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A person in a blue patterned knit jumper holds a small bird in their cupped hands. The bird has brown plumage with a bright yellow patch on its wing.

Andy Sewell's charming, honest documentation of British country life

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Date
19 January 2015

Andy Sewell’s new book Something Like a Nest is an archetypal portrayal of middle class Britishness, and it’s a picturesque, sentimental and charming one at that. To our delight, he steers clear of stereotypes and tired clichés – there are no weather-worn farmers nor Wellington boots in here, no sir – and instead creates a clear and honest portrait of country life. Placing perfectly centred shots of kitchen sinks and surrounding phenomena (plants, hand-soap, Fairy Liquid) alongside images of the English countryside coated in frost and glittering in the sun and frogspawn in Kilner jars, it’s enough to make even the most steely-hearted of expats teary-eyed.

Something Like a Nest follows Andy’s last book The Heath in documenting this small but much-loved burrow of British culture in an especially considered way; the time and love that Andy puts into each of his images is projected from within the frame to make for a wonderfully well-rounded series.

A kitchen sink sits before a three-pane window looking out onto a snowy, overcast landscape. Potted plants and small decorative objects are lined up along the windowsill.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A frost-covered field of grass leads towards a line of frozen trees and shrubs. The white rime coats the landscape under a clear, pale blue sky.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A church altar covered in a green cloth is piled with tins, boxes and packets of food. Dozens of plastic shopping bags, including some from Tesco, are crowded on the floor beneath the table.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

Laundry hangs on a long clothesline stretching across a lush green field. A variety of white, blue and dark garments flutter in the breeze under a pale sky.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A glass jar filled with a bubbling, green liquid sits on a windowsill. To the left, the edge of a woven wicker basket is visible.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A kitchen sink sits before a white-framed window looking out onto a snowy garden. A red poinsettia in a pot stands on the ledge alongside other houseplants and cleaning supplies.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A cluttered kitchen sink sits before a window overlooking a garden of pink roses. Bottles of Pimm's and water, along with various cleaning supplies, crowd the stainless steel counter.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A square book cover featuring a photograph of a dried, golden cornfield. The title “Something like a Nest” is printed in a small, white serif font across the centre.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

An open book shows a plain white title page. Centred text reads “Something like a Nest”, with the name “Andy Sewell” printed smaller below.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A photograph in an open book shows a kitchen sink in front of a three-pane window. A blue plastic basin sits in the drainer next to a bowl of grapes and a patterned jug.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A glass jar filled with a yellow-green liquid and small dark particles sits on a windowsill. To the left, the edge of a woven wicker basket is visible.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A photograph in an open book shows a green wheelbarrow sitting beside a bonfire. Thick white smoke fills the air, partially obscuring a white house and a grey sky.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A photograph in an open book shows a person in a pink top standing in a bright kitchen. They look back over their shoulder toward the camera, while a small television on the counter shows a person in a similar pink outfit.
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Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

A photograph in an open book shows a frost-covered field under a clear blue sky. To the right, a line of frozen trees and shrubs borders the landscape.
Above

Andy Sewell: Something Like a Nest

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About the Author

Maisie Skidmore

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Maisie joined It’s Nice That fresh out of university in the summer of 2013 as an intern before joining full time as an Assistant Editor. Maisie left It’s Nice That in July 2015.

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