Music and the Mind

I have just started working on a series called 'Music and the Mind'. The work investigates my relationship with music, my love of listening to it, how different kinds of music effect me, and my frustration at not having an ounce of musical talent myself!

The work is made up of a series of layers using my own photographic images in collage, and over painting or drawing. I listen to music whilst creating the work and allow it to influence the marks I make. It follows on from previous projects 'A way to be Heard' 2009, which investigated the Sunderland music scene, and 'The Fame Machine' 2010, that looked at the issues that fame and celebrity bring to music.

You can follow me on facebook or check out my other work on my website www.maverickart.co.uk

Decidedly darkroom

A long time ago, back in 2002, I was introduced to darkroom photography, and for better or worse I was hooked. Time continued forward and the digital revolution began to supersede the artistry found underneath the safe red light.

I have unfortunately neglected my old friend, but I have certainly not forgotten. Come September I will be back in the darkroom with renewed vigour. I want to explore all of the things that made photography interesting to me in the first place. So I have started to go back over the few terrible scans that I have of those early attempts and experiments. You can find the work on Flickr, I just thought I would share a couple with you guys on here to.

When I get back in the darkroom I will be using medium format and revisiting light drawing, photograms and scratching negatives! (Any purist photographers please forgive me! I will be scratching my negatives in a fine art capacity.)

In the meantime you can also see my work on the website or you can follow me on facebook.

Cheers guys!

Jo Howell