What Do Nurses Do All Day mural
I have been incredibly fortunate during our various lockdowns here in the UK. Interesting projects and commissions have continued to be part of my artistic life. My biggest artwork to date has recently been installed at Kingston University in the School of Nursing on the Kingston Hill site.
The artwork was commissioned by Sally Richardson and Jo Low during the Covid-19 pandemic. This challenging period of history gave witness to health care professionals caring for their patients and families whilst working in ways never seen before on the frontline. Professional teams from all disciplines, specialities and age groups came together to protect the NHS and the health of the public. With over 120 individual drawings the artwork shows the diversity of the nursing role, the compassion, resilience and excellence in nursing care and the strength of multi professional team working to deliver family centred-individualised patient care.
I have been commissioned to create a second mural, so watch this space!
Radio
In the past year I’ve really enjoyed broadcasting the radio shows The All Vinyl A to Z of Africa, The Interloper’s Guide and Vinyl Joblottin‘. So I was chuffed to be given the opportunity to start my own weekly show on Radio Nope earlier this year. And even better I get to do it with my wife, Natalie. Revolving around the joblots I buy at auction The Vinyl Thread has a different theme each week but always full of wonderful vinyl. Listen to us every week on Sundays, 12 noon EST or 5pm UK time on Radio Nope. We’re usually there an hour early in the radio chat box for DJ Deb’s Hit it and Split!
Album Art
Without gigs to go to, my live music sketching has taken a back seat and I haven’t created as much album art as usual. Quality over quantity perhaps. Keep an ear out for the new album from Archie the Goldfish with their new EP, ‘Water & Light’, out on Funkiwala Records. It’s been a pleasure to renew my association with the London folk noir band Firefay with Tales of Monsters and Fairies on the Woodford Halse label.
Exhibitions
Although the Art of Caring came to a close due to COVID I’m still committed to our inclusive art exhibitions with Dean Reddick and Bryan Benge at CollectConnect. Led by Dean we organised a small group show for this year’s Urban Tree Festival called Urban Bonsais: Real and Imagined. Have a look on the CC website. http://www.collectconnect.blogspot.com/
I make a return to Barbara Dougan’s street art exhibition Groving in August 2021. A fabulous exhibition of 5cm x 5cm art on the streets of Bury St Edmunds.
Books and Publishing
A steady stream of book covers and book publishing has punctuated the past 9 months or so. It’s been a pleasure to support the Elmbridge Literary Competition. This year I had 11 covers to create for mostly young authors. As always keep an eye out for our latest Potcake Chapbooks series under the guidance of editor and poet Robin Helweg-Larsen. And the ongoing work of SJ Fowler at the Writers Centre Kingston & the new Poem Brut series.
alban low 