Spotlight on lewes people

Welcome to the business Spotlight page on lewesonline.

Each month I will feature a new Lewes business person who has a website on lewesonline.

Lewes is jam packed with creative, industrial and hard working people. My aim is to bring them and their businesses to your attention and to show the diversity and quality of work that goes on in Lewes.

If you get in contact, please say you found them on lewesonline. Thank you.

December 2007

Alexis Dove and Justin Small

Alexis Dove Jewellery - Room 121

Justin Small Jewellery - Room 114

Your names.
Alexis Dove and Justin Small

Tell us a little about you.
We both have over twenty years in the jewellery trade between us and we both gained our City & Guilds in fine jewellery from Sir John Cass in London.

Justin did his apprenticeship at Pruden & Smith in Ditchling and then went on to work for Grains of Gold in Brighton's Lanes where he worked on a wide range of jewellery commissions and repairs.

Alexis has a degree in Agriculture but changed her career after a year travelling. She worked designing and making jewellery before starting her own business in 2006.

We now share a workshop in the Star Gallery in Lewes and cycle to work most mornings through town.

Tell us a little about your work.
Alexis: I design feminine jewellery collections inspired by nature and traditions of adornment. Wild Roses in silver & 9ct yellow and red gold, Brighton Ironwork designed around the cast iron found on Georgian and Victorian buildings in Brighton with oxidised silver and aquamarines.

My precious jewellery is made from 18ct & 22ct gold and palladium with rose cut diamonds and fancy sapphires and rubies.

I supply over forty shops and galleries throughout the UK from our workshop in Lewes which is also open to the public for collections and commissions.

My website is www.alexisdove.com

Justin: I work almost completely to commission, creating jewellery in all precious metals including palladium, which is new to the jewellery industry.

I have a distinct style of work, but also enjoy making work in collaboration with customers. I also do a lot of re-modelling of old and inherited jewellery creating new pieces incorporating customers stones and metal.

We have a wide range of contacts for stones, beads and pearls so that we can provide almost anything to commission! I also undertake most repairs, providing an express repair service for some items.

My website is www.justinsmalljewellery.co.uk

Are you 'going green' at work?
Alexis: My precious collection uses a lot of old metal, especially for 22ct pieces and I have just created a new collection out of re-cyced TV screens.

Justin: The jewellery industry has always re-cycled, all of our filings, polishing dust and sweepings goes back to the refiners which means that very lttle material is lost.

Global warming - myth or monster?
Alexis: Monster
Justin: Monster

What do and don't you like about Lewes?
Alexis: I don't like the parking situation, as it has affected so many of Lewes' small businesses, apart form that I love living here and like the strong sense of identity and community that the town has.

Justin: I like the people and independant shops in Lewes, but wish houses were more affordable here.

Is anything missing from Lewes?
Alexis: A good alternative to Italian and Indian food with the exception of Lazzati's.

Justin: The Gourmet Burger Kitchen and a sandy beach!

Where do you prefer to shop?
Alexis: If you mean supermarkets, any where that is not Tesco!

Justin: The Farmers market.

Pint or pizza? What do you do on a night off?
Alexis: Pizza at the Snowdrop, it's the best in town!

Justin: Drink wine and argue with Alexis in the Lewes Arms or zuppa di pesce at Lazzatti's.

What do you like to do on Christmas day?
Alexis: Spend it with family cooking, eating and drinking!

Justin: A pint at the Snowdrop before lunch, a cigar, eating and drinking
with friends and family, playing with the kid's new toys!

Thanks Alexis and Justin.

Visit their Webpages here:
Alexis: Alexis Dove Jewellery
Justin: Justin Small Jewellery

Pop back next month for a new lewesonline Spotlight.

Please mention lewesonline.com if you telephone or email.

November 2007

Michael Munday

Michael Munday Design and Illustration - Room 101

Your name.
Michael Munday

Tell us a little about you.
A freelance designer and illustrator for the last twentynine years. TWENTYNINE YEARS?!!!

Oh and guitarist/singer in bands for (whisper it) fortythree....

Best band ever is SKA TOONS (mixing up skajazzrocksteady&funk) - great people, great vibe.

You can catch us in Lewes, Brighton and all roundabout (www.skatoons.co.uk)

Tell us a little about your work.
Graphic design in the Modernist tradition (ie. fitness for function: legibility and accessibility) but usually with a visual idea and often with some kind of imagery in it.

Illustration as well in its own right, often through my London agent, for magazines, publishers, design groups... oh, and The Rider livery (the blue buses you see around Lewes).

Are you 'going green' at work?
We''re recycling paper but I'll be using more recycled paper for print. And a lot of my work is the design of the ESCC Travelchoice campaign, aimed at more sustainable transport use.

Global warming - myth or monster?
SERIOUS! We can't go on like this.

What do and don't you like about Lewes?
Many friends in one small (and beautiful) place. So many great events in the arts, and dedicated and creative people putting them on. I'm really lucky to live here. (It's a bit mono-cultural though...)

Is anything missing from Lewes?
Clean air! Use our cars less, and people coming into Lewes should use public transport more and share cars. Imagine the place without the one-occupant cars... (Check out travelchoice.org)

Where do you prefer to shop?
I like Frank Richards the butchers, Rik's Disks, Beckworth's, Bill's, May's Stores is great.... Pen To Paper... (and Waitrose I must admit)

Pint or pizza? What do you do on a night off?
For a special treat: a meal at Circa with son Max and partner Gill. Very rare though.

Do you love Bonfire night in Lewes?
It's amazing and a fantastic spectacle. It's a great passion for so many people in Lewes. Do I love it?..... I wish it was a bit more carnival-y... more smiles and a bit more dancing in the streets!

I don't like the dogged celebration(?) of old Protestantism, even though it's meant to be tradition and not current. There doesn't seem to be anything about Catholic martyrs under the Protestants.

Thanks Michael.

Visit Michael's Design and illustration room on lewesonline.

Pop back next month for a new lewesonline Spotlight.

Please mention lewesonline.com if you telephone or email.

October 2007

Sue Govus

Lewes Baby Massage - Room 125

Your name.
Sue Govus

Tell us a little about you.
I live in Lewes with my husband and two boys who are 5 and 3. We returned here almost 3 years ago. My husband grew up here.

Tell us a little about your work.
My company is called Lewes Baby Massage. I teach baby massage at the Subud Centre in Lewes. I also teach one to one classes.

Are you 'going green' at work?
I am supporting Transition Town Lewes and have sponsored the Community Cloth Bag project. I am cutting down on paper use.

Holding classes in the centre of town enables most clients to walk to classes.

Global warming - myth or monster?
Definitely monster. I had little doubt before but after seeing the Inconvenient Truth there can be no question in my mind.

What do and don't you like about Lewes?
I like the atmosphere in Lewes and that there is so much to do here. It's a great place to bring up a family and Lewesians are very warm and friendly people. Also small businesses are well supported.

I don't like the cost of public transport ( bus fares are very expensive) or some of the new developments that have been or are being built.

Is anything missing from Lewes?
A difficult question as there is so much here for a small town. More activities for older children would be good. A permanent cinema.

Where do you prefer to shop?
Waitrose, Barefoot Herbs for all my massage oils, Bakers chemist, Malling Stores, Lansdown Health Shop and Tesco if I have to!

Pint or pizza? What do you do on a night off?
Pizza, Lazzattis or Prezzo are my choices.

Do you love Bonfire night in Lewes?
I do and I hope as the boys get older they will too.

Thanks Sue.

Visit the Lewes Baby Massage website.

Pop back next month for a new lewesonline Spotlight.

Please mention lewesonline.com if you telephone or email.