Music, Style & Culture

Edwyn Collins & Grace Maxwell: From Post-Punk To Nature Punk

Edwyn and Grace chat about his new exhibition.

While having a major exhibition at a London gallery is an achievement for any musician who fancies making it in the art world, for Scottish post-punk legend Edwyn Collins, it is a triumph in more ways than one; having worked tirelessly to retrain many of his motor skills following a life-threatening stroke in 2005. DIY caught up with Edwyn and his wife / manager Grace for a chat about his new bird-themed exhibition 'Nature Punk', his musings on art, modern art and his passion for winged things (Note to Ornithophobists: look away now).

First off, congratulations Edwyn, as you’re in a gallery! Your new exhibition is at the Idea Generation Gallery in London, entitled ‘Nature Punk’. Without spoiling it for those who want to visit, what can you tell us about the collection?
Edwyn: Well, it features illustrations of birds... and other creatures!
Grace: And it’s Edwyn’s recent colour work. He’s started using colour again after a real struggle, so there’s new depth in these drawings. It was a challenge doing the illustrations using only his left hand.

You were presumably a right-handed boy?
Edwyn: Yes, so at first, my drawing was no more than scribble! But gradually after 6 years, I’m using colour once more – specifically, wax crayons.

Like at Primary School?
Grace: More like wax stencils because for Edwyn, it’s about the feel of the pencil in his hand and the grip. He needs to discipline himself, as he only has the one hand to work with.
Edwyn: It’s a problem but I’m getting round it!

That’s great to hear. Apparently you’ve always enjoyed working with nature, as you were once an illustrator for Glasgow Parks, showing kids around nature trails. Why do you like drawing birds? What are the qualities that you admire most in birds?
Edwyn: I suppose it’s because they’re beautiful creatures.
Grace: He was very knowledgeable about birds when he was younger. Edwyn knew all about British birds!

A bit like Bill Oddie?
Edwyn: Before my stroke, I was like Bill Oddie, in that he is passionate about birds and I am too, but I’m not like Bill Oddie in that it’s a hobby for me.
Grace: When you’d go for a walk with Edwyn, he could spot all manner of creatures from great distances. He has very sharp eyes and could identify every British bird from quite a good distance. He was brilliant – absolutely brilliant. I’d feel like such an ignoramus when we were out walking.

So, what’s your favourite kind of bird?
Edwyn: Sometimes the Peregrine Falcon – the fastest creature on Earth! Other times – the Robin! With his red chest.
Grace: You can often see Peregrines in a place called The Green Table – in the far North-East of Scotland - on the border between Sutherland and Caithness.

Well, like Peregrines, you said you’ve been writing fast songs because they’re rough and ready and direct... would you say this is true of your illustrations?
Edwyn: It’s a hard question! Before my stroke, I wrote medium paced songs, but on ‘Losing Sleep’, my songs got faster. It’s not really for me to judge my art.

But it could be similar?
Grace: Edwyn’s illustrations, from when he was working at the Glasgow Parks illustrating on scraper boards to make it look like engraving, were terribly elaborate.
Edwyn: But nowadays, you don’t see the elaboration. I do things quickly. I don’t mean to sound big-headed, but it’s all about capturing a moment in time.

Capturing the concept rather than the fine detail! Illustrative impressionism! So, who would you say are your favourite artists or movements?
Edwyn: Roy Liechtenstein and Pop Art. Edward Lear.

Yeah and he was also a half-decent poet!
Grace: He’s a bit like Edwyn... multi-talented!

I’m not a fan of Van Gogh controversially... is there anyone you’re not a fan of? What about Picasso?
Grace: I remember going around the Picasso gallery in Paris with Edwyn and I said to him, “So what do you make of this Edwyn?” and he was just like, [scratching his head] “I don’t know”. [Laughs]
Edwyn: Before my stroke, I was passionate about paintings.
Grace: I think you knew what you liked... you always preferred illustrations. He likes the honesty of illustrations.

So what about modern art? Is Modern Art rubbish? If I screwed up a piece of paper and put it on a mantelpiece and called it ‘Untitled 41’, would you class that as ‘art’?
Edwyn: Each to their own! I daren’t challenge it!
Grace: In our living room, we have a big empty frame like something used in a museum, hanging with one little gold Masonic medal and it’s got a little bakerlite number 23/79 on it. That’s all. Just this small medal and all this space. It’s so funny. Edwyn takes the piss, so when people come in and ask what it is, he says, “It’s just a frame”. Though excitingly, we also now have a Damien Hirst painting called ‘Untitled Spin Painting for Edwyn’ [with random coloured circles]. He’s written on the painting: ‘From Damien Hirst. Rock On!’
Edwyn: And I wrote to him to say afterwards, “Dear Damien, Thank you very much. What is it?”
[Laughs]
Grace: When it comes to art, Edwyn always has known what he likes. He designed his own sleeves and of course, there’s Postcard Records!

Of course and interestingly many artists find themselves in music – there’s a great art school tradition! So with a background in art, how did you get into songwriting and music?
Grace: He’s always done both hand in hand.
Edwyn: I was passionate about drawing from an earlier age. From about 8 years old, I was doing watercolour and then I progressed. With music, I started banjo when I was 14. Banjo, ukulele, banjolele. Guitar when I was about 16. Drawing came first.
Grace: Edwyn’s mum has lots of things that he and his sister used to do... like they used to make up comic books and some were really detailed. She’d write them and he’d do the illustrations, in sports-action style. They were very funny. He was a good cartoonist. They’d do these satirical women magazines with agony aunts and problem pages.

Sounds like a hoot! So what kind of comic books did you like when you were younger?
Edwyn: Beano was cool and The Dandy is cool.
Grace: Edwyn liked a lot of World War II stories when he was little.
Edwyn: I like Mosquitoes, Spitfighters, Bombers... war planes! The Mitsubishi Zero!
Grace: He can identify all German, British, American and Japanese warplanes by their outlines.

Amazing! So you’ve got a thing for wings... had piloting a plane been an ambition?
Grace: God no! Edwyn’s never learned to drive! The idea of him piloting a plane is literally terrifying! [Laughs]

Well, he has the birds to do that for him... so apart from this wonderful little exhibition coming up, Edwyn’s also producing Little Barrie and you’ve been working with Frankie and the Heartstrings... what else is on the agenda?
Grace: There’s a band called The Moons that Edwyn’s been producing [Andy Croft, Paul Weller’s bandmate’s group] and a young band from Germany called The Kinbeats and we’ve got both of their records out on our own label because we’re not busy enough! There’s not enough going on and we need more work! [Laughs]

And what about your son, William? He played on ‘Losing Sleep’... is music something he’s looking into?
Edwyn: Yes, William has formed a group called The Maxwells. They played a gig at Shepherd Bush Empire.
Grace: They debuted there on Wednesday night with Edwyn. They’ve got a cool song called ‘Light Bulb’. They’ve got about 5 songs together. I’m taking a backseat on it though because I don’t think your mother running your rock band’s a very cool thing. He’s completely obsessed with music and he’s always giving Edwyn advice! He thinks he’s better!

Like father, like son, eh? Maybe in 30 years, we’ll be interviewing him about his art exhibition.

See Edwyn Collins: Nature Punk starts at the Idea Generation Gallery in London on 26th February - 6th March, with a private viewing on 3rd March (email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to be added to the guestlist). Find it near Liverpool Street station and with no admission.


Hobby, © Edwyn Collins 2010.