Our secret buyer on what Wealden has to offer

The ancient history of the Sussex Weald records a strong tradition of creativity and imaginative craft-making. Important work has emerged in graphics, ceramics, metalwork and glass. The Weald’s formidable landscape of coastline, downland, pasture and forest continues to inspire artists in all media. Eric Ravilious set the modern trend. His many followers have maintained and expanded his vision.

The collector exploring this fascinating part of Sussex will be struck with two main impressions. The first and most encouraging is to discover the very great range of high quality work which is being made in studios throughout Wealden District. Landscape and wildlife subjects predominate. I have seen striking graphic work by many practitioners, all living and working here.

Adele Scantlebury, migrating in her career from ceramics to dramatic woodblocks, produces wonderful renderings of bird life. I was especially struck by her red kite closely monitoring the hillsides. A more abstract approach to the land and its inhabitants is to be found in the lithographs of Karen Potter, and Samantha Tuffnell’s work in ink and bleach, which has an ethereal lightness of touch.

A very different vision of this timeless landscape is to be found in the portfolio of photographs created by photographer Tom Lee. He has meticulously recorded in black and white the vast scope of the downs. He chooses his time of day with great care so that he can present in shimmering silver light or chiaroscuro the land with which he has such a close affinity.

The outstanding newcomer in this array of makers and artists is to be found in the village of Waldron. Landscape architect turned ceramicist Thea Thompson, working with her garden designer husband, has acquired Cross Farm and its historic medieval tithe barn. Restored by their predecessor, and now generously equipped and beautifully presented, the barn forms Thea’s own studio and even more importantly, as she modestly says, a training centre and workshop for many other ceramicists, her courses being led by outstanding masters of the craft.

In this endeavour, named The Waldron, she has the great fortune to be supported by near neighbours who happen to be ceramicists of some international renown. Tim Fluck, who also lives in Waldron, and David Harrison, who lives not so very far away, lead masterclasses there with the equally renowned John Higgins and Barbara Gittings.

You can see Tim Fluck’s sculptures on page 31. The contrast with David Harrison’s smoothly groomed dark aerodynamic forms could not be greater. Work by each of them is on show in the barn gallery. The development of The Waldron, which started in April, is still a work in progress. It promises to lead to the establishment of a vital art centre.

Back to impressions. This collector’s second impression is that, while all this work is being made industriously throughout Wealden, it is difficult to find where to buy it. There is no great conurbation in this part of Sussex, with a concentration of specialist galleries of the kind to be found in Brighton, Eastbourne, Petworth or Chichester. This is historic countryside. I can mention three galleries in Wealden which fully reward a visit: two in Alfriston and one in Wadhurst.

Graham Harper’s Alfriston Arts represents many of the artists referred to in this article. He offers a genial and very knowledgeable guide through his stock, and the website is even more expansive and interesting. On the other side of the road you will find (in my case after a delicious pie lunch in The George) Objet Trouvé, quite different to its neighbour, which contains a fascinating mix of old and new objects. I was particularly drawn to a pair of semi-abstract sculptures by Peter Hayes, based in Bath and represented in many public collections.

At the other end of the district, Wing Art Gallery in Wadhurst also has an eclectic and fascinating collection of contemporary and older works for sale. It presents itself on the High Street as a small-scale building. But the hinterland of the gallery and the website offer a very different and rich experience.

Exploring galleries’ websites is one of the most effective strategies for the collector here. Every one of the artists can be found there. Browsing through their work has been one of the most interesting parts of my research for this article. Appointments to view with the artists themselves can easily be made. There is much to discover.

alfristonarts.co.uk, wingartgallery.com, objettrouve.co.uk, thewaldron.co.uk