Art & Performance

Before music became my main passion and my career, I worked in shows and circus, it was at this time I learnt how to build sculptures out of scrap metal. I loved finding unusual shapes and pieces of metal, their form would almost instantly inspire me to create an animal or a bird. When I started off, my sculptures didn’t really resemble anything, however the more I made, the more recognisable the forms became and the more popular my art became. I enjoyed creating some creature out of old farmers’ tools or motorbike exhausts, and soon I had a whole menagerie and exhibitions over France.

Although today, I’ve hung up my welder’s helmet, I still find my creativity coming out in different ways for music therapy projects, encouraging service users to make instruments from recycled bits and pieces, composing short songs, painting and drawing with different pieces of background music.

The performance side of my earlier life has helped me appreciate a sense of fun and play, which I try to introduce into music therapy sessions where appropriate.

As a performer I often had to improvise when planning or rehearsing a show, improvisations can be very creative and enjoyable experiences, everything happens 'in the present moment'. I believe in the power of musical improvisations which support the self expression of the client and can help release any difficult emotions.

I recognise now how all my past 'palette' of experiences have enriched my profession as a music therapist, and I’m pleased to be able to use all these various tools and techniques I’ve learnt in my work.