Last night, on the 10th January 2017, Barack Obama gave his Farewell Address before the Obama’s leave the White House and Donald Trump’s inauguration takes place on the 20th January. While this last year in US politics have been a sensational, petty and uncertain time, the Obama’s have continued to rise above it with grace and confidence. In his speech, Obama reflected on the last eight years and thanked those closest to him. When it came to addressing his wife, Obama said: “You took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humour. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You’ve made me proud. You’ve made the country proud.”
Michelle Obama never asked to be The First Lady, it was a title she was handed when her husband became the 44th President of the United States. Yet in her eight years in the White House, she has done more than anyone could have ever imagined (including getting me to pay more attention to US politics than I ever thought I would!) She has been a fierce advocate for equality; standing up for what she believes in, and speaking the truth where so many other hide it. Particularly, during recent months she has given some very powerful speeches, some where her words have moved me to tears and have caused twitter to erupt!
The honesty she beholds is admirable and refreshing, and when you take a second look, its not Michelle Obama the First Lady of the United States speaking. It’s simply Michelle; a loving wife and mother of two, pushing for the best possible country for her children to grow up in, and for young people worldwide. She has become relatable and fascinating to the world in many ways; from becoming a style icon, to a fixture on US TV. Her charisma comes across elegantly and naturally in interviews, while her fun side can be seen during late night TV; carpool karaoke with James Corden and dancing skits with Jimmy Fallon to say the least. This sense of humour shows her down to earth side and creates an appearance that is real and identifiable. She has become ‘cool’, whatever that means, and people want to be like her. Be that through their fashion choices or deciding to get involved in something they believe in, more people aspiring to be like Michelle Obama cannot be a bad thing.
Michelle Obama has dedicated herself to may causes, raising their public profiles in a subtle yet visible way, all to encourage making a difference. Her ‘Let’s Move’ initiative which began in 2010 encouraged families to be more active and start eating healthily in her attempt to combat child obesity. She’s supported military families through her initiative ‘Joining Forces’ which she created with Jill Biden in order to help veterans. Most recently her ‘Let Girls Learn’ programme has pushed to change the perception of the value of girls in developing countries, striving to achieve a better education for them. With an Ivy League education herself, she has constantly pushed the need for education, especially for girls, and is an example that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to.
Looking back over the last eight years Michelle has earned herself an immense amount of popularity and respect, with people already calling for #Michelle2020! But it isn’t just her dedication to so many causes that makes her such an amazing role model for young people. It’s the passion that she puts into everything she does, the commitment and dedication she has shown to all of her initiative, her compassion in the face of disasters and her ability to raise two daughters amongst the craziness of the White House. She has constantly encouraged people to be the best versions of themselves, whether through aspiring to higher education, or by taking more care of yourself. Just like millions of others, she has inspired me to be better; to work harder, to appreciate more and to set my sights higher, because there is nothing stopping me or anyone else for that matter.
The list of reasons why Michelle Obama is an inspiration is endless, and I could go on all day writing about how much she has achieved, but I won’t because she isn’t done yet. The world is lucky to have her as a role model, for young girls to aspire to. Whilst soon she will no longer be the First Lady, the impact that Michelle Obama has had on the world and will continue to have is not one to be underestimated.
In an attempt to encourage talking about Mental Health, creativity is being used as it always has done, as an outlook to express feelings, coming from those who are directly suffering from Mental Health Issues. With so many different techniques available: painting, drawing and writing, we are not short of ways of doing it. Whether being creative intends to raise awareness or is merely just used as an express of relief, it’s important to realise how much creativity is playing a part in making those who may sometimes feel so at lost with themselves, more in control.
I came across Ruby Elliot on World Mental Health Day in an interview with Rethink Mental Health. Elliot is an example where drawing has helped her express how she is feeling and has made for an easier way of demonstrating to people how she was struggling instead of verbally coming out with it. These days we struggle enough to verbally socialise due to technology, but now more than ever we need to be verbal, however, sometimes this isn’t possible due to feeling uncomfortable, so instead we can use alternative ways as Ruby Elliot shows: ” It can be hard enough trying to understand and convince yourself that what you’re going through is real and valid, let alone tell someone else.” Elliot focuses on drawing cartoons as her way of portraying her feelings, although they can be seen as funny, there’s a darker meaning hidden behind the laughter.
You can now get Elliot’s comic book It’s All Absolutely Fine: Life is complicated, so I’ve drawn it instead on Amazon.
In a different outlook, Panteha Abareshi started creating illustrations when her Mental Health took a decline to look at the complexity of issues in society that can trigger depression and anxiety, rather than inherently her own feelings of Mental Health. Yet again it’s used as a form of expression that helps to translate her nightmares of being a young woman into visual realities for those on the outside. Her work may be dark but it doesn’t conceal anything, the illustrations speak for themselves meaning Abareshi doesn’t have to.
“Hurt me badly” (How do you explain craving physical pain to snuff out the chaos that comes with mental illness?)
mental illness colour swatches
Click on the image to enlarge them.
As artist’s Abareshi and Elliot are pushing the boundaries of not talking about mental health by my making it physically impossible not to see it right in front of you. For some of us it’s easy to shrug off words and change topic when you don’t fully understand what is being expressed, but with drawing and painting you can look at it ten times over just to make sure you understood. Those who talk openly about their mental illnesses should never be confined to fearing that people think they are wanting unneeded attention, instead they should be hailed for their bravery in creating pieces that help others who are less likely to express how they are feeling, as well as helping themselves get through their issues.
London has recently opened an Art Gallery of paintings done only by Mental Health patients, although the concept and idea breaks a lot of rules and can be frowned upon by others who don’t understand its objective, it ultimately aims to exclude being ashamed of mental illness. Talking to DAZED, Ben Wakeling an Art-Therapist and one of the creators of the Outsider Gallery comments on the creative process of the pieces that can be seen in the Gallery: “They’re not calculated like other art movements, they didn’t understand what they were doing and you can’t (say), “I really want to put the work into an exhibition” because they’ll just be talking at you about King Charles and being his best friend. They’re in their own story and it’s constant. And some of those outcomes, whether it’s music or art-related, visual marks, are so beautiful and I really wanted to start framing the work, hanging it up and telling my mates. The more I got involved in the arts, the more distant I became from art movements. I didn’t realise at the time but there isn’t a mental health gallery in London or a dedicated space for mental health.” take a look at the whole interview on DAZED to see their exclusive view of mental health therapy.
Outsider Gallery
In addition, a mental health magazine named ANXY, hopes to be released in 2017 with the aim of promoting personal narratives through the use of illustrations and photography. “The biggest takeaway that we want readers to have is this sense of connection,” Rojas said, ANXY’s founder and creator, talking to Huffington Post: “This can be a shared experience, but the main challenge is that people rarely talk about it. The magazine will hopefully give those with mental health issues a greater feeling of community.” The magazine will give a different way of reading about Mental Health in comparison to scientific magazines, who may discuss the subject, but using a creative magazine will hopefully make the subject more readable and visual for the readers, therefore, more understandable.
The importance of all these outlets is that they encourage others to seek the help if they need it, through showing that mental health is everywhere, and it affects everyone in one way or another, be that directly or indirectly. As well, even more importantly they create platforms in which people who don’t quite understand Mental Health can learn and better educate themselves to become more comfortable in talking about it.
For me, being a make-up artist and beauty therapist requires constant researching for new and up-coming trends/looks. It means trying out different products and seeing what works best for both you and your client. Now and again make-up tutorials are a great source of inspiration, along with good-old faithful Pinterest, however, Instagram has to be my major influence as it’s easy to follow plenty of beauty bloggers/vloggers for tips. Here are some of my favourites:
1.Zoella
26-year-old Zoe started out with just a small gathering of supporters on her blog posts back in 2009, by now she over 9.8m followers on Instagram, over 11m subscribers on her Youtube channel and her own website. She writes about all things beauty, fashion and life related and has a ‘real’ approach to her opinions and tips which makes her blog very down-to-earth and relatable.
2. Pixiwoo
These two sisters are the ultimate duo when it comes to the best and latest makeup looks and tips. They have years of experience in the beauty industry and have become worldwide sensations with their very own Youtube channel, make-up brushes brand, and Real Techniques.
3. Keilidhmua
Keilidh Cashell is one of my favourites to follow on Instagram. Her bold eye makeup looks are an inspiration for make-up lovers everywhere. She started off as a self-taught make-up enthusiast and has since graduated from the LA College of Creative Arts and is currently working and collaborating with Inglot Ireland.
4. Lisa Eldridge
Having worked with top celebrities and makeup brands, Lisa is always in the know about the latest and best products to use. Her make-up tutorial videos on Youtube shows you how to create looks from a heavy smoky eye to a flawless fresh face.
As an American, I have experienced a plethora of emotions since Election Day. As a Democrat, I have felt disappointed. As a woman and a feminist, I have felt disrespected. As a believer in equal rights for LGBTQA individuals, I have felt disheartened. As an advocate for racial equality, I have felt insulted. As a descendent of immigrants, like most Americans, I have felt anger. As a passionate environmentalist, I have undeniably felt distraught. As a future healthcare professional, who believes that healthcare is not a privilege, I have felt severe anxiety.
After all of those negative emotions I now feel a sense of purpose—a sense that now more than ever I will need to keep being an advocate for equal rights, I will need to keep being an advocate for the environment. All of this, for the next four years in particular.
Last weekend, my boss and I canvassed for Hillary in a conservative part of town. We only knocked on the doors of registered Democrats, but we still encountered hatred from a Trump supporter that I will never forget. I was walking down the street with my clipboard in hand, and a Hillary sticker on my shirt when a red pickup truck pulled up next to me. The man shouted through his window “We are for Trump in this neighbourhood”. I kept walking and didn’t make eye contact as I did not want to encourage his antagonising – a skill I have learned as a result of being a female in a misogynistic culture. He then drove towards my boss, an African American woman, and proceeded to be much harsher in addressing her, threatening to call the police on us and yelling at her to “get out.” I would like to believe that a lot of Trump supporters would not act in this way, but we cannot deny that his rhetoric has made this behavior seem more acceptable. I am certain that, although I wasn’t treated kindly, I was treated better because of my skin color, and I hope that this incident is not indicative of the culture during a Trump presidency.
This election was a wakeup call. It has highlighted the sharp divide within our country that has the potential to separate us completely if we are not careful. I am ashamed that my own party’s leadership sabotaged Bernie Sanders, a candidate loved by the masses and instead nominated a candidate that is seen as untrustworthy by people of all political affiliations. However, it is not productive to place blame. Instead, we must learn from our mistakes and improve our political system so that the majority of Americans never feel as underrepresented as they do right now. We need to have more comprehensive involvement in our elections, especially local and midterm elections, as that is where change, if any, can occur.
Lastly, we need to have more open discussions between individuals, preferably not in a Facebook comments section. I am so tired of high tension arguments between those with opposing viewpoints, as this does not represent a productive method of political discourse.
It is normal for the “losing” party to require time to mourn its election loss, so now is the time to heal and regroup. Nevertheless, it is imperative for all Americans to remain cognisant of what is happening, both in the world and in our own nation in the upcoming years. Now, more than ever, we must expose and fight injustice on microscopic and macroscopic levels. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Looking forward, we need to continue being industrious, optimistic, and resilient. Americans, at the end of the day, are united in our love of freedom, even though that term’s meaning varies amongst us. That is the beauty of America—we are a wondrous compilation of cultures, religions, languages, ethnicities, beliefs, etc. In the next four years let us cherish our differences and empower each other. We are stronger than we think.
– Emma Griffith
P.S. Climate change is real.
“We will never have a perfect world, but it’s not romantic or naive to work toward a better one.” – Quote on a Chipotle bag
Here’s a few top tips we learnt at last nights Q&A session with Industry leaders at the Creative Futures Event hosted at Exeter College:
1. Work Experience
The most common question from young adults, but what does it mean? Do you have to have work experience in order to get a job? In short, in the creative industry experience is invaluable. You’re working in an industry that is constantly changing, constantly developing and looking for something fresh. Creativity stems from your surroundings, by being around those who do it daily work experience can only help you to grow creatively. It helps for both developing new skills, and networking. Work experience, shadowing, internships – do what you think will benefit you.
2. Finding Inspiration
If the opportunities to volunteer aren’t there, get creative yourself and team up with people around you that inspire you. The Young Collective has been made possible simply due the enthusiasm of a group of people who want to get creative. Want to play music? Gather a few friends, practise playing and going through the creative process, this doesn’t have to be your ultimate goal, but instead gives you a chance to collaborate with like-minded people. You can learn a lot from those around you.
3. University vs Apprenticeships?
It’s an ongoing debate, but the panel agreed they both have benefits. You have to do what works for you, are your friends going to University, but you don’t feel it’s right for you? Hey that’s ok! Seek the experiences that build your portfolio and showcase you in your best light. If you’re progressively learning to be the best you can be, then it’s your choice to choose which route you go down.
4. No Template for the Perfect CV
No consensus from the panel on the perfect CV. This goes to show there is no perfect CV, instead tailor your CV to the job. Your CV has to be relevant to the job you’re applying for, and illustrates the skills you have required for the job. This could mean you have two completely different CV’s for two different jobs…perfect! Take your time in knowing what they’re asking for, the important thing to remember is that the employer wants a taste of who you are and what you can bring to the company, if that summer cleaning job isn’t relevant don’t put it!
I spoke to American-born Artist Julia S. Powell to ask about her stunning oil collections; including her most-bid on piece at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston Summer Auction of 2016. The inspiration behind her nature-based paintings (that with their bold, eye-catching colours change the perspective in which you see the seasons) and how some of her pieces featured on TV’s The Mindy Project.
I’m the first to admit that when I scroll through a new Instagram page, I very much become intensely captivated by the new theme or vibe the creator is going for. I was nonetheless mesmerised by all the colours and textures creeping up on me when I came across Julia Powell. When I saw videos of layers being placed upon layers of paint I was instantly fascinated. Therefore, when I first spoke to Powell I was eager to know how her visuals became so alive: “I like to look at a lot of landscape photographs, trudge about outside looking at nature, and look at paintings that inspire me. I get images in my head and then, when I’m back in the studio, I want to capture those images, but in hyper-colour.” She goes on to illustrate how that textured effect that’s so captivating doesn’t come without its problems in the creation process: “Most of my oil paintings have between four and seven layers of paint so I’m often painting about five paintings at the same time while I wait for some to dry”
Insolent Cow – Watercolour
The majority of Powell’s paintings are done with oil, but every now and again you’ll catch sight of a soft pastel or watercolour: “I prefer oil but it’s messy and hard to clean up as it just gets everywhere! After a while I need to change to something simpler and easier (and something that doesn’t make my eyes hurt!).” Although the practicalities of the medium has its downfalls she expresses “But there is nothing – nothing – like the richness of oil colour, and colour is an important component of my work.” In addition to claiming oils as her favourite she notes that using watercolour gives her a sense of nostalgia towards her early days as an enthusiastic artist: “I grew up using watercolour (that’s the medium I used to teach myself how to paint), so not only is it more relaxing with less clean-up, it also reminds me of when I was a kid experimenting.”
This self-teaching comes as no surprise as Powell confirms art was more of a hobby through her time at University in which she now holds degrees from both Stanford and Yale. Although, she admits to being a serious student she also adds “my notebooks were covered with drawings and I would secretly watercolour from time to time.” Following on, I asked her if art was ever the end objective, and how she feels now that being an Artist is a full time occupation: “Honestly, the harder I worked at it, the better I got, and the more intensely I cared. I still work very, very hard, every single day trying to get better and more creative. This is what makes it such an intense and valuable profession but also, at times, incredibly exhausting. I still practice law twenty hours a week because I enjoy it, but I financially support myself from my art, not my law. My art career is much more financially rewarding than my law career at this point.” I was quite taken back when Powell went on to state: “I actually find law relaxing, as opposed to the ups and downs of art. I also have an amazing and supportive law boss, so I think I’ll practice with him until he retires.” She points out how the balance between her creative and academic sides help her along the way: “I think practising law makes me a better artist and painting makes me a better lawyer. My brain is active and easily diverted so it’s good to force it to switch gears every other day.”
When you scroll through Powell’s website each series has its own individual feel to it, through the colours and tones of the different paintings, each is as fantastic as the next, but when you come across her Birch Series there’s one in particular that captures your eye more than the others. Birch Series 6 was the highest-selling and most-bid on piece at the MFA Summer Auction this year! Flicking through, this particular piece along with 4 & 7 of the same series were personal favourites of mine. I was intrigued to find out what Powell thought made this particular piece such a unique one: “People were just especially drawn to the warm sunset paired with the cool birches.” Whilst the collection provides different perspectives of the same landscape I wanted to find out if she knew it was going to be a showstopper: “The short answer is no. I did a series of ten paintings for my 2016 Winter Birch Series and that was just the 6th. I loved it, but I also loved two others just as much.” Jokingly she adds, “If I knew which paintings would be showstoppers, I’d only try to create those ones”
Julia with her Birch Series 6
Her Ironbound collection is creatively very similar: “Ironbound – like my Birch Series – is based on something in nature that I adore – that place where the land (in this case rock) meets the water. Birch trees and water reflections are probably my two favourite things to paint and when I get focused on something I get really intensely focused…so it’s not surprising to me that I’d get obsessed with certain topics.” Her obsession and enthusiasm with both series clearly comes across as she says she aims to do a Series of both each year to see how they change…“We’ll see if I stick to this!” This fascination with the surrounding nature of her hometown Cambridge Massachusetts is evidently a huge influence on her work. Despite having painted them all, I seemed to stump Powell when I asked which was her favourite season “This is too hard to answer! I have no idea.” I guess if she did have a favourite we wouldn’t see all the beautiful contrasting collections we see today. Yet, adding on she goes: “But I’ll say this: I’m always ready for the next season. I’m full on in fall mode now, but in a month I’ll be ready for winter. And by March I’ll be itching to get to spring.”
Ironbound 1
Ironbound 9
If you’re a fan of FOX’s The Mindy Project you may have noticed the vibrant pieces of art that hang on the wall, which are actually originals of Powell. “Mindy and I went to high school together and she’s a good friend.” In a simple short story, Powell explains the collaboration happened when Mindy [Kaling] came round to her house one day: “She just loved my work at this point I hadn’t told her I had started taking painting seriously, and she had started collecting for the show and for her own personal collection.” Kaling having created the awarding-winning FOX series, obviously shares a creative side of her own: “She’s wonderful to talk to about trying to find creative success in a male saturated profession. Just like writing/directing, painting is dominated by men at the elite levels. We both aim to change this!”
Two Boats -Featured on The Mindy Project
In association in their aim to change the male dominated world of creative profession, Powell partnered up with Agora, founded and run by her brother, Ben Powell. She donates part of her profit to the Agora Campaign Accelerate Women Now which uses digital media to highlight the voices of women entrepreneurs who have faced gender bias on their road to success. She believes “the biggest way that developing countries can continue their growth is to empower women in those countries.” She explains her charitable giving is: “always drawn to two main types: one that helps various causes related to the environment and one that helps various causes related to women. I donate paintings to auctions for nature/environment-related organizations and I give money to various organizations that help women – both in the US and internationally.” When speaking to Powell it’s obvious that her work is a representation of the professionalism in Women in which she aims to promote: although her art may deem challenging at times, she focuses constantly at improving, and aspires everyday at being even better than she was the day before. As a result she produces the most stunning visuals that if you haven’t already checked out you should go and do so now!
Airbnb is the perfect option for Florence. Staying in an Airbnb allows for an authentic Florence experience, creating the feel of living like a local. The city is perfectly compact meaning you don’t have to being staying in a hotel or hostel in a central location, you can get very reasonably priced places to stay all just a short walk to the city centre. The apartment I stayed in with two friends was newly furnished, equipped with a sofa bed, a double bed, and I was particularly impressed by the well equipped kitchen. This allowed for cooked breakfasts, and evening meals to save money.
Where to Eat
Panini Toscani – Hands down the best sandwich shop in the world! This isn’t just a sandwich shop, this is a sandwich experience. Every panini will contain ham and cheese, but while this may seem simple, there is nothing simple about it. Upon entry to the shop you will be greeted by an old man who runs the shop. He will invite a small group over to a chopping board at the end of the counter. With the most soft spoken Italian accent he will take you through the cheese and ham selection they have, giving everyone a small taste and explaining the origins of production. You then select your ham and cheese choices, and are then invited to choose your additional fillings. All of this for less than five euros, there really is no better way to have lunch in Florence.
Gelateria La Carraia – Everybody thinks they like ice cream, but you don’t truly know ice cream until you’ve been to an authentic Italian gelateria. Sitting on the river bank La Carraia lays claim to being the first ice cream shop in the world, their Ice cream is made in store, giving it the rich creaminess you come to expect of italian ice cream. As you wait in the inevitable queue trying to decide from the long list of flavours proves a challenge and this decision will change a number of times before you get served. If still undecided they are happy to give you a little taster. This is a great spot as you can enjoy your ice cream sat in the sun overlooking the river.
Il Mercato Centrale Firenze – The options available at Il Mercato Centrale are endless, with such a wide range of culinary delights there is something here for everyone. The surrounding streets are swamped with small market stalls selling clothing and other small items. Inside you’ll find all the food. It’s extremely modern, with outlets lining the perimeter of the building, then loads of chairs and tables and a big bar in the centre. I went for one of the woodfire pizzas. You can see one chef rolling dough, one putting on all the toppings and another rotating them in the oven, as fresh as pizza can get!
What to See
Explore the Art Galleries – Florence has a rich history of art and this tradition has been maintained to this day. There are enormous greek statues located around the city, and Michelangelo’s David is a must see. Just around the corner is the Uffizi Gallery which houses some of the best art in the world. Make sure to either prebook your tickets or get there early, or risk being stuck in a long queue (two hours at the least). Finally check out the Palazzo Strozzi, a smaller gallery hosting different exhibitions through the year. When I visited there was a Kandinisky to Pollock exhibition. The current exhibition is on Ai Weiwei.
Religious Landmarks – Grab a ticket to see all the key religious landmarks in central Florence. For just €15 you have access to the Cathedral, Dome, Bell Tower, Crypt and the Museum over a 48 hour period, so you can either do them all in one day, or spread them over a couple of days. The architecture of these buildings is like none other. The scale and design of the buildings will leave you in awe. Make sure you’ve had a big breakfast to give you the energy to climb the steps of the Dome and the Bell Tower. The effort is worth it as you’re rewarded with wonderful panoramic views over the city. The crypts and the museum are a great way to learn more about the history of Florence.
Explore Florence at Night – One of the best ways to see Florence is at night. On a warm summers night the vibe of the city is so chilled and the mad rush of tourists has died down which makes for a much more enjoyable time. Start by heading up to the Piazzalle Michelangelo. It’s slightly outside of the city centre and quite a long walk up. You get a perfect view over the city, the best way to see the sun set in Florence. Then head back down into Florence to cross the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. The bridge is hundreds of years old, and lined with shops. At night it’s nice and quiet, a great place to relax with friends. Head down through the city centre to find some nighttime food and drink. We spent our night dancing in the square whilst listening to a jazz band, the nighttime makes for a truly remarkable experience.
Along typically narrow, winding Somerset lanes, the entrance way can be found to the National Trust owned Dovecote in Bruton. A secluded petite hill holding aloft a structure akin to an architectural sculpture. Despite uncertainty about when the Dovecote was constructed (with the general consensus being between the 15th and 17th centuries) the tower could be mistaken for a modern art work with its lack of roof and aesthetic geometry; more suitable perhaps for the nearby Hauser and Wirth art gallery. It was this unique beauty that struck me on first viewing it. An abandoned, ruined tower that somehow seemed to be inviting. The sunshine lit up the limestone to a cool ochre and the brilliantly white clouds glided around it, reminiscent of the doves’ feathers that once would have floated inside the structure itself.
Originally a watch tower, the imposition of doves and pigeons didn’t occur until around 1780. The interior still contains 200 pigeon holes, with six tiers of nest boxes, however, there could have once been four times as many holes as this. The Dovecote was situated within the deer park of Bruton Abbey, where the monks adapted the building from its origin of a gabled Tudor tower. After the dissolution of the monasteries, beginning in the late 1530’s, the estate including the Dovecote came into possession of the Berkley family. The National Trust acquired the Dovecote in 1915, from Sir Henry Hugh Arthur Hoare of the Hoare Baronets. The Hoare family’s seat is the beautiful Stourhead estate in Wiltshire. In 1961, the tower was listed as a Grade II building. Throughout its history, the Dovecote has witnessed seismic change from being a refuge for the monks of Bruton Abbey to the practical use of farming doves and pigeons for produce. This change from refuge to practicality is now changing once more as the Dovecote begins to represent a new perspective in which to see the Somerset landscape. This is most striking on driving into Bruton, where the tower can be seen high on the green horizon, appearing like an other-worldly portal, mysterious enough to rival Glastonbury Tor.
As I walked up the buttercup stained hill, to admire the Dovecote and the kaleidoscope of fields around Bruton, I experienced this historic site as a centre to the tides of human change around it. The history, the construction of the building, and the surrounding landscape harmonies’ perfectly to create a special corner of Somerset. It is no surprise that Bruton is a hive for artistic activity: this environment is endlessly inspiring. Being a painter I found inspiration from the form of the Dovecote and its roots within the landscape. This relationship between the history of the Dovecote and the natural landscape inspired me to create this painting (below). My use of abstract, colourful forms distorts the monument and the landscape, but in so doing heightens the intensity of perception I experienced on visiting the site. At first the Dovecote seems to be a simple structure with a straightforward purpose, yet its complex history, combined with its understated beauty, creates a scene of pure spectacle worth visiting on many a day.
I spoke to 23-year-old Tom Hawkes, who’s determination at pursuing a dream career in music has allowed him to work alongside Mallory Knox, Neck Deep and at some of the UK’s biggest music festivals such as Download, Slam Dunk and Reading and Leeds. Amongst being a guitar technician, tour manager and driver for his company RoadHawk Touring, we talked about Tom’s dreams of his recent band Led by Lanterns becoming a success and what motivates him to carry on doing what he loves day in day out.
Everybody’s wanted to be in a band at some point in their lives, to be the leading frontman and steal the show, and since I’ve known Tom – from the days he tried to teach me guitar in secondary school – he’s always been an enthusiastic music fan. He explains: “I’ve been singing since the age of 5 in the Welsh Eisteddfods and I was always very involved in school productions, but it wasn’t until I started playing guitar at 11 that all I wanted to do was music. At 16 I had a stage where I debated joining the military following in family footsteps, but decided against it. And I’m glad I did.” He’s been touring since and adds: “University was on the cards but this was the turning point where I felt I couldn’t not pursue it, and I don’t regret a thing.”
Having taken on so many different jobs inside the music industry I asked Tom what his main focus is right now, and admittedly I didn’t expect any other answer: “My dream will always be to play on stage, hopefully that will never change. The band is definitely my main focus. Eventually one will have to over-take the other and in all honesty I hope it’s the band that does the over-taking.” Although he remains determined on making the band work he understands the reality of wanting to pursue such a difficult dream: “The only problem is, the band doesn’t pay the bills, yet, touring does! I’m still trying to find the right balance between the two.” Admittedly, Tom points out that he refused to get a crappy 9-5 job and goes on to say: “One of the other main reasons I got into tour managing, teching, and driving was to gain experience on the business side of music, ultimately I believe I’m a lot more clued up than I was when I was just playing a band. If the situation arose in a few years that the band wasn’t going anywhere, with the touring business I’d at least have something stable that I enjoyed to come back to and carry on with.”
No matter what you do in life there’s always going to be challenges you’re going to have to face, but Tom has no regrets at the path he’s chosen to taken: “I haven’t really questioned it, that’s not to say there hasn’t been obstacles. Age I think can sometimes be the biggest obstacle for young people in the music industry, older people tend not to take them as seriously. I like to try and make an impression that would make the person think ‘You know what? It really doesn’t matter how old you are.’ It’s definitely more about your personality and your work ethic in this industry.” Even with six years of experience, there’s still so much for him to look forward to: “It’s a cool feeling when people are shocked at how young you are because you’re doing well at something you love, it’s a subtle hint that you’re doing something right.” As all rock’n’roll stories go when it comes to relationships Tom falls straight into the category of unsuccessful ones “I’ve always struggled with it because every time the music comes first, although, I don’t regret it, I’m still young and I’m building something that I’m proud of.”
Coming from a small town in Mid-Wales and anybody who’s also come from there can agree there’s a little chance of striving in a career of music, but sometimes it can be hard to just up and leave. Now living in Birmingham Tom claims it couldn’t have worked out better: “I always knew I was going to move someday, I just didn’t know when that time would come. I started doing the tour driving when I was still back in Wales, it was ok but it was just awkward to get anywhere and it sometimes put people off with me having to drive all those extra miles to pick them up.” Although Tom and fellow band member Chris were the first to make the big move, their drummer Shaun soon joined and now the whole band resides under one roof: “The mix of people we have in this band is great, a lot of bands wouldn’t be able to stand living together but it’s been good for us so far, and in all honesty I don’t think the songs we’re writing would be anywhere near as good if we couldn’t stay up until 6am writing them then stumble to bed 2 doors down the corridor. Another benefit is its made me love my hometown more – I really look forward to visiting home, whereas before I couldn’t wait to leave. ”
With friends, family and a positive circle of people, Tom emphasises he’s been lucky enough to be surrounded by those that push him to keep going. Unfortunately there’s always going to be a few who will always question what you’re doing but he illustrates those are those back in the small town of Tywyn “It’s those that spend all their wages in the pub and will probably never leave the place, I definitely don’t lose sleep over that.”
An expansion along side RoadHawk Touring is Tom’s group ‘Band pads’ which now has over 2,000 members across the country and is becoming well known as ‘The College’ across the world. “The whole putting bands up is great, and as stupid as it may sound I’m really passionate about it.” This now well-connected community happened as result of past experience: “I was looking for tour accommodation one day last year and I just realised there was no where people could help each other out with places to stay whilst on smaller budget tours. Staying in hotels every night just isn’t an option when you’re getting paid pennies for a show. People have been letting us crash on their floors for years, so for us to now be able to do it on a whole other level is insane!”
Unfortunately, its the harsh reality that if a band isn’t successful they have to take on day jobs alongside practising: “We’re all different ages and we all have jobs outside the band, but we’re in the process of turning our hobbies and passions into careers. Between us we have a good little touring crew; we have a tour manager/guitar tech/driver, a videographer a sound engineer. When I can, I try and help get them out on the road with me or with other people because as mentioned earlier being on the road makes you more business minded and at the end of the day you have to treat being in a band like a business because that’s the reality of it.” I asked whether he thinks this can sometimes dishearten people who are trying or have been trying for years to get somewhere “Yeah, definitely, there’s been times in the past before I started the touring job where I’ve thought about sacking it all in.” Positively he then says “but those feelings are only temporary and if you’re made for it you’ll always come out the other side with a new idea or a new way to get over it. People need to stop wasting time asking “Why?” they haven’t made it yet and think “How?” are they going to go about it this time?”
Although Tom’s learnt a lot as the years have gone by and he’s by no means an expert in the industry he does have some advice for those who are passionate about what they’re doing: “just take a risk and do what you have to do before it’s too late. Life is far too short to sit around worrying when you could be out there doing what you love.” Talking specifically about the band side of things he mentions how important patience is: “so many people are caught up in getting all the fancy merchandise and going on loads of ‘tours.’ Ultimately, it boils down to how good the songs are, make sure the music is what you want it to be before even considering showing it to the world. Knowing your surroundings is always a great advantage. I’d say I’m definitely a lot more hesitant to taking up show and tour offers now then I was when I was 18.”
Carrying on from this, I subtly asked what was next for him and Led by Lanterns “We’re releasing a new single in the next few weeks which is part of a really inspiring campaign which is aimed at fighting knife crime, I don’t want to give too much away yet but hopefully you’ll be seeing and hearing it about.” Referring to the subject of touring he states the band are happy how they are in this moment in time and are in no rush to get out there : “I don’t really see a point until we’re offered the right tour that will benefit us. We toured so much in the old band, we had an amazing time, but we lost so much money in the long run and no one is in the position to do that anymore. Every band goes through it at some point, you’re naïve when you first start out, you can’t just skip the local band stage. All in all, I think we’re being more cautious and clever this time around. We have this conversation about the balance between the love of the music and the money a lot in our band.” He quickly responds to being offered rammed shows for pennies by saying “Of course I would, the most important thing to us is gaining fans and you’re not going to do that by not playing your music to people, whether it be online or live. It’s all about finding the right balance I guess, you have to put the graft in, but also need to be smart about not getting messed about.” With the passion and determination these guys have I have no doubt their future is looking like a bright one.
Check out Led by Lantern’s video for their first single ‘Recovery’
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