More about Mike Chaikin's move to Cornwall

For various complicated reasons including a curiosity to know secrets about how things work and a desire for speedy independence I became a Hospital Doctor. It was not long before sleep deprivation and the brutalizing effect the NHS had on my sensitive disposition made me realize that my chosen career was completely pants (for me not –,obviously -for everybody). A germinating desire for creativity eventually guided me to Richmond adult education sculpture classes where the tutor there recognized my facility with clay and suggested doing a sculpture degree.
Sculpture at that time had become the most important thing in my life. I fell in love with making in a way that I had not with medicine. I completed enough medical training to become a GP and immediately ran off to join Eastbourne art college and then Falmouth School of art to complete a degree in fine art/sculpture in 1990
I moved back to Brighton and became a full time sculptor with a one day a week job as a GP to keep the mortgage paid. The sculpture was taking off and I began to have shows in London and Brighton but a tragedy was about to befall me: my studio was sold off to greedy property developers. I could not find anything in Brighton that was not quickly snapped up by the aforementioned bastards. Out of desperation I looked further afield and found a large old water mill in Cornwall that would suit.
In September 1999 I sadly bade a fond farewell to my beautiful little house and friends in Brighton and shipped my entire workshop and house contents to a huge derelict water mill in Penryn. Cornwall.

Several years of tears of exasperation and sadness, troubles with money, arguments with builders and living in squalid circumstances later I find that Cornwall has welcomed me with open arms. The mill is huge and comfortable and has the best studio/workshop in Cornwall. It is much easier to make a living as a sculptor here than in Brighton. I have not practiced medicine since august 1999.
I am much humbled by the experience. The local town – Falmouth and also the Eden Project have many of my sculptures dotted around them. When the weather is good Susie - my partner - and I and George the dog go out on my small fishing boat.
I find that I love living in Cornwall more than in Brighton
I also do work for a local voluntary group as chairperson of Penryn Community Development Trust. At the moment we are helping to build a much
needed children’s nursery in Penryn

Michael Chaikin. June 2005

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