The Aardvark Blog

Remembering two customers, Phil Rogers Exhibition, Autumn update
10/09/2025

Today is a both a sad and joyful day as Henry Chesshire, a long-standing customer and friend, will be remembered in Bromfield church this afternoon. Henry was an integral part of the small team that put on the Mortimer Country Food Fairs at Aardvark, and I always appreciated his warm greeting when we met.I have just about forgiven him for the time he dropped a very large and heavy tribal tent on Edward and I when we were getting ready for the second fair.

Another customer Rory Annesley is also in extremis, and I am very much hoping that this does not become a trend. Rory was the prime mover of a series of art group shows held to raise money for Presteigne, Old Radnor and Brecon churches. These in my opinion were the finest group art shows to be mounted in the Marches. They raised 10’s of thousands of pounds for these hard pressed institutions, and also made impressive sums for the artists and creatives who showed. At one of those for St Andrews Presteigne the late Mary Nolan donated a painting that was sold in Sydney for a large sum. The Sidney Nolan Trust is currently formulating its plans for the future, and you have until the end of the month to go and enjoy the two current shows. This week there is free entrance during H.Art Week, so you really have no excuse.

 
On the subject of creative people I have been delighted by the response to the Phil Rogers exhibition that we mounted this year for Herefordshire art week with the help of Phil’s widow Hajeong Lee Rogers. Many pieces have sold, but there are still many more left to purchase and take home. Even if you are not in the mood for adding to your possessions I ld urge or to come to see the show, as I do not know when the opportunity to see such a wide survey of his work will arise in future. He was a masterful artist, and it should be added tremendous and fascinating company. 

On the admittedly somewhat gloomy subject of lost local artists, one of the visitors to the show at the weekend was a finer Director of the Brecon Museum and Art Gallery, who is writing a book on the artist and dealer Islwyn Watkins from whom I learnt pretty much everything I know about studio Pottery( my knowledge of earlier oriental ceramics came from my many conversations with Peter Crabbe an incomparable dealer in Cambridge).

And going back to the subject of Aardvark autumn events, we are again at the Ludlow Food Festival selling copies of cheffy books, are then at the BA conference acquiring signed  titles to show in the shop, and on the 28th of September we have our last Fleamarket of the year. We already lots of bookings for this , but there are still spaces if you would like to do another Aardvark Fleamarket, or perhaps join us for the first time.

The only rule of Fleamarket club is do not set up before 7am.If you are a prospective purchaser my advice would be to arrive as early as you can - there are some very keen brocanteurs who come to our events and you really wouldn't want to miss out. Last flea market I bought an amazing Magis Lyra Italian sculpted beachwood and chrome stool in mint condition for £10. On line some-one is selling a set of four for £1,600 on Etsy, although the example to the right was online for a mere £75 - a bargain, but not as good a bargain as you get at Aardvark! The time before I bought two Pineapple painted ceramic finials for £20 which now sit proudly on top of our somewhat wonky stone gate posts. There are just so many bargains, that you will miss out on if you do not join us on the 28th of September.