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Daniel Evans talks to London-based artist Anna-Louise Felstead

The first time I meet Anna-Louise Felstead, we are standing beside a cocktail bar at Henry Poole & Co on the first evening of the Concours on Savile Row. Outside, vintage cars are lined up in both directions, from a Ferrari Testarossa Spider to a 1964 Jaguar E-Type Coupe and from a 1937 Bentley 4.5-litre Gurney Nutting Sedanca Coupe to a Morgan Super 3. Inside, car enthusiasts and tailors, fashionistas and film stars are enjoying the friendly jostling and bonhomie of the crowded bar as they chat about how the exquisite style of a Savile Row suit compares with the fine lines and eye for detail seen in the classic motors on display.

Anna-Louise at Goodwood

The second time is a few weeks later when Anna-Louise – known to her friends at A-L – has found time to meet at Vardo, a popular restaurant near Sloane Square, to talk about her love of art and, particularly, her love of painting and drawing motor cars. A-L is a well-known face at Monaco, Le Mans, Goodwood and Pebble Beach out in California, to name just a few of the places she has worked which are famed for their motoring heritage. “The Concours on Savile Row was a delight,” she says. “I love being around cars and car people and to see all those vintage motors in one place was a real treat. Magnificent cars and delicious cocktails. What’s not to like?”

A-L, who trained at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, started painting cars when she was introduced to James Wood, a well-known driver of historic cars. “James suggested I should paint pictures of racing cars,” she explains. “He sent me pictures of him racing in Monaco so I went down there with him in 2008 where he introduced me to lots of people. I started painting pictures in the paddock and, before I knew it, I was being commissioned. People would wander past and see me at work and buy them on the spot. I was asked if I was going to Monza, to Spa, to Goodwood, to the Nürburgring, to all these car events and it spiralled from there.”

As her reputation as a talented painter of cars grew, one interesting side-line – which she calls her ‘naughty car paintings’ – emerged. A-L takes up the story. “I was at Pebble Beach in 2010 and an Aston Martin dealer approached me and asked me to paint his car. He sent me a picture of it but asked if I could paint his girlfriend in the picture too.

“I said: ‘Absolutely – just send me a picture of her as well’.

“He said to me: ‘Well, if I send you the pictures, I don’t want you to be offended’.

“What do you mean? I asked.

“‘Well, she’s wearing quite provocative clothing. We’re into bondage. Is there any way you could give the painting a slight bondage theme?’

“I said ‘sure’ but wondered ‘what have I got myself into here?’

“I returned to the UK and he sent me some pictures of a woman in a tight black PVC mini dress and stockings etc. I produced a sketch which he approved, he just asked me to change the whip I’d drawn into a paddle. Not knowing what that was, I Googled ‘bondage’ and quickly found a lot of inspiring material… When I produced my final painting (with a few additions to really get the theme across) he cracked up with laugher and said ‘I can’t hang that in my office!’

“What did you expect? I said. You commissioned a bondage painting! I think it ended up hanging in his downstairs loo…”

A-L put the picture on Facebook, tagged a bunch of her car clients and friends, and was inundated with requests from people asking her to paint their cars. “I had one client in Switzerland who commissioned 30 original paintings and they are all hanging in his garage. He loves the reactions they provoke. Recently, I had a stand at Salon Privé. I had all my reportage paintings of Monaco up on the wall but put some unframed naughty ones in a browser, so people could see them and, surprisingly, they were incredibly popular. People are very amused by them. They are not too rude, just a bit of cheeky fun.”

A-L was destined to be an artist from childhood. “I always drew from a young age,” she says. “My father used to come back from his job in the City with these empty diaries and I would fill them up with sketches. I knew it was something I was good at and my friends at school would ask me to draw things for them.”

When she was training, A-L became aware of the work of Linda Kitson, the official Falklands War artist. She says: “I really liked her work and, at a family wedding, I was sitting next to a sub-mariner, telling him how I’d love to do what Linda Kitson did. He clearly knew someone because I was then invited to go and stay on HMS Cornwall in Plymouth. I spent a week at sea, sketching the Royal Navy at work, in the ops room, in the mess, doing man overboard exercises, fire exercises. I’d do drawings all over the place and I ended up having an exhibition of my paintings at the Colville Place Art Gallery in London.

“I was then invited to board another ship, HMS Illustrious, the aircraft carrier. I was flown in via SeaKing helicopter and did a load of drawings there and had another exhibition at the Naval Club in Mayfair. I was actually invited for a whole year away with HMS Cornwall but turned it down because I was about to start my MA at the Royal College.”

A-L is clearly delighted to be an artist. “I absolutely love my life,” she says. “I’m very lucky. No two days are ever the same. I’m my own boss. I work hard. I don’t have to be at a certain location. My philosophy in life is to say ‘yes’ to everything and do as much as I can because I think you have a more interesting life by saying ‘yes’ to stuff. I was amazed by friends who said they couldn’t work for themselves – that they would never get out of bed and would watch TV all day. That drive of not knowing where my next pay cheque is coming from excites me. I have a young son who takes up a lot of my time. I’m a single parent. I can’t afford to sit around all day going for long lunches. I get up in the morning, take my son to school, go for a run and then start my day’s work. Last weekend, I drove down to the Le Mans Classic, bumped into a bunch of friends who introduced me to other people and I already have a few commissions.”

When I ask A-L to describe her style, she is quite definite. “I would call my style impressionistic,” she says. “I’m not interested in representing something in a photographic way. I prefer drawing from life rather than from my imagination. I am envious of people who can create incredible illustrations from their head although I like to be physically in front of something.”

Looking to the future, A-L is planning on bigger and better works of art. “Because I’ve always worked on location, the majority of my paintings have always been in a size and format that would be easily transported. Now, I’ve got a fantastic studio in Earlsfield which allows me to work on a much, much larger scale.”

The life of an artist has certainly allowed A-L to travel the world. She says: “Before my son was born, I lived in Cornwall, Sussex, New York then Wiltshire. I was tempted to move to Singapore for a while. I go to Pebble Beach every year. I’ve never really stayed in one place for too long. And I don’t just paint cars. When I was in New York, I did lots of abstract cityscapes. I’ve got a couple that I won’t sell. They are only small, but I just love them.”

Anna-Louise at Monaco

One area A-L thinks might interest her in the future is working on TV. “I was being filmed as I was painting when I was at the Silverstone Grand Prix a few years ago and Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, who were racing for Red Bull at the time, were looking through my portfolio of paintings. I then received a phone call from Formula One Management. We went for a brief chat and drink at Chelsea Arts Club and, before you know it, I was covering the Singapore World Championship for FOM. That was an amazing experience. I had to interview Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, Christian Horner, Ron Dennis and Niki Lauda. I was nervous – it was quite overwhelming, actually – and I realised presenting in such a pressurised environment wasn’t for me. To do that job, you have to be quite pushy and that’s not me. However, in a non-pressurised environment, I would love to do more TV work. I’ve done quite a bit with my mother and sister and it’s a lot of fun. I tend to get on with people, I don’t find that difficult, but race-day morning, with a very famous F1 driver, I was completely star-struck. He did not want to talk to me. He gave me quite a hard time and I wasn’t comfortable at all. I’d had no training and was thrown in completely at the deep end.”

Whatever else the future holds, A-L is certainly not going to be very far from a vintage car for long. “I fell into this world quite by chance and I love it,” she says. “I will always paint cars because I find them fascinating. There are a lot of collectors and dealers I know in London who I go and see. It’s like a travelling family in a way. You meet such a mixture of successful, enthusiastic, talented and interesting people who all come together for their genuine love of the sport and I really love that about the historic car world.”

alfelstead.com

Daniel Evans talks to London-based artist Anna-Louise

Andronikki Ximeri, pictured above, founder of La Vie Rebelle, a new luxury experience agency, has got together with Savile Row’s Cad and the Dandy to organise an evening to celebrate the art of craftsmanship on Thursday, November 3 from 6-9pm. Here, she tells us all about it.

The event will spotlight some key players in the industry and some skilled artisans, from panel discussions to demonstrations and tastings. This will be the first debut of the La Vie Est ..Bespoke events with many more collaborators and ambassadors around the world to come. La Vie Rebelle, which I founded, was brought to life in order to curate people’s business and personal lifestyles. In 2020, Cad & The Dandy opened its dedicated ready to wear location at 7-8 Savile Row with an impressive onyx bar  in the entrance which makes it the perfect location for a private shopping experience or menswear event. 

There is going to be a panel discussion during the evening. Who is involved with that? 

Yes. We will be in conversation with James Sleater, founder of Cad & The Dandy, who will talk about the beauty of making a bespoke suit. Toiling Yu, founder of Toil Handcrafted Hats, has a big passion for vintage and she will will show us the art of a custom-made hat and how much value it adds to your personal look. Finally, we have Matthew Zorpas, founder of the gentleman blogger, an entrepreneur and one of the most well-dressed men around, according to Esquire and  GQ among others. He will be telling us his secrets to a sophisticated lifestyle. I will be hosting the discussions but guests will be more than welcome to ask questions.

Can you tell us a little more about La Vie Rebelle. What is its history and what are its aims? 

La Vie Rebelle is a dream I had many years ago but I never had the time to make it happen. Therefore I decided to quit my job and focus on what I love. Anything bespoke and creating beautiful memories and projects for like minded individuals or businesses. My vision is to create beautiful moments through experiences, and bespoke projects to encourage people to have the lifestyle they dream of.  Lasting memories created in the tailor-made environment La Vie Rebelle will build. From a bespoke trip to Greece made exclusive for you, to a corporate private dinner at the London venue of your dreams.

What else will be on offer?

Savile Row Gin logoThere will be fine wines offered by the OENO group and, of course, the gin will be the award-winning Savile Row Gin. A unique blend of 12 botanicals, expertly balanced to create a smooth, refined taste with a distinctive finish. Also, 0ne of the Master Barbers from Truefitt & Hill will be onsite providing services from wet shaves to a quick hair cut and the people from Molo seafood based in Mercato Mayfair will be there with a pleasant surprise. 

For more information, click here

 

Andronikki Ximeri, pictured above, founder of La

All of us at Savile Row Style Magazine are deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. We join with the rest of the country and those mourning around the world in offering our most sincere condolences. The links between the Royal Family and Savile Row are deep and longstanding and there are many Royal Warrant holders on the Row and Her Majesty’s patronage has meant a great deal to them. Anda Rowland, Chair of The Savile Row Bespoke Association, said on behalf of the tailors of Savile Row: “Queen Elizabeth II was a steadfast supporter of the craftsmen and women on Savile Row, with tailors being responsible for ceremonial, livery, and military wear throughout her reign. On behalf of the tailors of Savile Row, I wish to convey our deepest sympathy at this sad time to the Royal family.”

In his personal tribute to Her Majesty, Stewart Lee, publisher of Savile Row Style Magazine, said: “The greatest honour of my career was to be chosen as the publisher to Buckingham Palace for the Official Platinum Jubilee Programme this year and also the Official Diamond Jubilee Programme back in 2012. On behalf of all the team here at Savile Row Style Magazine, I wish to send our sincere condolences to His Majesty The King upon the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”

All of us at Savile Row Style

The Prince of Wales’s beloved Aston Martin DB6 Volante will be one of the star attractions at The Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace this weekend (Sept 2-4). The show, presented by A. Lange & Söhne, will assemble the very finest examples from Aston Martin’s history. The Prince of Wales’s open top Aston was unveiled at the 1966 London Motor Show, right in the middle of the swinging 60s, one year after its Coupe sibling. Finished in the striking hue of Seychelles Blue, the car has been treasured and enthusiastically used ever since. This September’s event – which proudly supports the Prince’s Trust – will see this wonderful DB6, which remains in superb condition, take its place within the palace grounds.

The display will also welcome an Aston Martin DB5 with a difference: one with a thunderous V8 motor under that familiar long bonnet. A fascinating one-off example, ‘NPP 7D’ was the first factory prototype used to develop the V8 engine earmarked to replace the long serving, Tadek Marek designed straight-six, an engine in use since the introduction of the DB4 in 1959. The test mule was constructed by Aston’s engineers at Newport Pagnell in 1966 using a DB6 chassis, cloaked in a modified version of the DB5 body. As one might imagine, the platform – designed to house a 4.0-litre six – required major surgery to accommodate the substantial 5.3-litre V8, with the engine bay and transmission tunnel both extensively re-worked. The resulting car, finished in Pacific Blue paint, was put through an exhaustive testing process, in which it was sampled by the great and good of the Aston Martin world – including famed engine designer Tadek Marek.

The glamorous event will welcome another exceptional Aston Martin to Hampton Court Palace – to many the most beautiful of all: the DB4GT Zagato, in its most special form, no less. Combining the proven, high-performance DB4GT mechanicals with a stunningly stylish – and light – aluminium body by Italian coachbuilding house Zagato – the DB4GT Zagato represented the best of all worlds; the ultimate 1960s road and racing Aston Martin. The car that will be on show in under two months’ time is chassis number 1093/R, the third of the MP209 ‘ultra-lightweight’ motorsport orientated examples, finished in the arresting hue of French Racing Blue.

Built in 1962, the lightened special was delivered new to committed Aston Martin enthusiast and racer Jean Kerguen. 1093/R competed at Le Mans in ‘62, returning a year later with a series of mechanical upgrades and aero additions including a small rear spoiler, designed to improve stability in the high-speed sections of the course. With its svelte Zagato shape, the 4.0-litre straight-six was hitting over 170mph on the Mulsanne straight; an MP209 Zagato bodied DB4GT was a seriously fast car. Recently restored by Aston Martin specialists RS Williams, 1093/R presents in peerless condition.

A conventionally bodied DB4 will also join the 70-strong concours field, a lovely series 2 car with a colourful history. The charming example is one of the 349 Series 2 cars. Introduced in 1960, a year on from the DB4’s launch, the Series 2 cars packed a raft of modifications that aimed to rectify the ‘teething issues’ encountered by Series 1 owners. Among these changes was a front-hinging bonnet, the thinking being that if the latch failed at speed – presumably something of a concern – the hood would not fly up and obscure the driver’s view of the road ahead. Cooling of the 3.7-litre, 240 bhp in-line six was also improved with a larger sump and uprated oil pump.

The Prince of Wales’s beloved Aston Martin

Ghosts of Empires ll, an exhibition curated by Ghanaian-American curator and cultural critic Larry Ossei-Mensah, is being staged at Ben Brown Fine Arts in London from Sept 15 to Oct 22. The exhibition seeks to explore the intersections, overlaps, and dissonance between the Black Atlantic and Asia Imperialist Trade routes and brings together a group of contemporary artists hailing from African and Asian diasporas.  This exhibition features the work of Hurvin Anderson, Adam de Boer, Delphine Desane, Theaster Gates, Jeanne F. Jalandoni, Tidawhitney Lek, Chris Ofili, Fadekemi Ogunsanya, Maia Cruz Palileo, Miguel Angel Payano Jr., Paul Anthony Smith, Zao Wou-Ki and Livien Yin.

Inspired by the formative text by British-Ghanaian author and MP Kwasi Kwarteng, Ghosts of Empire: Britain’s Legacies in the Modern World, the exhibition at its crux is an examination of how artists from African and Asian diasporas are using their artistic practices as a platform to engage with the legacies of slavery, migration, colonialism, imperialism trade, and sovereignty, in contemporary times. By amplifying the conscious acts of liberation, resistance, and perseverance these communities have exhibited – despite their historical circumstances – Ghosts of Empires ll aims to provide a forum for a nuanced understanding of their collective diasporic histories.

Larry Ossei-Mensah himself said: “There are a multitude of communities that have been oppressed because of colonization and imperialism, who, in spite of that, have been able to thrive and create rich cultures that have had a heavy influence on contemporary society. After reading Kwasi Kwarteng’s book ‘Ghosts of Empire’, I was struck by the spectre of colonialism and imperialism in our macro and micro-environments so I wanted to investigate what role art and culture plays in cracking open this conversation to a broader audience. Given what is happening in all corners of the world it felt appropriate to organize an exhibition that not only articulates the nuances of the Black and Asian diaspora experience but also asks questions about how these communities have persevered and shaped the cultural fabric of our global society.”

The curatorial process seeks to present dialogues and points of view that illustrate how these narratives cross, intermingle, and overlap. By finding the reverberations and echoes across time and space, calling attention to the fact that the residue of the past is omnipresent, and that history, culture, and identity are neither linear nor easily demarcated. Working in painting, photography, sculpture, textiles, and myriad mixed media, employing both traditional and new techniques, these artists have all found ways to examine their unique and often multifarious cultural histories via their rigorous artistic practices.

Ben Brown Fine Arts London

 

Ghosts of Empires ll, an exhibition curated