Peak produce

Above: Some PDP members exhibited at the University of Derby's Buxton campus at the Great Peak District Fair two years ago

Above: Jenny Mather, whose major source of inspiration is the wild Derbyshire landscape

BEAUTIFUL rural areas have a way of inspiring those who possess exceptional artistic talent, and the Peak District is no exception. The fantastic landscape, flora and fauna have cast their spell on everyone from high powered executives to those originally from far off lands, persuading them to give up their former lives for the chance to make a living doing something more creative. For many too, it has paid off but arguably many would not have made it without the support of Peak District Products (PDP), set up in 1991 to promote the quality artists, craftspeople and food producers of the area. With the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire as the founder president and her grandson, the Earl of Burlington her successor, PDP has been a great success, not only fostering the area’s rich seam of creativity through exhibitions and shows,but providing a valuable network of contacts and expertise to help it flourish. Among the diverse membership are jewellers like Adele Kime, Brett Payne and Brenda Ford, pottery makers Andy Phillips, Caroline Chouler Tissier and Janine Mannion-Jones and artists Sheila Gill, Sandra Orme and Richard Prime.There are furniture makers such as Nicholas Hobbs, Dominic Lee and Richard Saville and textile designers such as Katarina Lees and Jean Martin, as well as successful locally-based fine food businesses like Caudwell’s Mill and Chatsworth Farm Shop. It’s a group that demonstrates everything that is individual, creative and exciting about the area. So it’s quite surprising to think that the now 50-strong membership has never before exhibited as an entire group.This summer, that is about to change. Beneath the stunning Royal Devonshire Dome, on the University of Derby Buxton’s town centre campus, the entire membership of PDP is expected to show together for the first time ever at the Great Dome Art Fair on July 26 and 27. ‘We’ve always exhibited in smaller groups, but never before as a whole,’ says PDP stalwart and volunteer publicist, Buxton based Pauline Townsend, who will be bringing along a selection of her colourful silk paintings to the free event, set to be officially opened by the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire. ‘So this is very exciting for us. It will give visitors a rare opportunity to meet the PDP artists, designers and food producers in person under one big, amazing roof.’ The Great Dome Art Fair will reveal the extraordinary breadth of the region’s creative industries. From painters to potters, jewellery makers to weavers, there is a wealth of talent in this incredibly fertile part of the world. For example, Dave Griffin works designing beautiful stained glass that has adorned everything from modest homes to churches and hospitals. He got bitten by the stained glass bug at night classes when he moved to Derbyshire to become a physiotherapist, and has now been making a living from his craft for more than a decade. ‘I had no idea that this is what I was going to do with my life,’ said 40-year-old Dave, who now lives and has a workshop in Bakewell. ‘But I just decided to have a go and fell in love with it. Originally I grew up in Windsor, but came up to Sheffield to go to university, then moved to Bakewell as a physiotherapist, which is when I started the evening course. Now it’s a passion.’ Jenny Mather, who has lived in Derbyshire for 12 years, says it is the wild landscape that is a major source of inspiration for her wonderfully atmospheric paintings.With a gallery-cumstudio at the foot of Win Hill near Ladybower reservoir, she certainly has plenty of opportunity to observe the fluctuations of her surroundings. ‘Because I’m an art therapist as well, I relate to the landscape as I would if I were alongside another person,’ revealed the 65- year-old artist, who was taught at the Slade School of Fine Art in London by such luminaries as William Coldstream and Frank Auerbach. ‘If I am painting Derbyshire, I tend to go out with my materials and my rucksack and just walk out from home. I get the feeling that I am pacing out the landscape and I get very excited about the rhythm and shapes I find there.’ For her, PDP, which she joined in 1997, has been extremely useful in helping to promote her work. ‘But it’s also down to the friendships you make,’ she revealed. ‘The people are very strong and supportive.Working as an artist is very isolating. You’re on your own, so being in touch with others is important, too.’ That camaraderie and support have also been invaluable to Chris Waygood, a clothing designer and felt-maker based in Glossop.‘PDP is a wonderful organisation because it helps you with things like publicity, which you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to afford,’ she explained.‘It also allows you to form strong bonds with other members. You might not see each other often, but you become a great support to each other.’ Chris, now 56, came to the Peak District via a childhood in Coventry, Birmingham Art School and jobs in London, Scotland and Manchester. It was here she set up her workshop about ten years ago and began creating hard-wearing eco jackets and other pieces from locally sourced wool.They’re not inexpensive, but she reveals that they sell for twice the price in London. According to Chris,The Great Dome Art Fair will be a chance for people to see exactly what little piece of the Peak District they can take home for themselves, whether it is a scarf or a silk painting. ‘They’ll also, I hope, be able to see that we are not doing it for the money,’ she said.‘We are doing it because we love it, and that shows through all our work.’