exhibition. The Somerset Printmakers group was created in 1998 by a group of seventeen professional artists living and working in Somerset, brought together by their dedication to creativity and their shared passion for the craft of printmaking and all its diverse techniques. Their aim, then as now, was to promote their work as a collective and to showcase the best of printmaking in Somerset. The exhibition will include work by members Julia Manning RE, Cath Bloomfield, Gail Mason, Bron Bradshaw, Jenny Graham, Pennie Elfick, Jane Mowat, Sue Lowe, Sebastian Chance, Tony Martin and Stephanie Max-Dubos. Each artist has their unique style and printmaking method including etching, woodcuts, relief prints, linocuts, collagraph, screen-printing and monoprinting. The artists will be showing limited edition and one-off unique prints. As a group, they have exhibited at Spike Island in Bristol, the Contemporary Print Show at the Barbican Centre, London, the International Print Fairs in Bremen and Hamburg, Germany, the Fresh Art Fair in London and numerous galleries throughout the west country. The Whittox Gallery’s new gift shop will have a curated selection of the artists’ unframed prints and greeting cards for sale. Private view on Friday November 5th from 6.30pm until 8.30pm. All welcome. www.thewhittoxgallery.com 6
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Two Independent Markets this November The team behind The Frome Independent have gone all out this November, with two Markets taking place in one month. The regular market is on Sunday November 7th, 10am - 3pm, throughout the town centre. This brilliant monthly event features the Frome Independent’s hand-picked selection of designers, makers and traders, who have been busy making, foraging and hunting down all manner of products, from hand-forged kitchen tools to bobble hats, festive wreath-making kits to baubles. Alongside all of this, you will find the best farmers, artisan food producers, and gourmet street food that Somerset and the South West has to offer. On Friday 26th, building on the success of the very first Little Night Market back in the summer, the Frome Independent is once again bringing its capsule night market to the Market Yard, from 4pm – 8.30pm. After enjoying the magic of the Light the Night lantern parade and the Frome Christmas Light Switch On, head to A Little Night Market in the Market Yard, where you will find traders from Frome and the local area selling the best of contemporary craft and design in the South West. Soak up the festive atmosphere, check off your Christmas shopping list, and relax with delicious street food, drinks and music. For more information, go to: thefromeindependent.org.uk
The Whittox Gallery’s new shop sells a cur ated r ange of local artist’s and m aker’s products.
BECKINGTON CREATIVES
Artists Open Houses Friday 19 Nov - Sunday 21 Nov Open 10am - 5pm LAUNCH PREVIEW Thursday 18 Nov | 4 - 6pm
Showcasing paintings, sculptures, printmaking, photography, mosaics and jewellery by local artists Beckington Village, Near Frome, Somerset BA11 Beckington-Creatives
Beckington_Creatives
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» the list recommends «
‘Fancy Goods’ by Chris Pig November 19th - January 31st, The Why Gallery One of Frome’s best known and best-loved artists, Chris Pig, will be exhibiting his new exquisite, beautifully observed and darkly humorous new work in his winter exhibition ‘Fancy Goods’ at The Why Gallery. Exhibition Opening November 19th, 7-9pm
Emergence Festival November 28th, Silk Mill This family festival celebrates and explores what it means to be mothers in the arts. Expect an empowering and uplifting day full of interactive family workshops, including Djembe Tots, singing with Caroline Radliffe and Groove Tots. There will be live music from Heather Truesdall, Rosanna Shura and Natalie Brice, alongside exhibitions from Louise Boulter and Naomi Wood. There will also be World Food, a Somerset Cider Bar, ‘Mothermaker’ stalls and DJs. To reserve your place at Emergence go to: emergencefestival.co.uk
Winter at Bar Lotte Throughout the winter months, Bar Lotte will be hosting a weekly Wednesday Music Night, with live performances from solo artists and bands. Expect ripping piano solos, flamboyant guitar playing and copious amounts of jive. Local legend Iain Ballamy, the well known jazz saxophonist, will also be making an appearance, alternating with some of the guys from Rosco Shakes, whose previous performance at the bar was a huge hit. Bar Lotte will now be open all day on Sundays, from 12pm till late, serving food all day and offering a brand new Sunday menu that includes some of the classic Bistro favourites. Expect moules and steaks, croque monsieur and garlic prawns. The Bloody Mary station is set to become a permanent fixture, with the option to choose from the Bloody Mary menu or make your own! The perfect way to while away a Sunday. 8
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6X6 November 12th – 14th, Silk Mill The ever-popular 6x6 annual fundraising exhibition for We Hear You returns to the Silk Mill this month. Each year over 100 donated artworks, all measuring 6x6 inches, are available to buy for £40 each, with the proceeds going to local cancer counselling charity We Hear You. Donated works come from both professional and emerging artists, working in print, ceramics, textiles, paint and mixed media. The small price gives every visitor the chance to find their own piece of affordable art to fall in love with, while supporting a brilliant local charity. Opening night November 12th, 6pm-9pm
Marian Bruce In Movement 2018–2021
3–27 November
Drawing and sculpture directly inspired by Marian’s collaboration with Acosta Danza in Havana Cuba in 2018. Visual artist and theatre designer, Marian Bruce, presents selected images initiated over a period of her five week stay in Havana, Cuba while designing Christopher Bruce’s dance production, Rooster. This small body of work, ‘In Movement’, conveys the passion and vigour of the performers through a variety of mark-making and rudimentary sculptural practices. The exhibition also includes Matt Hayden’s photographs taken in the rehearsal studio in Havana.
Opening hours Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 10–4pm Friday and Saturday 10–9pm Artist on site working on ‘Liberation’ Saturdays 11–3pm
Marian would like to thank Carlos Acosta for the invitation which allowed her the privilege to intimately observe this most extraordinary group of Cuban dancers. www.marianbruce.co.uk
Wheelchair accessible. Social distancing is advised.
info@galleryatthestation.com |
@galleryatthestation | Gallery At The Station, Station Approach, Frome, BA11 1RE
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19/10/2021 11:04
AUSTRALIAN INFLUENCED CAFE superfood smoothies, cold press juices, river roasters coffee, poke bowls, bROTH bowls, acai smoothie bowls, sweet treats.
BOOK WITH US FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY!
we are selling our broth bowls + cold press juices at the november frome independent - come find us opposite ellenbray.
YOU CAN BOOK OUT OUR WHOLE RESTAURANT FOR YOUR OWN EXCLUSIVE PARTY (MAX 20 PEOPLE) OR NORMAL SIZED PARTY BOOKINGS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. STREET FOOD, COCKTAILS, BEERS AND GOOD MUSIC – THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS DO!
private catering available nooktheshop.co.uk
01373 471368
14 king st frome ba11 1bh @nooktheshop TUE-sat 8:30-4
GET IN TOUCH VIA TELEPHONE, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK TO BOOK IN @BURRITOBOIFROME OR 01373 476770
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» the list recommends « The Weir Merlin Theatre, November 18th – 20th The new performance from FromeDrama, The Weir, is a powerful ensemble piece with humour and pathos. Set in a pub in rural Ireland, the locals spend their evenings gossiping and telling each other spooky stories. One evening a young woman from Dublin comes to the pub. Director Simon Blacksell says: “This play is a bit like the Guinness that is drunk in the bar, there is a light frothy head to the action with typically Irish humour in the banter between the four men. But the dark and bitter depths
Marston Music Frome’s New Rural Venue Marston Church, next to Marston House overlooking the Frome valley, was awarded a substantial grant in 2018 to refurbish its magnificent stained glass. Justification for the award was that the church is in one of the most beautiful settings in Somerset. But, with congregations dwindling and the number of services reducing, the building was crying out to be once again filled with life. As part of the Frome Festival, Daisy Chapman performed at the church, with songs of love, loss and tales from history. Her outstanding vocals, supported by violinist Sue Lord, filled the space with a wonderful acoustic, and inspired a summer of music at the church.
are reached when the ghost stories told by the men are topped by one from Valerie. You will enjoy this play on many levels.” First produced at The Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in 1997, The Weir then transferred to the Duke of York’s Theatre in the West End in February 1998, where it played for two years. It went on to win the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1999 and was voted one of the 100 most significant plays of the 20th century. Arrive early to listen to Irish music and drink Guinness in the foyer. Tickets: £12/£10 from: www.merlintheatre.co.uk
This coming winter season, the church will host a range of events, including Belshazzar’s Feast and Pip Utton. An open mic afternoon is set to become a regular feature, if it proves popular. Marston Music are looking for people who can help with stewarding, promotion, productions and all the other essentials of running a music venue. For more information, and to see the full winter season go to www.marstonmusic.co.uk
Here at St Leonard’s, Marston Bigot, we are developing a venue for all types of music and theatre. OPEN MIC AFTERNOON Sunday 7th November, 2pm - 5pm Play and enjoy the acoustic in this lovely church. Listen to local musicians. £3 donation at the door includes free tea or coffee. CROSSING THE ROCKIES AND GUINEA LANE SAXOPHONES Wednesday 24th November, 7.30pm Tickets available from Angela Yeoman ayeoman@btinternet.com, £10 per ticket. Concessions £5. A CHRISTMAS CAROL Wednesday 15th December, 7.30pm Pip Utton will perform his new play ‘A Christmas Carol’ Tickets available from Angela Yeoman ayeoman@btinternet.com, £12 per ticket. Concessions £9. BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST Wednesday 22nd December, 7.30pm Tickets available from Eventbrite £15 + booking fee. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/belshazzars-feasttickets-170299210523 Keep an eye on our website for future dates and details. www.marstonmusic.co.uk
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E X H I B ITI O N O F F E R
H O L D YO U R E X H I B I T I O N AT R O O K L A N E CHAPEL, A STUNNING VENUE IN THE H E A R T O F T H E TO W N . F O R E X H I B I T I O N S H E L D I N J A N U A RY, F E B R U A RY O R M A R C H 2022, WE AR E OFFER ING A DISCOU NTED PAC K AG E D E A L , W H I C H I N C LU D E S N O COM M I SSION CH ARG ES ON WOR K S SOL D.
email rooklane@nvbarchitects.co.uk or phone 01373 468040 for more details, or to arrange a viewing and discuss the hire in more detail with Sara the venue manager.
rooklane.org.uk
18th - 20 th November Merlin Theatre, Frome | 7.45pm Tickets: £12/10 www.merlintheatre.co.uk Age recommendation 16+
“This is my play of the decade... a modern masterpiece.” Robert Langton, The Express, 19 October 1998
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D © ave Merri
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS BY MERLIN THEATRE PRODUCTIONS
T
he award winning Merlin Theatre Productions presents The Wind In The Willows for this year’s Christmas family show in Frome. After so long away from the stage, the cast are raring to go and cannot wait to perform once again in front of a live audience. This riotous comedy, based on the classic book by Kenneth Grahame, follows Mole, Rat, Badger and the impulsive Mr. Toad, whose insatiable need for speed lands him in serious trouble. With his beloved home under threat from the notorious Chief Weasel and his gang of sinister Wild Wooders, Toad must attempt a daring escape, leading to a series of misadventures and a heroic battle to recapture Toad Hall. Full of humour, wit, a gorgeous, soaring score and heartwarming lessons of friendship, The Wind In The Willows is the perfect way for families to kick start their festive season! The show runs from Wednesday December 8th through to Saturday December 11th, with a ‘relaxed performance’ on Saturday 11th at 10am. A relaxed performance means reduction of sound levels,
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changes to lighting, a relaxed attitude to movement in and out of the auditorium, to theatre staff and cast awareness; the company will make several adjustments to ensure this experience is as inclusive as possible. Tickets are £9.50 and £12.50 and are available via the website www.merlintheatre.co.uk or 01373 465949. Group bookings are available.
THE ARTISTS OF OWL
T
he artists who make up the creative collective behind Owl, one of Frome’s favourite gallery shops, have been busy in recent months.
HANS BORGONJON has made some brand new works in bronze with local bronze casters ArtofaFineNature. His piece ‘Winged Figure’ was selected for the Bath Society of Artists Annual Open Exhibition in the Victoria Gallery, Bath. Another work, ‘Together’, is selected for the ING Discerning Eye exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London, in November. REBECCA WORDSWORTH’S white and gold porcelain is evolving, with some wonderful new
vases and platters in stock. She is working on some exciting collaborations too. ANNY COLGAN’S has been back at the easel, creating colourful paintings that are full of magic, and PHAEDRA POLITIS has been designing and creating visually arresting glass washbasins for her clients across the globe. TESS CHODAN’S butterfly pieces are multiplying and flying away all over the world! She has work in Sydney, New York, Europe (and of course the UK). She is exhibiting November 12-14th at Contemporary Art Fairs, Windsor Racecourse, and a one-day pop-up in At the Chapel in Bruton on November 26th. ANNEMARIE BLAKE has cast her eye on new subjects for her paintings: still lives of flowers, birds and landscapes. And the sixth Owl, David Daniels, continues to create new views of Frome and is revisiting his old letterpress, as well as working on some amazing music animations. This vibrant gallery, half-way up the cobbled street of Catherine Hill, is always worth a visit, and you’ll always find at least one Owl in residence!
O pe n Mon d ay - S atu rd ay 33 C at h e rin e H ill
AFFORDAB LE FINE ART DIREC T FROM LOC AL MAKER S Annemarie Blake • Hans Borgonjon Tess Chodan • Anny Colgan • David Daniels Phaedra Politis • Rebecca Wordsworth
SHOP ONLINE AT
w w w. owl ga l l er y frome . co. uk
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NOW OPEN ALL DAY SUNDAYS from 12pm - late. NEW MENU food served all day
WINTER AT BAR LOTTE MUSIC ON WEDNESDAYS
CHRISTMAS CAROLS &
BLOODY MARY STATION
From 7pm. Expect ripping piano
MULLED WINE
Build your own or from the menu
solos, flamboyant guitar, along
Wednesday 22nd December
with some smooth jazz saxaphone
01373 301068 | 6a Badcox, Frome, BA11 3BQ |
A NEW GALLERY SHOP AT BLACK SWAN ARTS
T
he newly rejuvenated shop at Black Swan Arts is a fresh and exciting retail space in Frome’s popular arts centre. The space, and the works for sale, have been carefully curated by the new managers, who went to great efforts to ensure they stock items that are not only visually pleasing, but also sustainably made, creating a platform for independent and local artists and makers to showcase their work.
There is also a new range of branded products where 100% of profits support the running of the arts centre as a charity, such as sketch books, bags, badges and pens. Black Swan Arts receives no external funding so is completely reliant on your active and ongoing support to thrive and to continue celebrating the incredible creativity of Frome.
The freshly stocked shelves are full of beautiful objects, fine ceramics, prints and cards galore, jewellery, felt puppets, deliciously scented candles and soaps, all locally made. The shop at Black Swan Arts will also be showing a variety of changing artists on The Wall - its large feature wall - with Frome-based painter Mark Karasick’s Encaustics opening on November 16th.
2 Bridge St . Frome . BA11 1BB | www.blackswanarts.org.uk
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T H E S H O P AT B L AC K SWA N A R T S O P E N T U E S DAY- S U N DAY 10 - 4
THE WRITE PLACE SOMERSET’S CENTRE FOR WRITERS
W
riters are a weird lot, according to Kate McEwan, founder of the wonderful writing studios at Black Swan Arts. “One minute we’re singing from the rooftops because we wrote the perfect paragraph, the next we’re in despair, convinced that every word we’ve ever written is rubbish. We procrastinate instead of writing, so we’re usually riddled with guilt. And we feel horribly isolated because we have to lock ourselves away in sheds and attics to write.” In 2012, Kate, a former sub-editor and life-long procrastinator, started a monthly one-day writing retreat in Frome, and quickly discovered that even procrastinators write better in the company of other writers. TheWriteDay soon attracted writers from all over Somerset, and when a studio became available at Black Swan Arts in 2017, members jumped at the chance to have a place to write together seven days a week.
The Write Place now provides an affordable, distraction-free space for writing, as well as a separate chat room for sharing tea, support and knowledge with writers of every genre, from fiction and poetry to PhDs. Full membership is only £30 pm with an option to join the community on Zoom for £15 pm. Visitors are welcome at £5 for half a day.
SPECIAL OFFER FOR FROME WRITERS! Whether you’re published, just beginning, or even taking a break from writing, you are invited to a friendly, informal Writers’ Tea Party, 2-4pm on Saturday November 13th. Share tea, cake and writing dreams and disasters with other writers, and go home with a gift certificate to write for two hours at The Write Place. For more info, email Kate at TheChiefProcrastinator@ gmail.com or visit www.writeplace.org.uk
Brand Photography for small creative businesses. ht tp://w w w.alicewhitby.com/ brand-photography @alicewhitby
Te l l y o u r b r a n d s t o r y t h r o u g h e n g a g i n g p h o t o g r a p h y
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Laura Holden Artists and Makers of Frome
make a whole. I use some hand stitch in all the things I make as I think it gives something human to them; they are all very slightly wonky and very much themselves.
W
e talk to textile artist and manager of The Why Gallery, Laura Holden, about her love of nostalgic textiles, working whilst the the kids sleep and taking inspiration from the work of vintage illustrators. What is your artistic background? My background is in Fine Art, although textiles have always been a large part of my artistic practice. I used to make big installations using thread and plants or trees to make big spidery organic sculptures. I had a great time in my twenties, exhibiting and travelling to take part in artists’ residencies, but I found I needed a more regular income. I then went into costume and prop making for theatre and exhibitions, and running workshops with schools. When my children were small, I began sewing animals and fruit-shaped cushions while they were sleeping, as a way to keep my creative side alive and busy, and that has evolved into my current practice as it is today. What made you follow this path? I’ve always loved sewing, I like the mindful way you can be stitching away and chat or listen to music at the same time. I think there’s a bit of magic in the small binding actions of stitches accumulating to
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What is your physical creative process? What materials and techniques do you use? I work with cotton velvet, wool felt and corduroy mostly, as they are natural fabrics and have a warm, nostalgic feel to them. When making a piece, I start by drawing around the template of my design on to the fabric, then pinning and cutting the pattern. I use my old Singer sewing machine to stitch the main body, turn it out, stuff (firmly) and stitch closed the opening. Then I add the detail, eyes, leaves or what have you by hand; this bit I usually do in the evening on the sofa. What inspires your work? I find vintage illustrations from the 50s-80s mostly, artists like Brian Wildsmith, John Vernon Lord and Judith Kerr, very inspiring. I really enjoy reading folklore and old fairy tales, I love animal symbolism and superstitions. I try and convey some of that sense of nostalgia and magic in the things I make.
like a lot of artists and makers, I found I had more online orders, and it gave me a push to make some new designs and promote my work more. How did lockdown affect the way you work and create? Although it was a very strange and upsetting time, I found it good for focussing on my making and resetting myself creatively. As everybody found life was increasingly online, like a lot of artists and makers, I found I had more online orders, and it gave me a push to make some new designs and promote my work more. I’m very happy to be back doing markets in person now though, it’s so lovely to meet people and talk about why or who they are buying something for, there’s always a good story! Where do you work from? Tell us about your studio It’s a little room in my house! I make work around my part-time job managing social enterprise The Why Gallery and looking after my children, so I work in the evenings a lot. I tend to let it all get cluttered and chaotic, then have a massive organise every few weeks. What is your favourite place to be for artistic inspiration? I do like a good forest or being near the sea, it’s great to be away from the whirring of everyday. Equally, I love galleries and museums in big cities, I visited the Pitt Rivers for the first time recently and found all the artefacts, and how they were grouped, fascinating.
How do you find the Frome area, in terms of creativity and artistic community? It’s wonderful. There are so many creative people here, and I find it a really down to earth, supportive community to live in. I love that there are so many excellent small galleries in Frome, and it’s wonderful to have Hauser and Wirth so close by, too. Are there any artistic processes/disciplines which you haven’t worked in/with, but would like to? I’d love to work with clay at some point, it’s such a joyful, challenging material and would make a nice change from all the stitching! How can people see and buy your work? I will be trading at the November and December Frome Independent markets this year. You can find me on Instagram as @lauraholdenstudio and at my Etsy shop www.etsy.com/uk/shop/lauraholdenstudio
What artists inspire you, and why? My textile art heroes are Louise Bourgoise, Eva Hesse and Mike Kelley. I’m also a big fan of the writing and artwork of Lenora Carrington and Tove Jansson, they are both people of great imagination, humour and compassion about the nature of being human. If you hadn’t become an artist, what would you have done? I love the stories and treasure-hunt nature of vintage clothes and textiles, so maybe I could have had a big chaotic clothes shop! I really enjoyed my time working in schools, particularly with the children who were not suited to traditional academia. I did have a serious think about training as an occupational therapist at one point. THE LIST FROME
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To serve 8: For the Pears 3 pears 2 large, unwaxed lemons 75g unrefined caster sugar 2 bay leaves, or half a vanilla pod 50ml water For the Cake 150g soft butter, plus 30g 150g soft brown sugar 2 large eggs, beaten 100g flaked almonds, processed to breadcrumb texture, plus 50g left in flakes 85g plain flour 1 heaped tsp baking powder
WINDFALLS
seasonal Recipes from our resident Foodie Laura Coate
O
ne of the most exciting discoveries was made a couple of weeks ago, while meandering back from a trip to the river. We crossed a small bridge and ambled passed an old mill building – now a rather lovely house. In front of the mill stood a pear tree, brandishing a large handwritten sign stating, “Free Pears”. Nothing could have endeared me more to our new surroundings, as I happily plucked a few caramel coloured pairs from its branches and then more from the grass beneath. The wonderful Sarah Raven features a cake in her Garden Cookbook, which deals – in the most delicious sense – with my usual November bounty of quince from my parents’ orchard. I’ve tweaked it a fair bit, so that it now features this year’s windfall pears (and she too claims to have taken the recipe from the inimitable Monty Don, so I don’t feel too unworthy in sharing it here in its new guise). Follow Laura for updates and recipes: Instagram @foodwithfolk
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Butter and line a 26 cm cake tin and pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/gas mark 6. For the pears, pare the zest from one of the lemons and add this to a pan, along with the juice from both, the caster sugar, water and your flavouring of choice. Bring to a gentle simmer Meanwhile, peel and halve the pears. Add these, core side down, to the pan so that they fit snuggly. Cut a circle of baking paper slightly larger than the circumference of the pan and gently press this on top of the pears, before adding the pan lid. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the pears are just tender. Set aside while you get on with the cake. In a freestanding mixer (or using electric beaters), beat together the butter and sugar until pale. Meanwhile, stir together the processed almonds, flour and baking powder. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar a little at a time, beating well after each addition. (Feel free to add a spoonful of the dry ingredients after each dash of egg if you’re concerned about the mixture splitting.) Once you’ve incorporated all of the egg, fold through the remaining dry ingredients. Remove the pears from their poaching liquid, core and dice into 2cm pieces. Full these well into the cake mixture. You can add a teaspoon or so of the poaching liquid if you feel the batter is a little stiff. Spread the batter evenly in the cake tin (don’t worry – it’s a shallow cake!) and place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a small pan and add half the leftover pear-poaching liquid. Tip in the last of the flaked almonds and stir to coat, before removing the pan from the heat After 30 minutes, remove the cake from the oven and spread the almonds and their liquid evenly over the top of the cake. Reduce the oven temperature 160°C (fan)/gas mark 4 and bake for a further 20 to 30 minutes (checking after 20) or until the top and almonds are golden brown. Leave the cake to cool in the tin, or serve still slightly warm with vanilla or ginger ice cream.
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Porcelain hand-painted vase by Rebecca Wordsworth Owl Gallery £200
Lima Lima Star necklace The Why Gallery £34
Storyland by Amy Jeffs Hunting Raven
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£25
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Treasured Ring Textured band with flush set sapphire Christina Oswin Jewellery - £115 (each)
Victorian jewellery casket with butterfly by Hunter + Collector Shampoo, Conditioner, Facial Cleanser & Body Wash Botanical Bars & Facial Oil Gift Box Hibi Botanics - £55
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Owl Gallery - £245
Book Haven 1000 Piece Puzzle by Victoria Ball Hunting Raven £14.99
Illustration of RISE by Donna Sarah Whittox Gallery Shop - £15
Stacked Boxes Print by Studio Shimo Kobi & Teal From £40
Green Man Purse by Block House Bath The Why Gallery £16
Chunky Ivana Hoops, Gold Plated Silver, by Sarah Straussberg Hauser & Wirth £160
Fru Zippe Woollen Cross Stitch Kit: Fox In A Jumper Cushion Cover All About The Yarn £80.00
Storyteller by Dave Grohl Hunting Raven £20
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20A Cheap Street . Frome . BA11 1BN . 01373 472505 Christina Oswin Jewellery @christinaoswin christinaoswin.co.uk
REPAIRS . REMODELLING . COMMISSIONS . JEWELLERY CLASSES
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6 Cheap Street, Frome, BA11 1BN 01373 455332 www.marchbankjewellery.com
A SMALL INDEPENDENT BUSINESS OFFERING B E A U T I F U L LY P R E S E N T E D A N D S C E N T E D S OY CANDLES, TEALIGHTS, M E LT S & D I F F U S E R S .
1 Bath Street, Frome, BA11 1DG _
L E N A M A E A RO M A S .C O.U K
01373 764 472 hello@matthewpaulinteriors.co.uk Matthew Paul Interiors Matthew Paul Interiors
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Full Moon Lapis Locket, 24ct and silver, with Lapis Lazuli and white Zircons handmade Marchbank Jewellery £265
Asymmetric Lottie Earrings, Gold Plated Silver, Sarah Straussberg Hauser & Wirth £105
Colourful Tumblers, Pots and Cups by Yuta Segawa Kobi & Teal
Soundings White Rum
£21/£24 each
Retribution Distilling - £36
Winged Figure by Hans Borgonjon Owl Gallery £2500 Lady Purse Pop Supermarket £14
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Mini Needle Felting Kits All About The Yarn £5.99
festive Gift GUIDES S h o p Lo ca l
Large Heart Necklace Christina Oswin Jewellery - £160
Puro Ceramics Espresso Cups Frome Independent Market
Perfect Drop Earrings by Scatter Jewellery The Whittox Gallery Shop - £26
from £16 each
Bright Pots Pop Supermarket £18
Soy wax melts Lena Mae Aromas £6
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Autumn… Get Christmas ‘conkered’ early this year at Hunting Raven.
We’re stacked to the rafters with exciting books, gifts, and cards. Come and visit our shop at 9-10 Cheap Street
9.30-5.30 Monday to Friday 9.30-5 Saturdays Open Sundays throughout December
Or shop online at
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TH ELI S TFR O M E
Gif t Guide
Pure Plant Power
A range of low waste, high performance natural skin & haircare, including: Ultra Glow Facial Oil Super Shampoo Bar Deep Conditioner Bar Body Wash Bar Facial Cleanser Bar
All Hibi products are: Vegan - Palm Free - Synthetic Free Paraben Free - Handmade in Frome Buy from: The Frome Independent Market - November 7th A Little Night Market - November 26th @hibibotanics Via Instagram - free delivery in Frome
Bramley Toiletries Matthew Paul Glass custom washbasin, Phaedra Politis
Interiors
Owl Gallery
from £4
various prices
Ultra Glow Facial Oil Hibi Botanics - £18
Everything Under the Sun by Molly Oldfield Hunting Raven £25
festive Gift GUIDES S h o p Lo ca l
Hardwood Bud Vase by Mokko The Frome Independent - £20 - £40
Bronze Sculptures by Rosie Wesley Black Swan Arts Shop - £80 - £95
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Handmade Scented Soy Candle Lena Mae Aromas £10 - £15
Retribution Gin & Retribution Gin Navy Strength Retribution Distilling - £76
Bee posey earrings by Alex Monroe, 22ct gold & silver Marchbank Jewellery - £280
Dried Flower Wreath Kit Dead Head Flower Farm - £25
Stamp Bug Black Swan Arts Shop - £19.99
Fromie Gift Card FromIE Gifts £20 and upwards
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festive Gift GUIDES WH E R E A N D H OW TO B UY
The Why Gallery 3 Stony Street, Frome. www.thewhygallery.co.uk
Marchbank Jewellery 6 Cheap Street, Frome. www.marchbankjewellery.com
Owl Gallery 33 Catherine Hill, Frome. www.owlgalleryfrome. co.uk
Pop Supermarket 18a Cheap Street, Frome
Hunting Raven 10 Cheap Street, Frome. www.winstonebooks.co.uk Christina Oswin Jewellery 20A Cheap Street, Frome. www.christinaowsin.co.uk Hibi Botanics Frome Independent Market and @hibibotanics www.hibibotanics.co.uk
Puro Ceramics ww.puroceramics.co.uk and The Frome Independent Market Frome Gifts www.fromie.co.uk
Whittox Gallery Shop RISE, Whittox Lane, Frome.
Dead Head Flower Farm www.deadheadflowerfarm.co.uk and The Frome Independent Market
Kobi & Teal 57 Catherine Street, Frome. www.kobiandteal.co.uk
Black Swan Arts Shop Black Swan Arts, 2 Bridge Street, Frome
Sarah Straussberg www.sarahstraussberg.com and Hauser & Wirth
Retribution Distilling www.retributiondistilling.co.uk and The Frome Independent
Mokko www.mokkodesign.co.uk and The Frome Independent Market All About The Yarn 11 Catherine Hill, Frome. www.allabouttheyarn.co.uk
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Lena Mae Aromas www.lenamaearomas.co.uk
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Matthew Paul Interiors 1 Bath Street, Frome
2 BED APARTMENTS READY TO MOVE INTO THIS NEW YEAR IN FROME! PHASE 1 OVER 90% SOLD!
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*Help to Buy Terms & Conditions: YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE OR OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT. Credit is secured against your home. Subject to status, Help to Buy Terms & Conditions and regional property price cap. Eligible applicants will be able to reserve with a 5% deposit and offered an equity loan up to a maximum of 20% of the purchase price (based on the open market value). Applicants are required to secure a 75% of the purchase price by means of a conventional mortgage, savings/ deposit where required. The equity loan is interest free for the first 5 years. This offer is not available in conjunction with any other promotion. Full details will be provided on request. *Flooring terms & conditions: Flooring included with apartments only, speak to a sales advisor for full details. Images used for illustrative purposes only. Prices correct at time of print.
GETTING READY TO VEG OUT Trug & Lettuce
W
e hear more and more about food miles, trying to eat only produce that is in season and trying to have a greater awareness of food traceability. We’re asking more and more about what’s been used to grow the food that we eat, and how it’s been harvested and washed before being popped into the plastic bag that it so often, and unnecessarily, comes in. I’m lucky that I have an allotment – we’ve had our plot up at Muriel Jones for several years – and we’ve had varying degrees of success. Some years are better than others, some plants grow well and provide us with a bountiful crop, some plants grow less so. But for those of us interested in where our food comes from, growing your own is often worth these ups and downs. So, with the imminent arrival of seed catalogues for the coming growing season, now seems like a good time to start thinking about what to order, and why. 1. What do you actually enjoy eating? There’s little point in growing produce that no-one wants to eat! I love broad beans so they feature every year, but if you’re not a fan of them, why would you grow them? 2. Is it worth it? Onions, a staple part of our diet, are readily available and very low cost. Other vegetables, like leeks or rocket, are more expensive to buy, so growing this kind of produce is definitely worth the effort. 3. How much space do you have? You don’t need to have an allotment or a large vegetable plot in your garden – you can grow leaves and herbs on a windowsill, and many types of vegetable will grow well in a container, like potatoes. Some can even be grown vertically, such as lettuces in pouches. However, the amount of space that you have will influence what, and how much, you can grow.
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Ch sup oose loca portin g l bu sine ss
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4. What’s the soil like and how much sun will the area get? This is important, as certain vegetables prefer certain types of soil. For instance, carrots grow best in deep, rich sandy soil and don’t thrive in soil that is mainly clay, is stony or has been freshly manured. Sun is important as it helps everything grow. Using containers or building a raised bed are both ways in which we can “cheat” and manipulate nature in a friendly way to enable us to grow what we want. 5. How much time do you have? This is a consideration both in terms of committing to growing our produce and how long we’re prepared
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to wait. If you grow from seed, time will be needed to nurture the seeds through their germination process, pricking them out, potting them on and then introducing the young plants to the changes in temperatures in the spring. Then they’ll need to be planted out, watered, perhaps staked, and you might even need to have an evening slug patrol! Once you’ve considered all of this, you’ll be ready to choose your seeds and get planning. And remember, gardening is all about trial and error – the sowing of something now, without the guarantee of a perfect crop. But with each new growing season, you will have learned, and hopefully harvested, a little more.
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TERRY & GERRY Th e Fr o m e Fo s s i l
T
his month I have mostly been reading a bound volume of the Frome Standard for 1958. Here are some of the big stories: there’s a mega outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease; two dairy workers are fined for stealing cream; a retired Major-General fulminates against “dismal Jimmies” who criticise defence spending; a new bowls pavilion opens in Selwood. It’s all kicking off. Most dramatically, a fireman from Melksham is forced to call in the local fire brigade when driving through Frome (he had thrown a fag end out of the front window, only for it to fly back in through the rear one and set fire to the car). The joys of local newspapers are many and varied. Long ago, I worked in a vanishingly casual capacity for the dear old Bath Chronicle. I would bowl up to the office every Thursday lunchtime and deliver a thousand words of fuzzily typed book review, basking in the delusion that I was a real journalist. The chaotic newsroom with its blizzard of crumpled copy paper, the thundering antique presses, the louche badinage of the subs’ desks, the weighty calm of the editor’s office – all breathed an air of raffish romance to me. Even better, my arrival usually coincided with a general exodus to the pub. We crammed into the snug of Broadley’s Dugout bar, drinking Bass and swapping facetious remarks with a changing cast of fellow hacks – the art critic, the drama critic, the rock music critic, the football reporter, the Radstock correspondent, the women’s page writer, the editor himself. On rare occasions we were joined by the prebestselling Terry Pratchett – even then a mythical figure – who worked in a garden shed on the office roof, writing advertising copy. Some – like Terry – went on to higher things. But none forgot or underestimated their time at the Chronicle. Indeed, its backbone consisted of the loyal fixtures
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who were unambitious and irreplaceable. One such was Gerry Goodman, a reporter who worked there all his adult life. A walk through the city with him was a long one, as every other passerby stopped to greet him, swap anecdotes, whisper a tip or offer him a drink. He was a vintage local newsman, maybe a little too aged (and a little too fond of the booze) for some. Gerry regularly reported from the magistrates’ court, which eventually demanded that he be replaced. They said he smelled too bad.
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