Artists & Illustrators — June 2017

24 Artists & Illustrators

How did you become resident artist at the Tower Room?

I’ve been an art tutor to Lady Cowdray for nearly seven

years. She used to come to classes at my West London

studio. When I moved to West Sussex three years ago,

I was offered a studio at Cowdray House.

Can you tell us about the history of the studio?

It forms one end of the original Cowdray House, which was

built in the early 16th century. It was one of the great Tudor

houses of Britain – King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I

were guests. For years the tower was unused. One day

during one of my painting classes, Lady Cowdray suggested

the possibility of converting it into a medieval artist’s

studio, teaching materials and techniques practised during

the Renaissance. Many of these techniques, such as

painting in egg tempera, gilding, chiaroscuro oil painting

methods as well as making paints from earth, rocks and

plants, are no longer taught but I had been teaching these

lost techniques at my London studio, as well as at the

Prince’s School of Traditional Arts. It was an opportunity

not to be missed. The Renaissance Art Studio is unique

and represents a bridge between the craft

knowledge of the past and modern times.

Can you tell us about your painting

techniques and philosophy?

I did an MA at the Royal Academy of Art in

London. Afterwards I met Cecil Collins and

worked as his apprentice. Through Cecil I

learned of the significance of the artist’s

DAVID

IN THE STUDIO

CRANSWICK

BACK TO BASICS

The artist uses

a glass muller

to make paint

using traditional

techniques

STEP INTO HISTORY

The hexagonal

room was once part

of an important

Tudor house

THE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE SHOWS US

AROUND THE RENAISSANCE ART STUDIO

IN THE COWDRAY ESTATE’S HISTORIC

TOWER ROOM. WORDS

 SALLY HALES

PHOTOS

 GARETH IWAN JONES

24 In the Studio.indd 24 07/04/2017 12:21