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.

Animations, Videos, Timelapses - Drawings

Lucky Dragons make experimental music, but they are also facilitators for the collective music experience, making music and visuals tactile, celebratory, enjoyable, intriguing, interactive and fun. 

No music created in one evening is ever the same as the next. You will likely walk away from one of these events feeling a wholesome sense of elation, tingling energy and more than just a feeling that you have connected physically and creatively (and perhaps also rather joyously) with other people, music and art.


This is a time-lapse of the iPad drawing I did of their live performance, stroke by digital brushstroke. This may be a sign of things to come.

Music Without Sound

UWS's (University of West of Scotland)'s 'Music Without Sound' at the CCA today was a lot of fun, met and listened to some great folk speak, learnt about the incredible Sense Scotland, enjoyed being on the 'Music with Creativity' panel with Christopher Brookmyre, Sandy Hutchison and Icecream Architecture's Sarah Frood 'chaired' by David Scott, while also getting my hair cut on stage by the rather sharp suited/well coiffed musician/retro-hairdresser Marco Rea during the panel about fashion/hair/sex :D. Well that was certainly an experience. :) Here's a last minute sketch of the Scratch Orchestra that was quickly assembled at the end of the day.

You can check out this link that will tell you a bit more about the day too - http://www.musicwithoutsound.co.uk/

Libyan troubles, Supporting your local indie record shop, Billy Bragg, Wet Sounds and Margins Festival

Well, it's been quite a weekend.

For a start, keep yourself updated with the awful situation in Libya right now - this link is particularly good and seems to be regularly updated faster than any other source of current news - please share - http://revolution2.moonfruit.com/

Regards independent record and music shops needing our support that in turn benefits the musicians - Avalanche record shop in Edinburgh posted this. We need to think as a community.

Sunday I caught up with a dear friend who I'd been meaning to catch up with for too long. We met at the gorgeous Hillhead bookclub for the boutique vintage and craft market Granny Would Be Proud to have an exciting little snoop - there's so many fun and cool things there and very affordable! You can have a bit of fun dressing up for a vintage style photo, try some delicious cupcakes, some very dainty and quirky hair accessories and vintage glasses frames, some delightful and grin-inducing fun at Bunny's table checking out her Tennents, other beer and various sweetie jewellery, not to mention the big variety and quality of vintage clothing, china and jewellery in the last place you'd find damp and dust. It's a lovely thriving craft movement that should be visited and supported. Neither is it all girly driven, with things for the dapper chap too. Not all the same stall holders are there every time, it's normally twice any given month, so do check it out. The Hillhead Bookclub restaurant/bar is a converted old cinema, with gorgeous interior and intimate while also very family friendly atmosphere, tho' this might have something to do with the organiser supplying a lot of minutae to this particular event

Fred, the gal behind it all is moving to Manchester where it sounds like she's found a fantastic and equally quirky venue for her growing GWBP boutique empire where even the chefs in the restaurant will be tailoring their food to fit the well thought out theme of the craft market. The attention to detail at the one in Glasgow was certainly admirable and really a pleasure to experience.

After that, I cycled my trusty ridgeback over to the North Woodside leisure centre for Wet Sounds, a totally immersive music and sound experience. I was glad I turned up a little later as apparently it was hoaching at 5pm. I turned up around 7pm for another 40 minutes, which if I'd known it would finish 20 minutes earlier than it's advertised time, I probably would have made the effort to be a tad earlier myself. In saying that, it was a pretty cool experience, with subtle blue, red, and green alternating stage lighting shining down from the upstairs changing rooms, with some lighting underwater - one participant likening it to the film The Abyss. A little discontertingly, about 4-5 scuba divers were under the water with big packs on their back - I didn't really pay them much attention to see whether they were wearing actual underwater speakers on their backs, I was more distracted by the sounds above and below water, trying to experience the separate, the combined, while realising my swimming lungs ain't what they used to be. :)

But grab yourself a float under your legs, lean back, scull and occasionally bump into other contented and slippery individuals. The sounds itself were a mixture of collected everyday as well as film samples, with continuously evolving soundtrack. The only part I recognised was the typing scene in The Shining where Jack Nicholson is aggressively chastising his meek wife Shelley Duvall for disrupting him. This was under the water, with a sinister drone above. The lighting had changed to an eerie blue. Yep, I loved it. :) It's £10 so I recommend you make the most of it if you can catch one, and stay in the water the whole 3 hours until you're resembling something from Cocoon.

The whole of Burnt Island were there, I just focused on Rodge for once.

(Yes, it's another iPad drawing :)

The Adorable Dan Wilson/Withered Hand (iPad Drawing)

So after the swim and a duly enjoyed snicker bar, I wheeled off to the third and final night of the Margins Book and Music Festival at Stereo in time to catch the headline literary legend Tom Leonard speak truth and beauty - 'it's a part of being free and honest' - commanding attention with his gravelly vernacular. Afterwards, the bands were on including Where We Lay Our Heads, Burnt Island and the hugely engaging and beautifully humorous songs of Dan Wilson aka Withered Hand who delivers his songs with equally self-deprecating joviality.

It was only £1 quid to get in, and if I'd had any cash to spend I would have invested in ANYTHING on the Cargo Publishing/Margins Fest Merch Table. It looked like a candy shop of desirables. The Year of Open Doors, Withered Hand and something from Alan Bissett sounds like what's going on my Birthday wish list.

Meanwhile I have to say I can't help but be pretty chuffed that after drawing the excellent and inspiring Billy Bragg, he wants to buy one of the pictures, as well as giving me some lovely publicity on his facebook page which has garnered a lot of attention and some highly entertaining commentary - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150092698692471&set=a.249499147470.158205.44905697470&comments

I can't wait to share a presspit with someone knitting their experience :)

The actual concert was a rescheduled one because of our epic snow storm where Billy was trapped on the motorway south of Blantyre for about 10 hours. It was a brilliant concert, with Billy invigorating and encouraging rather than pontificating. Very entertaining and absolutely inspiring, I really was buzzing with positivity afterwards. Billy and his right hand man Grant on sound were solid chaps, great to meet them as well as his pal Nicola. After offering me a beer, and some good chat on drawing, the Clash, and 'snow in a can' they went off with his rider of beers to visit the Glasgow University Occupation at the ex-Hetherington Research club. Top bloke.

Billy Bragg is a master of words. So this is the wordy one.

Paper/Watercolour Drawing

He is also a man of poignancy.

Paper/Watercolour Drawing

Just a Quickie...

So I've been creating various different things in the past week, catching up with 'bizness' and quite excited about a project in particular that myself and sound designer Gav Fort are beginning - the 'findings so far' to be performed at the annual 3 day Sound/Thought festival at the beginning of February, our particular night being the 5th.

It takes place at the inimitable Arches multi-arts venue, and will be audio/visual. That's all I'm saying.

Meanwhile, here's a quick sketch I did on my iPad while the view rushed past from the train to Edinburgh. A beautiful snowy day.

Off to Sweden on Wednesday with a huge suitcase full of books pillows and some stupid old computer that no-one would steal but it sure is heavy! I'm having to take out books and leave them behind. :( But a stint in Sweden is on the cards, and the slow shift of 'stuff' is officially starting.

Just a few more trips to cart this lot over...(cough). Yep, think I'll need to stop being such a squirrel and sell it, donate it, or worse.

January Ensues - Monday - Research, Inspiration, Activities and Future Plans

The lovely open plan fire place at my parents house during Christmas - my first official drawing on my very own iPad. With the annoying and way too sticky 'muvit' stylus that doesn't exactly 'muvit' very well. :) But we'll make friends never the less.

(The above is a wee bit of fun/birthday message for the artist who 'inspired' me to buy Inspire Pro, complete with a wee quick sketch of an owl from Legend of the Guardians, another animation that I really fancy seeing. Saw 'How To Train Your Dragon' the other night - excellent :)

So, moving on.

Today was very much a research day. As well as a drawing day. 2011 is most definitely the year of drawing drawing drawing in SO many different ways.

Discovered some new art and artists, including the very intriguing Gordon Robin Brown, the folk behind the massive multicoloured sculptures in the CCA that I saw recently who I found to be Joanne Tatham and Tom O'Sullivan - the sculptures will apparently be unfolded on some unused land that could otherwise be used for the great good/surrounding communities, though this I need to check up on. Then there was the great international video/multimedia artist Nam June Paik who's retrospective show is on at the Tate Liverpool until March. I so very very much need to see this show. I can't believe I've only just learned about him - he apparently heralded the arrival of the internet way before it was a reality. For any artist interested in multimedia and/or interactive art this is a MUST.

Then there was Interpretive Touch Drawing - Which appears to be intuitive reflections of the 'soul' in response to live events, poetry readings, lectures, live music. The music on the video isn't my sort of thing, but I like the process and I'm sure it can be very therapeutic. Might give it a try for some automatic drawing responses, a path I'm leaning to follow this year instead of drawing what I see with my eyes, but more the images I see with my mind in response. Try to tap into that ol' subconscious of mine to music that irritates, moves and motivates me to respond emotionally and dynamically.

Regards checking out art collaborations for the benefit of society - I found this image from the front cover of Scotland's free arts magazine Variant - the last panel discussing collaborating with a Police College particularly interests me. I've had lots of experience with primary aged children, and not so much with Secondary aged which I feel a real desire to do as it's the one part of society I know least about.

So today I did some normal paper & pencil sketching of Basil the dog as I took him for a walk in the park, a quick sketch of myself feeling a tad more determined and forward looking about this year than I felt last night. I also bought a couple of new apps for my iPad and tried one of them out via recommendations from a couple of artists who lives across the Atlantic. Thanks L and F - I'm much looking forward trying them out. As many art apps as possible. I was inspired to get Inspire Pro as it was on sale - if you're lucky and read this quick you might get it also, as well as ASKetch for super cheap. I played around with Inspire Pro and managed to start to enjoy some drawing. Not too keen on my current 'muvit' stylus from playline that I'm trying as there is too much friction. Thinking of regularly daubing it in talcum so it glides better. I'll give ASKetch a try tomorrow.

So then there's a multi-arts party in Stockholm very conveniently while I'm there for a week which sounds absolutely excellent -

'In three venues there will be experimental sound art, performance art, noise, electronica, techno, video art, art-pop, art-rock and DJs.'

Right up my street :)

Finally, for a bit of woman power to make sense in the world, seeing as how the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day is happening on the 8th of March this year, I looked up two links - the first from a fellow artist/musician Kim who shared this link (if you can knit - go for it, or even better, learn!). Then finally this empowering video of first Halla Tomasdottir, a female financial advisor from Iceland discussing the past, present and necessary future for a sustainable economy in Iceland and the global community, with an extra beautiful video afterwards about four African women with very different dire needs being given the help and support to then share it with others.

Lloyd Cole, Broken Record, Sodra Teatern, Mosebacke, Stockholm

Lloyd Cole and his 2 accomplished compadres.

Lloyd Cole - Detail

It was a brilliant concert in a perfect venue, so many classics as well as songs from the new album, great audience and the sound was excellent. Great to draw a legend. Top night.

Doubt anyone will appreciate how difficult it was to draw though! It was on an iPad, but the calibration of the pen was out by about 1.5 centimetres in quite an off kilter way. This made drawing SUPER tricky. Wonder if anyone will appreciate how sodding tricky it was. Still pleased with the result though :) A bad workman blames his tools...

Some fun on the iPad. Calvin and Hobbes-esque...

Purely to take advantage of having a 100% bonafide iPad!iPad!iPad! in my grasp, I have been using it to get to know the wonders of Sketchbook Pro and it's little foibles too. Could still learn WAY more, but as it is, I didn't make full use of all the tools since I am primarily a line based drawer. But this is what I managed in a week of having it. The drawings were based on a friend and his girlfriend who are very much bouncy, happy, mischievous, very busy and creative folk themselves. I'm sure you'll notice some added accessories and tweaking to some classic C&H images, and some scenes designed completely by myself. Rockin'. :) The scenes are all things they plan on doing together. Très romantique non?

Team Calvin and Hobbes

Just Doing Nothing

Tigerbike

Jive Dancing

Going Adventuring

Stargazing

Gardening

Toasty/Fireside

Finding some free time

Going Into Business

Ticked Off - Getting Stuff Finished.

KMR'S No Dancing - Adam Stafford, Deathpodal, RM Hubbert and PAWS

I expected the night to be great and it was. Could have been more people though - c'mon! Poster was great, venue was great, acts were great. What did people have to do last night? You're all just a bunch of dancers.

What have I been up to? Tangents...and sweary words!

Taken from 'Blitzy Boy's Night On The Town'

Ah, it's all been a bit chaotic recently. I've been working on a lot of doggy illustrations for a lovely children's book called 'Blitzy Boy's Night on the Town' written by Maria Walker Cairnie about a group of doggy pals who know the value of friendship and having a good time with your mates. Based in Glasgow, it's been very much inspired by a lot of dogs, and a few folk too, who I've happened to meet in the city. Suffice to say it describes a theoretical slice of what it might be like if dogs had places to hang out and have fun without their owners. It's been great fun and I look forward to working with Maria on the next book in the series, which all support the interactive events she has produced including the Blitzacise class for kiddies and this upcoming Saturday - Raining Cats and Dogs If you've got kids and you're into dogs, I would suspect it might be a lot of fun!

I also recently found out I will be flying out to Moscow in October to teach a week of arty stuff to a school there. The hope is to do drawings inspired by music and is for all ages from age 2 up to 13 - it's going to be some project!! Really rather excited about it. Will keep you posted on developments.

Sunday I'm flying out to Sweden and will be attending the Polar Music Prize on Monday with sketching tools in tow. Björk and Ennio Morricone will be receiving their prize from the King of Sweden himself. I think I possibly might die of excitement. They've put me really near the front while Mattias will be sitting up on a balcony somewhere! Don't know if I'll be drawing on paper or iPad yet. Will have all the materials at hand anyway, so will be decided nearer the time. Did you know Bjork is doing the soundtrack for the animated film 'The Moomins and the Comet Chase'? That is going to be two loves in one!

Speaking of comets, here is a little video of the recent comet shower as seen from the Joshua Tree National Park, sound track by Sigur Ros - gorgeous little film - see it here - http://vimeo.com/14173983

I've also been in talks with Jonsi (of Sigur Ros) and his manager and have organised to draw three of Jonsi's concerts on his UK tour. Having watched the videos on the 'Making Of', the whole show looks like it's going to blow my mind. It looks amazing. I urge you to check out his website, music, and especially the videos. It's going to be really special drawing his show - Iceland really has created some phenomenal musicians.

What else have I been up to? I guess I should put my recent (and first ever) drawings on the iPad - more to come soon.

Quickbeam - click to get a link to their myspace - lovely stuff.

And then there was the guinness fuelled soiree in the oldest pub in Glasgow - The College Bar. Rich pickings for salt of the earth character in there I tell y'! I needlessly worried that my boyfriend Mattias who's from Sweden might have difficulty enjoying or understanding the banter that was being thrown about, but he was right in there insulting them back. Guess having a healthy obsession with Rebus, Cracker, Ian Rankin and UK comedies like Monty Python and more recently those by Armando Iannucci equipped him with a certain sensitivity. Paper and pencil supplied by the lovely College barman Stuart, drawings were then left with the boys to copy and distribute amongst themselves. Warning: Expletives abound. :)

College Education from Alan, Howard, Jake and Jim.



The long suffering College bar man Stuart.