Local artist, Andy Nash and writer, Sandra Shields — partners at Andy Nash Art in Pepper Lane fill in the guide.
Andy was born in Wolverhampton and spent his early years in the village of Essington on the outskirts of Wolverhampton. The nagging desire to produce artwork and to follow his own path persisted and at age 51 he made the decision with his partner Sandra to take the plunge and open a working art studio. They searched for the best location to set up their project and discovered the beautiful medieval market town of Ludlow.
The artist at work.What’s your connection to Ludlow?
- Are you an incomer (fell in love on a visit)
- Returner (grew up here, went away, glad to be back)
- Have never left the shire (why go anywhere else?)
We are incomers, having moved up here in August 2015 from Surrey to begin our art business in our little 15th-century shop in Pepper Lane. Andy is originally from Wolverhampton and I’m from Upper Norwood, South London. As soon as we found Ludlow, we knew it was the perfect spot for art and creativity.
Finish the sentence: Living in and around Ludlow is the bees knees because…
It’s a beautiful small town where it’s easy to make friends, and you always get that sense of being immersed in the medieval, that you’re becoming part of that history, creating new art interpretations of ancient scenes and buildings, leaving your mark.
Pepper House Studio, Pepper Lane
Tell us something about Ludlow that no one else knows
Probably everything to know about Ludlow is already known. There are no secrets here!
Your favourite haunt and why?
We like to sit on the benches just outside of the castle at 5 p.m. when the town goes super quiet. It’s a great place to chat about ideas for our art and writing and to generally people watch. The river by Dinham Bridge (Millennium Green) is another lovely spot.
Ludlow Brewery copyright Andy Nash
What would your perfect day in Ludlow look like?
A picnic on a summer’s day up on Whitcliffe Common, which has incredible views over the town, followed by a drink in one of the pubs, probably The Wheatsheaf Inn or The Charlton Arms.
Finally, your recommends: your top spot to eat, drink or visit in the area?
We like to sit in the sumptuous armchairs by the fireplace, with a nice drink in hand, in the incredible James I lounge on the first floor of The Feathers Hotel. Or simply to sit in the gorgeous lounge of Dinham Hall Hotel, which has been on our wishlist for a while, and which we are finally going to do this week! It’s a beautiful space, teeming with character.
St Laurence’s Church, Ludlow. copyright Andy Nash
For more information on Andy’s work contact:
https://www.facebook.com/pepperhousestudio/
