The music of Susan Borowski would feel at home in the grand halls where people are in colorful flowing attires. There is something grand about her style that calls to mind the beauty of old music. She is a respected name in the Pittsburgh Celtic music circle. I don’t have one of her CDs yet but I am currently playing samples off her Reverbnation playlist on her official website.
Her music is happy and I can tell that Susan is a happy person where music plays a big part in her life. Thanks to her husband Jim for introducing her works to me via email. You see, blogging does connect people and music is the center of that. I find a great deal of inspiration from Susan’s life story, surviving cancer through the healing qualities of music. Miracles do happen if we believe.
Steel Clover is the name of her project. An interesting title. She mastered the fiddle and mandolin, guitars and vocals. Speaking of vocals, her Slovak/Ukrainian heritage shines through her recordings. Mixing those with Celtic music, resulted to something unique and fascinating. She is shown in pictures with a mandolin or playing the fiddle.These are available via her website along with the music samples and link to her store.
I am listening to three tracks available : Veil of Sorrow, Queen of Clubs and My Love is Like a Red Red Rose. Take note of her past influences before stepping into Celtic music. You will hear their echos in her renditions. She has also tracks available via youtube. They are Down by the Salley Garden, Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears and As Christmas Day Draws Near. Try to hear them out and experience something different. Yes she doesn’t sound like anyone.
This is just an introduction to her artistry. As soon as I get the CD then I will review it for you. Yes I will let you know how it sounds like and what makes it fascinating. Susan Borowski is an inspiring artist. May her story touch everyone to acknowledge the healing powers of music. Please read this link to know more about her story: http://triblive.com/aande/music/3493573-74/borowski-cancer-says#axzz2Sp5ZPccy
Sue’s love for performing music began at age ten in a Carpatho-Rusyn dance group, a sub-group of the Junior Duquesne University Tamburitzans. For three years she studied the music and traditions of her Slovak/Ukrainian heritage and performed her first solo on-stage at age eleven. In December of 2006 Sue gave her debut performance on the mandolin at the Melody Music Shop’s Holiday Showcase show at Carnegie Music Hall in Homestead, PA. In 2007 she met and auditioned with singer/solo artist, Matt Hughes of “Ar Eigean Gael”. Thus began her journey in the Celtic genre. After two years with Ar Eigean Gael, Sue joined the RichPatrick Celtic Music group as their fiddle and mandolin player, vocalist and guitarist. Sue enjoys playing in acoustic settings with friends around the City of Pittsburgh and most recently has ventured into a solo project under the name of “Steel Clover”.
Paula O’Brien makes music and stitch patterns based on how she sees the world.
Paula O’Brien (better known as just Paula) has impressed friends with her hobbies. Apart from making music, she also stitches on the side earning her a story in one of UK’s top magazines about cross stitch. As of this writing she is working on something-either musical or visual. I was ecstatic when I received the two framed pieces of the Celtic patterns she made for me. They are now resting on my working table and I am always filled with positivity when I look at them. She is primarily and electronic musician but more and more she is exploring Celtic music. She is trying to collaborate with other musicians merging her talent with the keys and a voice that is comparable to Kate Bush and Eimear Quinn.
I am uncovering another facet of her artistry-creating breathtaking patterns through needle and cotton. She joins me today as this week’s featured artist. This interview was really fun!
Your needle works are amazing. How long did it take you to be an expert in this craft?
Thank you! I wouldn’t really consider myself an expert, there are always new skills to learn and new types of design projects to sew.
You perform and write music on the side. How are these two hobbies related?
Both are creative and both bring me great pleasure. They each require a great deal of concentration in their own way. Music can be composed very spontaneously at times if the inspiration is flowing, whereas some sewing projects can demand months of your time just to finish one picture. Both music and sewing are a form of creative therapy for me, I get a buzz hearing a finished mixed and mastered track. Likewise, I feel a sense of accomplishment seeing a finished picture framed on a wall.
The Celtic stitches you sent me are gorgeous. How is stitching in cotton different from doing it in wool?
Thanks! Sewing in wool for tapestry (needlepoint) projects is somewhat easier because the picture is printed on the plastic canvas. Cross stitch demands more concentration as the pieces are sewn onto blank aida or evenweave cloth. Therefore, it is important to count the stitches correctly to have the correct spatial layout, especially when sewing samplers (pieces with small picture motifs, text, the alphabet, a border pattern etc) which are often symmetrical in design. Additional info re Q3. Tapestry work is always sewn in one diagonal stitch whereas designs using cotton thread can be in many different stitches.
Are you planning to put up a shop one day to sell your works?
🙂 It would be nice to think that maybe there might be the chance of this in the future. However, if I was to charge for my time, as if it was a job, I think they would be too expensive to buy because of the length of time involved in sewing them.
Your Celtic designs are stunning. Do you plan to make more in the future?
Thanks again! I do intend to sew more Celtic designs and already have ideas for themes, some taken directly from historical sources. However, I won’t divulge any ideas in case some are shipped to The Philippines! 😉
. What particular time of the day you are inspired to sit down to get creative in terms of music and stitching?
Music is my natural passion and just “happens”… it doesn’t follow any particular routine, it’s a spontaneous force so it leads you where and when it wants you to go so to speak. Ideas can arrive quite quickly for new compositions and I start hearing them inside my head. I generally have to be in a calm and relaxed frame of mind though to be inspired, then the ideas can flow very quickly, a song can be written and recorded within a few hours. These are the moments when you lose track of time 🙂 It can be frustrating when this happens if you’re trying to sleep.. Vocally I prefer recording in the evening, you won’t get much of a dawn chorus out of me 😉
Stitching is very enjoyable and I love this form of creative expression. The choice of designs are endless! It is more of a hobby for me which I do as and when I have time, as and when the mood takes me, whatever the time of day.
Visual and sound: which of the two carries more importance to you?
Tough question, an interesting one though! Music is part of who I am, I was born with this connection with music: I play by ear and music is integral to me. I also have a very strong relationship with sound in general in terms of the world around me, where I am, what music is playing in a social setting etc, music affects my mood. I dislike intrusive sounds, I prefer calm and harmony. Visuals matter as well, the ambience created in an environment by the use of design and colour for example. Sound and visual are areas both interconnected : I feel my instinctive “calling” is to music as it has always been there in my life, but I have a strong interest in design and visual forms of creativity as well. As I am not really a visual artist myself in terms of producing something on paper, a canvas, the stitching is a way for me to create a piece that can be framed. 🙂
You joked about this but perhaps you are serious.When are you going to start sewing the Andromeda galaxy?
I have lots of projects to do for family and friends which will keep me busy for a long time. Eventually I will sew some for my own walls! 🙂 I need to find chart or have a photo created into a chart, then I can begin to sew this beautiful galaxy! The universe amazes me, I was serious! 🙂
The following are her needle works and studio pictures.
The Celtic Patterns
Studio pics
Tapestries:
Cross Stitch
Paula: Some Celtic pieces stitched for my friend Jose Rommel Labatos who lives in The Philippines. Jose writes a Celtic music blog so the Celtic theme was ideal. He chose the bookmark aida fabric from a choice of colours, it’s the first time I’ve created a home-made bookmark. The card shows a Celtic bird.He received them yesterday. — at UK before being posted to The Philippines.
Music:
This is referred to as a carol although it contains no reference to the Nativity….the predominant interpretation of the lyrics (below), which were found in a manuscript c.1504, is that they refer to Arthurian legend / holy grail quest. The track was recorded with this historical interpretation in mind and the theme is reflected in the slideshow paintings. The melody is a traditional melody,not the Benjamin Britten arrangement.-Paula
Lulley, lully, lulley, lully,
The faucon hath born my mak away.
He bare hym up, he bare hym down,
He bare hym into an orchard brown.
In that orchard ther was an hall,
That was hanged with purpill and pall.
And in that hall ther was a bede,
Hit was hangid with gold so rede.
And yn that bed ther lythe a knyght,
His wowndes bledyng day and nyght.
By that bedes side ther kneleth a may,
And she wepeth both nyght and day.
And by that bedes side ther stondith a ston,
“Corpus Christi” wretyn theron.
Glossary:
faucon: falcon
mak: mate, love
bare: bore, carried
purpill: purple (the royal color)
pall: a funeral pall, a cloth spread over a coffin
bede: bed
rede: red
lythe: lieth, lies
wowndes: wounds
bledyng: bleeding
kneleth: kneeleth, kneels
may: maid, maiden
wepeth: weepeth, weeps
stondith: standeth, stands
ston: stone
Corpus Christi: body of Christ (Latin)
wretyn: written
Plus:Featured mp3s: Dan Aston, New video by Cheers! and Nolwenn Leroy
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain. ”
–Bob Marley
Featured artist Celtic 5 String Banjo Player – Dave Hum
“An instrumental selection of traditional Celtic, bluegrass and old time tunes, featuring Dave Hum playing the five string banjo, guitar, bass, mandolin, harmonica and percussion.”
The music of Dave Hum is like a friend who comes to visit to bring you great news. It overflows with an almost Rastafarian philosophy that is all embracing. It is a kind of feeling you get with when you take that time off from the harsh realities of life . The seductive rhythm invites you to throw your worries and close your eyes. Imagine someone you have not heard for some time announcing he is dropping by. You don’t know what to expect. He comes marching in. Then he cracks a joke. Everything dissolves into a familiar warmth of old friendship and easy fun. That’s exactly what his music is like!
He sounds like no other. I’d call his music timeless, with the mood elevating qualities of dark chocolate. In place of words, he uses his mastery of melodies and arrangements. There aren’t any stumbling block in his musical path…it is like a great river rushing, where everything flows so smoothly.
It surprises one to know that there is only one person behind this big sound. Yes he plays everything that you hear in the recording.
Finally, the most anticipated video from Celtic rock group based in the Czech Republic is out. It features the band playing live interspersed with an old Czech film. According to Pavel, the lead singer of “Cheers!”:
“We used this movie – to point out the culture in its roots. Even if we play something totally else”..
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Featured mp3: Dan Aston
If you are very active in the Celtic folk in scene in Cornwall, then you might have seen Dan Aston as the guitarist of Cornish language band (with both his parents in it) An Derow. His music is inspired by artists like John Martyn, Nick Drake and Gary Moore. These are selections off his soundcloud page. Dan is a fine singer with a good range. His voice is in perfect shape and pitch. When asked about the possibility of releasing an album:
“I am currently working on my debut album which will hopefully be out in January 2013.”
That is a good sign. So what can we listeners expect from his debut album?
“The listeners can expect a selection of my original songs that have strong roots in folk, blues and jazz genres as well as possessing a Celtic touch. Working with local Celtic group An Derow and having played on Sue Aston’s recent album ‘Between Worlds’ has influenced me in this direction as well as my natural love towards renowned musicians in the folk/Celtic genre such as John Martyn and Nick Drake. Some of my songs will be expanded instrumentally for the album and will feature additional musicians to add further depth and textures to their musical landscapes. The expansion of my songs will also include myself playing lead guitar and harmonica which doesn’t currently appear on the soundcloud demos. The record will be musically diverse and will hopefully appeal in one way or another to listeners from all musical backgrounds.”
Dan has a live show and according to his status update:
“I will be playing at Goldsithney Charter Fair this Saturday, performing my usual mix of folk/jazz originals and covers with some new covers by Deep Purple, Bruce Springsteen and Blue Oyster Cult! Hopefully see you there should be a great event.”
Don’t miss this awesome artist live and have a listen to his recordings below.
Clarity is a talent and I am glad my friend Matthew Thielker (great guy, he is a vegan, an animal lover and he runs a local cat shelter) brought this idea into an artwork.
My new friend and poet, American Irishman Joe Devoy, owner of Tellus 360, Lancaster- a fantastic store featuring recycled and repurposed furniture and items made from wood, as well as many other handmade gifts- check it out- esp the gorgeous GUITARS made from recycled wood that Irish musicians are loving-Cindy Ross( Owner of the picture above..Writer/Photographer, New Ringwold)
Tellus360: Manufacture reclaimed wood furniture, sell Irish antiques and eco friendly gifts. I’d say that guitar is really great to have. Has anyone purchased this?
Celtic Music Fan 