BEN AND LUCY SIEGLE OWNERS OF
SIEGLE & CO GALLERY O
An interview by Kate Cotton
n Dartmouth’s old ‘street of the smiths’ sits a fitting gallery selling local artisan
products. Siegle & Co is the brainchild of Ben
Siegle, who moved into the Smith Street premises in October 2013, opening alongside barista Matteo Lamaro (pictured above right with Ben) who runs the adjoining Italian coffee shop, Woodroast. Matteo also owns the popular Curator Café in Totnes.
Ben said: “People can browse the beautiful art works and drink a traditional Italian wood roasted coffee – both the art and the coffee are artisanal, high-quality products. I’ve worked alongside Matteo before and so, when these premises came up, it made sense to come together.” The idea for an artisan gallery began after Ben worked as a sales agent for leatherworker John Hagger, of Tanner Bates in Totnes. Ben then opened a pop up craft gallery in Totnes over Christmas 2012, with John and the Devon Guild of Craftsmen from Bovey Tracey. He added: “The craft gallery was a huge success and I really loved working with the makers. We moved into Duke
Street, Dartmouth, in April 2013, with the same pop up concept alongside the Devon Guild.” Siegle & Co gallery champions local
makers including beautiful works by 83-year-old Dartmouth sculptor Jenny Wynne-Jones, and eye-catching marine metalwork by Bill and Peach Shaw from North Devon. All of the products can be sourced
“ MAKERS IN DEVON, AS ELSEWHERE, ARE SUCH A PART OF THE LANDSCAPE. WHAT THEY DO IS SO IMPORTANT. ”
to their makers and, in most cases, the raw materials have a local story too. For example, Marianne Ash, descendent of the Dartington Hall pioneers, sells her blankets in Ben’s shop. The wool is from Marianne’s own sheep at Beenleigh. She spins and dyes the wool herself and then knits it into blankets.
Ben added: “Demand is there for
artisan products in this part of the world. And artisan products come with the most incredibly ethical footprints.” By coincidence Ben’s wife, Lucy
Siegle, has spent much of her career reporting on sustainability and supply chains. Lucy is a well-known journalist and broadcaster – probably most famous for her role as a presenter on the BBC’s One Show. She also writes for The Observer and
The Guardian. She said: “I’ve reported on artisan
makers all around the world. “Makers in Devon, as elsewhere, are such a part of the landscape. What they do is so important. They have a real commitment to pieces they make, often using fibre and materials from the surrounding area. These are products made with integrity for the longterm. They are the heirlooms of the future. “You can experience similar artisans with a connection to the landscape in Scandanavia. I’ve been lucky enough to report on hand knitters working in the Faroe Islands just below Greenland. I was there for the shearing for the next winter’s jumpers. Actually the jumpers became really famous through the TV show, The Killing, as the detective Sarah Lund wore them. We are now one of just two UK stockists. “It’s a huge contrast to the
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