Amelia’s Magazine | EAT course 2011: Earth Activism Training at Landmatters in Devon, UK

E.A.T.course-July-2009-0598
EAT participants 2009 at Landmatters in Devon. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Way back in the misty days of summer 2009 I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate on the EAT course, tadalafil which stands for Earth Activist Training: planting the seeds of change.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

Designed to combine spiritual, earth based philosophies with the more fervant strand of environmental activism, the EAT course is held several times a year in America. It doesn’t come to the UK that often – so this is the first year it comes back since 2009, and it will once again be hosted by Landmatters, a super inspiring low impact Permaculture co-operative in Devon. The course is always co-hosted by the amazing Starhawk, or Star to friends, a well known and highly revered activist and white witch.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Starhawk
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Starhawk
Starhawk gets stuck in.

It’s A permaculture design certificate course, grounded in earth based spirituality, and with a focus on organising and activism. What this means that it is a jam packed two weeks of intense training – learning all the ins and outs of Permaculture through hands on experiential learning. On my course we were trained by the head of the Permaculture Association, Andy Goldring, who will once again be co-running EAT this year. He was an extremely joyful and bouncy tutor who managed extremely well when faced with awkward questions about meat farming (from staunch vegans) and I learnt a huge amount of truly fascinating stuff about the way in which we can best live with the earth.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Andy Goldring
Andy Goldring teaching on EAT.

Permaculture provides an incredibly solid basis for any ongoing work, be it gardening, art activism, general life organisation, social planning or community-wide projects. For instance an EAT course inspired artist and activist John Jordan to set up the Laboratory of Insurrectory Imagination, or LABOBFII, as an arts organisation based on the principles of permaculture. The beautiful and radical Landmatters was set up by six people who met on EAT and were inspired to live the change they wanted to see in the world. The first Climate Camps were planned on Permaculture principles to ensure that tents, facilities and neighbourhoods were placed in the most harmonious way possible.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Lessons take place inside a spacious yurt.

Activism is a key component of the course, and during my time at Landmatters I met many other people who were working on Climate Camp alongside those who work with No Borders, queer rights and urban land projects… to name just a few. It was inspiring to listen to people’s tales whilst enjoying the amazing vegan food at every meal time, sometimes so different and yet so very similar.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

Many activists don’t really spend any time considering the spiritual side of their engagement with the planet – and even though the opportunity to learn from Starhawk was one of my top reasons for wanting to go on the EAT course, there were some on my EAT course who were very resistant to her rituals and chants. But needless to say by the end of two close weeks together everyone felt differently, with even the hardest of activists softened around the edges, and all of us more grounded and connected to the reasons we feel the urge to engage in our individual choices of activism.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Rooh Star of Landmatters was one of our guest teachers.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Some of the amazing dwellings at Landmatters.

Taking cue from Jon Young‘s teachings we also spent time alone at our sit spots each day, developing our nature awareness. I chose a spot that overlooked the wonderful woods that surround Landmatters, and every day looked forward to reconnecting with the shifting patterns. A time to relish in the fast wash of my life.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

The EAT course was undeniably hard work, but so incredibly fabulously worth it. You can read some inspiring testimonials here.

If you fancy applying for the next course, due to take place between August 20th and September 4th 2011, then you don’t have long left to apply RIGHT HERE – only until the end of April. You will need to define your particular activism and talk passionately about your plans to spread the ideas that you will learn. This really is a chance in a lifetime and I urge you to take it!

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

The full cost of the course is expensive, but EAT does its best to offer many partial or whole scholarships, depending on need – which in these cash strapped times is greatly to be admired. To ease funding problems this year’s course will be partly crowd-funded so if you can’t go yourself but you understand the importance of the work the EAT course does then please do donate at IndieGoGo. The hard working volunteer organisers need all the help they can get to ensure that those who are underfunded are still able to attend this year. People like me!

Permaculture, Magic, Social Change – nothing could be better, as EAT demonstrates.

Categories ,2011, ,activism, ,Activists, ,Andy Goldring, ,Climate Camp, ,Co-operative, ,community, ,Crowd Funding, ,Devon, ,E.A.T., ,EAT, ,EAT course, ,Indiegogo, ,John Jordan, ,Jon Young, ,LABOBFII, ,Laboratory of Insurrectory Imagination, ,Landmatters, ,Nature Awareness, ,No Borders, ,Pagan, ,permaculture, ,Permaculture Association, ,Queer Rights, ,Rituals, ,Rooh Star, ,Sit Spot, ,Star, ,Starhawk, ,White Witch, ,Witch

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Amelia’s Magazine | EAT course 2011: Earth Activism Training at Landmatters in Devon, UK

E.A.T.course-July-2009-0598
EAT participants 2009 at Landmatters in Devon. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Way back in the misty days of summer 2009 I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate on the EAT course, tadalafil which stands for Earth Activist Training: planting the seeds of change.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

Designed to combine spiritual, earth based philosophies with the more fervant strand of environmental activism, the EAT course is held several times a year in America. It doesn’t come to the UK that often – so this is the first year it comes back since 2009, and it will once again be hosted by Landmatters, a super inspiring low impact Permaculture co-operative in Devon. The course is always co-hosted by the amazing Starhawk, or Star to friends, a well known and highly revered activist and white witch.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Starhawk
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Starhawk
Starhawk gets stuck in.

It’s A permaculture design certificate course, grounded in earth based spirituality, and with a focus on organising and activism. What this means that it is a jam packed two weeks of intense training – learning all the ins and outs of Permaculture through hands on experiential learning. On my course we were trained by the head of the Permaculture Association, Andy Goldring, who will once again be co-running EAT this year. He was an extremely joyful and bouncy tutor who managed extremely well when faced with awkward questions about meat farming (from staunch vegans) and I learnt a huge amount of truly fascinating stuff about the way in which we can best live with the earth.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Andy Goldring
Andy Goldring teaching on EAT.

Permaculture provides an incredibly solid basis for any ongoing work, be it gardening, art activism, general life organisation, social planning or community-wide projects. For instance an EAT course inspired artist and activist John Jordan to set up the Laboratory of Insurrectory Imagination, or LABOBFII, as an arts organisation based on the principles of permaculture. The beautiful and radical Landmatters was set up by six people who met on EAT and were inspired to live the change they wanted to see in the world. The first Climate Camps were planned on Permaculture principles to ensure that tents, facilities and neighbourhoods were placed in the most harmonious way possible.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Lessons take place inside a spacious yurt.

Activism is a key component of the course, and during my time at Landmatters I met many other people who were working on Climate Camp alongside those who work with No Borders, queer rights and urban land projects… to name just a few. It was inspiring to listen to people’s tales whilst enjoying the amazing vegan food at every meal time, sometimes so different and yet so very similar.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

Many activists don’t really spend any time considering the spiritual side of their engagement with the planet – and even though the opportunity to learn from Starhawk was one of my top reasons for wanting to go on the EAT course, there were some on my EAT course who were very resistant to her rituals and chants. But needless to say by the end of two close weeks together everyone felt differently, with even the hardest of activists softened around the edges, and all of us more grounded and connected to the reasons we feel the urge to engage in our individual choices of activism.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Rooh Star of Landmatters was one of our guest teachers.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Some of the amazing dwellings at Landmatters.

Taking cue from Jon Young‘s teachings we also spent time alone at our sit spots each day, developing our nature awareness. I chose a spot that overlooked the wonderful woods that surround Landmatters, and every day looked forward to reconnecting with the shifting patterns. A time to relish in the fast wash of my life.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

The EAT course was undeniably hard work, but so incredibly fabulously worth it. You can read some inspiring testimonials here.

If you fancy applying for the next course, due to take place between August 20th and September 4th 2011, then you don’t have long left to apply RIGHT HERE – only until the end of April. You will need to define your particular activism and talk passionately about your plans to spread the ideas that you will learn. This really is a chance in a lifetime and I urge you to take it!

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

The full cost of the course is expensive, but EAT does its best to offer many partial or whole scholarships, depending on need – which in these cash strapped times is greatly to be admired. To ease funding problems this year’s course will be partly crowd-funded so if you can’t go yourself but you understand the importance of the work the EAT course does then please do donate at IndieGoGo. The hard working volunteer organisers need all the help they can get to ensure that those who are underfunded are still able to attend this year. People like me!

Permaculture, Magic, Social Change – nothing could be better, as EAT demonstrates.

Categories ,2011, ,activism, ,Activists, ,Andy Goldring, ,Climate Camp, ,Co-operative, ,community, ,Crowd Funding, ,Devon, ,E.A.T., ,EAT, ,EAT course, ,Indiegogo, ,John Jordan, ,Jon Young, ,LABOBFII, ,Laboratory of Insurrectory Imagination, ,Landmatters, ,Nature Awareness, ,No Borders, ,Pagan, ,permaculture, ,Permaculture Association, ,Queer Rights, ,Rituals, ,Rooh Star, ,Sit Spot, ,Star, ,Starhawk, ,White Witch, ,Witch

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Amelia’s Magazine | Meet Laura Wilson: Featured Artist from That Which We Do Not Understand

Amelias_Magazine_TWWDU_Laura_Wilson_FORTUNAAmelias_Magazine_TWWDU_Laura_Wilson_FORTUNA
Laura Wilson is a recent graduate who runs a collaborative creative blog and illustrates for online feminist magazine Bitchtopia. She has a deep interest in neo-Paganism and ancient symbols of the divine feminine. Fortuna was inspired by the use of tarot cards for divination, and the Pagan triple Goddess of the Moon. ‘I wanted to depict the ways in which opening our minds to mystery can enhance our souls and enable us to embrace a fuller spiritual life. As a feminist, womanhood and matriarchal ideas have a big influence on my life and my art.

Laura Wilson-Do No Harm
Where did you source the imagery used in Fortuna, and what inspired your choice of what to include?
I was inspired by divination, particularly tarot cards, and had a look through my own deck for some ideas. The artwork on tarot cards is always so beautiful, even if you don’t believe they hold any kind of power, they’re still a gorgeous collector’s item. I wanted to illustrate the idea of divination opening a person’s ‘third eye’ to the possibility of magic, and allowing them to access their spiritual intuition. I was also inspired by images of Hindu deities such as Vishnu and Kali, which prompted the many-armed character.

Laura Wilson-Pastel I
How do you create your illustrations? What processes do you use?
I like to use both traditional and digital methods in my work – for Fortuna, I started with an ink and watercolour painting, which I then added more colour to digitally. I tend to use a lot of pencil, inks and watercolours in most of my illustrations, but recently have been pushing myself to create more work just digitally, as it can be a lost less time consuming! I think I’m still in a phase of experimentation with my art; I haven’t found the process that works best for me yet, so I’m still trying out new things and finding my feet.

Laura Wilson-Pastel II
You describe yourself as a Neo-Pagan, how would you define this?
I’m not sure if I would really call myself a Neo-Pagan, but I am definitely very interested in and inspired by the culture of Paganism. It was something that I was very involved in for a while, but over time I’ve moved away from believing in one thing and I’m now in a state of just being very open to the possibilities of spirituality while at the same time being aware that we can’t really be sure of much in this world. That’s one of the things I admire most about Paganism; it acknowledges the mystery and mysticism of the universe and never tries to claim that it has the one right way of thinking; Paganism accepts all beliefs and understands that there’s no single right path through life. Generally speaking, it just believes in the importance of Nature and our ties to the earth, and that everything in the universe is connected.

Laura Wilson-GEEKED cover
What do you most like to illustrate and why?
One thing that shows up a lot in my work is mermaids; I think of them as sort of my creative muse. I’ve always loved the idea of these beautiful, terrifying creatures, who can be so alluring but use their appeal to cause shipwrecks and drown sailors. The femme fatale is a very interesting concept to me. I also tend to work with fashion illustration; but in a way that is body positive and inclusive. I think that fashion has got stuck in this rut of only representing this tiny demographic of skinny white people, when that doesn’t accurately represent society at all. I want to push for more diversity in fashion illustration, and depict more variety in body shapes and sizes, skin colours, disabilities and people outside of the gender binary.

Laura Wilson-2cute 2care
As a recent graduate of illustration what is the biggest thing you have learnt since leaving university?
That you have to keep pushing yourself to create new work and keep looking for opportunities. And that you have to force yourself to make time for art! It’s been a bit of a shock suddenly being away from art school and not having the support of my tutors and classmates anymore, and having to fit creating work around a job. But I’m very lucky to live with two of my ex classmates, and share a studio together, which helps keep me motivated. The three of us also run a blog together, theonethreethree.com, to keep us creating new work every week.

Laura Wilson-Whispers
What kind of work do you contribute to Bitchtopia?
Bitchtopia is an awesome feminist culture magazine which covers current events, art, music, fashion… and loads more. It’s written by an amazing community of women from around the globe, and I’m really honoured to be a part of it. I create feminist artwork for them to post, as well as illustrations to go alongside their articles, and have recently designed some prints for them which will be going up for sale in their store.

Laura Wilson-The Deep
What are your hopes for the future?
I’m looking forward to hopefully more collaboration with Bitchtopia and other feminist collectives, as well as working on some personal projects. I’ve also been meaning to create a zine for a while, so will hopefully get that moving forward soon – it will be a visual mash-up of feminist fashion illustration, alternative culture and Neo-Paganism.

Read more about Laura’s work here and buy her stunning limited edition Fortuna print here. It would be so inspiring to have you on your wall!

Categories ,#TWWDNU, ,Bitchtopia, ,Feminist, ,Fortuna, ,Goddess of the Moon, ,illustration, ,illustrator, ,interview, ,Laura Wilson, ,neo-Paganism, ,Pagan, ,That Which We Do Not Understand

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Amelia’s Magazine | Easter 2013: Illustrated

Easter by Daniel Alexander
Easter by Daniel Alexander.

I don’t know about you but this feels like the least Eastery Easter for many years: normally the weather is becoming properly spring-like and the daffodils are blooming in abundance. In 2013 though, it still feels like the depths of a ridiculously long, cold, wet winter: and many animals are suffering due to the prolonged cold weather: sheep and lambs have been buried in snow drifts across the country, hedgehogs and other hibernating animals are unable to wake up because the weather is not warm enough yet, many birds and insects are unable to find food because the plants on which they feed are not yet in bloom and seabirds such as puffins are dying of starvation because they can’t eat enough to keep up their energy and keep themselves warm. And on that sobre note I present to you these Easter illustrations: all of them focused on pagan symbols that have been part of spring equinox celebrations the world over for thousands of years. Let’s hope new beginnings arrive soon.

Easter Bunnies by Katie Eberts
Easter Bunnies by Katie Eberts.

Easter Bunny by Ruth Joyce 2013
Easter Bunny by Ruth Joyce.

Easter Drawing by Holly Maguire
Easter Drawing by Holly Maguire.

garden of eden by Lucy Bishop
Garden of Eden by Lucy Bishop.

Easter Illustration by Constance Posey
Easter Illustration by Constance Posey.

Easter-by-Sylwia-Szyszka
Easter by Sylwia Szyszka.

Easter Bunny by Jo Chambers
Easter Bunny by Jo Chambers.

Easter by Madi Illustration
Easter by Madi Illustration.

Easter by Jo Rose (Dear Little Forest)
Easter by Jo Rose (Deer Little Forest).

easter by Benjamin Phillips
easter by Benjamin Phillips.

Categories ,2013, ,Benjamin Phillips, ,Bunnies, ,Chicks, ,Constance Posey, ,Daniel Alexander, ,Deer Little Forest, ,Easter, ,Eggs, ,Holly Maguire, ,illustration, ,Jo Chambers, ,Jo Rose, ,Katie Eberts, ,Lucy Bishop, ,Madi Illustration, ,Pagan, ,Rabits, ,Ruth Joyce, ,Studio Legohead, ,Sylwia Szyszka

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Amelia’s Magazine | Easter Open Brief for Artists and Illustrators

Whipsnade Zoo Mara
I’ve got a new callout! Do you love all the imagery that is associated with Easter? Bunnies, Hares, Easter Eggs, Chocolate, Hot Cross Buns, Simnel Cake, Fluffy Chicks, New Beginnings, Warming Weather, Spring Flowers?

What does Easter mean to you? Is it a religious festival (Almost all the things we associate with Easter have a Pagan foundation, accommodated by Christianity), or merely a chance for a holiday with family?

Please send me your Easter images by Thursday 2nd April to post in time for the Easter weekend. (By the way the animal above is not a bunny, but I thought it would do for now! It is in fact a Patagonian Mara, a rodent most closely related to a guinea pig, but which looks part rabbit part deer. They roam freely at Whipsnade Zoo, a most engaging host of characters.)

Specifications:
Please create your artwork at 300dpi to fit an A3 page, but ONLY send a lo res version of your file labelled with your name and a title, sized 480 pixels wide 72 dpi to info[@]ameliasmagazine.com with the email title EASTER ART. Please write 100-150 words (no more please!) about your work to appear on the website, the more interesting the better. I’d love to know about your inspiration, process, and so on. Please also include your website, twitter and instagram links so we can connect with you.

Deadline:
The closing date for submissions is Thursday 2nd April. Please send me your artwork by 6pm GMT for inclusion in the post, to go live in time to share for Easter. All artwork will be showcased if it fulfils the above specifications.

Categories ,Bunnies, ,chocolate, ,Easter, ,EASTER ART, ,Easter Eggs, ,Fluffy Chicks, ,Hares, ,Hot Cross Buns, ,Mara, ,New Beginnings, ,Open brief, ,Pagan, ,Simnel Cake, ,Spring Flowers, ,Warming Weather, ,Whipsnade Zoo

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with musician and artist Elizabeth Walling, aka Gazelle Twin

Gazelle Twin by Sarah Arnett
Gazelle Twin by Sarah Arnett.

I’ve been keeping a firm eye (and ear) on Gazelle Twin since I discovered her enigmatic first single at the tail end of last year. Changelings was accompanied by a mesmerising video that exemplifies Gazelle Twin‘s approach to music making: creating an overall sensory experience in which the listener/viewer is immersed. That video was followed by the equally transfixing I Am Shell I Am Bone and now her debut album The Entire City is on its way. Not surprisingly she is generating a lot of interest, approved this despite having performed only one live show so far as Gazelle Twin…. I decided to find out a bit more from the lady herself. Meet the genius that is Elizabeth Walling.

Changelings

According to wikipedia the Loplop was a birdlike creature created by artist Max Ernst. Why and how have you been inspired by this creature?
Loplop was a starting point in the ongoing development for the ideas behind my costumes which I use for live performance and in my imagery. I have always admired the painting The Robing Of The Bride by Ernst. It has a sexual-animal-human oddness that drew me in. I saw the real thing fairly recently in Guggenheim’s house in Venice. It was much smaller than I realised, but still magnificently weird. It really beckons you over from the other side of the room.

Gazelle Twin by Amy Brazier
Gazelle Twin by Amy Brazier.
 
Were you trained in music, or is it something that has been building over the years? What other jobs have you done in the meantime if so?
I studied briefly at college and then University but I still consider myself to be self-taught. As a kid I would learn everything by ear, including pieces for piano, flute etc. I still do it that way now. Learning to read and write music obviously helped me develop a lot further, but I rarely return to the theory books and manuscript paper these days, except if I’m arranging something for classical musicians. I’m expecting to do a lot of that for the next album.

I Am Shell I Am Bone

What are your main lyrical themes and inspirations?
Hard to know where to start. I’ve been inspired by the paranormal, under water life, science fiction films, dreams I had as a child, space exploration etc. All these influences and experiences are deeply personal, so it all remains very cryptic to others, I think.
 
How long have you been living in Brighton? What drew you there and what keeps you there?
I came here primarily to study music and never left. It’s a hard place to leave, and I love it here but after 10 years I think I might start to seek new horizons. It’s important to see new places I think.

Gazelle Twin by Lea Rimoux
Gazelle Twin by Lea Rimoux.
 
What is going on in the Men Like Gods video? Where was it shot and who are the dancers? I presume the scenes of burning pyres being dragged through streets are from the Lewes bonfire night, but are some of them choreographed specifically by yourself?
The Men Like Gods video contains footage from a very ancient Pagan festival in remote Sardinia. Some of the footage is my own from earlier this year, some was sourced through Sardinia‘s vast digital library and contains footage from roughly 30 years ago. The festival relates to the changing of the seasons and the life-giving land and cattle. Each village has it’s own particular ritual and unique costumes, so it is very diverse and strange. I went to experience one village’s ritual in March where I filmed the Mamuthones (the men who dance in black masks, bells and sheepskins). There is not much explanation as to why this ritual has such a bizarre aesthetic, but it is a very deep rooted tradition, at least two thousand years old. They take it very seriously there, it’s certainly not the tourist attraction that Lewes’ Bonfire night has become, but then I am sure it started out with much the same circumstances.

Gazelle Twin by gaarte
Gazelle Twin by Gaarte.
 
Do you collaborate with fashion designers to create your stage costumes, and if so who? How does that process work?
I design and usually make all the costumes. The process is very basic; I do a fair bit of research or just get an idea in my head and then I go to flea markets, charity shops and usually Poundland to source materials to work with. I’m unsigned so I don’t have an advance or anything to play with or to commission people, so I have to be imaginative and very frugal. Where I lack sewing skills or equipment I call upon my very talented friend, Gita Mistry. She recently helped me realise a brand new costume, a very striking blue, abstract Gazelle headdress, veil and robe which I might wear at my album launch in September.

gazelle_twin
 
You’ve been compared to the likes of Bjork but I think you also strongly channel more modern experimental electro musicians such as The Knife – who are more about hiding their personal egos behind creativity than extravagantly promoting themselves. Is it safe to say that you have been influenced by this kind of music? What have been your inspirations?
Classical, early music and film soundtracks are the bedrock of all my influences. When I was studying and composing in my late teens and early twenties I only ever really listened to that, maybe with a bit of Portishead and Jazz thrown in from time to time. Pop music is all relatively new to me, but true artists like The Knife, Fever Ray, Planningtorock and Bjork have all intrigued me musically as well as with their boldness of visual images and play on identity. I really admire artists who resist exposing themselves too much or try to divert people’s attention towards the music. I don’t think it’s enough to sport a weird costume or smear face paint on –  the music has to be really strong first and foremost, but the costume should also be relevant to the identity in order to avoid being a slightly vacuous stunt.

Gazelle Twin by Claire Kearns
Gazelle Twin by Claire Kearns.
 
How will The Entire City be available in an interactive web only version? Can you explain a bit more about how this works?
 The album will be available as a digital download in the conventional sense and there will be limited vinyl and CD editions coming out later this year. For the digital release in July there is a special web-based counterpart, which will be available on the website very soon. I wanted to create an interactive, tactile way for people to experience the album in digital form, so I got in touch with Champagne Valentine and they came up with a wonderful application for me. The interactive version of The Entire City will be free to access and contains all album tracks which each have their own interactive visuals. It also features remixed video clips from all my music videos, as well as other, as yet unreleased footage. I’m hoping to make something interactive for every album/project in future, it’s a really satisfying process and I hope makes up for some of the loss of pleasure in buying a physical record.

Gazelle Twin by Lea Rimoux
Gazelle Twin by Lea Rimoux.
 
Why are live performances so rare? Will your fans be able to see more of you now that your album is due to launch? If so where will they be able to find you?
Live shows have been rare because I wanted to take my time with developing the project and make sure it all worked and felt right before I launched the whole thing and took it on tour. I also had to save the money in order to do it properly, so it’s taken a few years to get here. I want to keep shows rare and special; they involve a lot of visuals, choreography and extra musical elements and each one is unique. I much prefer to do a few really special shows than too many run-of-the-mill versions. It makes it more worthwhile as a performer too (and I have experienced many a dodgy gig in the past without this ethos, let me tell you!). I’m really excited to get back to performing this year. My album launch will be on 1st September at Electrowerkz (aka Islington MetalWorks) in Angel, in London. I have curated the event myself and I am making sure it is going to be really unique experience for all involved. I can’t give too much away at the moment, but all will be revealed on my website eventually.

Gazelle Twin by Nicola Ellen
Gazelle Twin by Nicola Ellen.

What do you do to relax? Where might we find you by night time in Brighton?
I tend to spend the majority of my time in the studio at home, I rarely venture out much these days! I play a few video games and watch films to relax – This year I have really sacrificed my social life in order to make this record and really get the project off the ground single-handedly.

Gazelle Twin by Gaarte
Gazelle Twin by Gaarte.

New single Men Like Gods will be released on Monday 11th July alongside the digital release of The Entire City. Here’s a trailer for the amazing video.

Men Like Gods

The opening album track The Entire City can be streamed here

Gazelle Twin will play as part of the Soundwaves Festival on July 14th-17th in Brighton as part of The Infinite Possibilities of Voice at Brighton Town Hall between 5.45pm – 10.30pm on Saturday 16th July. Gazelle Twin will be performing Colossus in the Atrium, a new improvisatory piece exploring the dialogue between human and machine. Voice and electronics will be coupled with darkly theatric sensibilities to create an atmospheric, electrifying and wholly unique experience, in collaboration with artist and musician Ed Briggs. I advise you secure tickets fast! This will not be a performance to miss.

Categories ,Album Launch, ,Amy Brazier, ,Atrium, ,bjork, ,brighton, ,Brighton Town Hall, ,Champagne Valentine, ,Changelings, ,Claire Kearns, ,Colossus, ,Costume, ,Ed Briggs, ,electrowerkz, ,Elizabeth Walling, ,Fever Ray, ,Gaarte, ,Gazelle Twin, ,Gita Mistry, ,Guggenheim, ,I am Shell I am Bone, ,Islington MetalWorks, ,jazz, ,Lea Rimoux, ,Lewes, ,Loplop, ,Mamuthones, ,Max Ernst, ,Men Like Gods, ,Nicola Ellen, ,Pagan, ,Planningtorock, ,Portishead, ,review, ,Sarah Arnett, ,Sardinia, ,single, ,Soundwaves Festival, ,The Entire City, ,The Infinite Possibilities of Voice, ,The Knife, ,The Robing Of The Bride, ,video

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with The Witch and The Robot on the release of new album Fear of Mountains

The Witch and The Robot fear of mountains
They live in the Lake District, drug they’re neighbours with British Sea Power and they make bewitching alternative music that has been labelled psych folk but which really doesn’t fit in any box. New album Fear of Mountains has just been released on digital download and features a series of unique songs inspired by their isolated location and a fabulous mash up of influences. Meet Sam Hunt and Andrew Tomlinson of Cumbrian band The Witch and The Robot (otherwise known as TWATr) for a fabulous insight into some truly creative musical minds. We’re talking everything from Wordsworth to Alex Reid

The Witch and The Robot Fear of Mountains head
How has living in the Lake District affected your approach to music making?
It pops up everywhere really; we are situationists through necessity rather than design. Growing up in places like the Lakes you have to create your own sense of scene, help a strange amalgam made up of half understood snippets from the radio or read in magazines. We found ourselves on a strange diet of Mo Wax/Warp/Ninjatune, New Romantica/Depeche Mode/Prince and David Bowie/90’s jingly jangly indie and Tupac; unable to appropriate a single scene we made one up ourselves. It’s hard not to reference where you live in songs, if you want to write about yourself, we are conscious of the romantics and the various other assorted lunatics, artists and rum buggers who by and large saw the Lakes as a place to escape the ‘real’ world. Wordsworth on the run from memories of the French Revolution, Josefina de Vasconcellos (who pops up a lot in our songs) on the run from London society, Kurt Swchitters on the run from the war…

The Witch and the Robot by Rachel Higham.
The Witch and the Robot by Rachel Higham.

The place is filled with them, hotel staff who are a bit cagey about life before the Lakes, rich artists who see themselves in the mould of the before mentioned Schwitters, loads of people who find it very easy to create their own reality in this rural bubble. Josefina had a view on it that the mountains are both muse and jailer, we quote her on Fear Of Mountainsthis place can make things seem more than they are’ it heightens emotions I suppose, to quote Lou ‘there is only one good thing about a small town that you know that you gotta get out‘ .. Fear Of Mountains Pt 1 is about getting out….
 
Witch and Robot by Carne Griffiths
Witch and Robot by Carne Griffiths.

Are you happy with your acronym? Was it a conscious decision to use TWATr and if so why? And why the little r at the end?
When we decided to call ourselves The Witch and The Robot we were just trying to think of two creatures who would not have met before, the acronym was just a happy accident.. We’ve written a number of stories about how the two met, some of them should be on our blog but as far as the little rTWAT is a funny word and word that is used a surprising amount in endless context, maybe it’s a Cumbrian thang…

YouTube Preview ImageHoudini

Love the video for Houdini, where was it shot and what inspired the treatment?
Why thank you – the video was shot at Wastwater – I think Sally Webster from Coronation Street got it voted ‘Britain’s favorite view’ on a ITV special – it’s England’s deepest lake, as deep as the North Sea and provides much of the water for the cooling process at Sellafield just down the way – I think there was a doctor who killed his wife and flew over Wastwater in light aircraft with her weighted body intending to drop her into the icy depths but missed and she ended up on the side of the mountain.. There’s also the Gnome garden, put at the depth where it starts to get dangerous for divers, Gnomes all happy surrounded by white picket fences, the police removed it, to prevent gnome tourism but it was put back up the next week. We filmed it on a very hot day with all our Star Wars figures and HeMan figures with the intention of tying them all to helium balloons, but you would be surprised at how many balloons you need to make an action figure fly.

The Witch and The Robot Fear of Mountains balloons
The Witch and The Robot Fear of Mountains balloons
 
How do you write your songs, can you describe the process of how you work together?
We have always written together, it’s a very easy process as we’ve known each other literally all our lives, the thing about TWATr is that we are not really sure anyone else is listening, its what we as a group of friends have always done and will continue to do.
 
Witch and Robot by Gareth A Hopkins
Witch and Robot by Gareth A Hopkins.

And for that matter, how did you meet and start making music?
We all grew up together, in and around Ambleside, I think music making came from the lack of anything else to do.

YouTube Preview ImageHetero
 
Fear of Mountains is apparently the first of three concept albums in a Rock Opus. What can we expect from the others?
Like David Bowie’s 1. Outside it is our ‘A Non-Linear Gothic Drama Hyper-Cycle‘, also like 1. Outside Andrew thought it would be funny if it was the only one of the trilogy we ever did. I on the other hand have an idea about an album/graphic novel/action film/musical starring Celeb Big Brother winner and former beau of Jordan Alex Reid as a battle hardened William Wordsworth, we’ll just have to wait to see who wins out.

The Witch and The Robot Fear of Mountains
The Witch and The Robot Fear of Mountains grave

Can you describe your attraction to some of the oddball characters that feature within the music, and what exactly comes across of their personality in particular songs?
Most of the oddball characters are probably us in some way or form, so it’s probably safer just to remain hidden behind abstract lyrics, but as mentioned some real life people do tend to pop up quite a lot – the key one being Josefina de Vasconcellos, a daughter of a Brazilian diplomat, became a bit of a legend in the Lakes. She was a monumental sculptor and Blake-like visionary who specialized in figurative religious art and died at the ripe old age of 101. Religious art has never really be cool – unless you were a sculptor in renaissance, but her work was totally insane, if ever in Edinburgh have a look at The Last Chimera at The Cannongate Kirk on the Royal Mile or Escape To Light overlooking Morecambe Bay at Millom Lifeboat Station. I spent 2 years making a film about her, which in the end wasn’t that good, but was certainly an experience, as someone who struggles to believe the news let alone the presence of a God, it was a fascinating insight into what is faith…

The Witch and The Robot by Barb Royal (2)
The Witch and The Robot by Barb Royal (2)
The Witch and The Robot by Barb Royal (2)
The Witch and The Robot by Barb Royal.
 
The album can be bought in the Hide & Horn shop in Ambleside – has it since been stocked elsewhere or would you encourage a digital download of the album instead?
We released our first album On Safari on a proper label with distribution and the like and to be honest we’ve seen not a bean, so we thought it was time to scale back and try and do something interesting with the release – when you are in a Z-list psych-folk band I think it would make more of a difference to do something like that than let an un-bought album grow dusty on Rough Trade East’s shelves – also Pete at Hide and Horn could really do with the trade. But I have succumbed to peer pressure (Andrew) and put it on sale digitally as well, if you do get it from Hide and Horn Andrew has made you a lovely picture to go with it.

The Witch and The Robot Fear of Mountains bw
 
Are there any particular Lake District traditions that you feel the rest of the world should know more about, and why?
At the beginning of Fear Of Mountains pt1 we have recoded a snippet of Ambleside’s Rushbaring – for years we were told that this obviously pagan fertility rite was how they used to change the rushes on the floor of the church – but stiff like that happens everywhere – I once went to 2 or 3 Cumbrian wrestling lessons when I was 12/13 wish Id stayed on as I’d probably be world champion by now. But apart from noticeably excessive daytime drinking I think the wider world is probably better off with the Lakes traditions staying in the hills.
 
You can hear the whole glorious record here: I recommend you take a listen. Fear of Mountains Pt 1 is out now on digital download and at the Hide & Horn shop.

Categories ,90’s, ,Alex Reid, ,Ambleside, ,Ambleside’s Rushbaring, ,Andrew Tomlinson, ,Barb Royal, ,Blake, ,British Sea Power, ,Carne Griffiths, ,Celeb Big Brother, ,Coronation Street, ,Cumbria, ,David Bowie, ,Depeche Mode, ,DJ Aesthetic Heartbreak, ,Escape To Light, ,Fear of Mountains, ,Fertility, ,French Revolution, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Gnome, ,HeMan, ,Hide and Horn, ,Houdini, ,ITV, ,Jordan, ,Josefina de Vasconcellos, ,Kurt Swchitters, ,Lake District, ,Millom Lifeboat Station, ,Mo Wax, ,Morecambe Bay, ,New Romantica, ,Ninjatune, ,On Safari, ,Pagan, ,prince, ,Psych Folk, ,Rachel Higham, ,Rock Opus, ,Rough Trade East, ,Sally Webster, ,Sam Hunt, ,Sellafield, ,Star Wars, ,Stuart Shingler, ,The Last Chimera, ,the witch and the robot, ,Tupac, ,TWATr, ,Warp, ,Wastwater, ,Wordsworth

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