Mary Jacobsen and her husband moved down to the Sherborne area over 26 years ago and for much of that time Mary worked at the Art School in Yeovil College as a lecturer in a variety of subjects including Graphic Design, Photography, the History of Art and Contextual Studies and ran the Art Foundation Course for many years. For the past three years, Mary has carried out the role of Programme Secretary for the Sherborne branch of NADFAS, the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies, an arts-based educational charity with a strong Sherborne following. Mary’s job has been to make the monthly meetings as varied and interesting as possible which she has achieved most skilfully.
Read the full interview with Mary Jacobsen below:
Q: There are a huge number of clubs and societies in Sherborne. Tell us a little about NADFAS and how it positions itself in the town.
MJ: NADFAS was formed over 40 years ago as an arts-based charity to advance arts education and appreciation and to preserve our artistic heritage, but as well as informing and educating people it is also an opportunity to have fun and to meet people. Sherborne has a membership of nearly 700 which is split into afternoon and evening session members. We meet once a month on the first Wednesday of each month and there are outings and visits throughout the year. This year there were visits to Sherborne’s own Almshouse as well as to Cothay Manor near Wellington in Somerset and Chiswick House in London.
The definition of the arts is interpreted in the broadest way: we have plans for cultural visits to the opera and the ballet, we have helped restore books at Sherborne Abbey. As part of a national initiative, we operate a group of church recorders who document all of the artefacts of local churches and these are subsequently collated by the V&A in London.
Q: Who do you think the main audience is for NADFAS and is the profile similar around the country?
MJ: The Society is definitely aimed at local people, both men and women, and it has become a very vibrant and active society. In fact, it is now one of the biggest NADFAS branches in the country.
Q: What sort of programme do you try to present and how do you make it interesting and varied?
MJ: The programme needs to be varied and so we have tried to broaden the programme by including the old and the new as well as the multicultural. There has to be a good balance – this year, for example, we have covered twentieth century gardens and the Italian Renaissance, the painted monasteries of Bulgaria and the world of Mozart, prehistoric art and modern British architecture. We always receive official feedback from the committee so we know if something has not proved popular.
Q: How do you see NADFAS developing in Sherborne?
MJ: I actually think it is a well-oiled machine that works. We have a dozen people on the committee, each of whom brings his or her own skills and experience to the successful running of the society.
Q: What other activities do you get involved in in Sherborne?
MJ: I have very much enjoyed running a series of lectures on the Renaissance for Artslink. This involved ten illustrated lectures over a period of five mornings and seemed to be very well received. I also love music and going to concerts which Sherborne provides extremely well for.
Q: What attracted you to Sherborne in the first place?
MJ: My husband and I both graduated from St. Martin’s School of Art in London and in 1986 Nick was offered the job of Director of Art at King’s School, Bruton. Shortly afterwards, I started working at Yeovil College as a lecturer in the Arts School and that was that. We have loved living down here and Sherborne, in particular, is just such a lovely community.
Q: How have you seen it change?
MJ: I think the town changes between term-time and the holidays – there is a very different feel about it in the holidays when there are more visitors and perhaps it is less representative of an ordinary working day atmosphere.
Q: How do you think Sherborne will develop in the future?
MJ: Well it would be sad if Sherborne were to lose its identity and become a clone town like any other, just full of national brands. I believe we should be working against this.
Q: What do you feel Sherborne residents should be proud of?
MJ: Well, we should take pride in the community, in the town’s heritage and its architecture. Fortunately, Cheap Street was not destroyed in the fifties and sixties as in so many other towns and we are fortunate to have such an enchanting street with such a diversity of architectural styles.
Q: How would you describe Sherborne to someone who has never been here?
MJ: I would say it’s a gem of a town. It really offers something special and people should come and look at it. It has one of the loveliest cathedrals in England and a very special community.
Q: What are your favourite pursuits in Sherborne?
MJ: Well I like to go out and have a coffee in the town. I enjoy pottering through the shops and seeing people who I know. I love going to art galleries and attending lectures. It’s also very nice to see some new restaurants opening up giving the town a greater selection. In all, we are very lucky to live in such a lovely place with a lovely community.