First Post in two years? Holy Heck - Really?

Sorry folks, I've been neglectful. I have way too many online social platforms and just trying to figure out which one I find most useful. I've been hanging out a lot of my Facebook page which you can find under www.Facebook.com/JennySoepDrawingTheExperience plus my instagram and twitter, with a brief flirting on Tumblr and Pinterest. I also have my other blog - http://drawingsweden.wordpress.com/ which is decidedly more current and features my latest post of this year. (My website is even more neglected than my blogs and I live in the vain hope that I will start a course where I can design my own kick-ass website that encompasses all! )

Meanwhile, here's one of my most recent drawings, created on iPad of the Stockholm Syndrome Ensemble. #StockholmSyndromeEnsemble #UpkeepOfOnlineSocialMediaIsANightmare!

Michael Marra, RIP A true Scottish Creative and Legend

I have been neglecting my blog a bit, apologies. Before I write a proper update however, I thought it right to pay tribute to the talented musician, creative wordsmith and Scots hero, Michael Marra who I had the great privilege to meet and draw during the prestigious StAnza poetry festival back in 2007. It was indeed sad news to find out a few days ago of his passing, and it has taken me until now to find this picture of him. 

I have to sheepishly say I initially found him an acquired taste.  Would you believe it was actually when I was on the Janice Forsyth show back in the new year of 2007 to draw Camera Obscura live in session, when Janice suggested I must know of Michael Marra since I'd studied in Dundee.  I had to admit my ignorance as she then proceeded to open her show with Marra's 'Painters Painting Paint' and I cringed - more because of my own nerves at being referred to (I just thought I was on the show to draw, not to speak!), but also, his gravelly voice certainly wasn't a gentle introduction.  It would be nearly three months later when I would find myself actually drawing the man himself, and experiencing and drawing him live I was amazed at how his words, music and presence transported me to the places where his beautiful songs and stories came from. I was literally stunned and mightily humbled.

Taken far too young, he will be sadly missed

. RIP Michael Marra, a true Scottish creative legend. Here's the song 'Frida Kahlo's Visit to the Taybridge Bar' of which one of the lyrics are written into this picture, and if you don't know it, it's set in a pub in Dundee, where I also went to art school - in the city, not the pub :)

Hej Hej Scotland!!

It's Wednesday Night and I've just been to see Karine Polwart, an impromptu attendance, as I hadn't figure it into my first week of Scotland, but was so very pleased to be there tonight, and I drew, because that's what I do. As a thank you to Jamie/Oran Mor, and also to send to the musician herself, whose regular trio consists of herself, her brother and the stunning vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Inge Thompson

Scotland Here I Come!!!

Well, I've been having a lot of fun in Scandinavia, but I sure can't wait to get back to the Scottish soil, damp and squelchy as it may be. As I write, the Stockholm sky is gloomy and foreboding so no love lost there. Still though, I always look forward to a trip with much trepidation - I've already started having my 'late for the flight' nightmares like when I'm in the wrong country as my flight is leaving somewhere else. The latest one was I was with my sister and I hadn't printed my ticket but I realised I was leaving 4 weeks later anyways, plus she was flying somewhere different, and then there was a murderer searching for us in the airport and I had to find her and save her, etc etc... Y'know how it goes.

I guess it's just feeling like one is split between two countries - I have my art studio and partner here, in a lovely country where I feel like an immigrant (only through my rubbish grasp of Swedish and their epically brilliant grasp of English - it's a humility lesson rather than a difficulty).  And then there's 'Home' - the place where I left lots of friends behind, family and beloved pets, familiar places, a better wage, my 'notoriety'...I have to say though, now my times back in Scotland are always jam-packed and super efficient in terms of work and quality time with friends.  I really am looking forward to probably the most exciting 4 weeks all packed together ever!!! (Settle down Jen).

Seriously though, my first week which starts on the 17th, will be mostly spent with Solar Bear where I will be using my iPad to draw participants creating their own theatre. What is particularly wonderful about this first project is the participants are sufferers from mental health issues and have a hard time just being outside in the general public spaces. I was fortunate enough to draw them last year - on paper, and they all seemed to get a kick out of my drawings which was nice.  I've got a video of them all pointing and laughing - WITH me right? Not at me??!!  Anyway, this year I'll be drawing on iPad, the results of which will be included in the final performance during the Scottish Mental Health Film and Music Festival along with all the other artwork that's being created by the participants and in partnership with Impact Arts.  A truly Multi-media event, but that's generally what I'm all about right? Right.

I must also mention that on Friday the 21st of September I will be drawing at the fantastic multi-indie-arts night 'Neu Reekie!' which for the first time ever will be heading over to Glasgow and gracing the new arts venue designed and founded by none other than Scotland's own Jim Lambie together with Mutley of SWG3.  This should be a very good night indeed!

Monica de Ioanni, Jer Reid and Jenny Soep 'Three Lines'. Photo (c) Greg Neate 2012

Monica de Ioanni, Jer Reid and Jenny Soep 'Three Lines'. Photo (c) Greg Neate 2012

My next project will be a combination of a week's residency at Tramway in the Workroom, with Jer Reid and Monica de Ioanni as a further development of our work with Jer's initial Wintercycle duet project, that turned into our combined efforts in 'Three Lines'.  The previous two performances we gave as part of Sound/Thought at the Arches back in February and as part of the Multi-media arts night 'Media Lab' in Edinburgh were both very different but equally beautiful experiences.

Our latest performance will be in the Glue Factory on Sunday the 30th September. We will have a Facebook page for it, and I'll put some info on here too. Meanwhile, just above are a couple of beautiful pictures that Greg Neate took just to give you a taster. Incidentally he's got an exhibition on at the moment at the 13th Note, King Street Glasgow on a lot of the great and the good in music. I found him via a mutual love of Arab Strap, and I've come to find that he really is gifted, painterly and acerbic in his capturings of music and the people that make/listen/inspire it.

The third week, I'll be up near Oban giving a talk at Oban High School and later the Oban Art Society, but above all I'm looking forward to catching up with my parents and their amazing dog MacDuff.  I'll also be sorting a load of pictures for import.

Autumn Time at Roineabhal, RIP Conan the cat who's not around this year.

Heading up to Roineabhal is always a joy, it's the most beautiful place on earth as far as I'm concerned, and my Mum has a special nack for interior and exterior decoration/gardening, as well as being a world famous chef - no jokes - albeit for winning the Golden Spurtle at the World Porridge Championships, she's pretty fantastic at everything else she cooks. I've lived a very spoiled existence. (I also get fatter everytime I visit.)

Then it's my final week working with the marvellous playwright Lynda Radley on our third phase of the 360 Narratives projected funded by Playwrights' Studio and Creative Scotland.  We're writing a graphic novel together about Midwives, and for this third phase, we're going to have a couple of days of fun that are going to experiment with my 'live drawing' style. Then I'll have the rest of the week for development.  This will also be contributing to a flying visit to the Thought Bubble comic convention in Leeds later in November.

But that will be enough from me for now.  Here's an old drawing of a bike as I'm hoping to get some bike action while I'm back in Scotland - including the Harris Tweed Ride!!!
(This drawing is of a particular bike of mine that was nicked in Cornwall - after the drawing was made of course. You do know 99.99% of my drawings are done from life right?  See you soon!)

Lynda Radley, 360 Narratives, The Polar Music Prize

Good grief Penfold! Is it really such a long while since I last posted?!! I do apologise. But I'm not going to fill you in just yet.

Suffice to say I've been having a whale of a time in the second phase of the Playwright Studio/Creative Scotland funded project 360 Narratives with the marvellous Playwright Lynda Radley. We've been co-creating and expanding upon an idea about two midwives in a somewhat bleak though hopeful (perhaps) future.  Words and pictures abound, but it's been a hugely fascinating project and great to get the second kick up the Bahookie which feels like it's a good enough shunt to tide me over until October when we'll be working on the third phase.  Ooo, it all sounds so exciting :)  Lynda has left today, leaving me one night of solace before my wonderful other half comes back from his two weeks of fun in the Highlands.

Meanwhile, I've been drawing Paul Simon, R. Stevie Moore and Arrington De Dionyso regards concerts, as well as painting plant shadows, illustrating/painting wild flowers on some designer wooden benches, as well as getting my hands (and self!) proper dirty and learning 'on the job' with a carpenter/joiner/house builder.  (Same smart chap who's designed and made the benches from his own fine Swedish wood that he's put through his own sawmill. Hats off!) We've been renovating a beautiful little gatehouse to a large and beautiful old estate.  I really should put some pictures up, and will do tous de suite!  Suffice to say, I've been having a bit of fun in the last month :)  Roll on the excellent Polar Music Prize next month, and everything in between. Catch up soon!

Exhibition! Drawing In - Private View this Wednesday

Also Drawing Workshops - Places still available - To book, get more info, or get on the guest list for the Private View of 'Drawing In' this coming Wednesday 18:00-21:00 -
Email info@jennysoep.com

Experimental Drawing Workshops (In English) -
For Curious Beginners and Intermediate Drawers (Max. 8 in class)
Thurs 21st 18:00-20.30 Drawing with Technology - learning to use a variety of different digital drawing tools including iPhone, iPad, Computer and Wacom/Bamboo Tablet
Thurs 28th 18:00-20.30 Tactile Drawing - using the ‘drawing by touch technique’ leaving your eyes behind and responding to what you can see with your fingers
Fri 29th 18:00-20.30 The Journeying Line - using the blind contour drawing technique and unusual tools to map a visual journey
Sat 30th   10:00-16:00 Drawing Music -  To, From and With - All day workshop exploring the above techniques with the added elements of responding, utilising and drawing inspiration from music.

Evening Workshops 70 SEK
Saturday All Day Workshop 120 SEK
Includes basic drawing materials/tea/coffee
Booking required as limited spaces - Email: info@jennysoep.com

Varoom Magazine! Featured as 'Best in Reportage Illustration'

Pretty pleased to be featured in the latest issue of the rather illustrious Varoom Magazine.  A quarterly broadsheet brought out by the esteemed Association of Illustrators, this issue's theme is Entertainment and I was selected for inclusion as one of the best reportage illustrators.  Which is pretty sweet.

Best of Reportage Illustration - Jenny Soep

Varoom Magazine #18 'This is Entertainment'

Polar Music Prize and Beyond

Hello there!

Well I have indeed been neglecting you!!  Apologies.  I have been drawing alternately in alternative drawing approaches. I have been performer, workshop host, illustrator, archivist, designer, storyteller, photographer, resident artist and documentor.

Went for a walk on my birthday at Roineabhal and made
this photo collage for them from the flowers and bugs I found.
Amazing sunny day, accompanied by MacDuff the family hound.

I spent two and a half months in Scotland, and now I have returned to Stockholm, with news that I will indeed be drawing for the 3rd consecutive year as 'official drawer' of the Polar Music Prize.  Last year it was Patti Smith and the Kronos Quartet. The year before it was Björk (Idol!) and Ennio Morricone. An amazing couple of years, and now the prize will be awarded to laureates Yo-Yo Ma and Paul Simon. What a privilege to draw!

Tomorrow night I will be drawing Extra Life at Debaser Slussen, a gig put on by the notoriously experimental batshit ballsy and brilliant promoter 'Mother'.  Some of the most exciting and off the wall gigs I've drawn in Stockholm have been courtesy of 'Mother' and I don't anticipate that the line up of future gigs will diminish in mindbending mastery.

The playwright Lynda Radley will be flying out here late July so we can develop our collective project courtesy of the 360 Narratives initiative and funded by the Playwright Studio and Creative Scotland. Looking very much forward to it. Lips sealed for now. You'll just have to be patient for news.

Drawing Smoked Char up in Matsdal, Lapland

I've also just come back from 3 days in Lapland. Lapland I ask you! A twelve hour drive from Stockholm, through the night, arriving at 4am. But we saw a Moose!!  And a male Capercaillie strutting his stuff in the middle of the road, as well as a plethora of lovely looking females hanging around the sides of the road. Loads of hares and foxes with their diminishing winter coats, cranes, grouse and a big bunch of other equally stunning and beautiful wildlife.  18 inches of snow, lots of daylight and that was just the surrounding nature.  We stayed in Mattias's folk's little wooden cabin in the forest and it really was like a childhood fantasy come true.  Suffice to say I was drawing throughout the few days up there, so they'll appear in some shape or form at some time or another.  Have been maxing out the hardrives so need to clear some space for scanning first.

I also created illustrations for the first Electric String Orchestra in Scotland. They'll be opening the West End Festival in Glasgow on Thursday 31st of May, playing the likes of Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Bowie and more.  You can see the link here. 

Their brief was quite open, but they wanted illustrations that they could use on posters/t-shirts/album covers that could be used over and over again, that had an aspect of 'electric' without being cheesy.   The logo of their name was created by someone else, but everything else is mine. A new foray into Photoshop with hand drawn instruments - Cello, Violin and Violas - drawn in my style, then put into photoshop, coloured and then placed in a circular pattern that mimicked a kind of snowflake/fractal type image. I'm pretty pleased with the final result, although I did do quite a few different examples.

Illustration design for Poster Format

From the ESO themselves on how they found me and their response to the poster -
'We love it thank you so much!  We're picking up posters today for our Oran mor gig.

We heard about you from a born to be wide session I think but you're well known from the general band circuit in Glasgow and I'd seen some of your artwork before'

Until we meet again. Jenny S xx

March so far – Women’s International Day, Three Lines and 28 Drawings Later

Not to mention drawing Washington Irving's Leap Year Birthday Party, Nick Fells' experimental sound piece inspired by and using the sounds created by the incredible machines at the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre as part of 'First Thursday' at Trongate 103, plus some other drawing work.  Will create a new post for those too. 


Next Monday I'm starting an intense but exciting week long residency with playwright/writer Lynda Radley.  You can read a little teaser of who we will be working beside, and a tiny bit about our own project here. 


It's been a jam packed fortnight, and now it's Wednesday, two weeks since I arrived in Scotland for two months of creative output, and indeed a lot of input too.

Three Lines

We've had some great feedback about our improvisation piece Three Lines, with musician Jer Reid, dancer Monica de Ioanni and myself.  This is what the festival organisers had to say about our 'World Premier' on Saturday 3rd March at the experimental sound/music festival 'Sound Thought'.


'Just dropping you a quick line to say thank you again on behalf of The Arches, Glasgow Uni and the Sound Thought Committee for presenting Three Lines as part of the festival. It was such a beautiful piece and the projection looked amazing in the Studio.'

We're awaiting on some footage of our performance by the marvellous Benoit Moulanier, but for now you can see some gorgeous photos courtesy of the rather talented Greg Neate.

Three Lines i copyright Greg Neate (c) 03032012

Three Lines ii copyright Greg Neate (c) 03032012

You might also fancy taking a look 'Here' which is an excerpt of the video created by Mettje Hunneman of the piece we performed at Video Lab, in Edinburgh 4 days later.

28 Drawings Later

28 Drawings Later - Victoria gives a speech

I was also part of the 28 Drawings Later project which was a fantastic initiative by artist Victoria Evans inspired by the NaNoWriMo writing project, but takes place in February - hence the 28 Days element, and is specifically for drawing. Growing from about 500 followers to 1500 in the space of a month, and yes, there was an extra day this year :)  I would thoroughly recommend getting involved in it next February as it's a great kick starter to the year as well as being a booster for your confidence and drawing skills. 

The expo Victoria put on of all the prints of drawings posted through to her, was very well organised and very well attended - a lot of buzz in the various arts grapevines.

My 28 Drawings Later Pictures all in order, downstairs
(c) Greg Neate 2012

Checking out my drawings upstairs
(c) Greg Neate 2012

Then there was the Garterstitch100 101st Celebration of International Women's Day.

Alyana Galyana (Drawing to come later).
Photo (c) Catherine Barthram 2012

Garterstitch 100 was an initiative started by two hugely talented and inspiring young ladies, Jetson and Jansson, who put on one epic day of 100 events in one venue - the Tramway in Glasgow.  Since it was a significant date being the 100th anniversary, and since they had also discovered that 100 million women have been noted missing due to extreme gender discrimination since records have begun, they decided to illustrate this in the most incredibly gentle and powerfully affecting way - they tried to get 100 million stitches of knitting.

They didn't quite get all that amount - around 26 million at final count, but they did get more than they could ever have imagined and hoped for via knitting posted from around the world, locally and internationally, from men and women young and old.  Not to mention all the overwhelming individual stories, photos and letters of support, as well as all the dancers, artists, musicians, actors, writers, members of public, etc etc who provided some sort of inspirational talk, event, installation, dance, song, sharing, colour, crafting, drawing, art, knitting and more - This was 'loop'.

Last Thursday, the 'loop' officially closed with the 101st International Women's Day Garterstitch event after four glorious arts filled days throughout the year to celebrate, commemorate, empower and inspire women - and everybody else! - with so very many taking part in some beautiful, helpful, and monumental little way.  Much thanks and praise should go to Catherine Barthram who gladly and expertly took the torch and accompanying responsibility from Jetson and Jansson at their last Garterstitch organised event back in September. Jansson was present at last week, and Jetson who couldn't make it due to being in a touring theatrical production was greatly missed, though present in every colourful stitch of knitting present in the blankets and woollen bits and pieces present in the space.

Penny Chivas dancing to a song from Alyana Galyana at the 101st International Women's Day
Photo (c) Catherine Barthram 2012

Garterstitch 100 chose 5 different national and international women's charities to support - Apne Ap, Care, Fawcett Society, GWL, The Women's Support Group raising money from all the events, and all the knitting donated which were made into blankets and sold at other various craft fairs courtesy of the Garterstitch team. It looks like we're very very near the £5000 mark if not WELL passed it, so that will be a joyful slice for each charity towards their wonderful work.

The Framed pictures that were up for auction.
Photo (c) Catherine Barthram 2012

You still might be able to grab an original drawing I created from last year's amazing loop 100th anniversary of International Women's Day here at http://loopdrawings.tumblr.com/

It's been absolutely incredible being a part of it all, and has been almost unfathomable in how many folk it has inspired and brought together in so many wonderful ways, myself included.  I have made an awesome new bunch of friends who inspire me more and more every day, and I'm a better and more creative person because of it.  See what you can get involved with that can enhance this ever growing caring and creative community, share and be inspired yourself.  You can see the archive and more of what the Garterstitch Team got up to here. 

For now, I'm chilling at my folks after a very full and enjoyable fortnight with their dog MacDuff and Conan the cat. 

Majestic March!!! - Drawing events and performances for your diary!

Hey hey! It's cooking up to be a busy March!
I'll be back in Scotland for 6 weeks from next Monday for a few events I'm drawing/participating/co-organising. If you fancy something drawing based, alternative and involving, cast your eye over these.


First up - 3rd March, Sound Thought Festival, The Arches, Glasgow/7th March, Videolab, Edinburgh

Three Lines: Improvised Drawing/Music/Dance
Jenny Soep, Jer Reid, Monica de Ioanni

Two improvised drawing/music/dance performances I'm part of with experimental musician Jer Reid and the beautiful dancer Monica de Ioanni as part of Sound Thought in Glasgow, and Videolab in Edinburgh.  I'll be creating projected drawings inspired by Monica de Ioanni's dancing which will then inspire Jer Reid's music which will then inspire my drawing.  A chain of influential actions.  Get tickets for the Arches performance here.



Second Up - 4th March, The Old Hairdressers, Renfield Lane, Glasgow 6pm until Midnight

Exhibition Launch - 28 Drawings Later
Glasgow based artist Victoria Evans is the brainchild behind this fantastic project to get anyone and everyone drawing. As it says on the poster, 'What happens if 200 people draw everyday for a month?'
It's been such a great project to be part of - confidence boosting, inspiring, enlightening, educational, frustrating, fun, and above all gratifying.
The exhibition of originals will be upstairs for one night only, with the copies downstairs being exhibited until the 7th.  The copies will become part of a recycled drawing workshop at the International Women's Day event. (Info below!)



Third up - Thursday 8th March, The Old Hairdressers, Renfield Lane, Glasgow 12pm until Midnight

The Garterstitch all day event for International Women's Day, which you might be interested in (it's going to be pretty awesome by the way!!)  Following on from last year’s gloriously colourful celebration of the centenary of International Women’s Day, Loop|Garterstitch100 has organised a day of events in the Old Hairdressers to be enjoyed by the women, men and children of Glasgow. Browse the pop-up Glasgow Women’s Library, participate in a drawing workshop, watch and dance, try out some alternative crafting with the Garnethill Women’s Institute, eat some cake, listen to music, reflect on talks and information, participate in a sound project, browse and bid for the art works of illustrator Jenny Soep…
Check out more info on what exciting artists/musicians will be performing and what workshops you can participate in here.


Myself and Emma Hagen have a workshop in particular between 1-3pm. Details as follows -

WORKSHOP - DRAWING LIVING THEATRE with Emma Hagen and Jenny Soep

Think of a woman in your life. She could be you. 

What's your least favourite thing about her? What's your favourite?

Drawing Living Theatre is an interactive workshop using drawing, drama and creative action methods to explore a chosen topic.  

At this particular event, the 101st year of International Women's Day, we look at one negative aspect of a woman in your life, the possibility to accept this, and celebrate the positive. There are always at least two sides, and it can be good to take a fresh look at the flip side.

Thursday 8th March, 1-3pm, upstairs at The Old Hairdressers (opposite Stereo) Renfield Lane.

Fourth up - 19th-25th March - 360 Narrative Residency with playwright Lynda Radley

I'm going to be part of a pretty cool residency in Stirling with the pretty fantastic playwright Lynda Radley. It's going to be about a couple of sisters called Snow White and Rose Red who are midwives in a strange and alternative possibly post apocalyptic Earth.  Having been a fan of Lynda's previous work (Birds and Other Things I Am Afraid Of, The Art of Swimming, Futureproof) it's been a boon to get involved.  The project is part of the 360 Narrative initiative to find other platforms for theatre/playwrighting and there are 5 other groups/partnerships involved.  Have already looked at the itinerary for this intensive creative blowout week, and as much as I feel super privileged to be a part of it all, I'm super excited to get stuck in.  There's also going to be a darts tournament!!!  Need I say more...


Apart from all that, I'll be creating my 'documentary' style drawings at various artsome and quality musicsome events as usual.  Keep updated on my Facebook page - Drawing The Experience.  Perhaps I'll see you somewhere with your own sketchbook!

Scotland Visit -

Quality quality gig tonight - Bonny Prince Billy. Pictures to come, along with drawings of RM Hubbert's wonderful album launch gig at Stereo on Friday supported by the right rivetingly off the wall 'Tattie Toes', plus some drawings of an alternatively and equally fascinating scientific music, poetry and art night at Inspace with Unravel (Aidan Moffat, Found as well as Chris Meade) last Thursday evening in Edinburgh.

Bonnie Prince Billy plays The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow as part of Celtic Connections, and courtesy of the lovely Nuala Kennedy who got him over here. 

Bonnie Prince Billy plays The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow as part of Celtic Connections, and courtesy of the lovely Nuala Kennedy who got him over here. 

Had a lovely rehearsal on Friday with Jer Reid and Monnica Deioanni for our trio piece at Sound Thought, The Arches. Tomorrow having a meeting about the fourth International Women's Day event I'm involved in, plus meeting with the rather fantabulous digital/animatory whizzkid Dave Sapien too for some projected digital drawing chat. All looking real good, enough to get rather excited about.

Aidan Moffat reads as part of the Unravel Installation created by him and the Found art collective with Simon Kirby

Words by Aidan Moffat, members of the art collective Found with Simon Kirby, members of the Electric Bookshop and Chris Meade of ifbook and bookfutures. Very exciting programme/residency with talks on each Thursday up until mid February. Well worth getting a ticket if you can. Inspace is a very exciting multimedia gallery based within Edinburgh university, and they've housed Found's wonderful Bafta award winning Cybraphon project there too.  You can see Cybraphon if you manage the Unravel expo before it finishes.

It's been a busy five days my friends, where I also managed to get my self - assessment/tax shenanigans dealt with, plus got a lovely 24 hours back with my Nana, my Folks, MacDuff the dog and Conan the cat. A good few pictures to upload so look again very very soon. Soon as I get back to my lovely Stockholm tomorrow night and crank up the Scanner. xx

Sound Thought, Wintercyle and Beyond

Good to see we're up already on Sound Thought. Quite excited about the improvised collaboration (a trio) between myself, experimental musician Jer Reid and dancer Monica Deioanni. A development/continuation of the beautiful and epic project of separate duets over a one month period last winter by Jer Reid called Wintercyle http://wintercycle.wordpress.com/. Look it up. 

Our performance at the Sound Thought festival, The Arches, Glasgow, is Saturday 3rd March, 6pm.  See, hear, sense you there. :)

First Wintercycle drawing (Computer/Wacom Tablet combo with improvised monologue) from Audio/Visual Duet with Jer Reid - 'Christmas/Family/A Sense of Place'

Second Wintercycle drawing (Watercolour and Pencil, with accompanying improvised monologue) from Audio/Visual Duet with Jer Reid - 'Method/Experience'

Finally (for now) - I will be part of a charity event for Women's International Day on Thursday 8th of March, I will be having an exhibition and auction, at least one workshop in collaboration with Therapeutic Theatre and most probably some live drawing at the Women's International Day at the Old Hairdressers, Renfield Lane, Glasgow. This will be a culmination of a year of quite incredible, inspiring and beautiful events called Loop, and Loop De Loop, created by and (at least two) in partnership with Garterstitch.  50% of the money from drawings auctioned off will go towards the five wonderful women's charities that Garterstitch have been contributing towards since the first event last year. You really should read about what they managed, but just to give you a little idea of the massiveness of it, they collected nearly 20 million stitches of knitting from around the world. And put on a one day event, in one location, covered in aforementioned knitting, with 100 live events. Go now - 'read all about it!'.

Women's International Day 2012, 8th March, The Old Hairdressers, Renfield Lane, Glasgow.  Check out the Garterstitch website for details and updates.

New Year? Already? Of course it is :)

Välkommen. Nice to see you. Come in and warm your tootsies. There's snow here in Stockholm at the moment, which makes it look very pretty where I am at the moment. We've got a lilly that's got four white flowering heads on it, as well as it being allowed to still have the Christmas star lantern up so there's a lot of white and light. Today I drew the lillies lit by candlelight while it snowed outside. Felt quite magical. The candle has been burning all day in here, which has been lovely and heart warming. I've never let it do that normally, but today, a 'monday in January' it felt really great to do, so... I quite like the drawing too.

Saturday was Swedish Radio/Stockholm's Art's Birthday Party, a fantastic and hugely inspiring digital music and sound art festival. There were so many acts to witness, and I only scratched the surface. I will be keeping my wish list and following the other artists up whenever they're in a country that I too am in. :) You can see the drawings, and possibly some animated/timelapses of them too on my Facebook page - Jenny Soep/Drawing The Experience

I'll be drawing at RM Hubbert's Album Launch on Friday the 27th of January next week at Stereo, Glasgow. It's going to be a really lovely and exciting night with a whole plethora of the great and good musicians in/from Scotland.  It's going to be the only time you'll ever see his album played live.  I would thoroughly recommend you buy a ticket if you have not already. The mere fact that the fantastic Tattie Toes are supporting should be reason enough.

I shall also be part of a three person installation/trio on the 3rd of March (6pm) at the Arches, Glasgow as part of the Sound Thought Festival.  It's a continuation of the audio/visual improvised duet I created with the experimental musician Jer Reid, as well as an improvised music/dance duet he created with Monicca Deioanni as part of his Wintercycle project last year. Which was magical incidentally. A month worth of duets with lots of different and exciting musicians, dancers etc. So if you fancy seeing some live projected drawing, dancing and music making - all improvised and in response to each other - then come on down. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

Merry Christmas!

Click on this to see a cheery Merry Christmas iPad Animation :D

So I made my first little iPad animated timelapse drawing to wish you all a Merry Christmas and God Jul! I hope you all have a lovely one, and indeed a great New Year and Festive Holiday. May you all be well, warm and in the best of company.

The quite simply brilliant Nisennenmondai

The Antlers and Dry The River

Link to Timelapse Drawing of The Antlers Inspiring gig. Overwhelming amount of equipment - and that was without the amount which their airline lost. It's been a tough week for The Antlers (US), but great gig tonight with Dry The River from the UK. Two great bands that I look forward to following.

THE MIGHTY 'CIRCLE' + CHICKEN EL DIABLO

Half an hour of Chicken El Diablo



An hour and 15 minutes of CIRCLE.

The Babies, The Strand

Today's Inspiration - in Sounds, Visuals and Combos

It's 15.54 and it's dark.  But my afternoon has been significantly warmed by listening to Emma Swift on her show In the Pines - listen here http://ondemand.fbiradio.com/index.php?show=in-the-pines

Having just drawn and experienced the intense and dreamy voice, music and presence of Bill Callahan I was looking up twitter to see what was the current lowdown and found this amazing festival in Brussels happening all this week - http://autumnfalls.toutpartout.be/ - oh boy - it looks Great!

I've also been checking out another blog which has a very nice mix of artwork, listening recommendations, interviews and more.  The artwork is big and bold and the site is easy to navigate, fun and inspiring. I hope I can tweak my own sites to be as simply enjoyable.  Three girls are behind it and they have a few different places online that you can follow and be similarly inspired by.
http://theleftoversessions.co.uk/

I really must limit my investigations online.  One inspiring article can branch out to two or more interesting links and it goes on from there.  I was looking up a video this morning on the band Isosceles and it actually had this very theme running through the whole documentary - ie random inspirations leading onto even more inspirations and even collaborations.  The art of random, and being able to follow the chase.  Anyway, check it out on Central Station http://vimeo.com/29034684 and make sure to see the other 2 parts to it.

Central Station is itself worth checking out and is currently going through a major revamp.  If you are an artist of any kind I would thoroughly recommend signing up and boosting your online presence via their suggestions and be in the running to win some promotion and/or cash prizes. See this link for more - http://community.thisiscentralstation.com/_Central-Station-v2-Latest-News/blog/5449958/126249.html

Finally, some audio visual stimulus.  If you're in Glasgow on the 9th of December I would recommend going to see the one night launch of animator, director, audio-visual chap - Konx-om-Pax.
Details here - http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=317994184893560 including a good few links to his myspace, website and Vimeo - very much worth a watch. His Hudson Mohawk video did remind me of a video from a while back and which I prefer by inimitable and rather brilliant Rachel Maclean for the awesome Phantom Band which you can see here.  It is EPIC!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH1qxYG78eQ

Meanwhile on the 9th of December in Edinburgh there is a rather special book launch of the Roughcut Nation project from 2009 which was basically the best Scottish street artists taking over and restyling a part of the esteemed National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. It was a fantastic happening, of which the resulting beautiful artwork/installation was divided up and auctioned off after a series of live music sessions involving the great and good in the Scottish music scene.  So now there is a book. And I want one.  (Oh, I suppose I should mention I was actually involved in some live projected drawing work when the marvellous John Knox Sex Club were strutting their stuff there - Magic :).  JKSC will also be there to create music mayhem at the launch.  I would thoroughly recommend the above. It's a free public event but you need to sign up for the free tickets.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=240242586038219

Finally, a very inspiring audio-visual project by sound artist John Keston where he manipulates the sound and film merely by touching the screen.
http://www.creativeapplications.net/maxmsp/voice-lessons-maxmsp/ 

So after that dry load of information, I really should stick up a drawing to break it up. Words and Pictures and all that. Ah, I'll leave it. I've been inside all day. I'm going out for a jog before drawing at a gig tonight. Walrus (SWE) and Mongst (CAN). It's a 'Mother' gig and I'd highly recommend it if you happen to be in Stockholm this evening.
Details - http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=263291350388197

I'll stick up some pictures of that.

Bill Callahan

Bill Callahan, Final Song

Bill Callahan, with Neal Morgan on drums and Matt Kinsey on electric guitar

Brilliant and beautiful concert.
Blown away with the stunning wordsmithery, tight musicianship and Bill's deep violet voice.
Exquisite.