So, It’s International Women’s Day Today, and frankly, women have come to the end of putting up with the patriarchal nonsense that assumes it rules the world. You will have seen all the news about protests, events and marches around the world. Why am I writing about Death Metal then? Stay with me here. I know Death Metal is not everyone’s listening choice, and not mine until very recently. It wasn’t until I heard Alissa…
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with time-lapse photography while I draw music. You will have seen my Iron Maiden drawings in my last post. This series of bassist portraits stems from my live art project with solo bass player Steve Lawson. I wanted to find a little of what happens in those live shows in my daily studio practice in a form I could readily share with you. The dynamic and subjective nature of synaesthesia is…
I thought I’d do something a bit different this week, I’ve been experimenting with time-lapse photography while I draw music. It adds a whole new dimension to the work to be able to see it appear as if by magic as I sketch. Plus it is enjoyable and allows me to share the dynamic nature of synaesthesia with you. Here’s a set I worked up yesterday while listening to Iron Maiden. I was listening to…
BBC 6 Music visited my studio this week. My studio is at Guildford indie venue and arts hub The Boileroom and, as part of 6 Music’s Independent Venue Week the Steve Lamacq show was on tour, and they broadcast from there. An especially exciting event for me as Steve Lamacq is pretty much responsible for my taste in music and my love of radio, as a medium, it is still my favourite way to hear…
I’m not one of those people who is going to disparage my time at art school as unproductive, I learnt loads while I was studying, nothing in education is ever wasted but what I do now has taken eleven years to master, and I didn’t start it at art school. I did copious amounts of drawing at art school, of course, I did. I studied everything of any interest to any project visually through my…
Do you listen to music when you are making jewellery? I’m answering a question asked by a customer today about my process for making jewellery: “I was wondering if you listen to music when you shape the silver, or just follow your drawing’s vibes? I got wondering, if there was a metaphysical and energetic influence of the music on the shape the silver takes, because of the physical sound wave of music, I am very…
Next time you go to a museum look at the jewellery. Not just at the beauty, craftsmanship or sparkle of the materials but at the space around it. That place where the body fits, the hole in the centre of a ring, the pin that goes through an ear, a clasp that secures around a neck. Then imagine who once wore that piece of jewellery. The once proximity of these objects to their wearers can…
A comprehensive guide to brooches including everything you need to know about what they are, how to wear them, their history and what they say about you. What are Brooches? This might seem an obvious question, but you would be surprised how many people are unclear enough about what they are to search for the definition of Brooches. Brooches are pieces of jewellery with a sharp pin that is used to attach them to the…
I’m going to come right out and say it; I’m not a massive fan of Christmas. Some parts of it I love, some things can go whistle. If you are like my sister and at least one of my cousins, you started the build-up to Christmas way back in early November with references to Christmas jumpers and general kick off to the countdown excitement. If you are like me, you started and finished your Christmas…
It’s nearing the end of the year and the traditional time for making lists of stuff is upon us. So rather than a list of my top ten albums, pieces of jewellery or political pratfalls of 2017 (although I’m not ruling that out if list mania grips me next week) I’m looking back at what I have learnt from my immersion in music, both as listener and bass player this year. Lessons Learnt From Music…
