The coldest months of last year were taken up with the Spaces Project. Lots of hanging around in cold ancient buildings that were often colder inside than outside. George (who I mention in my previous post) assures me that were he to do the project again he would provide blankets. But even so, I loved every minute of it! Each space and each recording session were different and I loved wandering around behind the scenes. Many people answered George's call to take part in the project and the resulting collaborations reflect that. Some people I knew already, some people I had seen around and some people I met for the first time. I won't be able to mention all the collaborators here. For that you'll need to check out the Spaces site. But here's a little about some of the people I hung around with and helped to make Spaces happen. This post is dedicated to Team Spaces.
Shane Young - George's long time friend, drummer and photographer. Shane is unassuming and easy to be around. I was grateful for his welcome. We often hung around in the background while the rest were making music. Shane captured some beautiful shots for the project. I love his attention to light. He's a great encourager and he was generous with his time, giving me a quick introduction to photoshop. We bonded over poetry which went on to spark a tiny but perfectly formed poetry group!
Jenny Barton - a brave and honest writer and thinker. Our paths have crossed a few times, including a writing retreat that I went on which she gently led. It is her words and her voice that you hear at the beginning of The Quietness of Stones.
Madeleine Harwood - talented singer and song writer. Her haunting vocals make the Aethelflaed track for me and I made sure to track her down after her performance in the summer to grab a selfie!
JPDL - Dave is a spoken word and hip hop artist. George sent me the lyrics he was writing for the Aethelflaed track and they hugely inspired my icon painting of her. The result is a modern day ballad delivered in JPDL's indomitable style. I was particularly taken with the line, 'A founding mother on a chessboard of kings'. I think JPDL really captured what a true pioneer Aethelflaed was and I'm so proud to have been a part of something that brought her back into the public consciousness.
Grove - Beth is a talented vocalist and song writer. I didn't get many opportunities to chat with Beth but I'm drawn back to her soulful voice and powerful, angry lyrics on the Strangers track time and time again. Also, as a side note, as this is not strictly Spaces related, I absolutely loved her Aethelflaed collaboration with JPDL. Me and my girls still find ourselves chanting the refrain 'A woman and a warrior'!
Tim Beck - We know each other as friends of friends and it was lovely to reconnect with him through this project. You can hear Tim in some capacity, either playing an instrument or singing, on at least half the Spaces tracks!
Emma Butler - co-wrote and sings on the Illuminations track. Her soaring voice is perfect for conjuring images of stained glass rooms, a monk and his cat. Definitely one of my favourite tracks and not just because I once had a pet cat called Pangur Ban!
Seb and Vicki Field - I met Seb and Vicki for the first time through Spaces. Their talent and skill are apparent immediately and it's clear that the choir is in good hands with them. The Quietness of Stones was the first recording I went to and when their voices soar over the music it brought me to tears. Gloucester's a small place and I bump into them from time to time. Vicki commissioned the first and (to date) only fabric wall hanging version of my Aethelflaed. Vicki also posts beautiful sunrise and sunset photos!
Nikola Jurčáková - Nikola is a Uni student and was at most of the recordings taking photos and filming alongside Shane. It was welcome to see her friendly face each time and she captured some great moments. Check out her photography business.
Holly Mae Illustrates - I haven't yet met Holly in real life (!) but we have connected on social media and I'm in awe of her intricate and charming illustrations. Check out more of her work here.
All in all, Spaces was a very special project to be involved in and I eagerly anticipated the launch event at the Guildhall last summer. A great celebration of all that was achieved. You can check out some of the feedback it got here.
