Photographer: Oliver Doran Stylist: Ana Altamirano Make up artist: Kate Morrison
Hair Stylist: Damian Philpott Videography: Chantelle Mundy-Dunne Model: India Sewell Model: Tristan Knill Production: Thea Fauvel Production assistant: Tegan Parker Special thanks to Brian & Stani Smith from Melting Pot
Following her win at the 2022 Summer Exhibition, last month marked a watershed moment for Debbie Crane as her first solo exhibition, ‘Open Hands’, opened at CCA Galleries International. We asked her about her work and process.
What gets you up in the morning; whats your morning routine?
I ‘wake up’ in the sea most mornings as the tide is at the foot of my bed. So that makes for a zippy start to the day.
Your work is very vibrant, it must take a real positive energy.
I think the energy of the work comes from my pleasure in seeking the vitality and essence of the subject. If you paint what you love it can be both seen and felt. There was a beautiful moment at the opening of the exhibition when someone sniffed my painting, exclaiming he could smell the sea. I’ll take that!
When we asked you for advice when you were last in Gallery, you said ‘Do more of what makes you happy’ – what has been making you happy of late?
Painting keeps me happy, so as you can see, I’ve done lots of that. Of course it’s not always an easy process, but it’s where I find myself. We have a new family member, a rescue dog called Nellie, so lots of long walks around our beautiful island helps me stay inspired.
Your subject matter is diverse. What inspires your choice in what to paint?
My canvas is the surface for my memory, emotion and response; so most of what I find in my every day will appear.
You won the summer exhibition in 2022, did that change your outlook as an artist?
Having the opportunity to see much of my work framed and hanging in a gallery has certainly been very affirming. Paintings are a lot like children, messy at times, tough but mostly a joy. Then you frame them and put them out into the world to be enjoyed.
This exhibition has led me through the whole cycle of being an artist and I have really enjoyed working alongside CCA to put on a show I’m really proud of.
You’ve built a studio at home, set the scene; what is on the radio while you work and what are you snacking on?
My studio is a haven at the top of the garden hidden under a giant willow tree. With the doors open I can work to the sound of birdsong and a bubbling brook, the perfect soundtrack to paint to. A well-trodden path back to the house for regular tea and biscuit breaks gives me the distance away from the work so I can return again with fresh eyes.
Your new exhibition is called ‘Open Hands’ – what’s the story behind the title?
Capturing the human form from life is a discipline in observation and feeds all my work. I find hands especially difficult but equally fascinating to paint because they are our creative tools. There is a series of four paintings showing hands at work, and the series is concluded by the painting Open Hands which references the act of both giving and receiving.
ccagalleriesinternational.com
It’s always great to hear stories of reinvention. It seems to be a constant source of conversation as people consider a new chapter or alternative future, only to remain on the road well travelled and in their everyday lives. When James de la Cloche got in touch, it was great to hear about how he’s embraced a new life, calling, and purpose.
Hi James, it’s been a while. I think last time we had you in Gallery you were still in Property! Give us the brief story of what’s happened since…
That’s a big question, but essentially, on my first visit in 2001, I got into insight meditation, and that led to a huge change in how I saw the world and a complete change in my personal values. I wanted to live the artist’s life through my photography, as I believe that is the way to reach full potential. I was given a talent that had to develop. It’s been an incredible journey, and the path has never been easy, but I regard this as book two of my life, and the experience has been, and continues to be, amazing.
You were always a photographer, but clearly you’ve now found your niche, how did that process happen?
For years, despite my best efforts, I found it hard to find any jobs. In the first year, I had no shoots; it was very tough. Eventually, Chinese tourists and a few weddings got me through. It provided some money but not so much, and, around four and a half years in, I had exhausted all of my funds and had to sell my car and motorcycle. Bizarrely, I never lost faith that things would work out. Around that time, I made my first contact with Chai Lai Orchid, and that was the start of my journey creating portraits of people with the amazing rescue elephants.
Your work with the elephants at the Chai Lai Orchid. What can you tell us about that organisation?
Chai Lai Orchid is an inspiring non-profit resort. Founded by Alexa Pam to fund her foundation, “Daughters Rising,” it is all about anti-trafficking, empowerment, and education for ethnic minority women and girls, many of whom are refugees from Myanmar. They support around 50 girls, paying all of their education and living costs while they are at university, as well as supporting the local Karen community that surrounds the resort. The project started as a cafe at an elephant camp, which soon made her want to improve the lives of the elephants. Chai Lai is now home to 18 rescue elephants of their own.
They say ‘never work with children or animals’. Do Elephants shatter that myth?
I remember those very words from my grandfather, and it often makes me chuckle! Elephants are the easy part. All the elephants at Chai Lai have been surrounded by people all of their lives, and when they are treated as kindly as they are here, they are kind, gentle, and always inspiring. I am in my 8th year of working with them; I know their habits, can feel their moods, and I love them and their wonderful manners dearly. As for children, they often start off afraid. But, through patience, humour, and guidance, I always get the shots I need.
What is the funniest experience you’ve had while capturing our trunk-wielding friends?
During a honeymoon shoot, the guest requested a beautiful floral arch and elephants to be in the background while they read some vows to each other. Chai Lai prepared everything, and it looked very beautiful, with hundreds of white roses and orchids and lots of palm leaves woven in. As the couple started to read their vows, the mother and baby elephant were being surprisingly well behaved, munching bananas in the background, until Mobley, the 4-year-old baby girl, suddenly decided that she would like to try some of the flowers. I think you can picture the rest!
Life has obviously changed a great deal since you left Jersey. Tell us three things you’ve learnt…
1: Follow your heart, be true to yourself, and you will be happy.
2: Be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and be generous to those with greater needs than yourself, and you will be happy.
3: I’ll never be a great linguist. After all these years of living here, my Thai is still terrible!
About James
Age 60
Family 5 kids, 4 grandchildren
Favourite possession
I really enjoy my motorbike
Favourite place to eat out
The food stalls at the market
Favourite quote or phrase
“Letting go a little brings a little peace. Letting go a lot brings a lot of peace. Letting go completely brings complete peace.” — Ajahn Chah
Ballet d’Jerri’s upcoming program, Metamorphosis, will showcase two world premieres by choreographers Tess Voelker and Katarzyna Kozielska. The themes in the new works inadvertently mirror the young company’s journey, reflecting the courage and dedication it takes to step into a new phase of artistic expression, embracing the evolution of our craft and delving into the profundity of personal growth.
Kozielska’s piece, Anatomy of Change, tells ‘an abstract tale of self-actualization and the transformative process of reaching a new stage in life’. With Kozielska’s signature emotive style, the story unfolds not as events in a timeline, but as the intimate and unseen milestones of a private journey. The visual above, produced by photographer Danny Evans, articulates that mood for sure.
Voelker’s creation, Sand and Their Castles, invites us to reflect on the delicate yet resilient nature of memory. At just only 26 years old, Voelker explores the weight of time and the pursuit of recapturing the purity of youth. Through her poignant physical rhetoric, she takes us on a trip backward through time, ‘chasing the child that resides within, reminding us of the untainted emotions that once defined our existence’. Sand and Their Castles is an exploration of the mind’s fragility and strength inherent in the memories that shape us.
Join Ballet d’Jerri as they bring to life these two compelling world premieres, celebrating the artistry and vision of these two exceptional choreographers.
ballet.je
Arthouse Jersey at Capital House, 18th January
The crowd who attended this launch was possibly the most lively of any we’ve seen at Arthouse Jersey’s Capital House. The diverse exhibition featured 19 artists drawn from an open call last year to both Channel Islands-based and international artists. Produced & curated by ArtHouse Jersey and Art for Guernsey, in association with Les Champs Libres in Rennes, five artists from Guernsey, seven from Jersey and seven from other countries around the world, including Germany, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Russia, Moldova and Switzerland all told stories that had association with our islands across a range of media and artforms. The exhibition runs until February 25th, go and take a look.
Photography by Max Burnett
Our February edition is always our wonderful womens’ edition, featuring Women in Business, beautiful brides and our underwear shoot. Here’s underwear ’24. Photography Danny Evans Model Anya
Most of us think a winter sea swim as challenge enough. How about fully submerging yourself in the icy water and making this underwater world an environment in which to capture subjects for your photographic creativity?
Nicola Miskin studied photography but didn’t pursue it as s career, instead returning to it once she discovered sea swimming just before Lockdown. The results are the ethereal dancing shapes and colours seen above and overleaf. We asked her about the cold, featuring on new Jersey Post stamps and Dryrobes.
You’ve been cold water swimming for six years, does it get easier?
Mentally yes , but physically no. I still find it hardest as the temperature drops at the end of summer, the anticipation of the cold to come!
How long do you stay in – do you need special wetsuits and equipment? I don’t time my swims, it depends on so many factors. You have to do what’s right for you on that day. Never stay in to be competitive, that’s dangerous. I guess I did that a bit in the beginning and it can feel awful afterwards and that’s not the point of it. I wear 2mm gloves when the sea goes below 10 degrees, I can still use my camera with thin gloves. I also wear boots in the winter which help when the sand or pebbles are freezing on the walk to the sea. And that’s it, just a swim suit.
Did you have a background in photography? were there new techniques to learn? I did a degree in Applied Photography many years ago at the University of Westminster, but haven’t incorporated photography in my working career. When I started sea swimming in 2018 I was given a battered third-hand underwater camera. As soon as I started to take photos below the surface I discovered something special and my creativity came back. It took some time and many cameras to achieve the images I wanted. The sea is forever moving and sometimes moving fast, the subject is moving and I am moving, it can be challenging. I learnt that just below the water’s surface the light is amazing and the reflections on the water’s surface create something very exciting to photograph.
Where is your favourite place to capture underwater Jersey? I really don’t have a favourite. We are so lucky in Jersey, all the bays are stunning. I get different images wherever I go. The northern pebble bays are very blue and the southern sandy bays have a greener, softer look. Each bay is unique and beautiful.
Your work is featuring on some Jersey Stamps. Philately will get you everywhere, how did that come about? Bernie Martin had just had her fabulous Lockdown Birds featured in a stamp edition. She messaged me and asked if she could show Jersey Post my Instagram feed. I guess it was perfect timing as Europa Stamp had just announced the 2023 theme would be Underwater Fauna & Flora. They contacted me and I created a gallery of potential images for them to view my work on my website. With the sad outbreak of war in Ukraine, Europa Stamp changed the theme to Peace for 2023. So the Underwater Fauna and Flora was moved to 2024.
Where is the best place for a post swim-and-shoot coffee-and-cake?
I swim so much that I never do it! We always have a thermos of herbal tea for an instant warm up then I want to get home to process my photos. But if I did have free time Plemont cafe would be my favourite, great coffee and cakes.
You’re probably one of the only people to legitimately need a Dryrobe. This week I’ve seen two on the school run and one going through an airport… make me a case for or against Dryrobes beyond the beach boundary….
They are absolutely amazing for post-swim, they are very warm and wind and water proof. Other than on one very very cold north coast walk; an outdoor night film viewing in the Royal Sq and a freezing Winter trip to the Outer Hebrides I have never worn mine anywhere else but after a swim. So the airport sighting could have been going to the Outer Hebrides?! I guess the school run wearer could have just swum? After a really cold swim you want to keep it on even if you need to pop to the supermarket. I think with the popularity of cold water swimming now we have to accept they are here to stay 🙂
nicolamiskin.com
Photography and styling // Danny Evans. Model // Ava Grace.
Embracing a profound passion for music and ballet, these remarkable women, with their wealth of global experience, are revolutionising Jersey’s performing arts landscape. Captured here in all their performing glory by advertising and fine art photographer Glen Perotte at Jersey Academy of Music, Chateaux Vermont and styled by Elizabeth Talbot.
When we experience a live performance, whether we are listening to our child in a school play, or watching a professional production, we can be moved and changed. Living on an Island, access to top-class artists can be limited but these professional performers are expanding the art scene here on so many creative levels.
Carolyn, Adria, Christine, Nicki, and Emilia came together as friends over the last year and a half because of a common interest in culture, and quality art and performance. Their dedication lies in championing art that was once exclusive to off-island venues, now making it accessible and affordable for all.
Christine Jasper, a contralto extraordinaire, with a background in musicology, found her way to Jersey during the pandemic.
“I am a relatively new resident on this island, living near the Faldouet dolmen which basically every day reminds me of Jersey‘s special and long history. As a musician I would just like to contribute to my new home the best I can, which is via music, be it on the executive side and by bringing artists together for projects, or as a performer. I founded ‘Moments Musicaux Jersey’ in order to realise programmes and concerts of music that brings together international and local professional musicians. I also just joined the Board of the Opera House and am looking forward to contributing and bringing our Opera House back to life.
My domaine is mainly classical music, and I personally find music is an artform that directly goes to the soul, with no filter. It is amazing to see how much creative energy there is in Jersey (across all genres). My hope is for this to continue, in bringing people (across generations and different backgrounds) on the island together, and simply for everyone to be able to enjoy the best music possible”.
Carolyn Rose Ramsay, originally from Vancouver, Canada, is the artistic director of Ballet d’Jèrri, Jersey’s inaugural professional ballet company.
She danced professionally with Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Miami City Ballet, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, and the Norwegian National Ballet. Carolyn envisions a world-class dance entity that embodies Jersey’s spirit, offering professionals a platform to thrive without leaving their home.
Nicki Kennedy, a distinguished soloist renowned for her specialisation in Baroque and Classical music, has graced stages worldwide. She is also a respected international voice coach and singing teacher with her own business, Nicki Kennedy Voiceworks.
‘We are a community of like-minded artistic people who enjoy professional level art and are interested in supporting art that you would have to go off-island to see. We meet every few months to discuss our aspirations, the cultural landscape in Jersey, what we would love to see, what we appreciate and how we can make a positive impact.’
‘Training young people, whether that is training young dancers, singers, or musicians, you really do want them to see what it is they are aiming for and to be amazed by it. Everyone needs to support and enjoy what Jersey has to offer, and we hope to add a different dimension to it all. It is important to value art for art’s sake, culture for culture’s sake, and for the stories to reach people, to move them, because when you move someone, there is a shift, a transformation.
‘Integration is key, mixing professionals with young artists to learn, grow and show them what is possible. With the refurbishment of The Jersey Opera House, and with the emergence of Ballet d’Jerri and the Jazz en Jèrri adding to Jersey’s rich cultural tapestry, it is really exciting times.’
Adria Godfrey was born in Columbia and is deeply connected to her Latin roots, blending diverse genres with finesse and spontaneity in her performances.
Adria has spent time in Cuba, had regular slots at The Jazz Cafe in London, and has performed at exclusive venues such as Ronnie Scott’s. Founder of Jazz en Jèrri, her goal is to celebrate the entire spectrum of jazz through live performances and educational endeavours with visiting muscians. “The number of organisations offering live performances is positively growing in Jersey. I would like to see Jersey become, once again, a centre of excellence for live performances and a ‘must visit’ destination for fans of live music. I created Jazz en Jèrri to provide opportunities for resident and visitor musicians in Jersey, to enjoy and appreciate jazz music through live performances and education. I envision a community where everyone can experience the joy of live music as well as connections between musicians and audiences promoting understanding across cultures”.
Emilia Lacy hails from a distinguished lineage within the world of opera and holds extensive training as a seasoned opera singer.
Combining performing and teaching at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, she was also in the chorus at Grange Park Opera, and then went on to work with the Opera’s philanthropists and donor relationships. Emilia is on the board of Ballet d’Jerri and owns Emilia Lacy Designs, a local interior design agency. Emilia hails from a distinguished lineage within the world of opera and studied at Edinburgh University and Trinity College of Music before becoming a professional opera singer. Now retired from singing, she is delighted to be able to sing for pure pleasure in Jersey under the expert guidance of Nicki Kennedy. Her opera career in London consisted of a combination of performing, teaching and administrative work at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. For many years she also worked for Grange Park Opera, first in the chorus, as well as singing small solo roles, and later working with the Opera’s major philanthropists and donor relationships.
Emilia is on the board of directors of Ballet d’Jerri. Emilia is keen for residents of Jersey to have the opportunity to access professional artistic performances of an international standard both affordably and on-island. She hopes that Ballet d’Jerri can bring these opportunities to a wider audience, particularly those for whom contemporary ballet is new, but who may discover that – performed at the highest standard – it has a lot to offer them. From Ballet in the Park, to workshops in school and exceptional performances through the year, there’s something for everyone.
Emilia is also an experienced interior designer, originally working in the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean on homes, yachts and luxury hotels. After a period working with Claire Gaskin Interiors in London, Emilia is the now the interior designer at, and the third-generation female owner of, Ash Interiors, a long-established Jersey interior design studio. Notably, Ash Interiors designed the highly acclaimed interiors at Morel Farm for the National Trust Jersey.
Photography: Oliver Doran
Styling: Kasia Guzik (The Mania)
Make-up: Anais Swann
Hair: Damian Philpott
Model: Maria Gheorghe
