4 Issue
continue the voice Ageing 31/01/21
AGE 2
INg
g
A Note From The Head Editor W
ell, January was certainly a little different than I had anticipated with yet another nationwide lockdown, but hopefully as time goes on things will begin to ease and until then we have plenty of stories, poems and art for you to admire! On a more personal note, I rang in my 24th birthday with a food-filled day at home with my parents and my neighbours’ cat and had what may have been one of my best birthdays yet. A rather fitting personal note for this issue which is all about ‘ageing’. Ageing has always been a concept full of fear and uncertainty until you actually get older, but with everything going on right now across the world, ageing has a new found meaning and is something that we should all be thankful for. There are many different ways to ‘age’ and similarly many different meanings of the word: ‘ageing’ and this issue explores some of those. Skip to p9 for my pick of the month – Kate Maxwell’s poignant piece: ‘The Final Touch’. So sit back, relax and enjoy the zine! Kirsty Taylor She /Her
Front cover photography by Olga Rerbo Magazine Design by Anna McFarlane
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CONTENTS
Wh
Inm
Ske
Flas
Poe
Col
Mak
Inte
The
Per Day
‘Life
Sho
Inte
Play
Sus
Res
Pho
Sma Mo
Coo
Pea
Call
Nex
4
hat’s The Big Deal With Birthdays? - 6
maculada Puebla’s Art - 7
eletons - 8
sh Fiction: ‘The Final Touch’ - 9
etry Corner - 10
llages on Ageing - 12
ke-up Look - 13
erview with an Author - 14
e Gallery - 16
rsonal Essay: ‘Waiting for Cuomo on Earth y, 2020’ - 22
e’ by Arpa Mukhopad - 23
ort Story: ‘Talisman Banana’ - 24
erview with a Musician - 26
ylist - 28
stainable Art - 30
staurant Highlight - 32
otography by Olga Rerbo - 34
all Business Spotlight Double Bill: Summer orning Studio & Laura Holden Studio - 36
orie Moments - 40
arls of Wisdom - 42
l for Submissions - 43
xt Issue Ad - 44
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What’s The Big Deal With Birthdays? I
am going to start this article off a little differently than usual by first speaking about where the idea of celebrating birthdays came from. Of course, in order to understand where on earth the idea of birthdays came from, you have to first understand time and have a way to mark time. So as a result birthdays did not exist until the calendar did, and no, I’m not talking about the calendar that now hangs to your wall or is slapped on your kitchen fridge. But rather the Julius Caesar calendar believed to have been created sometime in 45 B.C.E. Scholars believe that the first mention of birthdays was the Egyptians in 3,000 B.C.E, but the birthday of a ‘common man’ was not until the Romans in 27 B.C. Of course in the problematic way of the world female birthdays were not celebrated until the 12th Century. So now that we know where on earth birthdays come from, it leaves us with this question: what’s the big deal? Birthdays tend to really split a room as some people love theirs and tell everyone, and others hide the date and don’t do anything to celebrate. I want to know more about those who adore their birthday and make a big deal about that, and why that is. I should probably start off by saying I am someone who celebrates their birthday and I mean truly celebrates. First, it kind of goes without saying after the year we had last year that life is fragile, we should make the best of the little things and self-love is essential. A birthday is not only a celebration of you but also of the year you’ve had, your growth and often a newfound day of gratitude. Now, I must say that looking up why other people think birthdays are a big deal showed me a very divided google search page and it is up to you whether you celebrate or not and you should not be judged either way.
“We should make the best of the little things and self-love is essential.”
It might sound kind of silly but birthdays make a good excuse to get your group of friends together for a good time, which is something that becomes a rarity in adult life because of conflicting schedules and numerous commitments. So really what I discovered when writing this article is that birthdays mean different things to different people and that is why they can be a big or small thing. However, after the year we’ve had I am definitely going to celebrate being alive and kicking for another year even if it is just with parents, a glass of wine and a local takeaway. Words by Kirsty Taylor
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art Inmaculada Puebla’s
By Inmaculada Puebla. Born in Madrid, where she studied arts at the Universidad Complutense and completed her bachelor’s degree in piano at the Royal Conservatoire of Music of Madrid. She has completed a master’s degree in Art & Design from the Polytechnic University of Leeds, UK. Inmaculada has participated as a speaker in numerous courses and masterclasses, and she’s been awarded first prizes in poetry, painting and drawing. She’s designed and collaborated in many exhibitions in Spain and around Europe, with the UK and Luxembourg being her main source of inspiration and influence in her style.
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Skeletons Everything in the world ages, and the ageing bodies of animals can really be quite beautiful. This piece shows that we are all part of nature, and nature is a part of us all.
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By Kateryna Repa. Kateryna was born in 1979, Odesa (Ukraine). She graduated from Odessa Hydrometeorological University, and lives and works in Odesa. She works with painting, graphics, media art, sculpture, and art objects. She also participates in personal and collective exhibitions in London, Berlin, Italy, the USA, South Korea, Ukraine.
Flash Fiction: T h e F i n a l To u c h
C
old air slapping at her face, Georgie’s warm fur beneath her palm, a guiding hand upon her elbow as she ascends the three steps to the doctor’s room. These are the things that contact her skin. These are the things that touch her now. In a distant story, she recalls plump baby flesh against her own, tiny fingers wrapping hers. Later, those fingers sticky with jam, grabbing at her hair, a snotty nose pressed into her neck. Clammy little hands always clutching at her skin, prickling along limbs, when all she wanted was to be clean and touched no more. She remembers touch. But can’t decide if she misses it. Licking a tongue over dry lips, she recalls, somewhere in those foggy way-back days, the smoky press of her husband’s bristly kiss, his hands against her nipples, thighs. And cold sleepless nights. Awake, with a kaleidoscope of worries streaming through bedroom shadows: money, children, work. And that huge-mouthed eyeless monster of fear: fear of everything. Fear of nothing. But her husband’s warm chest spooned into her back confirming that, at least, darkness could be shared. And still, sometimes, she endures the icy indignity of the speculum, latex-gloved fingers, or a cold hand cupping her withered breast. She’s refined the shut-eyed separation of mind and body to a numbing drone. Now she can even hum it loudly enough to block out the doctor’s voice. ‘Mrs Williams? Can you hear me? We’re finished here. You can get dressed.’ If she keeps her eyes closed a little longer, she might find herself back in her first bedroom, mother strumming the hairbrush through her long fine hair. Always holding the hair gently away from her scalp to work through knots. Then the tingling rhythm of twenty strokes. She’d count them softly, relishing each caress. If she squeezes her eyes tight, she can peer into that old feeling like reading a faded page from a fairy-tale. Now, the brush of a cashier’s hand, a perfunctory Christmas kiss upon the cheek from a son living interstate and a daughter-in-law that never really liked her, seem to be the breadth of what touch means. But she still has Georgie. Grey and arthritic like her, he curls into her side and they breathe into each other. Reminding each other of life, love, and the comfort of touch. They walk slowly, stiffly along the windy foreshore where her neighbours often smile and cry, ‘Oh, Georgie, you are getting old.’ And in the gasp of unrelenting chill and thoughtless words, she shudders, knowing one day soon Georgie’s fur will lose its warmth. He is her last. Too many pained farewells for too many loyal companions. When she wakes, and the world is still asleep, she might pad out to the kitchen, Georgie at her heels, to boil tea, gaze into the lonely black street and listen to the clock tick. Often it is then, in that still, waiting dark, that she is touched again. It tightens at her throat, floods her limbs, and throbs like a rock trapped inside her heart. The thunderous joy and sorrow of it all. Every day, every year, everything melding into one. Georgie, head cocked, watches as her shoulders shake, and she lets water trickle down her cheeks. Whistling through her bones, the bloody chambers of her heart, the thud and ache, remind her that she is simply waiting for the final touch. By Kate Maxwell. She is yet another teacher with writing aspirations. She’s been published and awarded in Australian and International literary magazines such as The Blue Nib, The Chopping Blog, Hecate, Blood and Bourbon, fourW, and Bright Flash Literary Review. Kate’s interests include film, wine and sleeping. Her first poetry anthology, to be published with Interactive Publications, Brisbane is forthcoming in 2021. She can be found here.
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Poetry Corner er
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He ivers of M he Holm un ams om t aia G dre es fr ith y. Tal tly w oetr n joi ley P l Va
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backgrounfd image from Retro Supply
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Collages on Ageing
Malgorzata Marta
W
e all are destined to age, faster or slower, sooner or later‌ regardless of our eye colour, skin condition or cheekbone shape. We all face the look at the surface of the mirror. And it brings a great surprise not to be able to recognise yourself.
By Malgorzata Marta Zych. Malgorzata was born in Ĺšwidnica, Poland and now lives and works in London. She has a BA from Wroclaw College of Art and Design. She has been part of many exhibitions and workshops throughout her career so far. You can find her work on her website or instagram. of many exhibitions and workshops throughout
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“When I’m
Make-up Look
actually this old, I hope I still do my makeup however I want”
By Alexa Gordon. Lex Gordon is an Aries and also a Canadian university student. She grew up near the city but on a farm. This means that her personality is a wonderful mix of pretentious city slicker and down to earth farm girl. The best description she has ever heard for who she is was from Dolly Parton, a Backwoods Barbie. She is obsessed with the art of makeup as it provides a new and fun medium to create and tell stories with. You can find more of her work on her Instagram.
T
his look is called Ageing Gracefully. It was incredibly fun to make lots of silly faces in the mirror to define and fill in the wrinkles that are already forming on my face. I love being outdoors so I made sure this older version of my face had freckles and sunspots. After doing the ageing portion of the look I went on as I normally do, adding my favourite blush, a lip liner, some mascara, a light shimmery eyeshadow that is just a couple shades off my own skin tone, and topping it off with lipstick my grandmother gave me when I was 5 that I still have, that is surely past its expiration date. I approached this look with only a single idea in my head “When I’m actually this old, I hope I still do my makeup however I want” and for me, that’s a standard lip, mascara, and enough blush to think “hey that person put on blush today”. 13
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S
INTERview with aN AUthor
onali Misra is an author based in Edinburgh, although originally from India. Her first book, 21 Fantastic Failures, has 21 stories about well-known names who have failed throughout their lives. Grace Balfour-Harle caught up with Sonali to speak about the inspiration behind the book, and what failure means to her.
How did you get into writing? My life revolves around words; either writing them or getting them out there in a book format. I read voraciously, and I wrote my first short story when I was about eight – we still have it on a hard drive somewhere. It was called The Garden Behind the Mountains, and it was this weird fantasy fairytale with magical creatures and princesses who needed saving, cause feminism came later! So that’s how I started writing and I didn’t really take it seriously but realised I should do what I enjoy best, which is literature and writing. So I did an English Lit undergrad because I thought that learning more about literature would help me improve as a writer. I applied straight out of undergrad for the creative writing masters at Edinburgh, but got rejected. So I needed a back-up plan, which was publishing. But I kept writing on the side, and after four years I still wanted to do the Masters, so I thought ‘Okay, let’s do this again.’ That’s when I started to take myself seriously as a writer, because I got published, and it was the first time I was paid for my writing. What inspired you to write 21 Fantastic Failures? I was messaged by an old acquaintance out of the blue. She had an idea for a book and was wondering if I’d write a sample chapter. Obviously I was thrilled. But it was non-fiction, and I’d never really attempted non-fiction before, so I was a bit anxious. And I told her and she said to give it a shot. So I did, and because I’m more into fiction, I gave it a twist – I approached it like the fairy tales I read as a kid. So you have the story in a chronological order and they reach a crossroad, where they’ve failed and must choose between Path 1 and Path 2. (Spoiler alert!) Path 1 is the made-up path that anyone else in their place might have taken. But Path 2 is the more different and challenging step they took. I looked at the fallout of their decision and wrote the ‘moral’ of the story (called the Lasting Lesson) and tried to apply it to the reader and their lives. And that was how the book came to be. What is your personal favourite story? I can relate to all of them, depending on what I’m facing. One chapter that has been very prominent during the pandemic is Lady Gaga’s. Her chapter addresses mental health, and taking care of yourself. She pushed herself to the point where her body was failing because she had very high standards for her performances. But she was also failed by society because she was assaulted and told some high level music execs who ignored her, so it’s a mixed bag of failures – industry and society failing her and her failing her body. She needed to take a step back and reconsider her priorities. To this day, the achievement she’s most proud of is her ‘Born This Way’ foundation, addressing bullying in schools and kids’ mental health. I really took it to heart because I’ve been struggling with isolation – I haven’t seen my family in one and a half years, and think about her lesson because my priorities have changed. I have very high expectations of myself
but am learning it’s okay to take a step back. Because we’re human, we’re going to fail, and need some love too. Which story was the most surprising to you? Oprah Winfrey’s. Everyone knows Oprah. I wasn’t surprised she came from humble roots but I didn’t know she was assaulted and raped repeatedly as a kid, and was even pregnant but lost the baby. She’s come from those dark experiences to where she is today, and she’s used her platform to work on bills that protect children. You know the Sex Offender’s Register? She’s one of the people behind it – it was dubbed ‘the Oprah Bill’ because she testified why this was really important. So she was one of the main drivers of the Child Protection Act. And she went through a lot of racial bullshit too. Like they tried demoting her because of her wide nose and her eyes were too far apart and her hair was unruly – basically for her racial features. So to experience all of that and become a mononym, where you just say Oprah and you know who she is. That’s very inspirational to me. How has writing the book changed your view on failure in your life? I think it’s normalised failure because even these big-time celebrities have all failed in quite major ways so it’s fine for us to have our day-to-day failures or even bigger failures. And it’s very annoyingly made my mum right about something. Whenever I have any failure or setback, I like to ignore it, because pondering on it makes me more agitated. But she would ask immediately, ‘What have we learned? What shouldn’t we have done? What could we have done?’ And I’m like ‘Stop talking about this.’ and she says, ‘No. We should discuss this so we know what not to do or what to do next time.’ It’s annoyed me my entire life. And it annoys me that she’s right. We are going to fail and make mistakes and it’s better to take a step back to think on what we could have done differently. Sometimes it’s out of our hands and that’s okay too. Our theme of the issue is ageing, so what advice would you give to your younger self? It’s okay not to be perfect – what even is perfect? It’s this weird creature we all envision and place on a pedestal. As a kid, I had this version of the perfect Sonali and every time I fell short, which I did because I’m human and make mistakes, I beat myself up for it – to this day, if I think of mistakes that I’ve made, I can’t sleep. I’m really harsh on myself. So the advice I would give, because it’s been a huge undertaking and it’s ongoing, would be to be kinder to myself, and to normalise failure and mistakes from a younger age so that now it wouldn’t be such a hard task to unlearn and to retrain how I approach failure and mistakes. So I think it would be to accept that I will make mistakes and I will have faults and it’s fine and it’s completely human. By Grace Balfour-Harle You can buy 21 Fantastic Failures here.
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THE GALLERY Kaitlin Walsh Each month we use this space to display the work on a visual artist, whether it be a photographer, Illustrator or painter the most important factor is that they are creating something we think should be shared! Kaitlin Walsh specialises in abstract anatomical watercolour and oil paintings. From a young age, she exhibited an immense fascination with both art and medicine. She focused her studies on both disciplines, eventually receiving a graduate degree in Biomedical Visualization at the University of Illinois, where she took a combination of fine art and med school courses. She launched her studio, Lyon Road Art, in 2015 and has now sold over 15,000 prints of her work and is a well-known name in the medical art community. Kaitlin lives happily in Iowa with her husband and three children. You can find Kaitlin’s work on Instagram, Facebook or her website.
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swan
Gout: Uric Acid Crystals
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Six Blood Cells
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Wrinkle: Aging Skin Histology
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The Agei 20
ing Knee 21
Waiting for Cuomo on Earth Day, 2020 A Personal Essay
Governor Cuomo has become my hero in these leaderless times. I try not to miss his morning briefings. As I click away on a new laptop, a present from my children, I keep one ear on CNN, droning away in the background. The house smells of coffee again, making me conclude my husband must be up. When I focus, I can hear his slow footsteps. Flames crackle, which means he lit a fire in the woodstove. He taps a hard-boiled egg with a spoon. The microwave hums for less than a minute. More footsteps. Cutlery scrapes against the marble counter. “Good morning,” I shout since it’s too early for his hearing aids. I sneak up from behind and wrap my arms around him. Some psychiatrist on TV suggested we touch loved ones during the lockdown. That we should hug every 22 minutes. I do my best to comply. “An NPR reporter said it’s the 50th anniversary of Earth Day,” I tell him. “Not much progress on that front, is there?” he says. “At least we have Greta Thunberg now.” My son was born one day after the founding of Earth Day. I was a young bride then, convinced that the world was moving in the right direction. I open the front door to check the weather and a rush of cold air hits my cheek. At the far end of the yard, treetops sway in the breeze. My Cape Cod garden is bare. I wonder how many of us former hippies will do something for the Earth this morning? My iPhone summons me with its jazzy FaceTime tune. 7-year-old Talia brings her nose to the screen and jerks the phone back at her mother’s rebuke. “What are you doing?” I ask. “Baking eclairs,” she says. “What are you doing?” “Writing about the senses. Sight, sound, hearing.” Her little sister Emily pops up. “Touch!” “Yes, touch. I wish I could touch you, girls!” “Co-ro-na-virus!” moans Emily who’s 5. I can see her petulant frown now too. Before signing off, we discuss dandelions. I show them a New Yorker cover with its drawing of an African-American lady blowing dried dandelion seeds. Her puffy bolero looks soft to the touch. These girls, my granddaughters, give me hope during this hopeless time. They belong to Gen Alpha. Their generation will find ways to save the Earth. Outside, the west wind carries the sound of traffic. A car guns its engine. More cars travel along the spine of Cape Cod these days because New Yorkers have fled to the second homes they own here. I hear brakes, followed by a sharp knock at the door. UPS has delivered the 25 pound-bag of organic flour. Local stores have sold out of yeast too. I slip on plastic gloves. We must not let our fingers touch groceries anymore. I wipe them down with disinfectant and hope for the best. Warming my hands on a cup of hot chocolate, I file into the living room for a hit of Cuomo. He says something about how African-Americans are more likely to die of Covid-19. He mentions that they live in the polluted boroughs and get asthma. Toxic chemicals are increasing their risk of death. President Trump’s destruction of the EPA horrifies me. He is so incredibly out of touch with the latest science. Back at my laptop, I compose a Letter to the Editor about body burden and marvel at how many similar letters I have written over the years. I still believe in the power of protest. Speaking up seems even more important now that I’m in my seventies. On television, Cuomo urges making lemonade from lemons. He wants us to use this crisis to create positive change. People are listening all over the country. I hope they get the message. 22
By Alexandra Gr Alexandra is a fo green innkeeper an activist against chemicals in the en ment. Her recent has been publish The Washington Better After 50, compassion Ant gy, and is forthco from Unity Mag She is revising a n
rabbe. ormer r and t toxic nviront work hed in Post, , The tholooming gazine. novel.
‘Life’
By Arpa Mukhopadhyay. Arpa is an international visual artist based in Pune, India. She believes that art is the greatest therapy known to mankind and has been painting since the age of six. She is drawn to themes of simplicity, love, and hope. Over the last few years since turning pro, Arpa’s work has been a part of numerous art exhibitions and festivals the world over.
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SHORT STORY
Talisman Banana The banana was a vibrant yellow baked enamel, and it sat on top of the world. Earth was made of lapis lazuli and gold. The necklace was unique. Mother always corrected me and called it a talisman with a crescent moon. She could call it whatever she wanted. I called it the necklace, and if I was feeling exceptionally ornery, I called it the Talisman Banana. On long summer days, with no TV, because it rots the brain, I hid in corners of the house, concocting mousetraps. When I visited mother on the screened-in porch, she’d be relaxing in a rattan chair with cucumber slices over her eyes. The talisman banana would be around her neck as usual. I’d start singing as I raced through the room, doing laps through the kitchen, dining room, formal living room, and the living room. I could have toys in this room. “Hey, Mr Talisman, Talisman Banana,” I crowed. I thought I sounded like Harry Belafonte. I did not; even though I dropped my voice to its lowest register, I still sounded like an 8-year-old girl. “Those aren’t the lyrics,” mom would declare. She could only be bothered to flick her wrist in my direction as if I were a fly. Mother’s necklace felt out of place. Other mothers wore little crosses of gold or heart-shaped gold lockets. The hearts and crosses were crowned with a small diamond chip in the centre. They also wore these everyday pieces like talismans. The crosses protected them from evil. The hearts opened life up to love. On fancy pants occasions, the mother’s wore a strand of pearls. Each one trying to out Grace Kelly the other. Not my mother; she didn’t need a pearl necklace. Mom had the talisman banana. Once, while she was playing Barbies with me, I asked her why she only ever wore the Talisman Banana. “It keeps away the deepest evil,” she said. I wondered what the deepest evil was, but she’d never say.
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It was 34 weeks since Dad had passed. Mom was handling it well. However, she didn’t want the big empty house anymore. So, we packed her up for assistant living at the Sweetgum Old Folks Home. As I taped up the last box, mom lifted the talisman banana over her head and placed it in my hand, palm up. “This is yours now. I have had it for long enough. Besides, you are 42. You could use it,” she said. I didn’t understand. I didn’t like the necklace. I thought it was a good joke, sure. But as far as jewellery went, I found it a bit loud. My mom looked at me intently and gave a slight bob with her head. I put the talisman on, and I turned to look in the small mirror that still hung on the wall. We had forgotten one. I was right. The necklace looked gaudy against my purple sweater, but my skin had a nice glow. I’d never noticed how excellent the lighting was in this room. At the assistant living complex, we had a mix-up at the receptionist’s desk at Sweetgum Old Folks Home. “We’ve come to register and move in,” I said. “You?” the woman asked. “Oh, no, my mother,” I said. “Her?” the woman asked. “Yes, her,” I said. I looked at mom and started to realise how old she was beginning to look. When did that grey stripe grow in on the left side of her face? And those bags just now forming under her eyes. The skin around her square jawline was beginning to sag. She was starting to look like me. After we got mom moved-in, I ordered pizza. Mom settled into her recliner with a Coke and turned-on The Twilight Zone. This had always been her favourite show. She laughed that she had watched the show in prime time, and now she watched it on Nick at Night. I took fewer and fewer bites of my pizza. The room was cast with unsure and unfamiliar shadows. The TV’s light flickered across my mom’s face. Was it the downcast setting of the room, or were mom’s cheeks beginning to hollow? Mum slumped into her chair and looked down. I jumped to her side. I grabbed her by the shoulders and hollered in her face. “Mom, Mom, come back. I’ll do anything,” I said. Her shaky hand reached out and clasped the talisman. She snapped it from my neck, and youth returned to her voice. “I’m sorry. I’m just not ready to die, yet,” Mom said. My voice was dry and cracked when I tried to question. My eyes went wide with recognition. I was sinking to my knees. My mom’s face blossomed in front of mine. She pulled out of my weakened grasp and turned to the mirror in the entryway. Mom smiled at herself, and the smile chased the lines and wrinkles from her face. Her skin was dewy and tight. She almost looked like me 20 years ago. My mother was stealing my life, what was left of my youth. I should have watched my mother more closely over the years. I should have questioned how the years passed by without her and yet, etched the passage of time on my own face. I should have listened when she told me the truth. I should have held on tighter to the talisman banana. She eased me into the recliner with a patience and gentleness I’d never seen her deliver but to a Barbie doll. Mom smiled and granted me a thankful nod of the head. She grabbed my purse on her way out the door. By Leah Holbrook Sackett. Leah is a short story writer. Her debut book, Swimming Middle River, was published with REaD Lips Press in 2020. It is available on Amazon and in select bookstores. Additionally, her short story collection, White Knight’s Escort Service, was recently accepted for publication. You can find her work on her website and Twitter. The image is from Andres Vera who can be found here.
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AN Interview With A musician
Lex Gordon is an upcoming Canadian musician who recently released her first album: ‘The Beginning’, which we have been loving at Continue The Voice. So, we wanted to be the first to speak to her before she shoots to stardom! How did you first get into music? I had my first piano lesson at the age of 7 and I’ve been around music ever since. I learned theory there and in my middle school band lessons. I started guitar when I was 10, I selftaught off this poster in a music shop I used to walk by. I’d write down a couple of chords every time and go home and memorize them on my dad’s old guitar. The guitar that features in this album actually! What inspired your song ‘Over The Years’? The song “Over The Years” reflects on the most prominent growing period over any humans’ life, the years through childhood and adolescence. For me those years were formed while I struggled with body image, identity, and mental illness. At 22 I can look back and see how inconsequential some of that was, and how other parts continue to haunt me. The song shows the growth that still is happening but acknowledges the change that has already taken place. Is there anything going on right now that you are particularly keen to continue the voice on? While there are many things I’m passionate about sharing and raising awareness with my music for, there are some that I am more qualified to speak on. The LGBTQ+ community has been my family and my home for many years and continue to influence my music and who I am. The fight for equal rights is still on in many countries around the world, only 29 countries have legalised gay marriage. Though the other issue in which you will find featured in some songs on the album is mental illnesses. I myself struggle with depression and anxiety, I feel there is still a need to remove the stigma around mental illness, especially in the music industry. ‘The Beginning’ is an album so perfect for those quiet moments in your life where you can just take a moment to reflect and enjoy the music, such as around a campfire on a camping trip or out on a long walk. What are your go-to listens for moments like this in your life? My go-to listens from this album are “The Beginning” and “Don’t Get Weird”. I always find it dif-
ficult to listen to my own voice but the way that I sing some words in these songs, I just can’t get enough of it. They were written to have words that bleed into each other and flow. I played around more when recording on the tone of my voice in some words and how I fell from note to note and I really like the sound of those songs for that reason. The theme of this issue is ‘ageing’, so if you could give your younger self one piece of advice what would it be? There’s no timer. It’s not gonna ding when you’re 20 and then that’s the life path for you set in concrete. Time, though fickle, always comes and I’d invite you to take more of it than just what you think is necessary. Take all the time in the world.So, with this being your first album released, and what an album!
“I feel there is still a need
to remove the stigma around mental illness, especially in the music industry.”
What is next for you? If the world wasn’t in a pandemic I would be booking shows and showcasing this album. As it is I still will be promoting this album and when I legally can, performing from it. Though I’ve never been one to stop writing music just because I released the last batch of songs so the beginnings of more are in the works though I can’t say much. Where can our readers find you? My music is out on every streaming platform worldwide. It’s called The Beginning by Lex Gordon. You can find me on Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok at LexGordonOfficial for updates on new projects and new releases. Words by Kirsty Taylor
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PLAY Over the YearsLex Gordon
Lad
Ains
Used to It-
Isadora Eden
Wh
SYM
MatchboxTalithia
Fur
Abig
Oh MarieMisty Boyce
The S
Maris
Lullaby-
Common Holly
Wh
Liz L
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Lis te
n on spot ify
YLIST
dy Long Hair-
sley Farrell
here’s My Love (Duet)-
ML, Lily Kershaw
r and Feathers-
gail Lapell
Sun Always Reminds Me of You-
ssa Nadler
hen I Was Younger-
Lawrence
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Sustainable Art: Flip It! What inspired you to start FLIPIT? It all began in the middle of Lockdown 1.0 when we ended up with a pallet in our flat; god knows what for, we seem to always have something random lying around! After staring at it for a week or so, Maddie decided at about 8 o’clock at night to turn it into a coffee table (sorry, neighbours!). She’d never made a coffee table before, we also didn’t need a coffee table, but clearly, it was meant to be! Our friend bought it from us before it was even complete and FLIPIT! was born. How do you ensure sustainability within your business? Everything we use to make our furniture (apart from the screws that hold it all together) has had a life before FLIPIT! Our material of choice is pallet wood, mostly because there is LOTS of it to spare and it often gets wasted and soaked on street corners. Although we have also used old and broken pieces of furniture that are about to go to landfill or have ended up for sale for a couple of pounds in charity shops, old bicycle wheels rescued before landfill, and even old clothing! We aim to make sure our products are at least 90% recycled materials. What sustainable habits do you have in your daily life that you recommend everyone adds to theirs? Honestly, get serious about recycling! Don’t just half-arse it, fling stuff in random bins when you are lazy or don’t bother when you are out and about. Know what goes where, take your glass to the glass bin, and bring your rubbish home to recycle. Yes, I’ll admit, my car is ALWAYS a mess and filled with rubbish but at least I am suffering instead of the environment. Also, always, always, always, try to find it second-hand before you buy it brand new! What inspired you in creating these wonderful and insanely unique pieces of art? We cannae sit still! We’re constantly looking for a way to challenge ourselves, and after falling a bit in love with interior design after moving into our first flat together, furniture and interiors became our next challenge. Being creative is our medicine for every ailment, it keeps us sane and goodness me, we needed to make sure we were well looked after this year! 30
This issue is all about “ageing” and we know that you love a good upcycle, why do you think it is so important to give life to old items? Listen, the world is dying and we all gotta do our bit. Plus, think how sad the old things get when people stop loving them! We come along, give them a makeover and then they feel brand new again. I’d want someone to do that to me if I was an old chest of drawers. Finally, upcycled pieces are always ten times more beautiful than what you buy in IKEA. What advice would you give to someone who wants to try upcycling? Be creative, don’t sh*t it, just do it, and you cannae really get it wrong! What is your favourite thing you’ve made so far? We made an unusually small dining table for a lovely couple’s lockdown Christmas! It was super cute, and we probably never would have made something like it if they hadn’t approached us for a custom piece! What would you like to continue the voice on right now? Think like a child and a cardboard box becomes a castle! Use that kind of imagination and creativity to find the beauty in things – whether that be old furniture/clothing or just the world around you in general! In the spirit of our theme of ‘ageing’, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self? Push yourself because nothing is beyond your limits – and trust your instincts! Where can our readers find you? On the ‘gram – and the website. Words by Kirsty Taylor
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Resturant Highlight: the four Pears
A Lesson in Ageing Gracefully of Little Houghton has Thehadcommunity a pub for 405 years and has been
treated as a veritable hub for congregation, relaxation, and recreation for all of that time. Although there aren’t many records and no one around to remember its original condition – many locals remember the more recent makeovers the location has undergone. The most drastic, in 2010, when what was ‘The Red Lion’, a traditional English pub revered for its burgundy carpet and its ale-centric stock, was bought over by four local couples, and became ‘The Four Pears’, a wine-bar gastropub.
to make room for new management: the Kaca family.
On the face of it, not much has changed. The décor is the same, with the added help of well-needed subtle updates in places, and there is still an excellent selection of wines. Excitingly, however, the management change saw new tenants in the kitchen with ‘Burnt Lemon Chefs’. Together, the Kaca family and Burnt Lemon Chefs have brought a community hub back to life in a time that pushes these locations to stay quiet. With each iteration, and each year that passes ‘The Four Pears’ develops and The renovation and change in culture were improves. met with positivity by locals, as the space found itself to curate open-mic nights, quiz Guests at the gastropub can now experience nights, and local events thanks to the new excellent service to accompany fantastic layout. Armed with a full wine list, collec- food. Highly recommended is the Japanese tion of classic lagers and ales, and a team BBQ beef starter (rumoured to be a menu of chefs ready to plate up upmarket pub regular in 2021). It seems these chefs have grub, ‘The Four Pears’ stood strong. strong knowledge of east Asian cuisine; therefore these meals are emphasised in Ten years later, things changed. To repeat the menu along with British pub classics. a tune I fear will become a recurrence in these restaurant spotlights in the next few months – this local hotspot fell victim to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the four pairs of owners have stepped aside By Manon Marrum-Sauvageot
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Address: 28 Bedford Road, NN7 1AB Telephone: 01604 890900
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Birmingham
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Birmingham
Paris
Paris
Paris
Paris
Munich
Burges
PHOTOGRAPHY
Olga Rerbo
By Olga Rerbo. She lived in Belarus for most of her life, but eventually moved to Israel. She has always been passionate about photography art. In the last six years she delved deeper into this domain. In her travels she always tries to capture an atmosphere through the lens of her camera, practising the street photo genre. She is also a chemical engineer and during those existential reflections, she is working in a cosmetics laboratory to avoid starvation.
London
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Small Business Spotlight 1: Summer morning stud As this month has been a hard one for many with it being very cold and having yet another lockdown, we decided to give you two small businesses the spotlight this month! First up is Summer Morning Studios, who create the most beautiful candles from our bonnie city: Edinburgh. We spoke with owners Ailidh and Robbie. What inspired you to start Summer Morning Studios? A: Back in March 2020 when the first lockdown hit, we figured we’d do something productive with our new-found evenings and weekends at home. I work in Fashion Marketing and Robbie is a musician so although we were busy throughout, it was nice having something to focus on in lockdown that wasn’t work, a trip to Tesco or watching the news.
If there is one thing that “ 2020 taught us, it’s that you can’t take anything for granted. ”
You create the most aesthetic candles, what inspires your designs? R: Collection 001 had something for everyone, the three shapes are really different and resonate with different people. Collection 002 is the most summery collection we could release considering it came out in winter but we love it and we’re working on collection 003 already. What is your favourite product you have made so far? A: It has to be The Oyster for me, it looks gorgeous on a dinner table… we’re already planning to have them peppered about the tablescape at our wedding next year. How do you ensure sustainability in your business? R: Sustainability is really important to us. With it being just the two of us, we can have control over making our processes and production as sustainable as it can be. All of our packaging is
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Words by Kirsty Taylor
recycled and recyclable and the products themselves are 100% natural too. We see it as an evolving promise, you can always do more but we’re committed to improving, reducing waste and being as sustainable as possible in what we do. Why do you believe shopping small is so important? A: It’s simple but I love shopping small and thinking that my purchase is supporting someone’s dream. Whether it’s buying a print from a local artist, a coffee from an independent coffee shop or picking up an indie band’s vinyl – there’s something really nice about shopping small and supporting independent businesses/artists. Is there anything right now you want to continue the voice on? R: The world’s a pretty difficult place right now so just make time for you, whether that’s going out for a walk, cooking a dinner that you absolutely love or reaching out for support from people and places who can help if you need it. We love your editorial element of your website, and it is one of our favourite things to read. Why did you decide to add this aspect to your business? A: Thank you! I used to be a writer and worked with Dazed, Wonderland and a few other magazines so writing was just what I loved doing. I decided to continue it through SMS Editorial to make our website more of a destination than just somewhere where you can buy candles. This issue is all about ageing, if you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be? R: Life is too short. You never know what is around the corner, so make sure you make the most of the people and experiences you have. If there is one thing that 2020 taught us, it’s that you can’t take anything for granted. Where can our readers find you and your work? A: We’re on Instagram and our website is always open for a browse and a shop.
dio
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Small Business Spotlight 2: Laura Holden Studio Laura Holden Studio has the perfect cushions You always have very unique and comfy deand creatures to give you the company and sign ideas, how do you come up with them? cosy vibes you need at home. Thank you! I think I draw inspiration from my childhood, a lot of the books we read were What inspired you to start selling your work? passed on from the 60s & 70s and I love the My background is in Fine Art textiles, I spent colours and shapes used in vintage illustrations. some years exhibiting and applying for funding Both my grandmothers made my brother and I then moved into prop and exhibition design and textile toys that my kids play with now. There education. The story of my current business can be such a feeling of love and humanity really began after my second daughter was born communicated in hand made textiles and I try to and we moved to Frome in Somerset. I was very put some of that into my work. I enjoy folklore busy with two small children but I needed to be and the animals I choose to make often have a making in some way to stay anchored. I began symbolism to them that has struck a chord with making cushions and animals using fabric lefto- me. When choosing materials I like to think ver from old projects of a hand-cranked sewing about what will feel comforting to hold and wear machine so I could sew in the same room while out nicely! my daughter was asleep and not wake her. I began selling at the Frome Independent, an What is your favourite product you have incredible market that takes over Frome town made so far? the first Sunday of every month attracting visi- I love the Swan cushions for their swoops and tors from all over the country. It was my first time curves and the golden pears for the way they selling in that way and I loved it. I really enjoy feel when you cuddle them. hearing people’s stories about who they will give a piece to or why they are drawn to it.
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How do you ensure sustainability in your business? I use natural fabrics like corduroy, cotton velvet and wool felt. When I’m able to source it I love working with vintage fabric. The stuffing I use is recycled and I use biodegradable and recyclable packaging.
This issue is all about ageing, if you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be? I think to listen to your instincts more and don’t be scared to use your voice, but maybe that’s something I needed to learn from experience! One big thing that has helped me hugely through life changes and periods of feeling lost Why do you believe shopping small is so im- with my work is if you are a person who needs to portant? create to just keep doing that, even in the tiniest Supporting small businesses especially in your and gentlest ways. And tell people about it! I’ve local community if you have the resources to do had some lovely opportunities come from the so is so vital at the moment. If we don’t they most unexpected places just by letting people won’t survive and we will lose the individuality and know what I was up to. a sense of community they bring to our towns and cities. Where can our readers find you and your work? Is there anything right now you want to con- The Etsy Shop and on Instagram. tinue the voice on? Using your money consciously and shopping Words by Kirsty Taylor where you want to see growth, support small bipoc owned businesses, female-owned businesses, LGBT owned businesses, businesses of people with young families. Just really any enterprises whose work you love and want to see thrive! Do you have any small businesses that you love that you want to let our readers know about? Alongside my textile work, I manage a small social enterprise called The Why Gallery in Frome. The Gallery sells work by wonderful independent artists and makers and the profits go to cancer counselling charity Why (We Hear You) who provide free, professional counselling for those affected by cancer or other life-threatening illness. I’d also like to mention fellow Frome makers, Scatter Jewellery, who makes beautiful unique jewellery using jesmonite and brass, and illustrator, Louise Boulter.
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Coorie M hing atc W
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th ed ay a wa
As the world opens a little more, we want life so we are including a monthly feature and illustrated by our team’s illustrator. Fo nition of Coorie: a Scots word meaning “ and positioned as a ‘lifestyle trend’, simila involves ideas such as cosiness.
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t to remind you to appreciate the little things in e of Coorie moments written by our head editor or anyone who may not know here, is the defi“to snuggle, nestle�. It has been appropriated ar to the Scandinavian concept of hygge, which
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Words by Kirsty Taylor & Illustrations by Sophie Freestone.
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s o l r a e P , follow your ‘Sweet summer child hy, magical self bliss and let your witc ht. Trust your intushine blindingly brig on’t steer you wayition; it’s a gift that w meone tries to dull ward. If (and when) so your light, kick ‘em your sparkle or steal d march magnifiquickly to the curb an cently onward.’ Michele Mekel
‘ ‘Shoot more o n your camera , don’t b about e xpressin e shy g yours and ask elf, ing for Olga Re help.’ rbo
What’s one piece give your yo
or be atastrophize they ‘Don’t over c l work out as il w s g in th e – anxious trol to chang n o c le tt li e v ha nown do, and you ace that unk F . u o y to s n what happe nt and remem e m it m m o c and yed in with bravery k. But he sta c ro is h d a h an stay ber Sisyphus ld too. You c u o sh u o y ; e is.’ the gam remember th happy if you Robert Allan
‘Just trust YOURSELF. Do believe in yourself and dream BIG. Do not let anyone take you out of your path to achieve what’s important to you. Money will not provide your happiness. Everything you need is inside you. Follow your instinct and cherish true love.’ Malgorzata Marta Zych
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‘ ‘Listen t you, t o people w hey w ho lov ill not e b e ther foreve e r’ Winsto n Plow es
F In f y
Wisdom
of
e of advice you’d ounger self? ‘
‘Keep a journal beca use having access to conc rete details from the past will help you later in life. ’ Alexandra Grabbe
ve and lo ’ e t i r . W ’ andon b a h t wi ackett Leah S
‘Trust yourself more and love yourself. Find your people, they are your family. nvest in gold and do not be responsible for the affairs of adults, they will betray you. Choose your path to Europe. Start making art professionally.’ Katerine Repa
‘Hey, young thing, stop worrying about what they all think. They’re not actually thinking about you for more than a minute or so, anyway. You are never going to look or feel as good as this ever again so enjoy the rush of physical pleasures while you can. Run that race, ski that mountain, have safe sex, dance and enjoy! And, by the way, don’t worry about getting old and set in your ways. I think I was more set in my ways in my youth. Wisdom is a freedom you should look forward to. Not everything is bad about ageing.’ Kate Stanner
rout the jou b a y r r o w r bad ‘Don’t you n’t good o re a re e h T . rn ney ahead rstand, lea e d n u o t able essary moves. Be ke the nec a m d n a , about them your life.’ changes in Puebla Inmaculada
‘ ur ore on yo m t o o h ‘S hy on’t be s camera, d elf, ing yours s s e r p x e .’ about g for help in k s a d n a o Olga Rerb
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SUBMIT YOUR WORK! Continue The Voice presents Issue 6: Time Time controls much of our life, but what is time really? Do you have a favourite time? How would you define time? What does it actually mean to be running out of time? Who came up with the concept of time? Share your thoughts and submit your art to Continue the Voice’s. The deadline is 14th of February at Midnight Head to the website for all the details or email us with your work/ proposal and a short ready-to-print bio. Maximum word counts for articles are 800 words, and 1500 words for short stories..
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Issue 4 Ageing
Follow continue the voice
