Our latest sojourn west during the extended Christmas break reminded me of other recent visits to Cornwall, in summer, when the days are long and the light is sharp. Although Cornwall is beautiful at any time of year, early summer’s my favourite – before the hoards of holiday makers descend, blocking the roads with their caravans and filling the cafés up with their blotchy sun-burned skin.
Go west as far as St Ives – the quintessence of a West Country seaside resort; a perfect picture postcard of a place.
Stroll along typically narrow, Cornish cobbled streets, hear the constant cry of gulls as they wheel overhead; breathe in the salt air, rub shoulders with weather-beaten locals and wander around the harbour to marvel at the latest bounty coming in from the sea on little fishing boats or just spend time lazing on miles of glorious sandy beaches. Do all the things you would do at the seaside.
However, there’s another side to St Ives. The town is well known for being a place that entices artists to stay and enjoy the clarity of light for which it is famous. There’s the Tate Art Gallery right on Porthmeor Beach, housing ever changing exhibitions. The Leach Pottery, a museum dedicated to the work of Bernard Leach, (founding father of the renowned Cornish potters), is well worth a visit and can be found at Higher Stennack, a steep walk to the top of the town.
But to find the most magical of places you must get past the plethora of Olde tea Shoppes selling cream teas; get past the fudge shops, the shops selling surfing equipment, the bead shops, the shops selling crystals and polished fossils, the upmarket casual fashion shops, the bucket, spade and sun cream shops and wind your way around the backstreets until you find yourself in front of a curved, high stone wall and an unprepossessing door. It’s not easy to find, even with the help of the brown tourist signs which are all a bit skew-whiff – but perseverance will be rewarded, especially if, like me, you are a fan of 20th century sculpture.
For this is the site of Trewyn Studio – the home of the English sculptor, Barbara Hepworth – the place where she created some of her most seminal works and ultimately, the place where she died tragically in a fire in 1975. Originally from Yorkshire, Hepworth was one of several artists who settled in St Ives during the 1940’s. She bought Trewyn in 1949 and remained there all her life. According to her final wishes the place is now a museum showcasing her works and is managed by Tate St Ives.
The museum houses a useful timeline documenting her life and work and then upstairs in a light and airy room, are models, plaster casts and miniatures of some of her larger pieces. Step through another door at the top of the stairs and you are outside in her wonderful walled garden.
There are many of her larger works here in bronze, stone and wood – resplendent amongst the foliage – one form complementing the other.
To one side of the garden is her studio, left almost untouched – as if she was but a breath away. Her tools are out on the bench;
her coats hang on hooks;
paint pots, ancient tins of glue and varnish line the shelves.
Trewyn is an inspiring place and one I have returned to – always in sunshine. I’d like to see it in wet weather too as raindrops would provide another dimension to her sculptures – some of them, especially the bronzes, invite the addition of water.
Years ago, when I worked just off London’s Oxford Street, I used to walk past a Hepworth sculpture every day. Mounted on the wall on the corner of the John Lewis department store, her piece entitled ‘Winged Figure’ stands poised, like the Phoenix rising from the ashes. The John Lewis store had to be rebuilt after the war on its current site where, according to baffled business analysts in our current economic climate, business is booming.
I like to think that the commissioning in 1961, by the John Lewis Partnership, of Hepworth’s prophetic sculpture has had something to do with it.
What a lovely tour guide you are, Jenny…and a talented photographer! If I ever make it to London, it will be like coming home. 🙂 Happy Weekend!
Wouldn’t that be fun – I’d love to show you round my city!
We’ll have to invite Sherri and of course Nicky! 🙂
You have ‘painted’ a lovely panorama of St. Ives. I really would like to get back to the West Country next time we are in England. Do I need a passport for Cornwall yet?
Hepworth’s home and studio will be top of the list.
We still have memories of me slipping on the rocks at St. Ives and our shared driver duties for the remainder of the holiday. It’s time to return. Thanks for this great post.
No passports required just yet but it does feel different to anywhere else in England – even Devon – you can definitely tell when you’ve crossed the county border.
Glad to know the studio will be top of your next list – I’ve got another sculpture place to cover in West Sussex so I’m going to have you going all over the place!
Forget the Caribbean. I know where we are going on holiday this year. St Ives!! Seriously though Jenny, this is one of the places in Cornwall that I have never to this day actually been and I have been working on Hubby to take me for ages. Can’t wait after reading this post!
Also Barbara Hepworth’s hidden studio – I’ve been anticipating this delightful post btw! You could be a travel guide, you’ve sold me that’s for sure 🙂 Lovely touch with the John Lewis and Hepworth sculpture mention.
Have a wonderful and dry, hopefully, weekend 🙂
Beautiful day here today Sherri – just returned from a lovely walk across the common on the board walk, so mostly dry. Hope Somerset is drying out slowly, although more is forecast, apparently 😦
St Ives is definitely worth a visit – and so much nearer than the Caribbean.
Lovely here too, sun is shining and hoping to go out for a walk very shortly, just quickly catching up here! Your walk sounds idyllic. Things are drying out slowly but yes, heard that more rain is on the way 😦
Ha Ha! Yes, St Ives it is…
Have a great weekend Jenny 🙂 x
I can’t believe you haven’t been to St Ives yet Sherri! And you so close! (Well closer than most of us). Seriously get yourself down there – April can be nice – as long as it isn’t a long cold wet spring like last year.
XX
I know! I don’t know why either. It always seems that we end up going to other places when we are down there. I’ve been going on to Hubby for ages about going to St Ives. I am determined and you know what that means….really no excuses now after reading Jenny’s post 🙂 x
Well if (strike that) WHEN you go there, do yourself a favour and book lunch at the Porthminster Beach Café. It is right on the beach near the station terminal (so you can go by train if you so wish to). The food is divine, the views to die for, and the Framingham Sauv Blanc out. of. this. world.
Oooh, thanks Jude, will take note of this. I have already told (sorry, meant suggested to) Hubby that we must go this year. I do hope we get to, will certainly keep you and Jenny posted – ha, get it?? Sorry,it’s getting late… 😉
Yes I, too, must get to St Ives one day. Certainly any sequel to ‘Barry’ will be set there, so possibly soon. I’ll be the sunburnt bloke trying to cool off in the pub.
Haha – along with plenty of others Roy. You’ll have to wear your ‘I love Jersey’ T-shirt if you want to be spotted. 🙂
Cornwall over Christmas is great, especially on crisp sunny days – love that pic of the beach.
Thank you! Yes, crisp bracing air is a real tonic after Christmas incarceration 🙂
Love this section of the tour very much. Have a good weekend jenny.
You too Doron. I loved your 3 colour experiment. Lots of that to try out down in Cornwall…
I am sure there is added to my to do list.
Wonderful photographs, Jenny. It is inspiring, and the displays are excellent!
Thanks Marylin. The photos are only those taken on my little ‘point and shoot’ camera – nothing sophisticated like Rod or Andrew’s. Now – if either of them were to go and get some shots – we’d all be in for a real treat….
It is, indeed beautiful. And now you have me wishing for summer…and I was doing so well with my state of denial 🙂
I think we are all suffering with long winters – both sides of the Atlantic. Yours is definitely colder (by a long way) but this is going to be the wettest couple of months ever seen in the UK. However, small respite today – sun and blue skies here before the next band of low pressure tomorrow evening. We are all becoming meteorological experts here, as you can see.
We just had a temporary break. It’s only a few degrees below zero today and hardly any wind. That and the blue sky means that I won’t be indoor much today 🙂 Tomorrow it’s going to +9 for 24 h or so before getting back to normal.
I think you struck a chord here. We shall be queuing up to visit St. Ives and the Barbara Hepworth studio. All I knew it for before was the rhyme about As I was going to St. Ives a met a man with Seven wives….. or something like that.
Oooh, goody – get there with your cameras and give us a treat!
Enjoyed my walk down memory lane inspired by your delightful piece. I enjoyed the Tate and the Barbara Hepworth. Even Woolworths with its sea view – long gone I assume – was a pleasure. And just a short trip over the moor to Mounts Bay. Can’t wait to go again. Take in Lanhydrock if you visit again.
I have a feeling that Woolworths might now be a very light and airy Pizza Express.
Lanhydrock is definitely on the list for our next trip down west which might be a while now as we have other things planned…
Glad to hear that your weather has improved some. Great article and photos! 🙂 I am looking forward to exploring Cornwall now!
Yes, thanks – we are in a temporary respite, as are you, I have a feeling?
I’m beginning to think I should have kept the delights of Cornwall to myself – you’ll all be going in droves!!
I am in western Canada (Alberta) and have not experienced the really nasty stuff that’s been going on in the central and eastern parts. For us, it’s just been the normal winter weather, but I can’t wait for it to warm up so that I can start whining about how hot it is. 😉
Yes, it could be a problem when all of us start descending on your favourite places!
You’ve really brought St Ives to life for me Jenny – lovely photos and lovely imagery. I love the descriptions of Barbara’s studio – so evocative – I could feel the imprint of her presence through your words and pictures.
Ah, thanks Andrea – coming from you that is praise indeed. Looking forward to more of your inspirational writing!
A lovely tour through the cobbled streets. The last time we visited St Ives it was mid-winter (late January), and yet the sun burst through the rain for a couple of days and we were forced to leave coats at home! Wonderful, wonderful Cornwall. Jx
Absolutely. Happy New year Jade – if I remember rightly, you’ll soon be tying the knot somewhere on the Cornish peninsula – looking forward to some pre wedding preparation posts from you 😉
Thought it more than time to visit your blog Jenny – I always love your comments on Sherri’s blog and remember when we shared Spamgate together 🙂
We didn’t quite make it to Barbara Hepworth’s studio, but I’d love to see it and thanks to you I have.
Ah thank you Jude – nice to see you here. I’m a great fan of your travel pieces and remember the Norfolk churches as being particularly special – another part of the country I know a little but would like the chance to explore more. Just seen your post on ‘yellow’ – loved that one!
Well I am following you now (sounds a bit like stalking that – oooer) so I shall be popping in more often. Get the coffee brewing 😀
I certainly will – and it’ll be great to have you here 😉
Wherever the artists hang out is always the coolest place–and it would be especially the place I’d want to be, if I was likely to bump into to you there!
I love the studio tour — especially her coats on hooks. Gives such a sense of immediacy. Reminds me of when we toured President Harry Truman’s house (surprisingly modest house!) in Independence, Missouri, and his coat and hat were on the hook by the door, and his toast lifter was on a plate by the toaster, as if any second he’d be down for breakfast and a walk afterward.
I like that picture of the coats, too! Wouldn’t that be just grand to bump into each other at a gallery or show. We’d end up missing the exhibition through chatting too much.
Harry Truman’s house sounds a little like Chartwell – the home of Winston Churchill – somewhere I should definitely cover at some stage on this blog. Thanks for the inspiration, Tracy!
I just had this crazy vision of a children’s book–Harry’s coat and hat talking to Winston’s coat and hat about old times.
Haha, yes – my niece would love to illustrate that one!
It must have been magical, to see Hepworth’s studio. I love seeing artist’s studios. Vacant. It’s when they are vacant you can almost feel the energy.
Yes, you can. The energy at Trewyn is palpable. And the thing that I like most is that you can touch the outdoor sculpture. So important, I think.
I do too.