Introduction to "A Drum/A Gallery"

Due to corona-crisis and related issues, next few weeks, or maybe months, my time for making drums will be severely rationed. However I'm about to start a project that will take a whole lot of hours to complete because every part of it will be unique (read about it below). It will probably take 3 or 4 months before I can show you a new drum. Of course, under the current circumstances, I could choose to start a less elaborate project, but I have reasons not to. When I started building drums and when I found out that the aesthetic and artistic aspects of building are most important to me, I made a radical choice that is still my point of view today: I am going where the artistic road takes me. The ideas that trigger the artist in me the strongest are most worth pursuing. Such is very strongly the case with this project I am about to start.

The project encompasses many challenges, the biggest of which will be patience. I will need that a lot. The whole project will be a constant practicing of staying mindful and in the moment, patiently and mildly observing what wants to unfold itself. It would go too far to explain to you how it came about, but lately, when I'm in my most philosophical moods, the thought that the utter expression of love is patience feels very true to me. The artistic road takes me on a journey that will appeal strongly to my patience. Also it will appeal to my ability to endure insecurity; I am 100% honest when I say that I really don't know if this project will turn into a pleasing tangible result; it may very well turn into an incoherent lump of material.

So, well, here we are. I have very little time for drumbuilding, but I feel the urge to start a time-consuming, challenging and difficult project. However, I'd still like to share what I make, so I figured that it would be a good idea to post about the many small steps in the process of this project, something I don't do very often.

First I'd like to write about the project, about what's in my head, about how I approach it and why. For most of the people who follow my work this will go way too far; this project and my thoughts about it aren't really about drumbuilding or drums anymore. I fully understand that most will loose their interest. That's perfectly ok and natural. I do this project, and this writing, for myself, out of curiosity, and for those interested in these kind of things.

As I am aware that I'll probably loose the interest of most people that follow me for the DRUMS I make, and as I am aware that for me personally it's not in essence about drums anymore, I am starting to feel free to write extensively about my process and thoughts. The writing (and thus reflecting) is an integral part of the process. I am hoping I will reach a few people that can connect to what I am about to do here, people that understand.

So, without further ado, I present to you my next project that is called:

A Drum/A Gallery.

Before reading, please take notice of the following: I feel I understand quite well what a good quality drum is about, in every aspect I find important, and I feel I do make such drums. My drums are quite different then mainstream and I make unusual choices, but please know that I always take care that the eventual drum I make is a good drum, on all these aspects. I make weird drums, but good ones. I'm too much of a craftsman to put things into the world that are only good to look at.

So, finally, here's the plan: I'll cut up an old children's bike and some old plumbing material that were left over from rebuilding our bathroom. I'll make 10 small sculptures from this material, all different in what they express. Eight sculptures will also be lugs, one will be a strainer, one will be a throw. The sculptures will be mounted on a 14 inch drumshell (vintage Slingerland COW that I stripped and shortened from 10 to 6,5 inch depth). This drumshell will be a galleryfloor for the 10 sculptures.