DRIFT Volume 27

Volume No27

£10.00

Looking

for TREASURE Feeling our way into a re-imagining of how we connect with land, art and sea

THE

PIN NAC LE

OF

L U X U RY

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L I FE STY L E

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C O R NWA L L

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Selling in 2023?

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26/01/2023 10:10

THE

PINNACLE

OF

L U X U RY

L I F E STY L E

I N

C O R N WA L L

Drift /drift/

noun 1. the act of driving something along 2. the flow or the velocity of the current of a river or ocean stream

verb 1. to become driven or carried along, as by a current of water, wind, or air 2. to move or float smoothly and effortlessly

3

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On the cover The simple beauty of seaweed fronds foraged from Cornish waters by the hands of Julia Bird of Molesworth & Bird. Photo by John Hersey.

As featured from page 37. molesworthandbird.com johnherseystudio.com

CEO

Editor

Ben Pratchett – 01326 574842

Hannah Tapping

Miguel Belert

ben.pratchett@enginehousemedia.co.uk

hannah.tapping@enginehousemedia.co.uk

miguel.belert@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Operations Manager

Content Manager Rosie Cattrell

Managing Director Richard McEvoy – 07771 868880

rosie.cattrell@levenmediagroup.co.uk

richard.mcevoy@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Creative Designers

Finance & HR Manager Charlotte Forster charlotte.forster@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Spencer Hawes Jamie Crocker Client Director

Credit Control

Jonathan Perkins – 07587 072706

Head of Production

Tracy Dart – 01326 574842

jonathan.perkins@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Dan Warden

tracy.dart@enginehousemedia.co.uk

PROUD TO BE PART OF

Drift is published by: Engine House Media LTD Holbrook, The Moors, Porthleven, Cornwall TR13 9JX www.enginehousemedia.co.uk www.levenmediagroup.co.uk

ISSN 2632-9891 © All rights reserved. Material may not be re-produced without the permission of Engine House Media Ltd. While Drift will take every care to help readers with reports on properties and features, neither Engine House Media Ltd nor its contributors can accept any liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from editorial features, editorial or advertising featured in these pages. Engine House Media Ltd strongly advises viewing any property prior to purchasing or considerations over any financial decisions. Engine House Media reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit such material prior to publication. Engine House Media Ltd cannot take responsibility for loss or damage of supplied materials. The opinions expressed or advice given in the publication are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of

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

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

26/01/2023 11:35

T E A M

Foreword The horizon allows us to bring our focus to the present, whether that be the space where the sky meets the sea, that imaginary line where land ends, or indeed those metaphorical horizons that we look to, to inspire our daily lives. When it comes to photography, each click of the shutter captures a new vista and a different perspective as Ross Taylor displays (15). Creative perception comes in many forms as Mel Chambers (27) demonstrates in the creation of her hand-crafted tiles created using the thousand-year-old method of encaustic. In conversation with Julia Bird, Tia Tamblyn (37) discovers how she collects seaweed from the shoreline to make intricate pictures with the delicate fronds. Mercedes Smith (50) expounds on abstraction as an art form and how each work elicits a personal response. Mint House (60)

introduces us to luxury coastal interiors inspired by fresh Cornish surroundings brought inside.

Fresh flavours carefully crafted by Firebrand Brewing Co. (79) lie in wait to tantalise and surprise, while other tastes tempt at the hands of Chef Scott Williams (95). Pix Ashworth’s body and beauty brand land&water (102) was born from a love of the outdoors, where earth, ocean, lakes and mountains instil a tranquillity amidst the invigoration that being immersed brings. Martin Holman delves into the process of Nicola Bealing (111), exploring emotions felt, memories left behind and marks made in more ways than one.

Whichever your perspective and wherever your horizon lies, there is treasure to be found if only you’re determined enough to find it; let DRIFT be your companion on a journey of discovery.

Our contributors

Hannah Tapping

Rosie Cattrell

Rebecca Hawkey

Mercedes Smith

Martin Holman

Tia Tamblyn

Join our team

Proud to sponsor

We have an exceptional and loyal team here at Leven Media Group but as a fast growth business we’re always interested in talking to outstanding individuals. If you’re a superstar of extraordinary talent then we would love to hear from you.

Call Richard McEvoy on 07771 868880 or email richard.mcevoy@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Visit drift-cornwall.co.uk to read more about our writers

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We invite you to continue your lifestyle voyage online.

Find inspiring stories and uncover more luxury content on Instagram @driftcornwall. Join our exclusive e-journal community at drift-cornwall.co.uk to receive recipes, reviews and insider knowledge of some of Cornwall’s most-loved luxury destinations. drift-cornwall.co.uk T HE

PINNACLE

O F

L U X U RY

driftcornwall L IFEST YL E

IN

CO R NWAL L

26/01/2023 11:35

COASTAL | COUNTRY | TOWN | MODERN | PERIOD

PERRANUTHNOE | SOUTH CORNWALL | GUIDE PRICE £1,450,000 | EPC D

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T: 01637 850850 | E: sales@dba.estate | www.davidball-luxury.co.uk

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Perfectly located just a stones throw away from the vibrant heart of Newquay, this development comprise of just 5 four-bedroom town houses.

Space, style and comfort are offered in abundance through open plan living spaces, boutique hotel style bedrooms and stylish that are all right ‘on point’ for costal living.

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This is a perfect space for entertaining or unwinding with family and friends on sunny days. On the first floor there are two double bedrooms that share a contemporary family bathroom, complimented by a useful home office/bedroom four.

The top floor plays host to the principle bedroom which incorporates a stylish en-suite and sliding doors leading out onto a private balcony making the most of the far reaching views over the beautiful Trenance Valley and beyond.

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A selection of some of the

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i

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incredible homes we have sold in 2022

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15

111

95

102

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C O N T E N T S

At a glance 15 27

79

T H E O P P O RT U N E M O M E N T Exploring the mind of Ross Taylor

85

C R E AT I V E LY H A N D - C A RV E D Ancient techniques put into practice

37

F L OAT I N G F R E E

50

ABSTRACT THINKING

60

MINT CONDITION

70

L U X U RY H O M E S

G O I N G B E YO N D T H E U S UA L With a Cornish brew from Firebrand

A N A LT E R N AT I V E WORLD VIEW A glance into the stange meaning of life

95

Carefully combining art and ocean

102

Investigating the validity of abstraction

111

Interiors to re-imagine coastal spaces

122

At the pinnacle of the Cornish market

FOOD FOR THE CITY A modern take on traditional British food

BORN ON THE SHORELINE Re-imagining relaxation with land&water

A C U R I O U S E N V I RO N M E N T Following the process of Nicola Bealing

EVENTIDE A final word from Joseph Sabien

13

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The opportune MOMENT WO R D S B Y R E B E C C A H AW K E Y

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F O C U S

Exploring the mind of photographer Ross Taylor, and his desire to capture what can easily be missed.

I

It requires patience and respect for the sport and the craft. Whilst shooting surfing is a subject he does well, and it’s one he is known for, it’s not the only string to his bow.

f you are unfamiliar with the inner workings of the surf community in Cornwall, then local photographer Ross Taylor may not be on your radar.

Ross has built his reputation on capturing surfers in their element, be it on terra-firma or floating alongside them, shooting breaks from the coast of Cornwall to the mountains of Madeira. “That’s the great thing about living in a place like Cornwall,” he says, “I try and make the most of the beauty that’s on my doorstep.”

Ross’ portfolio is diverse, but there is a common thread, perhaps one pulled from his days as a competitive snowboarder, and that’s adrenaline. It seems a natural evolution then, to go from being in front of the lens to behind it, a personal understanding of what it takes.

‘Extreme sports’ or ‘action sports’ are defined as activities that involve a combination of risk and reward, danger and excitement. While Ross does successfully dabble at capturing heartfelt moments between friends through portraiture or street photography, it’s the adrenaline sports such as surfing, mountain biking, trail running, road cycling, and skateboarding that intrigue him, pushing him to try new angles, new locations, to capture that split second. His end game? “I dream

Ross is a practical man, honest and very matter-of-fact, maybe that’s down to his day job serving in the Armed Forces, but he’s also creative, he has an eye for composition, light, and framing a photograph that draws you in, eliciting an emotive response. Freezing a moment in time in a sport as fast-paced as surfing is easy, you push the shutter and it’s done, but getting the right moment, the opportune moment, is a skill not many have.

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PREVIOUS ‘Lucky Timing

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A B OV E ‘Basset Silhouttes’

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A B OV E ‘Defying Gravity’

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TOP ‘Coasteering’

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A B OV E ‘Mining Country’

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TOP ‘Smooth Moves’

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A B OV E ‘Class Act’

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F O C U S

to the pursuit of creativity, utilising their surroundings, and embracing what life in Cornwall is all about. Ross is a firm fixture in this community, and whilst he still gets inspired by other creators from a multitude of fields, he uses his platform to share the stories of others and shed light on the talent Cornwall has to offer. Prints are available on request, via the Instagram handle below.

of one day being featured in the Red Bull Illume photo book.” This book is a collection of images selected from some of the world’s best, an international contest dedicated to adventure and action sports photography. An impressive goal, and given his determination, not impossible.

Until that day comes, Ross is content on doing what he does best; capturing that ethereal light on a dawn surf shoot with friends, working behind the scenes on a personal film photography project, and finding that adrenaline-fuelled moment we love to see.

Ross has and continues to put in the hours behind the lens, constantly studying the art of photography with an obsessive mentality.

I have no doubt he will always find a way to see something others miss, opening our eyes to the overlooked.

Cornwall is unique, it is brimming with remarkable individuals that are dedicated

_rtshots

TOP ‘Dawn Patrol‘

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A B OV E ‘Misty Dunes’

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TOP ‘Snowmoonset’

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A B OV E ‘Fly Past’

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T H E L U X U RY C O R N I S H H OT E L AWAY F RO M T H E C RO W D S

Talland Bay Hotel • Porthallow • Cornwall • PL13 2JB • www.tallandbayhotel.co.uk • 01503 272667

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TOP ‘To Paddle Out Or Not’

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A B OV E ‘Pot Of Gold’

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SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

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Creatively

HAND-CARVED WO R D S B Y R E B E C C A H AW K E Y

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C R E AT E

Exploring the ancient techniques of encaustic tiles, and how this traditional artform is built to last.

W

say that Mel Chambers is the last person in the UK to be making tiles and working with clay in this manner.

hen I first came across Alchemy Tiles, it was an artistic venture quite unlike anything I had seen before – the intricate scripture weaving its way between drawings that are one of a kind.

When speaking with Mel Chambers, artist and owner of Alchemy Tiles, it was insightful to learn how such creations came to be.

Setting eyes on these tiles, I initially assumed they were hand painted, but that is not the case at all. ‘Encaustic’, in fact, derives from an ancient Greek term, meaning ‘burning in’.

This method, says Mel, has “helped to create millions of handcrafted tiles that you can still see to this day, mostly on the floors in several cathedrals and monasteries around the world”, and it’s incredible to think that such designs have somehow withstood generation after generation of footsteps seeking solace. In fact, Mel only

Mel explains in detail: “The technique itself is very, very old. It goes back to the 13th century.

The woman who taught me everything I know was actually the last person to be practising this technique.” Not wanting this craft to die out, this teacher taught Mel in order to keep it alive. It wouldn’t be incorrect to

PREVIOUS The smallest of details

INSET Mel Chambers

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TOP A variety of colours

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A B OV E Combining tiles for the big pieces

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TOP Mel in her studio

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A B OV E Carving in progress

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C R E AT E

a time so dominated by products that are inexpensive and immediate, rather than made from the practise of patience and respect for an item made to last.

recently read about an 800-year-old floor uncovered at Exeter Cathedral, still looking as beautiful as the day it was laid. Which is why it’s so special to find someone still making tiles like this in the 21st century.

Interestingly, when discussing the history of encaustic techniques with Mel, she mentions that tiles like the ones used in historic architecture were mostly created in times of peace. Usually, she says, when kings or leaders of old weren’t fighting one another, they were glorifying themselves and their kingdom, giving us the elaborate stories we see today, depicted through hand-carved inlay tiles and on display in museums, if not still on the walls themselves.

More commonly known today as handcarving and inlay, Mel goes through this rigorous process with every tile. She handrolls her moulds of clay to the correct size and shape required for bespoke pieces, then meticulously handcarves every letter and every drawing into the body of the clay itself.

These words appear as hidden messages, in fact it’s not until you look closely that you realise they are, in fact, words!

Once this first step has been completed, she will then inlay each carved section with coloured clay. In other words, the colour that we see when admiring Mel’s work isn’t simply hand-painted at all, but layers of colour and texture made to last a lifetime. Which is just as well, given that each tile takes a minimum of two weeks to complete. The colour and structure of these tiles are built to withstand sunlight, footsteps, and a life well-lived. A rarity in

One element of Mel’s business that really benefits from such a durable design process is her exploration into interior design.

Whilst Mel does do individual tiles for her clients, her foray into larger, bespoke designs for splashbacks, kitchens and bathrooms has become her focus. With each piece being hand-cut and handcarved, every nook and cranny of a home can be worked with, covering it in something

INSET A stunning, one-of-a-kind splashback

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TOP A design of your choosing

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A B OV E Each piece is unique

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TOP Combining words and images

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A B OV E Mel is heavily influenced by the natural world

25/01/2023 14:57

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C R E AT E

testing by Trading Standards, received top marks for her work, being awarded the gold standard of an authentically Cornish product.

truly unique and made from the heart. Mel works alongside her clients from start to finish, discussing exactly what it is they are after in their home in order to get it just right. She also offers a timelapse video of their tiles being made so her clients can see the process they have gone through to get to the finished product. Mel explains that working so closely with her clients can be an emotional journey.

It is not unusual for tiles that Mel has made to feature heartfelt messages, drawings or quotes from loved ones, past and present.

So, when a design has reached its completion, be it an individual tile or a larger interior piece, it can evoke a response that Mel is deeply grateful for, and doesn’t take for granted.

Mel is using this platform as a force for good. In 2020 she launched three collections for local Cornish conservation projects and has no desire to slow down any time soon, with another three completed in 2022. Now that another year is upon us, keep an eye out for what Mel, and Alchemy Tiles, have in store this year.

You can explore the vast collection of bespoke tiles that Mel has created so far by visiting her website. She welcomes those who are interested to get in touch. She is eager to share this bespoke craft, and would love to create something for you and your home, filled with love and dedication, and she continues to take Alchemy Tiles to new heights. Expanding her design portfolio and challenging herself and her clients to come up with ingenious ways of keeping this ancient craft alive.

Mel Chambers has found herself with a string of awards to her name. These include the SME Southern Enterprise Award for ‘Best Hand-Crafted Tile Company’ for a third year in a row in 2022, as well as becoming the ‘Made in Cornwall’ Member of the Year last year. She has been a handson part of the Made in Cornwall scheme for the last six years, and after rigorous

alchemytiles.com

INSET Brighten up your home

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W O O D F O R D ARCHITECTURE

INTERIOR DESIGN

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

From our studios, we work on projects across the South West and the UK, as well as overseas.

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Floating

FREE

W O R D S B Y T I A TA M B LY N | I M A G E S B Y J O H N H E R S E Y

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C R E AT E

A mutual love for art and the ocean sees foraged treasures from the sea transformed into intricate natural artworks.

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accompanying her on this well-trodden path, is a wonderful opportunity to walk in her shoes and experience this stretch of stunning coastline through her artist’s eyes. Julia cofounded Molesworth & Bird with friend and fellow artist Melanie Molesworth in 2018.

Having begun with a simple collection of pressings, Molesworth & Bird now create a range of seaweedinspired homewares such as cushions, bags, enamelware and cards, along with hosting seaweed pressing workshops that enable others to learn from, and be inspired by, the sea.

ift the latch on the wooden gate, and the landscape invokes an involuntary deep breath as it opens out, beckoning us towards expansive fields that lead down to rugged cliffs peppered with rocky coves. This quiet corner of Cornwall is the workplace and playground of seaweed artist Julia Bird, and today we are walking down to the coast to share breakfast as we forage for seaweed and enjoy a bracing swim together. The morning sun casts warming hues over the hills and beyond, across the stilled, blue ocean; the orange glow of browned-bracken hills is astonishing.

The ocean has longbeckoned Julia, who previously worked as a magazine stylist in London. This is where she met Melanie, and their mutual love for the natural world and artful storytelling evolved into Molesworth & Bird.

I’ve long admired Julia’s work and am intrigued to learn more about how it all began, as well as the intricacies of creating art from pressed ocean weeds.

The chance to spend a morning with Julia,

INSET Tia Tamblyn and Julia Bird

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A B OV E Embarking on a morning forage

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Making sustainable living beautiful

Artisan homeware handcrafted in Cornwall. www.tomraffield.com

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C R E AT E

The next morning is, for Julia, one of the most exciting moments as she checks how the seaweeds have responded. Pressing materials are carefully changed, and this is the point at which Julia will identify her finds, often spending hours poring over them with a magnifying glass, cross-checking against her books any less-common species.

“All my life I’ve been land-bound but always edging closer and closer to the sea. Being beside the sea, around the sea, that’s what inspires me; it switches something on and I just feel enlivened and creative.”

Julia has become intimately acquainted with the stretch of coastline that we are exploring together today, foraging for seaweed as she walks her dog Isla and swims the cool waters – a ritual that creates a steady rhythm to life through the seasons. Alongside making art, Julia shares that she has been on a journey of deep discovery and learning about the underwater world: “Once you start looking, you find so much. Most people don’t realise that there is this whole world of beautiful plant life under the sea.”

There is always an array of seaweeds in the studio at different stages of pressing, all of which require regular checking, with most taking a week to ten days to dry thoroughly and reach maturation, whilst heavier wracks might require two or three weeks. This is a process that can’t be hurried; that requires constant, careful tending, and that invokes a sense of slow living that Julia thrives on, in stark contrast with her previous fast-paced London life.

As we settle in amongst a rocky outcrop set just above the beach and warm stovetop coffee to accompany the blackberry and elderberry tartlets that I’ve brought for breakfast, Julia describes the process of pressing her foraged finds. After retrieving seaweed samples from the beach – always remnants that have been washed up – Julia returns to her cottage studio and will place individual specimens in a tray of water as she gently teases out their fronds onto watercolour paper using a delicate paintbrush, working meticulously to reveal their majestic beauty. Excess water is slowly drained away and it’s dried off using absorbent paper, then cushioned with layers of cardboard, newspaper and baking paper before entering the press.

As the business of hand-pressing seaweed has grown, Julia and Melanie have crafted their company to be environmentally respectful, and sustainability is etched into each element of their work. The resources they use for pressing and packaging are upcycled from home or bought using recycled materials, all of which are biodegradable; they only collect fragments of seaweed that are floating freely or have been washed up, with any leftovers enriching their gardens; they have sought-out local women’s groups who sew the tea towels and napkins that carry their designs; each visit to the coast is combined

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most delight Julia are those that reflect their deep relationship with the elements; they may be battered and torn, or perhaps nibbled by sea snails. “We love to press seaweeds that are not necessarily so perfect. It’s often the really ravaged ones, or the ones that have colonies of sea-mat growing on them, or where the colours have bleached in the sun or have changed form because of the time of year; those often become the most extraordinary pressings.”

with a beach clean, removing rubbish that can be dangerous to wildlife; and as a company they support the work of the Marine Conservation Society.

After a pause for the second course of our beach-side breakfast – wild mushroom omelette, cooked up with the addition of some delicious rock samphire that we find growing wild – Julia teaches me about the vast array of seaweeds that can be found washed up on our local beaches as we slowly walk, talk and explore the wonders of weedlife beneath our bare feet. I find that it’s a meditative and magical process, waves gently curling around my toes as my eyes begin to tune in to the detail of what lies underfoot.

This is the point of Julia and Melanie’s art. To open our eyes to the beauty of the natural world, to create a visceral connection that carries our relationship with the sea into our homes and invokes in us a sense of curiosity. “The joy is meeting your customer, seeing their eyes light up as they want to know more, and knowing that people are going to go to the beach and start noticing and, I believe, start caring a little more about the sea”. I ask Julia whether she believes that art can make a contribution to addressing the climate crisis, at a time when there is a global imperative to live more sustainably. “Art can show you the beauty of the landscape and what is out there; sharing it and having those conversations is really important.”

I hadn’t realised that there are both annual and perennial varieties of seaweeds; that around 80% of seaweeds are red, although many turn a ghostly white colour in summer as they become sun-bleached; that many seaweeds are epiphytes, growing on and receiving their nutrition from other, larger species; that seaweeds play an enormous role in providing the world’s oxygen... these are just some of my learnings from Julia as we forage together. The specimens that

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A B OV E Sharing breakfast and a sea dip

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A B OV E Foraged fronds

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A B OV E Julia at work in her studio

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A B OV E Examining the delicate specimens

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C R E AT E

essential part of ‘giving back’, and she hopes that her seaweed art provokes in us an understanding of our need to protect the marine environment, just as it connects us with its fascinating beauty. As we progress through this ‘decisive decade’ in terms of how we collectively approach the climate crisis, art surely has a critical role to play in drawing our attention to the beauty, fragility and inherent value of the natural world, as well as asking challenging questions of us about how we respond.

Our conversation is curtailed as we watch a cormorant dive gracefully into the ocean; neither of us can resist the call. We clamber down to the water’s edge and after an initial bracing yet joyful jolt as we submerge, the water welcomes us, and we swim out together into the gentle swell. The sea is clear, and we can make out a swaying bed of seaweed dancing slowly beneath our toes. As someone who swims regularly, I ask Julia about the impact that being in the ocean has had for her: “It’s transformative.

Plunging into the sea regularly throughout the year is almost vital to my mental stability and it brings such joy. There are days when I feel tormented by whatever angst life brings upon you and I will bring myself down here for a swim and always my mood lifts. Sometimes I’m here only for an hour but just to be here, and on a day like today to be with the tranquillity. On another day it could be a raging storm and that’s invigorating in a different way, but just to have that little time with nature – I think it’s so good for the soul.”

Julia and Melanie’s art does just that, celebrating the plant life that exists below the surface of the ocean, introducing us to extraordinary species and igniting our curiosity as we wonder at their shapes, colours and textures. And as we delve deep and explore the world of seaweed, we come to understand the profound role these elegant yet understated plants can play in re-shaping and regenerating our future.

Tia’s conversation with Julia can be heard in full in Episode 17 of her podcast, Breakfast & Beyond. Breakfast recipes, more information on the themes discussed and behind-thescenes images from their time at the coast taken by photographer John Hersey can also be found on the website.

Towelled off, layers on and warmed with a final coffee, we pack up our bags but before we wend our way back up the hill towards home, we scour the beach for rubbish. As with searching for seaweed, it’s astonishing – yet in this case utterly disheartening – how much has washed up, from bottles and thick lines of fishing rope to the micro-plastics that may seem innocuous yet cause such devastation to marine life.

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Within a few minutes we are both laden with litter. For Julia, this practice is an

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Abstract

THINKING

WO R D S B Y M E RC E D E S S M I T H

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C R E AT E

Reframing non-figurative art and investigating the validity of abstraction.

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yellow canvas with a scruffy orange square in the middle. “How much?!!” they marvel, at the extraordinary price of a Mark Rothko.

“I could do that!” they say, when what they really mean is “he hasn’t suffered like I did in art class. He’s pulling my leg”. I was lucky. I had the most marvellous art teacher, Roger Charles, who managed to teach us both respect and irreverence for art in every delicious lesson.

ne of the most common discussions I have in social situations, once people discover what I do for a living, is about the validity of abstract art. You can imagine.

Some people, especially confrontational types, come at me like a heavyweight boxer on the subject. Others are genuinely interested, but sceptical, often mentioning the ‘emperor’s new clothes’ analogy.

He leapt about the room in plum cords and red Hush Puppies, waving his arms like a musical conductor to encourage us to share our every thought. In his class we spent as much time arguing about the point of art as we did putting paint to paper, and the more we argued the more he declared us “brilliant!”.

I looked forward every week to the intellectual scrap of it, and have since translated that same thrill into a full time job. Consequently, I enjoy these impromptu, sometimes confrontational chats about non-figurative art, and each time I hope to inspire a genuine

Truthfully, it has always astonished me that people have so much trouble with abstract art. I blame schools.

For many people of my generation (I am Gen X, a sun kissed, coke-float fed child of the 70s) art class was about drawing an apple, strategically placed beside a lemon.

You suffered in art class – you had to be silent and observe until your eyes bled, your tongue sticking out in determined concentration. Marks were given for the accuracy with which your drawing replicated the scene. It’s no wonder people later feel affronted by six feet of plain

PREVIOUS ‘Wirrlegig’ – Maxwell Steele

INSET ‘27_10_22’ – JPR Stitch

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A B OV E ‘From These Voices Islands Are Born’ – Dan Pyne

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C R E AT E

Let me clarify: if I were to value the famous Venus of Willendorf, a four-inch figurine of a naked woman held in the Natural History Museum in Vienna, as the squat, clumsily carved lump of limestone that it is (worth a fiver maybe, materially speaking), I’d be missing the point. Its value is not in the materials it is made from, nor its amateurish design (see six feet of plain yellow canvas with a scruffy orange square in the middle) but in the fact that it was made by another human being, for reasons appropriate to that moment in history. The Venus of Willendorf, created around 28,000 years ago, is an object of great rarity, thought to be a maternal goddess or fertility symbol, that tells us the way people thought at that time, what they feared and what they hoped for.

Touching it would be the equivalent of brushing fingers with its maker across millennia. That makes it magical, and literally priceless.

appreciation for Abstraction, which I regard as the greatest of all art forms. If you’re a sceptic, let me try the same thing on you.

I will start by saying that abstract art is not a trick. It is not designed to extract millions of pounds from people with more money than sense (as one of my friends puts it). The extraordinary price paid for certain works of art simply reflects the value the buyer places on the work, not the price the artist placed on it. Many famous works, now valued in the millions, were sold by the artist for a pittance when they first left the easel, so let’s not accuse the artist of ‘intent to rob’. Why, then, do buyers place such a high value on what is essentially, to quote essayist William Hazlitt, a “picture of nothing”? Well, that’s simple. Firstly, they don’t carry the idea in their heads that art should be a picture of something.

They are open to the idea that mere colour, mark and concept are far more visually and intellectually stimulating than a painting of an apple next to a lemon. More importantly though, they value works of abstract art as particularly significant cultural objects, as markers in time that document the progression of human thought.

All art is the same, from the cave paintings of Lascaux (c. 15,000 BC), with their depictions of Palaeolithic creatures, to Constable’s ‘The Haywain’ (1821), which records an idyllic scene of rural English life, to Tracy Emin’s ‘My Bed’ (1998), which illustrates a chaotic

INSET ‘Shape Shifter’ – Trudy Montgomery

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C R E AT E

and psychologically fragile state of youth particular to life in the late 20th century (as we Gen X’ers lived it). It shows us what ‘was’, and how people viewed the world at that point in history. What makes abstract art especially valuable in this context is that it tends to be inspired not by the visual, but by the social, political and psychological – it is a peek into the things that really make society tick at any one moment.

response to the painting; here is a dazzling canvas of vivid stripes, or a neutral expanse of black and indigo. I love it. I hate it. It does absolutely nothing for me. Is it me or is it hot in here? God, it’s wondrous, I adore this work, all that colour makes my heart race.

All that darkness fills me with a wicked, thrilling terror. This is what I love most about Abstraction, it is pure heroin for the heart and mind.

Jackson Pollock’s mid-century ‘splatter’ works, for example, have been aligned by historians with the chaotic nature of 1950s Free Jazz, played in the studio as Pollock flung paint, as well as a defiant expression of free thinking in the age of political paranoia, or even as evidence of Pollock’s deteriorating mental state. Whichever angle you look at Pollock’s paintings from, it will tell you a lot about life in 1950s America – about midcentury music, politics and masculinity – and that’s what makes it a cultural treasure, worthy of our interest, and worth millions to collectors. Remember, Abstraction is designed to express nonvisual ideas; like music, abstract art may be experienced through your senses, but it is aiming for your soul. If it helps, after years of art ‘fandom’ I think I’ve nailed the appreciation of abstract art in three easy steps, and I invite you to follow my lead the next time you are anywhere near an exhibition of abstract art.

Later, after I’ve judged a painting on emotional response alone, I sit down to read the catalogue and educate myself on the work. Once your feeling about a work has been clarified, it is important to understand how and why the work was made, and to understand the artist’s intent, even though history shows their intent will ultimately become irrelevant. Typically, step two here is performed in a restaurant, post exhibition; art, I find, makes me hungry for pasta.

Finally, over dessert, I will imagine the work at auction a hundred years from now, and this is the real test of its worth. Will it say something about ‘now’ to future collectors?

About the mess the world is in? About new thinking on neurodiversity? About the rise of K-Pop? Will it have cultural value?

If I’m lucky I will get into a debate about it with valued friends at our table for eight, and that’s really the crux of it. Good art – whether you like the art or not – sparks debate, and the more ferocious the debate, the more likely the work is to make it to that lucrative Sotheby’s auction in the future.

First, I like to start from a position of maximum ignorance regarding the artwork in front of me, avoiding interpretive wall texts and the exhibition catalogue entirely.

The less I know, the purer my visceral

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TOP ‘Pilgrim II’ – Rebecca Styles

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A B OV E ‘Just One Moment’ – Neil Canning

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26/01/2023 10:49

A B OV E ‘Wait’ – Luke Knight

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Mint

CONDITION WO R D S B Y H A N N A H TA P P I N G

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I N SPI R AT I O N

Quietly and confidently creating luxury interiors for a growing portfolio of outstanding coastal properties.

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to luxury statement pieces. For both facets of the business, their full focus is on quality, sustainable designs, and products that are built to last, bespoke and unique finds, using local craftspeople wherever possible.

int House has rapidly become a respected voice in the interior design industry. With two successful facets to the Mint House Interior brand, the business is headed up by Caroline Saulsbury and Louise Ingram alongside their talented team.

The first side of the business is focused on interior design services, specialising in projects from simple renovations to large-scale remodels for private homes, hotels, and luxury holiday rentals. The second face of the brand is the Mint House Home online store. Full of interior finds curated by the Mint House team, the shop mirrors the look and feel of their high-spec interior projects. Known for their warm, layered, and coastal aesthetic, the Mint House Home store features elevated essentials through

With the Mint House design studio based in Truro, Caroline and Louise, who live with their families in the Porthtowan and St Agnes areas, feel strongly that London is no longer the epicentre of style, with Cornwall providing endless inspiration and direct access to skilled craftspeople and style creators. “We love the traditional materials that are to be found locally – so many textures with granite cottages, slate walls, sun-bleached wood, lovely worn in patina – which is why living and working by the coast is so rewarding, ” says Caroline.

INSET Caroline Saulsbury

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Old Lanwarnick Cottages

Family is at the heart of Old Lanwarnick.

We are a family run business, and we firmly believe that every guest should be given the opportunity to make holiday memories in a way that suits them.

Book your winter break in Cornwall OLD LANWARNICK • DULOE • LISKEARD • CORNWALL • PL14 4QF Vicky – 07909 994 331 info@oldlanwarnick.co.uk • www.oldlanwarnick.co.uk

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I N SPI R AT I O N

With Caroline coming from a background in graphic design and Louise’s career prior to Mint House focused on the fashion and textile industry, their complementary skills combined with their passion for interior design made the ideal foundations to form their business. “When Lou and I started chatting, it became clear quite quickly that we both had the same aspirations and we sparked off each other. We didn’t know exactly what or how it was going to happen, we just acted on every little opportunity that came our way,” explains Caroline. “We worked from home and took on a variety of small projects just to start building our reputation and get a foot in the door. We soon had our first real project, a luxury penthouse apartment overlooking Porthtowan beach – it was an amazing opportunity and so we poured our heart and soul into it.”

“The sunsets at our local beach in Porthtowan are pretty spectacular too. We both love to be outdoors in nature, and our countryside and coastline here in Cornwall are unbeatable and an endless source of inspiration.”

“My interest in interior design has been there for as long as I can remember. I always noticed how other people’s houses were furnished and decorated and knew what I liked and what I didn’t – although that itself has changed over the years,” comments Caroline. “I hadn’t really considered that it could be a career when I was younger but throughout my earlier career in graphics, I was always getting pulled towards interior design.” After taking a course, followed by work experience with an interior design studio, Caroline knew this was the path for her. Following a chance meeting with Louise whilst dropping their children off at nursery, discovering their mutual love of design, the seed of a new business was born.

From this first project, now eight years ago, this small team of two received encouragingly

A B OV E Skyfall’s effortless colour scheme

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needed to create a look to enhance the panorama rather than compete with it. By layering warm neutral tones, with accents of moss greens and deep blues, we created an effortless colour scheme,” says Louise. “We chose refined materials such as marble and walnut for the bespoke built furniture and tailor-made beds and sofas, all designed

by Mint House in collaboration with local craftsmen. The result is elegant, inviting, and our interpretation of laid-back luxury which our client loved”.

positive feedback, with recommendations for other projects soon following, and the business snowballed from there. Just a couple of years in, the business was ready to employ a team to help manage the multiple projects, along with the acquisition of the studio.

Pioneer of the modern coastal look, Mint House has gained an impressive clientele.

“Due to the very nature of our location, that in itself has dictated how our business has evolved with luxury holiday properties and second homes being the busiest areas of our business,” says Louise. “Ultimately, our clients come to us for our aesthetic and work standards. We have a signature luxurious but laid-back approach to our designs.”

In contrast, on the other coast, Tater Du at Harlyn was a four-bedroom, newly developed townhouse project for the team.

With a brief for the interiors to reflect the calm and cool coastal views whilst also appreciating the warm rural surrounding landscape, the result is a confident and playful yet sophisticated design. “The colour palette is calm with subtle contrast highlights. The tones used echo the dark slates of the surrounding cliffs and sand

Some stand-out recent portfolio projects include the spectacular Skyfall in Falmouth, a penthouse apartment overlooking Gyllyngvase beach. “With uninterrupted ocean views, for this design scheme, we

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A B OV E & L E F T Skyfall’s interiors were designed to enhance its elevated and expanisve veiws

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TOP & RIGHT Tater Du’s calm colour palette is contrasted with subtle highlights

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MADE IN CORNWALL – FOR OVER 30 YEARS

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I N SPI R AT I O N

bedroom. The beauty of working closely with our skilled craftsmen and women is not only the quality and provenance of our products, but we are also able to offer bespoke sizing,” adds Louise. “The new cushion collection is inspired by recent interior design projects, with the influences behind this textile collection extracted from natural elements and the surroundings of each of the homes and locations.”

from the nearby beach – a redefined coastal palette,” says Caroline. “The confident choice of artwork really pulls the open-plan spaces together, allowing the different zones to work as one. Placement is well thought through to add balance to each room.”

With bespoke upholstery a signature service for Mint House projects, most recently the team has launched their first own-label collection – a plush range of cushions and bolsters.

Inspired by coastal textures and tones, these sumptuous cushions draw inspiration from some of Cornwall’s most scenic beaches and coves, incorporating nautical stripes, palm prints, and clean checks. From tactile velvets and soft bouclés to fresh linens, textures evoke the wild Cornish landscape with a colour palette of warm sandy neutrals and sunset tones, referencing the golden hour for a modern coastal aesthetic.

“We have the most amazing team supporting us now – Frankie our Project Manager, Rosie our Office Manager, plus our talented Designers Indie and Meaghan. Their support has allowed us to grow the business but we have lots of ambition so the sky’s the limit as far as we’re concerned,” concludes Caroline.

“Being able to have the work-life balance that we both have living and working in Cornwall feels incredibly lucky, but we’ve worked hard for it. I still get a real buzz from seeing our designs come to life. I spend a huge amount of time picturing how things will look in my mind, so to see them come together in real life never gets old for me. Getting amazing feedback from our happy clients definitely lights the whole team up.”.

“For our design projects, we have always created sofas, beds, ottomans, and cushions, so decided to launch our own label with a selection of our bespoke products. Starting with cushions, the variety of sizes and shapes fit perfectly on sofas and beds, all lavishly feather-filled to give that luxury plump feel.

The bolsters are a wonderful update for any

minthousehome.co.uk minthouseinteriors.co.uk

INSET Louise Ingram

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P RO P E RT Y

RURAL rarity

A Grade II listed Georgian home in the sought-after village of St Mabyn.

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atergate House enjoys a south-facing position in the sought-after rurality of north Cornwall, surrounded by rolling countryside and just four miles from the historic market town of Wadebridge. The main house offers four bedrooms of accommodation, five if you include the generous study which could easily be re-configured. Downstairs, a beautiful kitchen with an Aga at its heart provides natural stone work surfaces along with beautiful wooden cabinetry, rounded off with a Belfast sink with views out into the garden.

There is also a separate dining/breakfast room, as well as a drawing room.

Accessed by electric gates, the grounds are also home to a separate one-bedroom cottage, Rockery Barn, as well as a modern indoor swimming pool complex. In the height of summer, this offers a superb means of entertaining guests away from the madding crowd, with patio doors opening onto the garden as well as an adjacent patio that’s perfect for barbeques and sunny cocktails.

WATERGATE HOUSE Guide price: £1.35M ROHRS & ROWE 01872 306360 info@rohrsandrowe.co.uk

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P RO P E RT Y

MODERN living

Completely refurbished in 2019, 16 Headleigh Road now provides a superb family home.

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his is a home geared towards life in the 21st century. A generous open-plan living space keeps life social, with a warming gas fireplace in the corner to keep the room cosy. The accommodation includes four bedrooms, two of which boast en suites, and for those who like their home-entertainment, a media cupboard in the living area provides a hub for all of your equipment, whilst inset ceiling speakers can be enjoyed in both the garage and the fourth bedroom. There is also ultrafast fibre broadband providing up to 1GBPS. Anyone with a hobby requiring workshop space will find that the integral double garage has ample room to pursue their interests, and if you like to entertain in the summer, two enclosed gardens can be accessed via the side of the property and include a decking area that’s great for barbeques.

Fully refurbished to exacting standards and with room for a growing, modern family, this 1,479 square foot home occupies a soughtafter position of Trenance Valley, commanding beautiful views across the Cornish countryside.

16 HEADLEIGH ROAD Guide price: £625,000 DAVID BALL LUXURY COLLECTION 01637 850850 sales@dba.estate

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HISTORIC elegance

An impressive four-bedroom, Grade II listed former Georgian vicarage with over an acre of private grounds.

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ime Tree House is one of those properties that takes your breath away from the moment you lay eyes upon it. It’s located just behind the 12th century Church of St Gluvias, so keeps excellent historic company on the eastern edge of Penryn. With the harbours of Flushing, Mylor and Falmouth nearby, this area of Cornwall is a mariner’s paradise. There are the calm waters of the Carrick Roads to explore, or venture forth to the likes of the Helford. Beyond is the sailing paradise of St Mawes, and then up the coast lies Fowey.

If terra firma is preferred then there are endless countryside walks to explore or the South West Coast Path to follow. Penryn itself is a vibrant town boasting boutique shops, cafés and restaurants and the famed Tregew Food Barn which, showcasing a wide variety of highquality Cornish produce twice weekly, is just a short drive away.

Approached by a private drive off Love Lane, the house itself is majestic to say the least; its tall sash windows and porticoed front door pay testament to its Georgian heritage. Step inside and you’ll find that the interiors have been carefully styled to give them an air of contemporary charm which works seamlessly with the retained period features – original and ornate cornicing abounds.

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P RO P E RT Y

The property is flooded with clear Cornish light from myriad floor-to-ceiling windows, and with both a sitting and drawing room, a large openplan kitchen diner and up to six bedrooms, it is an extensive family home.

Each room exudes endless charm, and many boast beautiful views to the lush gardens beyond. For wine buffs, there are two cellars with the original wine bins still in situ. In practical terms, Lime Tree House doesn’t falter with a ground floor utility room which includes a pantry cupboard and benefits from courtyard access.

Exploring the grounds, you’ll find beautiful lawns and tucked-away terraces surrounded by mature trees and accentuated with considered planting – there’s even a walled kitchen garden for those with green fingers. There’s ample parking for several cars and with a former two-storey coach house on the plot, which has planning consent for residential conversion into a three-bedroom detached dwelling, this makes for a very versatile property in a desirable location.

LIME TREE HOUSE OIEO £1.35M SHORE PARTNERSHIP 01872 484484 contact@shorepartnerhsip.com

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Beautiful timber buildings

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(Previously Carpenter Oak Cornwall)

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Going beyond the USUAL WO R D S B Y H A N N A H TA P P I N G

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A Cornish brewing facility with a front-facing taproom pours pure and refreshing beers into the glasses of the discerning drinker.

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With the expansion, new equipment (including a 15-barrel brew kit and ten fermenters) was installed that allowed Joe and his now 14-strong team to increase production and range along with creating a contemporary taproom that overlooks the brewery, designed for socialising with friends. Brewing six to eight core beers along with seasonal specials, Firebrand brews are available in keg, cask and cans giving them the versatility to be enjoyed at home, outdoors or in restaurants and bars across the county.

Testament to its quality and taste you’ll find Firebrand served at top Cornish eateries such as Prawn on the Lawn, The Rocket Store and Canteen at the Orchard.

he story begins in 2008 in a converted milking parlour on the edge of Bodmin Moor in north Cornwall.

From this wild location, Joe Thomson, the then youngest brewer in the country, began his quest to brew progressive, drinkable beers in partnership with farm owner Stephen Medlicott.

At a time when brewing in Cornwall was in its infancy, Joe originally brewed traditional English ales.

However, his passion was for a more modern, dry hop style of beer – one that would suit the active and outdoor lifestyle embraced by himself and so many others in Cornwall.

Joe, now co-owner and Head Brewer, created Firebrand Brewing Co in 2013, following a philosophy of using the highest quality ingredients from around the world combined with Cornish spring water and American hops. He became one of the pioneers of brewing craft beer in Cornwall, creating a range of highly drinkable beers that deliver on flavour. Such was the growing success of Firebrand’s beers that the company quickly outgrew its original location and 2021 saw them move to a large industrial unit in Launceston.

Proud to be Cornish – something which is evident in Firebrand’s logo which features a chough pictured inside the original milking parlour – the team are passionate about every drop of beer that leaves the brewery.

Their flagship brew is Patchwork Rocket, which combines Citra, Apollo and Mosaic hops. The result is a palate of melon, peach and pine flavours creating an easy-drinking,

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whether that be a lifestyle choice or as designated driver on a night out, that there should be no compromise on taste. Brewed with Simcoe, Citra and Cascade hops for a welcoming bitterness, this is balanced with mango and lemongrass flavours for a clean and refreshing taste. Joe’s unique recipe and innovative brewing techniques allow him to create a clever balance of flavours without the addition of lactose, meaning Shorebreak is also vegan friendly. “Shorebreak was created for everyone to be able to enjoy beer without always feeling buzzed,” adds Joe.

hazy pale ale with a tangy bitter finish.

Other top-selling Firebrand beers include Thundercloud Hazy Pale, a sweet, juicy and extremely moreish New England IPA full of intense hop flavours; and Helles Beach Cornish Lager, the go-to beer after a surf, paddleboard, or long walk on the beach, with its biscuity and floral flavour and a hint of spice.

Following on from the success of their move in 2021, this year has seen Firebrand take the alcohol-free market by storm. Joe explains that he became interested in developing an alcohol-free beer through a personal desire to live a healthier lifestyle. “I wanted to cut down on alcohol without giving up beer,” he says.

“I tried many different styles of alcohol-free beer but found them watery, thin and lacking flavour. They were often full of lactose to add depth too. So, I decided to brew one that provides everything I like, the first really great Cornish alcohol-free craft beer. Shorebreak is low-calorie, full-bodied and loaded with hops to immediately appeal to any craft beer fan.”

Shorebreak’s success has been unprecedented, outperforming Patchwork Rocket since its launch in March last year, reflecting an upward trend in those switching to no- or low-alcohol drinks. It now accounts for 21% of Firebrand’s small pack sales (cans) and has been rated by national media as one of the best on the market. For those living out of county, Firebrand brews are available by mailorder, with a subscription club offering core beers with the addition of limited batch brews. While Cornwall has long-since been making a name for itself amongst foodies, its brewers are giving the chefs a run for their money such is the quality of execution and creative vision, with Joe and the Firebrand team leading the charge.

Joining the brand’s core range, this nonalcoholic brew is the first of its kind to be produced in Cornwall and is kind to both waist line, at just 26 calories per can, and pocket. It was important to Joe that those who wanted to switch to an alcohol-free beer (Shorebreak comes in at a gentle 0.5%),

firebrandbrewing.co.uk

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An alternative

WORLD VIEW WO R D S B Y R E B E C C A H AW K E Y

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Exploring the meaning of life through the world of the arts

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he Oxford English Dictionary sources ‘Anima Mundi’ from Latin origins. Meaning ‘soul of the world’; ‘a vital force or principle conceived of as permeating the world.’ It seems apt then that Anima Mundi founder, Joseph Clarke, recently explored his own reasoning for starting the gallery, via the means of a personal manifesto. In his own words: “It is a response to a growing sense of isolation within the contemporary media obsessed art world of limited characters.” He goes on to say that the words are a response to “living and working for the past 25 years at the far corner of our island in search for an inner wildness within the modern world.”

Perhaps finding his own ‘soul of the world’ in a society so frantic and constricted.

What is the founding ethos of Anima Mundi?

It’s often difficult to formulate answers when you spend your life focussing on questions! That is the arena of art I think.

Enlightenment was about finding answers or proof. The problem is that if you can’t prove ‘it’, then there is potential to believe that ‘it’ doesn’t exist. The counter to Enlightenment was Romanticism, which has for a long time been dismissed as ‘hokey’ and largely irrelevant in pervasive circles. I dispute this.

It is a vital language of the arts and whilst largely abandoned by the contemporary art world, has simmered under the surface, providing an alternative world view.

In some ways I think that Anima Mundi is a vicarious project for me, in that through the messages of others, I am able to say something about myself which in turn may happen to be universal.

I had the chance to speak with Joseph about all things Anima Mundi, his life and where he envisages his future in the art space to be.

PREVIOUS Kate Clark: ‘Rivalry’

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TOP Tim Shaw: ‘The Birth of Breakdown Clown’

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A B OV E Andrew Litten: ‘Concerning the Fragile’

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TOP LEFT Sax Impey: ‘Atlantic’

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A B OV E Joy Wolfenden Brown: ‘Feeding Birds’

TO P R I G H T Youki Hirakawa: ‘A River Under Water’

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Carl Jung made the following statement: “The development of Western philosophy during the last two centuries has succeeded in isolating the mind in its own sphere and in severing it from its primordial oneness with the universe. Man himself has ceased to be the microcosm and eidolon of the cosmos, and his ‘anima’ is no longer the consubstantial scintilla, spark of the Anima Mundi.”

As a 20th century western male human being, born in the 70s in the south east of England, I think it is fair to say that I represent peak anthropocene. However, simultaneously I think this always made me feel a little bit ‘outside’ of the flow. I have always had a sense of something being not quite right, of something missing in how I, or we, do things. When I discovered the art that moved me, it gave me an amplified sense of that – that there were others who recognised that too.

We see small glimpses of an awakening which moves us beyond our stagnant anthropocentric worldview – ideas of quantum science and the growing field of ecology are showing us, with some proof, that all life is interconnected and that much of nature remains very unknown to us; that perhaps intelligence exists that is greater and more magical than our own in isolation.

I have long believed that, through the arts, we have the potential to envision and explore. They provide us with other ways of communicating, of seeing, and of feeling, and can cause ripples in the fabric of our reality.

Could you explain the meaning behind Anima Mundi in more detail?

Plato once wrote: “This world is indeed a living being endowed with a soul and intelligence. A single visible living entity containing all other living entities, which by their nature are all related.” Our logo contains Metatrons Cube, a piece of sacred geometry which starts with the Fruit of Life shape, and connects all 13 circles with straight lines. It includes all five Platonic Solids hidden inside, symbolising the underlying geometric patterns found throughout our universe, the connection between all things. Simultaneously, our logo also shows the moment of original sin resulting in expulsion from Eden. I think this dichotomy is key to our situation as human beings, the connection between all things, and the disconnect which has occurred between us and everything else.

Do you feel like the work displayed at the gallery encompasses what you envisage? Is it a place where conversation and thought can flow freely?

Rainer Maria Rilke once said: “Everything is gestation and bringing forth. To let each impression and each germ of feeling come

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was drawn by the dark too. An inspirational sense of balance of elemental extremes.

The proliferation of ancient heritage, something flowing through the rock of the place. It felt mythical and otherly, here at the furthest reaches of Europe, at the very tip of this ‘horn of foreigners’… As with elsewhere it seems these timeless qualities can become threatened as the supermarkets and homestores crowd each and every roundabout and the queues start forming for every ubiquitous drive through. The beautiful, complex and fragile ecology is threatened when each patch of land becomes a place to build and make a few quid and a garage is worth more than a starter home elsewhere. Protection from Conservation status, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status, Green Belt status, World Heritage status, doesn’t offer any protection from building site status if someone can make some cash out of it, which seems to be a way of the world from which Cornwall is not exempt. In terms of artistic purpose, all things offer inspiration, whether bathing in aspirations towards the mythic, immersion in nature or kicking against more prosaic realities and concerns. Cornwall has it all.

to completion wholly in itself, in the dark, in the inexpressible, the unconscious, beyond the reach of one’s own intelligence, and await with deep humility and patience the birth-hour of a new clarity.” I think that is appropriate this time of year, where things begin to grow underground and in the dark. I think that is how you work if you are creative, largely in the dark, in the arena of unknowing. So when you say “what you envisage”, I’m never certain what that actually is. It sounds like a destination, and we are still on a journey. I think that is where conversation and thought flow most freely. Picasso famously once said that “Art is a lie that reminds us of the truth”. I think that is a good basis for conversation to begin, with the truth. In a world of ‘fake news’ or, as we traditionally called it, ‘lies’, it has to be of some value to have alternative platforms which represent an alternative form of dialogue in a non-superficial way. I’m proud to be part of a collective voice and to have created a platform in which that voice can be heard. Whispers in the wind can become an echoing crescendo if amplified.

What drew you to relocate to Cornwall, and does it influence your exhibitions?

People often talk about escaping to Cornwall. When we came here it felt like moving towards something else. People used to talk about the quality of light, but I

What does the future hold for Anima Mundi?

The future, I’m not sure any of us know what it looks like, but hope, that vital human

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TOP Arthur Lanyon: ‘Curricle’

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A B OV E David Kim Whittaker: ‘Unleash the Beast’

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TOP Jarno Vesala: ‘The Company of Others’

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A B OV E Carlos Zapata: ‘Diaspora’

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the corner, but it’s usually bright lights which cast long shadows and we have to live with both, which as ever feeds the work into being.

ingredient, remains key, and we must all hope for a lot. In terms of Anima Mundi, I hope there is continued resonance with what we are doing for artists and audiences, and it would be really nice if that resonance continued beyond our own timeframe.

I think I have already alluded to the fact that I can’t really see a destination, instead one foot is compelled to continue in front of the other. None of us know what’s around

You can read Joseph’s manifesto in full on the Anima Mundi website. The gallery can be found at Street-an-Pol, St Ives, TR26 2DS. animamundigallery.com

TOP Rebecca Harper: ‘Loss of Eros’

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C U I SI N E

Food for

the CITY

WO R D S B Y H A N N A H TA P P I N G | I M AG E S B Y F R A N K I E T H O M A S

Chef Scott Williams’ modern take on traditional British food brings seasonality and culinary sagacity to the traditional gastro pub offering.

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Confit Salmon SERVES 6 TO 8 INGREDIENTS: 4 – 5 large fillets of salmon

1 orange

4 large beetroots

1 lemon

1 tub of natural yoghurt

1 cup of caster sugar

300g of black treacle

1 cup of table salt

1 carton of orange juice

Sprigs of thyme

METHOD In a mixing bowl, add one coffee cup of caster sugar, one coffee cup of table salt, the zest of one lemon and the zest of one orange.

Mix well. On a baking tray, sprinkle ¼ of this mix, and spread it across one tray. Place the salmon skin side down, and completely cover with the rest of this mix. Leave for 30 minutes to cure.

Mix the black treacle and natural yoghurt together. For the beetroot pureé, peel 3 beetroots, cut into quarters and place into a small saucepan. Add half a carton of orange juice and simmer until the beetroots are soft. Once soft, blend the beetroots and the liquor (from the saucepan) into a smooth pureé. Leave to one side.

Then wash the salmon in cold water, and portion into desired sizes. Heat up some olive oil in a large saucepan to 55°C, with half a lemon and half an orange, plus a few sprigs of thyme. Once the oil is at 55°C, remove from heat and place your salmon portions into the oil. Leave for 30 minutes, then remove and drain onto some kitchen towel, until it falls to room temperature.

With the rest of the carton of orange juice, place onto the stove in a small saucepan and reduce to a syrup. With the remaining beetroot, peel, slice very thinly and cut into small discs. Season with sea salt and orange syrup.

To plate: blow torch the salmon skin, until crispy. Swipe the black treacle yoghurt (however cheffy you want!) and add a couple of dots of beetroot pureé. Place the beetroot onto the plate and arrange the beetroot discs across the top of the skin. To finish, use micro rocket cress and red-veined sorrel.

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Lamb Ragu SERVES 6 INGREDIENTS: Ragu Ingredients:

2 sticks of celery

1 whole leg of lamb (bone-in)

3 bay leaves

1 bunch of fresh mint

A couple of peppercorns

1 bunch of rosemary

1 tbsp of fennel seeds

1 bottle of decent white wine

3 diced onions

2 litres of lamb stock or a good chicken stock 2 fresh vine tomatoes

Pappardelle ingredients:

1 block of parmesan

400g of pasta flour

1 small tin of brown anchovies

4 whole eggs

A whole bulb of garlic

2 egg yolks

10 plum tomatoes

Drizzle of olive oil

METHOD For the pappardelle:

For the ragu:

Place the flour onto your worktop. Create a hole in the middle of the flour and add the eggs, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Using a fork, mix the eggs together, gradually pulling a little flour into the middle at a time, until it starts to form a dough.

Gently knead together until you have a smooth, springy dough. Cover the dough with cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge until later. For the pappardelle, gently roll out more of the pasta dough, until it’s super smooth and thin.

Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into long strips, approximately 2cm wide.

Dust the dough strips in semolina flour or fine polenta and leave in portions on a dusted tray.

Season the leg of lamb with sea salt and black pepper (ideally leave the leg overnight). Place the lamb onto a deep oven tray and cover it with the white wine and stock. Add the garlic, bay leaves, ½ of the mint, ½ of the rosemary, chopped celery, onions, toasted fennel seeds, peppercorns, and brown anchovies. Cover the lamb in parchment paper and tin foil, then cook in the oven for 5 hours at 180°C. Once cooked, remove from the oven and take the leg of lamb out of the braising liquor, pick the meat off the bone, remove any fat/gristle and leave to cool. Add the plum tomatoes to the liquor and place back into the oven for a further hour. Use a stick blender to smooth the liquor.

Add the lamb back into the sauce and place into a large saucepan, then bring to a gentle simmer and leave to one side. Cook the fresh pasta that you prepared earlier for 3-4 minutes. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pasta from the water and add it to the ragu with a ladle of the pasta water.

Finish the ragu with some diced vine tomato, fresh mint, grated parmesan, some lemon zest, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

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Frangipane Cake SERVES 6 TO 8 INGREDIENTS: 100g of softened butter

1 ball of stem ginger, chopped up finely

100g golden caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

2 eggs

1 tbsp of vanilla essence

140g ground almonds

1 punnet of raspberries

75g plain flour

Flaked almonds

METHOD Using an electric whisk or kitchen aid, beat the butter until creamy, add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well after every addition. Stir in the ground almonds, flour, stem ginger, lemon zest and vanilla essence.

Heat up your oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and brush with melted butter. Spoon the frangipane mixture into the tray. Poke the raspberries randomly into the mixture. Bake for 40 minutes.

Remove the cake and then brush with a little syrup from the stem ginger and add some flaked almonds. Bake for a further 5 minutes, then leave to cool. Serve the frangipane with a good dollop of Cornish clotted cream and fresh raspberries.

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Born on the

SHORELINE WO R D S B Y H A N N A H TA P P I N G

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SU STA I N

Sustainably sourced, small batch bath and body products that reimagine relaxation.

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n conversation with founder of land&water, Pix Ashworth, I discover how her love for the outdoors, and its resulting awakening of the senses, inspired her to create a set of Britishmade natural bath and body products that offer a combination of invigoration and calm.

Pix grew up in Sussex.

With family holidays spent in Scotland she was no stranger to the majesty of the mountains and the cool clear water of the lochs. Marrying a Cornishman, whose family were hoteliers, Pix moved to the north coast of Cornwall where her and husband Will started a family of their own. “Will was running Watergate Hotel when we met in our mid 20s. I was working in finance in London, and then in Paris,” explains Pix. “This was in the heady days of

British Airways flying all the way down to Newquay, so long distance love was doable. I then moved to Cornwall and got involved in the family business firstly, working with Will at Watergate Bay and then after about six months, I set up our selfcatering holiday business, Beach Retreats. This was all pre-children and I then essentially took a career break for five to six years while we raised a young family.

I was still involved as a non-exec, but took more of a backseat.”

Her love of the outdoors, whether that be a bracing walk on a cliff path, a cold water swim or indeed time spent in the mountains, brought her to realise that relaxation doesn’t need to come in the traditional sense of physical stillness.

It can equally be achieved, as Pix explains, by an active experience, as long as it’s one that

INSET Body Duo

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“makes you feel more alive and resets your head space”. Pix and I have an instant affinity.

I, too, believe that mental stillness can be achieved through activity and a connection with the natural world. “When our youngest was two, it seemed an opportune moment to continue to capture that emotional sense of invigoration and calm, so we moved to the Alps. I find the mountains, even though they are vast in their size, to be very, very serene – and there’s a gentleness about them. I get that same sense from Cornwall and the Lake District. So, quite different environments, but it’s all about the relationship you have with the elements, and for me it’s always one of great simplicity. I feel totally invigorated but also relaxed and happy in a very uncomplicated way.” Taking their young children on a yearlong sabbatical to live in the French Alps in

2015 only reinforced this connection for Pix. “It was really fun. Because our business and home are so intertwined, it was lovely to go and do something for ourselves that was totally different. Having had this time out when the children were really young, when we came back to Cornwall our youngest was nearly three. I then slowly started to get back into work.”

“I wanted to create a brand that would articulate my belief that time outside makes us feel better inside, something I think is very poignant for a lot of people. As hoteliers we’ve witnessed that amazing warm glow as guests come off the beach or in from a cold water swim in the lake. You just see that wonderful sense of invigoration; it’s a sweet spot that is achieved via a balance between exhilaration

A B OV E Body Lotion

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TOP Candle, Bath & Body Oil, Body Wash, Shampoo, Conditioner

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A B OV E Shampoo refill

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TOP Body Wash

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A B OV E Bath & Body Oil, Body Lotion

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SU STA I N

and calm. There is a sense of being uplifted from time spent outside, while underneath there is a serenity and relaxed sense of happiness; land&water came about as a natural evolution from those observations.

“We wanted to have a range of body products that recreated that fresh skin feeling you feel on the shoreline; and by shoreline that can really be really anywhere. While we are fortunate to live by the sea you can get that same feeling from being by a lake or river. I wanted to help people to find a balance that feels right for them. For some that could be paddling out and being in the water for a couple of hours catching waves. For others, that could come from curling up in a quiet corner and just wave watching while reading a book. Wherever you find balance, I believe the location is very relevant.”

When it came to creating the bath and body products for land&water, Pix wanted to capture an emotional sweet spot: “We’ve used

essentially a blend of very buoyant citrus, but at the same time added in more serene green woody notes underneath, using frankincense, cedarwood and sandalwood in some of our products. Apart from the shampoo and conditioner, no one product has the same fragrance as another, but they all speak to each other; they all have that same DNA in terms of citrus and then woody notes underneath to emulate that sense of invigoration and calm. So, that’s the fragrance, and then the actual formulation underneath all of our products contains ingredients that create a land&water DNA.” In all land&water washes you’ll find spike moss. It’s known as the ‘resurrection plant’ for its seemingly miraculous ability to recover and rehydrate after dry spells. Spike moss’s hydrating extract, hydranellys, uses the same biotechnology to restore your skin’s lipid balance and retain water. Another essential ingredient, used in land&water’s oils and scrubs, is sea buckthorn oil.

A B OV E Unplug Bundle

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This comes from the berries of the sea buckthorn plant, which clings to rocky sea cliffs and thrives on sunshine. High in vitamin C, it’s a natural antioxidant with skin rejuvenating properties. Samphire, which grows on the fringes of land and sea and has the most incredible capabilities, is also used in the lotions. It has impressive capabilities for protecting itself from dehydration – despite the high salt content of its environment – and its oily extract, hydrosalinol, helps moisturise, restructure and smooth out skin.

Pix wanted land&water to have that same sense of the outdoor environment reflected in the product’s scent, so that with every use they would evoke memories of what it smells like to be on the threshold of land and water.

“I wanted our products to give people a space to breathe. And likewise, the design of the bottles and our brand identity is very much trying to hit that same sweet spot between timelessness and the contemporary.”

Product sustainability is a huge factor for land&water: “Launching in 2020, I wanted the brand to be as sustainable as possible,” says Pix. “I didn’t really see it as a USP, I saw it as absolutely necessary, so it was an obvious priority for us from the outset and we are also now working towards B Corp status. Everything in all of our products is made in the British Isles, the whole range is 100% vegan and made with natural ingredients. All our plastic is 100% post consumer recycled, prevented ocean plastic.

We have some products in glass bottles and

then we have five litre refills. I think a lot of people find resonance in our products because they’re drawn to the fact that our ethos reflects their own ethos and how they feel about the wider world.”

The products are created in collaboration with a leading apothecarist and perfumer: “He knows our brand so well and we will sit with him and talk about what we want from a product in terms of perfume and also what we want in terms of efficacy. He is both an artist and composer, translating an emotion into a fragrance using both high and low notes. Interestingly, our senior technicians are all ex-chefs, meaning they nurture the ingredients, applying the same philosophy to making our product in small batches using the freshest ingredients as they would to create a dish.”

Having enjoyed a lifestyle of ‘active relaxation’ all their lives, Pix and husband Will set about capturing that essence with launch of land&water and have literally bottled it for all to enjoy!

The range includes hand wash, hand lotion, bath & body oil, bath salts, body wash, body lotion, shampoo and conditioner available in varying sizes including handy 50ml bottles ideal for refilling to take when you’re travelling. Candles, reed diffusers, pulse point oils and a gorgeous salt scrub, which you put on to dry skin and then wash off in the shower, complete the collection. land-and-water.co.uk

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TOP Soap Bar

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A B OV E Body Wash

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A curious

ENVIRONMENT WO R D S B Y M A RT I N H O L M A N

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C R E AT E

Process absorbs artist Nicola Bealing and brings with it memories of things seen, marks made and emotions felt.

D

uring the first lockdown in 2020, Nicola Bealing was in her studio in Helston. As everywhere else in those strange, anxious months, dayto-day social life had slipped into hibernation.

With no specific project on the horizon and the art world frozen, only birdsong broke into the still and quiet of the building where Bealing works most days. So, in that curious environment where unprecedented emergency mixed with an uneasy peace, Bealing decided to take a line and some colour for a walk.

She never had to leave her workplace. For this painter, her route was always going to be through paper, a panel of wood (the surface she most prefers) or an expanse of canvas. As she says, “one thing led to another” and her imagination took her, metaphorically at least, underwater. A line is the bedrock of artistic creation, a kind of calligraphy that brings shapes into being rather than words, keeping

the mind and the eye on the move. The lines she makes are typically agile and animated; they swirl and flow, injecting life into paint.

If her destination was unknown at the outset of that walk, the direction became clear as abstract arrangements of lines and colours assumed an aquatic identity, almost for convenience. They branched into a network of skeletal fringes where knots of colour blossomed.

Almost intuitively, Bealing arrived at coral imagery, a maritime ecosystem thriving with life-forms and peppered with the occasional bone and scatterings of teeth.

Canvases followed that depicted no specific location, although Bealing knew the territory. For six years from the age of four she lived in Malaysia.

As a child and later as a teenager, she snorkelled in Indian ocean waters bristling with marine life. As craggy outcrops formed with her brush in the studio, her coral was not, she admits, botanically accurate.

PREVIOUS ‘Red Coral Rock with Hermit Crabs’ 2020, oil and spray-paint on panel, 120 x 80cm

INSET ‘Shameless Joan’, 2018, monoprint, 100 x 80cm

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TOP ‘Misfits’, 2013, oil on linen, 152 x 152cm

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A B OV E ‘Three Boys (Starved, Beaten, Drowned), 2021, oil on linen, 150 x 180cm

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Martin Howse

TOP LEFT Nicola Bealing at CAST, Helston

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A B OV E ‘Most Nights I Can Hear the Sea’, 2021, oil on panel, 110 x 90cm

TOP RIGHT ‘Rorschach Rock II’, 2020, oil on panel, 110 x 90cm

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C R E AT E

While her fantasy seabed might suggest to onlookers a desire to escape the world’s sorry circumstances, such allusions never occurred to her. For, at any moment, the artist’s studio is a sequestered spot where the unexpected happens – “a magical thing that, once fixed on,” she says, “you can build on until the painting becomes obvious.”

The paintings have the uncanny effect of occupying a space beyond time. Faced with each large canvas, the viewer’s perceptions are momentarily drawn from the exhibition space into a serenely creative alternative environment. “The coral forms are loosely based on real life,” Bealing says, “but I was way more interested in their role as a vehicle for outrageous colour and sinuous line. The paintings ended up somewhere between stilllife and invented scientific illustrations. I had a lot of fun with them!”

In her childhood, intense colour was everywhere, in flowers, in the dyed and patterned Batik fabrics people wore, and in the equatorial landscape. Looking back, she says “any colour was possible.” Being exposed to such sights from an impressionable age, “I am not worried by colour.” She is constantly experimenting with rich variations that endow her paintings with distinctive atmospheres that appear modelled by an interior light. The sea, too, had an early impact and crept back into her life after graduation from art school in London when she moved to a studio on the harbourside in Porthleven in 1988; she has lived in west Cornwall ever since. International

travel remains a source of inspiration – to rural Vietnam, for instance, India and Thailand, and a residency in 2020 in Oaxaca, south-west Mexico where cacti flower brilliantly. During an earlier trip to North America, she visited the Monterey Aquarium in California where floor-to-ceiling viewing areas project into the bay, home to numerous variegated species of fish, sharks, abalone and squid, and a living kelp forest.

Growing up abroad, there was no television at home but plenty of books. She particularly remembers enjoying folk tales gathered by the publisher Paul Hamlyn into editions that used strong colour when it was unusual and expensive to print. The illustrations were generous in size and packed with detail to keep this reader imaginatively involved in the story.

Her father, a biologist and plant physiologist specialising in tropical agriculture, made botanical illustrations for a pastime and her mother, also a scientist, always drew and encouraged her children. “Every paper bag was cut open to draw on,” Bealing recalls. So, reading and making, word and image were part of her upbringing. Her development as a painter preserves those memories. “I want to be kind to viewers and give them something to look at,” she says, almost mischievously.

“When I was a child, looking at a really good picture book felt nourishing. I think art can be that way, too.” Asked what she expects those viewers to take away from her work, she replies that she wants to leave them material to invent their own stories and, she adds, “some headscratching, too.”

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Whereas the coral serves up a visual feast induced by painterly action, narrative features strongly in her pictures with figurative themes.

They comprise the quintessentially English strand in her personality and are invariably about something – but about what is not always in the foreground. An event read in a newspaper can yield a painting as easily as a quirky incident seen in the street. “I’m not an illustrator,” she explains, because an offbeat idea spawned by a piece of writing means more to her than its direct imitation. Being a figurative painter – a discipline built on looking established by years of life-drawing at the Byam Shaw School of Art, where she studied – she is drawn to the behaviour of people and to how the body expresses conditions or extreme situations. With that she creates her own fictional response.

Since student days she has painted with oil and loves it, declaring that the more she uses the medium, the more she finds out what it allows her to do. Watercolour and gouache are favourites, too, discovered at school in Hertfordshire when, always good at art but with no notion that it could ever be her career (medicine was her intended profession), she saw luminous English landscape paintings

by Thomas Girtin, a friend of Turner.

Her fascination with the properties of her materials helps propel her into the challenge posed by the next painting. Pushing paint around some paper can eventually lead into a picture and accidents happen with paint that unlock fresh possibilities. So, to ease the way out of a technical corner, she will take a risk with technique or a form, or maybe the speed of a gesture. “Unless you try it, you don’t know

what it will look like. It might stop you ripping up the work, so I keep going until something looks right!”

In 2015 she was invited to make paintings about the collections of the Helston Folk Museum. Resisting her hosts’ assumption that objects would be her subject, she found her way to the archive of local newspapers and notices from previous centuries. Stories tumbled from the pages. One described the knifethrower’s assistant; another how the master of 17-year-old Ann Medlyn, the ‘absconded apprentice’, wanted her return in 1816; a full spread from 1788 related in verse the ‘elegy on the melancholy incident’ that convulsed Porthleven when ‘33 men and boys and four women’ perished in a pleasure boat accident.

Coming across a lengthy list of executions in Cornwall in the century to 1882, Bealing indulged the appetite for graphic detail that has survived from childhood. At almost two metres square, the resulting tableau gathers into one place a hundred years of capital offences (from sheep rustling and horse stealing to infamous murder), committed by numerous miniature silhouetted figures simultaneously as if spied on by a passer-by through a screen of bucolic honeysuckle.

At London’s Foundling Hospital Museum, eighteenth-century alleyways opened to her as she trawled through printed ballads and broadsheets and reacted to the scurrilous and often surreal tales from the tabloid press of the era when the hospital, Britain’s first home for children at risk, was founded by prominent figures that included the painter William Hogarth. Using print and painting, Bealing

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TOP LEFT ‘Again They Come’, 2021, ink, oil and spray paint on linen, 300 x 175cm

A B OV E L E F T Dead-man’s Fingers exhibition Installation, Matt’s Gallery, London, January 2023

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A B OV E R I G H T ‘Boys Who Climb’, 2021, oil on linen, 250 x 175cm

TOP RIGHT ‘Dog Choosing a Toy in a Charity Shop’, 2006, oil on board, 45 x 60cm

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A B OV E ‘Dead-man’s Fingers (Under Stars)’, 2020, oil on linen, 220 x 150cm

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C R E AT E

reflected on cases like that of Shameless Joan who wandered the dark London streets on all fours with a candle anatomically inserted to light her path.

“Humour is an important element in many of my paintings,” Bealing says. “But it’s balanced with a dark undercurrent. I want my work to be slightly unnerving but not creepy.” Her early love of fables is a big factor but she has little patience with the moral dimension found in them. Remembering her own experience she says that “is the boring bit you always skip.” The potential for harm and humiliation from unseen forces, however, surfaces in a compassionate tone that mediates the alarm her viewers perceive. Bealing sides with the outcasts, misfits and adolescents in danger, although not at the cost of a striking image.

Engrossed in these meaty accounts, she thinks about them at night.

That sensitivity, manifested in her quavering drawing style, attracted her to the story of the fisherman Peter Grimes. It lies behind her latest series of paintings that forms the second stage of Bealing’s current two-part solo exhibition (with her coral paintings shown first) at Matt’s Gallery, a leading London venue for contemporary art. Written by the nineteenth-century poet George Crabbe, it is better known today from Benjamin Britten’s opera first performed in 1945.

Grimes is an outright bully untouched by pity. After three of his young apprentices are starved, beaten and drowned, he is ordered to work alone until the ghosts of his victims terrorise him into madness and he dies in bed. Bealing’s searingly lustrous images

reinvent the grisly drama in terms that border on magic realism unsuspected in the original.

The shadow of earlier artists who helped shape this artist’s outlook, like Goya and Pieter Breughel, add more weight to compositions where Grimes’ malevolent influence is felt twisting innocent play, as in ‘Boys who Climb’ (2021), into a sinister outcome.

Darkness also stalks her latest innovation.

Suspended overhead at her London show are an array of weird and bulbous coloured objects.

Limpet shells encrust bodies that trail tentaclelike strands. They momentarily flip the groundfloor gallery, where Bealing’s coral paintings hang against walls painted black, into a vision of the watery depths. Collectively called Deadman’s Fingers, the installation is improvised from discarded small boat fenders collected by her partner and sons on beaches around the Lizard.

“They came about so naturally I am selfconscious about calling them sculptures,” she explains. Adopting three dimensions is a bold move for any painter, but Bealing, an artist constantly moving her practice forward, makes the transformation joyously with another wry twist in interpretation. This time the direction is reversed and sinister connotations soon give way to play.

Nicola Bealing’s exhibition at Matt’s Gallery, London, is in two parts: Dead-man’s Fingers continues to 5th March, followed by The Borough, from 15th March to 16th April.

All artworks © Nicola Bealing and photographed

by Steve Tanner. nicolabealing.co.uk mattsgallery.org

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NAU T I C A L

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Greg Dennis Lee Whitehead

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L A ST

WO R D

Eventide WORDS BY JOSEPH SABIEN

T

here is no last word from the sea.

Indeed, as Keats famously wrote “it keeps eternal whisperings around desolate shores.” An endless, perpetual cycle of truly sustainable power which “has moods to fill the storehouse of the mind”, remarks Hilaire Beloc in The Cruise of the Nona.

And there it is, perhaps.

The power of the sea is in its ability to mirror what it is to be human in an unconditional gesture, beyond words, and with all the understanding us humans need. Far away from the complications of conversation, the insecurity and fragility of the human condition, the sea simply and effortlessly communicates that we are ultimately connected to this earth.

If we are intentional and use time wisely, used as a reflective tool, the sea allows us to slow down and to align ourselves with the ebb and flow of life without the weight of the world, including the expectations and obligations that can overwhelm us.

It is this very power Sea Sanctuary has uniquely harnessed for the last 13 years and we have shown the traditional medical model is often antiquated and unsuitable.

As pioneers of the Blue Health movement, we have achieved remarkable results and many people remain alive today as a result of

our help. This is a testimony to the courage and determination of our clients to flourish and self-actualise.

Over the last 13 years, Sea Sanctuary has supported thousands of people back to health and helped them develop a sense of meaning, to challenge unhelpful patterns of behaviour and to better understand their place in the world. Whilst much can be attributed to the sea – our platform – Sea Sanctuary’s success has also been due to our brilliant team; a group of people imbued with compassion, empathy, and a sense of humanity.

Finally, what have we learnt? Engage with nature with passion, trust in the process, make time for yourself (it isn’t selfish), be intentional with improving your mental health and trust your feelings.

On behalf of Sea Sanctuary, we wish you well and please, be kind to yourself.

Despite best endeavours and the generosity of the public, followers and clients, Cornwall’s largest non-statutory provider of mental health care in Cornwall, Sea Sanctuary, was unsuccessful in raising the required amount to remain open. As a result, the charity sadly closed in January 2023. seasanctuary.org.uk/urgent-help/

INSET Joseph Sabien

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