I’m very excited to have been offered an art show in Bar Gandolfi in Glasgow later this year. Gandolfi launched their exhibition programme in 2010 and is committed to supporting established and emerging artists. They aim to support the diversity of talent within the city, and without gallery commission, Gandolfi provides an opportunity to buy quality artwork at artists’ prices. Working in collaboration with Glasgow Print Studio, The Merchant City Festival and Glasgow International, artists exhibit by invitation only.

I will be exhibiting alongside artists David Murphy and the third TBC. The opening is Sunday 9 December 2012 5-7pm.

Producing my Cover Versions and Other Hits collection last year was the ideal way to get get artistic again after my extensive problems in hospital with my eyes. I see that collection as my equivalent to a bands first 7” singles, before going onto further stages (I have been warned to not be like the Beta Band though, where people preferred the first EPs to the album!). The 15 images I created meant a lot to me with every detail and decision that I made along the long road. I’ll continue to sell the limited edition prints and original sketch pieces in my online shop unless they are sold out.

For my Gandolfi exhibition I plan to create something quite different, and have a few dramatic ideas that I’m very excited about. These pieces I plan to make rarer and larger in size, so watch this space!

Sunday Herald this week

Idle Fret free EP download

Looking forward to bringing my art exhibition and DJ tunes to Idle Fret in London on Thu 19th Jan. Here’s more info on the night and a free EP download of the month with Cineplexx, Snowgoose and Nick Garrie.

It’s FREEEEE (so you have more $ to buy many of my limited edition art prints!), and is on Chalk Farm Road in Camden. I hope you can come!

Laaandaaan!

What you doing 2 weeks today on 19th January?! Coming to the Lock Tavern in Camden I hear your luscious little lips speak softly?! My art exhibition “Cover Versions and Other Hits” has left the walls of the GFT and Heavenly in Glasgow, and is heading 400 miles south for one night only. All 15 prints will be available to view and buy, but while you listen to bands Cineplexx, Snowgoose and Nick Garrie. I’m also DJing too! Entry is free, and the Lock Tavern is open 7.30 - midnight. Let’s make the weekend start early!

I’ve not been to London for quite a while, so I’m hoping this will be a fun little trip. All prints (framed too) are still available at my online shop if you want to keep your hands free for dancing that night!

Would you like one for free??? I’m giving the Beastie Boys print (a request by Idle Fret!) away in a competition. Go to @Idlefret and retweet their tweet to win!

Hope to see you there, and spread the word!

My hero & London

Just had a check-up with my eye surgeon. He’s happy that he’s done the best he could do for me over the last 16 months. I still can’t see great, but at least I didn’t lose the sight in that eye completely so should be very grateful for that. Gee it’s been through hell that eye (3 retinal detachments, 1 cataract and 1 secondary cataract). The dryness is much better with the punctual plugs he inserted a while ago. It’s so much more comfortable for me, but is why I always look like I’m crying :) Sadly though, the blind spot I have due to Optic Neuritis with my MS will never go away, and if anything will only get worse (this is why I confuse people in bars and restaurants with rearranging seating with friends so that I can see them!). If you’re to my right hand side please don’t think I’m ignoring you, I just can’t see you! On stage with Bis I may have to go to the other side of the stage now so I can see the guys! (summer festival in UK be nice?!)

He said my other eye has a very slight cataract, and more prone to another retinal detachment than my bad eye now - but no point in worrying about it. So, onwards and upwards, and fingers crossed things don’t get worse. I don’t have anymore check-ups now, and just to get in touch if I need him. He’s been such a hero to me and I’ll never forget it. I’ll miss him checking in on me! He rules!

Who’s needing a night out in London on Thursday 19th January?! See below!

DJing and Art in London

This is my solo gig with my Rinettes gig for Popfest in Heavenly, Glasgow. 6 songs, then finishing off nicely with Plastik People seeing as Sci-fi was a Rinette for the night, and John Disco was in the next band (the Amphetameanies)! Too good an opportunity not to!

Popfest with…..Bis?

Last night was Popfest, and I’m so pleased with how it went! The venue Heavenly was so organised, all bands were given a choice of lovely vegan soups & wraps for dins, the PA and sound guy couldn’t have been any better, staff were all smiley and enjoying themselves, and I was so pleased how my art looked all around the walls with a full-house of people!

Lots of friends and my Sis Nicola Rin came out, so it was a great atmosphere. I was pretty nervous with it having been so long since I’d done a gig, but it all went ok (the nice wine helped!). There were some excited fans with Sci-fi Steven replacing James as a Rinette guitarist, and he was amazing adding extra body to toons with my Micro Korg.

The set was:
the Word Out
Typeface
Break-up Breakdown
No Language
Guilty Pleasure
Do the Static

then….

Dave and Stuart left the stage for John Disco to make an appearance and we played Plastik People as Bis to finish the set. Overall a really fun and relaxing night! There were lots of really excited and enthusiastic people at the gig, so thank you for coming along! Here’s more photos from the night!

Art on sale now!

My limited edition art exhibition is on sale now in Heavenly in Glasgow, and in my online shop! All details are here , and the shop is here

Popfest in 7 days!

Only a week to go ‘til my solo gig at Popfest! My three Rinettes have been doing a great job with the few rehearsals we’ve had. I’d explained recently that guitarist James wasn’t able to do the gig originally, so I had found a good replacement. I should reveal that it’s a familiar dude with the production of my album, and someone that I wish I could fiddle with musical knobs like very much - Mr Sci-fi Steven. Turns out James is actually free that night after all, but will be watching and perhaps throwing vegan beer bottles at Sci-fi.

Mr John Disco is playing after me with the Amphetameanies. Let’s just hope he won’t pull all Rinettes off stage except Sci-fi, and insist on doing a Bis tune to end my gig!

My limited edition art prints are now on sale in Heavenly as well as in my shop. They will be available on the night to buy too of course!

Hope to see you there!!

Art available for pre-sale!

My art exhibition is nearly ready to be launched in Glasgow, as it’s this Thursday! In the meantime I’d like to offer my dedicated web followers the opportunity of some pre-sales. I’m selling 15 different designs, all limited to just 25 copies. All are numbered and signed and available here.

I’ve been working on this for ages, so pretty nervous as to how it will be received. I’ve had many discussions to work out how much to sell them for. My band merchandise head has always said to give stuff “to the kids” for as little as possible. But, having spent an awful lot more money than I expected on making this happen, as well as an immense amount of time, I’ve tried to think sensibly. Many friends still say I’m selling it too cheap, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable increasing it.

Each print is 308mm x 308mm, and on a nice high quality card/paper with a silky texture. They’re on sale at £30 a print, and £40 to be framed in a black album sleeve frame.

I am also selling the original designs, just limited to one copy of course. These are in a variety of sizes,and all except the X-Ray Spex one can be framed into this same album sized frame (X-Ray Spex one is slightly too large). These will be on sale for £80 and £90 framed. There’s a slight chance someone may have bought an item before we’ve managed to say it’s SOLD OUT. If that’s the case you’ll be notified and refunded as soon as possible and I’m very sorry! Otherwise, enjoy your new purchase!

I’ve had such a good time doing this, and am certainly not wanting to stop here. I’d love to at least cover the costs I’ve paid out for this, as well as getting me to London for the exhibition I have there in January. After this, I’m hoping to get a lot of my older Bis era art online for sale as I’ve come across many things that I’m sure some people would find quite interesting. It’s sad to say goodbye to items like this, but to have a good appreciative home is the best destination I think they could have! I hope to do this in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. I’ve also got ideas and rough sketches for the next potential exhibition art, so lots to smother you with in 2012 I’m hoping!

Art to see/buy soon!

My prints arrived for my exhibition yesterday! So much better than I even expected and are a nice thick, silky material. It’s like having lots and lots of vinyl all over my floor! I’m numbering and signing each print! There’s 15 designs, and it’s a limited edition of 25 of each. I’ll be selling the original piece through my website shop too.

The exhibition will be in the GFT and Heavenly all of December. It will then be shown at the Lock Tavern in London on 19th January. Prints are available to purchase in Heavenly and on my site shop too from 1st Dec, then also in London in Jan. But…. as they’re limited edition to 25, I’m going to take pre-sales online from the start of next week hopefully (if I can sook up to my webby hubby enough to do it!).

On my site I’ll also have the option to have the print framed into a nice black album sleeve frame! What a beautiful Christmas present for Margaret or Bobby you’re thinking?!

I’ve never done anything like this before so I really hope it goes okay, gulp. I have many ideas for future designs if all these little beauties happen to sell out!

Popfest Manda Rin gig

I’ve maybe been so super busy preparing my art exhibition for Popfest that I’ve not mentioned much about my solo gig I’m doing for it. I’m really nervous about it but excited. This is the first gig I’ll have done since Primavera 2010 with Bis, and also the first since my 4 eye operations I’ve had the misery of in the last year. I hope I’ll be okay, especially as I can’t see that great to use any cheat sheets! I play on Friday 9th December at Heavenly, and details are here. I’ll have my art exhibition prints available to purchase too (nice Xmas pressies kids!)

My handsome Rinettes will be joining me as always, but sadly James said he wasn’t available to do it. So, I found another young man who seems to fit the position very well and is quite popular in the Glasgow music scene. After doing this, James now says he could do the gig, so will just be watching in attendance at the front (maybe bottling his replacement!).

I’ll just be doing a short set, and am on just before the Amphetameanies, so am supporting Mr John Disco who plays with them! Maybe I’ll get to steal John for a quick song :)

Going to start rehearsing with the guys on Monday, so hoping to do an okay job for you all!

Nirvana

Thought I’d do something familiar as I’ve been doing many albums I love, but maybe quite unfamiliar to some people? Ideas for the next piece? Something alternative yet recognisable?

Not long ‘til Popfest now!

Siri doesn’t like Weegies

A piece in the Huffington Post including my Scottish accent fun with Siri (the word “idiot” that I called my hubby was obviously ruder…). Siri is a grass!