Culture

n Kim Pragnell’s Bend in the River Arts club show makes a very welcome return

Join in a celebration of the ‘wealth and variety’ of art in the Sherborne area at an exhibition later this month. Sherborne Art Club will host the exhibit at Digby Hall in Hound Street, from 10am to 5pm, from Saturday, July 23 until Sunday, July 31 (closes 2pm). Sherborne Art Club chairman Mark Pender said: “We’re delighted to be helping bring back our open exhibition, which has been on hiatus since 2018. “Founded in 1931, the exhibition has flourished and grown to become one of the West Country’s largest and most popular open art exhibitions. “The show is open to all. The juried art exhibition celebrates the wealth and variety of visual arts in the region. as well as showcasing some of the outstanding accomplishments of artists on our doorstep. More than 400 exhibits are for sale and the entrance is free.” This year’s event is being sponsored by Mogers Drewett.

n Ecosystem Engineer at Wild Ken Hill

n English Longhorn self-grooming

Born to Rewild:

An exhibition by local photographer Sam Rose is coming to the Bridport Arts Centre’s Allsop Gallery for a month from July 20, and it’s all about rewilding. The concept of rewilding has really taken off recently – it has been a storyline on the Archers, Sir David Attenborough is a supporter of rewilding and even Ed Sheeran says that he plans to rewild as much of the UK as he can. Still, many people are not sure about what rewilding really means, so Sam, who is a nature conservationist, aims to help people to find out more and maybe encourage them to get involved themselves. The gallery will host a range of more than 40 images, including the animals that are the ‘ecosystem engineers’ and

SPECIAL BRANCH: Dorset Dead tree, a source of life. Above: Photographer Sam Rose

n Waterhole at Knepp n Rewilding pioneers Hannah and Jan from Heal

Exhibition leaving it all to nature

make rewilding happen, the people who choose to rewild, and the landscapes that result from rewilding. It also includes some drone photography of some areas being rewilded, and a range of fine-art black and white images that explore the ‘messiness’ and uncertainty that surrounds rewilding. Tim Smit, founder of the Eden Project, said: “This exhibition is quite simply marvellous. Sam Rose has a highly unusual gift... his camera becomes an extension of himself revealing landscapes, wildlife and people as if you are inside his head and, that his head is playing host to a wormhole of thousands of years of experiences, rather than simply a question of framing, light and mathematics. He has a painterly eye and you are left with a sense that he is revealing something more than what is immediately visible.” Dr Sam Rose was formerly head of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and has made a career change to do the MA. He said: “I hope that this exhibition will inspire people to find out a bit more about rewilding, what it means and why it is so important for us all. “It is all about letting go and allowing nature to take the lead in restoring damaged ecosystems, and about the people who have the courage to do that.” n Go to whatifyoujust leaveit.info and listen to the podcast “What if you just leave it?”. The exhibition is sponsored by Heal Rewilding and the Fine Family Foundation.

Keeping it real: Billy the forger spills the beans

He put millions of pounds’ worth of paintings through some of the world’s biggest and best-known auction houses, exposing their frailties and leaving the art world shaken to its core. Ten years ago his luck ran out and at the age of 63 Billy Mumford, aka Billy the Brush, was handed a two-year prison stretch after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud. During a five-year scam he passed off hundreds of fake paintings by artists as diverse as Maqbool Fida Husain ‘the Picasso of India’, surrealist John Tunnard and noted Welsh landscape painter Kyffin Williams. Born into a poor Jewish family in London’s East End, he began painting as a young teenager and was largely self-taught by copying the works of grand masters. As his repertoire as a copyist grew he developed his own style, but found it impossible to break into the notoriously closed art world. In his own words: “For 40 years, I had painted the same picture, then I put a different name on it and they queued up.” And so began his career as a counterfeiter, making paintings in the style of highly collectible artists and passing them off as originals. It meant he had to master any number of widely diverse painting styles and techniques, not to mention the gallery stamps, inks and vintage paper needed to create the false provenance for his work. “I know it sounds a bit stupid,” he explains, “but maybe it was my revenge on the art world. But I would have rather remained a failed artist than a successful forger.” Although some of his fakes continue to circulate, Billy’s days as an outlaw are now long behind him. Now completely legit he enjoys an ever-growing reputation for producing astonishingly authentic tributes to the great artists, some of which sell for thousands of pounds. The art houses he humiliated so royally a decade ago might not agree, but to his fans Billy is a folk hero, a true original who exposed the art world’s greed and lack of integrity in not exercising due diligence on artworks being sold quickly for sizable sums of money. “He’s too humble and unassuming to admit it, but Billy can paint as well as any of the greats, yet none of them could paint like the others,” says James Hartey, the Bridport-based businessman and art dealer who now promotes Billy’s work and has just published a second volume of Billy exploits entitled Billy Mumford, Painter of Hallways, Doorways and... Monets. “He has not only mastered each of their individual techniques, but also their materials and their finishes, but today they come with a certificate of authenticity as a genuine fake. As soon as he got out of prison, he went straight back to painting as that’s all he can do – he just has to paint – only these days he doesn’t copy actual paintings, he produces versions of modern masters from Picasso, Van Gogh and Lowry to Basquiat, Banksy and ‘Shadowman’ artist Richard Hambleton.” Collectors of Billy’s works include TV and sports celebrities and media interest has resulted in four book projects, three documentaries for Vice TV, an appearance on Now TV’s Portrait Artist of the Year, the offer of a six-part series on the dark side of the art world, and a film script. Now, Billy is stepping out of the studio shadows and into the spotlight of the stage to present his first ever talk about his ‘David and Goliath’ story in An Evening with Billy

Mumford at the Electric Palace, Bridport on Thursday 14 July, from 7pm. And, in an affectionate nod to the bad old days, the proceeds from an auction of Billy’s work on the night will be donated to the Dorset Police Welfare Fund. Tickets available at electricpalace.org.uk.

INFORMAL TALK: Billy Mumford is at the Electric Palace

Dance club in step for its centenary

Bridport Folk Dance Club will be celebrating its centenary at this year’s folk festival with sponsorship for the evening dance at St Mary’s Church House, South Street on Saturday, July 23 at 7.30pm with music from the Casterbridge Band. Since its formation in 1919, Bridport Folk Dance Club has been a long-established part of Bridport’s folk arts scene with weekly folk dance meetings, attracting members from all ages who like to jig to the inhouse musicians and callers along with visiting professionals. The meetings boast folk music spanning from the 17th century to today, from Jane Austin style to barn dance and ceilidh. All dances are walked through and led by a caller to remind people what to do. This year activities have also included Morris and Maypole dancing. Dr Michael Mosley recently reported that dancing has been proven to enhance mental and physical well-being but this is a secret club members have known for years. Club chairman Tim Randall said: “The Bridport Folk Dance Club Centenary Celebrations were curtailed by the pandemic lockdown. “We are pleased to be back and celebrating 100 years plus at this year’s festival by sponsoring the evening dance at St Mary’s Church House. “Tickets are available from Bridport TIC. “The club are also running a drop-in open house event on Saturday, July 23 from 10am to 4pm, at the Bridport WI Hall in North Street as part of the Bridport Folk Festival. Visitors will be able to join in the informal dance and music workshops lead by experienced club members and guests taking place during the day (donations to the festival). “Learn some local dances or play with the band, a chance to brush up on your moves ready for the exciting evening dance.” The club welcomes new members and visitors at The WI hall from 7.15pm to 9.30pm most Mondays. For details ring 01308 459001 and follow on Facebook.

Wondering about Wuthering in the open air?

Open air performances of Wuthering Heights will be staged throughout Dorset this month. SISATA Open Air Theatre Company will perform the Bronte classic on Saturday, July 16 at 6.30pm at the Museum of East Dorset in High Street, Wimborne. The next performance is on Friday, July 22 at 6.30pm at Sandsfoot Castle Gardens in Old Castle Rd, Weymouth. A free show (with donations welcomed) will run from Saturday, July 23 until Monday 25 at 2.30pm at Swanage Amphitheatre in Prince Albert Gardens, Swanage. The next performance will be on Friday, July 29 at 7pm at Mambury Rings in Dorchester. Tickets for all the performances (except Swanage Amphitheatre) are priced between £12 and £15 and are available at sisata.co.uk

So good to be Bach for Alice concert

After a two-year break, the annual Alice Dilke Memorial Concert returns to the Church of St Candida and Holy Cross, Whitchurch Canonicorum, on Sunday, July 31, at 3pm. The performers are the Abraxas Trio: Christian Halstead (violin), Jordi Morell (viola) and Heidi Parsons (cello). Their programme opens with the well-known Canon & Fugue in D majorw by Pachelbel, followed by the Aria and a selection of the variations from JS Bach’s Goldberg Variations. After the interval the musicians will play the Trio Divertimento by Mozart. The event, which is organised by the Friends of St Candida, was introduced in 2017 in memory of Alice Dilke (1919–2016), who lived in Whitchurch Canonicorum with her husband Christopher for nearly 50 years. She was noted in the area for her fearless opposition to local corruption and injustice, and made many friends of all ages. She was a founder member of the ‘Friends’. Trio leader Christian Halstead started learning the violin aged five and continued his studies at the Royal College of Music, graduating in 1999. He has enjoyed a varied freelance career, working with many ensembles including the Royal Northern Sinfonia, London Mozart Players and Ex Cathedra. He was a founder member of the Southbank Sinfonia in 2002. Christian is also leader of Kent Sinfonia, the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra, Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra and Surrey Opera’s orchestra. Born in Vila-seca, Spain, Jordi Morell studied the viola at the Conservatori de Música de Vila-seca and then Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. He has performed in England, Spain, Hungary and France, including a performance of the Sinfonia Concertante by Mozart with the London Euphonia Orchestra. Cellist Heidi Parsons studied at The Royal Academy of Music in London where she was awarded the Suggia Scholarship and a Leverhulme Orchestral Fellowship. Since completing her studies, Heidi has been performing across the UK and internationally, playing with orchestras and chamber ensembles as well as jazz and pop artists, and has recorded solo cello tracks for the BBC, Channel 4 and Netflix. n Tickets are £10 on the door and include light refreshments. Children aged 16 and under go in free.

Cellist Heidi Parsons Jordi Morell on viola Violinist Christian Halstead

Taking it outdoors for summer season

This summer, a rich mixture of classic outdoor theatre will be performed at Maumbury Rings, Nothe Fort, Athelhampton House and Whicombe Manor. Dorchester Arts is bringing a summer of fun, drama, opera, and the classics, ranging from Shakespeare on bicycles to Dickensian drama, by way of the Trojan war, an Awful Auntie, a Mikado, and murder to ten outdoor venues. Audiences of all ages will have the chance to grab a picnic and enjoy an evening of drama, singing and comedy. Family fun at Maumbury Rings plays host to a vibrant new production of Wuthering Heights and accompanied by original live music and songs along with the Three Musketeers, David Walliams’ Awful Auntie, and evergreen children’s classic The Wind in the Willows. The fun continues at the award-winning Nothe Fort with Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic The Mikado; and The Shodyssey – a romp through the Trojan war as you have never seen it before. Finally, lovers of musical comedy and beautiful venues will enjoy both Much Ado about Murder set against picturesque Athelhampton House; and Dorchester Arts’ annual Summer Sunday, this year with hilarious multitalented musician Rainer Hersch at beautiful Whitcombe Manor, by kind permission of Minette and Alec Walters. You may never look at piano lessons the same way again… Dorchester Arts Summer Season n Saturday, July 16 The Shodyssey (Assembleth Theatre) 6pm at Nothe Fort n Thursday, July 21 Much Ado About Murder (Heartbreak Productions), 7pm at Athelhampton House n Friday, July 29 Wuthering Heights (Sisata), 7pm at Maumbury Rings n Sunday, July 31 A Summer Sunday, 12 noon at Whitcombe Manor n Sunday, August 7 The Three Musketeers (Boxtree Productions), 5pm at Maumbury Rings n Saturday, August 13 Awful Auntie (Heartbreak Productions), 6pm at Maumbury Rings n Friday, August 26 The Wind in The Willows (Calf2Cow Theatre), 5pm at Maumbury Rings