Designer and maker Sebastian Bergne reflects on finding community in the Artists’ Studios at Chiswick House & Gardens, developed in partnership with ASC. 

“I come from an industrial design background, and I have practiced as a product, and furniture designer for many years. Recently I’ve been doing more of my own editions, and some of what I produce is less functional and more communicative. So what I do begins to fall into a space somewhere between art and design. That evolution was one of the reasons I was interested in having a studio here.  

 “I live locally, and to have a little more of a local perspective on what I’m doing is something I like. There’s a very varied range of artists and makers and different practices here. In the space I was previously, there was a lack of community and communication, so I was looking for more of a creative community. I think that’s what I found, and I’m happy to be here.  

It’s the other people that have made it a pleasure. 

 “When I applied, I felt it was more targeted at artists rather than designers. I took a risk, thinking perhaps I wouldn’t be accepted. But it sounded interesting to have a more general and varied artistic context for my work. It has worked out very well. 

 “I’m in a shared space, and that works particularly well. It has a strong atmosphere – it’s a Victorian stable block, a kind of time warp, and that was something I liked immediately. It’s smallish, but because it’s shared it feels bigger. Everyone loves it when they visit. The studio is already pretty full so I’m thinking about how to rearrange it more efficiently.  

Being able to share and present your work at the same time as the other artists gives a synergy.

“As I had hoped, I do now have more of a sense of community. We have a little courtyard area with a few other studios, and it’s a nice corner. The people working here are serious about what they do so are very present. It’s the other people that have made it a pleasure.  

 “The wider setting is also relevant. I cycle here through the park most days. When it’s a nice day, it’s a great place to wander, think about ideas, or meet up with people in the café. It’s a nice antidote to the working environment. But strangely now that I’m here almost every day to work, I somehow walk in the gardens less than when I didn’t have the studio.  

 “There is a kind of separation between the gardens and the studios, which might be a good thing because this is a working environment. I know there are plans to improve signage and bring people in through the new Learning Hub, and that will bring people. It’s about getting the balance right.  

“I wasn’t able to participate in the first open studios, but the second one went very well. It was busy, non‑stop, and really successful. Being able to share and present your work at the same time as the other artists gives a synergy. More open days could be the answer.”