About
Philip is from 'the Valleys' of south Wales. He graduated with a BA(Hons) in Graphic Design from Newport Art School in 1988, then an MA in Graphic Design from Birmingham Institute of Art and Design in 1989. In 1993 he was elected a member of the Society of Architectural and Industrial Illustrators and in June 2015, elected a member of the Society of Authors. In November 2015 he was awarded the ACA, Adobe Certified Associate for Print and Digital Media Publication.
Temperance Cottage and the Bothy
He moved into Temperance Cottage in 2010. A stone-built end-of-terrace cottage dating to 1877. In 2016 he excavated a dramatic stone fireplace that had been hidden beneath plasterboard, revealing a characterful straight stone arch. A Welsh 'Chilli Penguin' wood-burning stove was installed. The curtilage of Temperance Cottage is an ample 140ft garden that has been derelict for several decades. A herb garden is being gently encouraged, as is the progress on what may be described as a micro 'Bothy'. Formerly a roof-less, largely incomplete 1960s breeze-block 'garden shed'. In 2018 he rebuilt and adapted this as a small workshop. The aim is to complete it as a portrait of a Welsh Bothy, housing stick chairs and another wood-burner. With further workshop space established, Philip will then turn his attention to establishing a root-vegetable garden to supply foodstuffs to the kitchen. The roof of the Bothy has been built with some considerable mechanical strength to potentially accomodate the weight of a 'green-roof' where more herbs can be nurtured.
A long-time and active explorer of the rural, urban and suburban environment, Philip has a particular interest in industrial, post industrial and social landscape of the UK & Europe.
A lifelong preoccupation with industrial archaeology, domestic and defensive architecture of south Wales has played a significant part in inspiring design for his own building exploration and experimentation. The recent arrival of a wasps' nest within the roof strucure has inspired him to incorporate this and control its presence with a perspex access tunnel.
An enthusiastic bread-maker, Philip holds accessible workshops regularly for the making of 'simple white bread', including baguettes, at Temperance Cottage. He can travel to external venues or events too for large or small group work or tuition. A highly practical, engaging and entertaining experience with accompanying handout and your very own loaf to take away. Expect a minimum three-hour commitment, depending on the relative warmth and humidity of the kitchen environment! Philip will be hosting PIZZA workshops through to 2022.
While continuously researching, exploring and experimenting, Philip develops his furniture. Methods evolve while working. He is keen on the making, adaption and refinement of tools, jigs and of a new workspace to realise his ideas. Open days at Temperance Cottage are particularly useful for him, as critical feedback direct from an audience is key to the whole process. The ergonomic feedback from chair to sitter is the primary objective.
“The relationship that we have with chairs is one of considerable domestic, cultural and psychological intimacy. To build a chair is a truly grounding, holistic experience. To build a chair for others is a conversation, a celebration of our social and domestic heritage”
In recent years, Philip has begun to author a series of electronic and paper publication titles under the broad umbrella title of the 'Urban_Z_Guide' with Temperance Cottage Press. Join the e-newsletter to keep in touch!
Temperance Cottage Press is an independent publishing house establishing a catalogue of paper and electronic publications around a core title of the 'Urban_Z_Guide'. Philip actively encourages contributions from writers, artists, illustrators and other creatives. Discussions, materials and contributions can be both held and supplied remotely.
He maintains two 'blog' websites using the popular Wordpress framework. One has become the focus for his 'chair' building work: philipcumpstone.wordpress.com and the other concerned with food generally and his preoccupation with baking, brewing and the garden: temperancecottage.wordpress.com Both are updated regularly with content relating to all of the projects in hand. He is currently building and maintaining this website from scratch, handcoding all the while and learning method and technique relating to 'bootstrap'. He is using the Adobe Dreamweaver CC platform.
Philip is offering single or half-day workshops in hand-baking bread from scratch using traditional French rural methods.
