With special thanks to Lindsay Martin for her collaboration and support in allowing me to be part of this special event.

The soundscape has been specially created to draw together sounds of midwinter from walks in Gloucestershire.

Both Lindsay and I have incorporated sounds to create a piece that has the narrative of a circular walk and coming back to the warmth and comfort of a home.

What is Solstice Songs? Written by Lindsay Martin

It’s looking back at history to learn from the experiences of those who came before us.

It’s about seeking truth in nature.

Being hopeful for today and building faith for the future.

“Preserving the old ways from being abused

Protecting the new ways for me and for you”

From ‘The Village Green Preservation Society’ by The Kinks

Folklore’s ever-changing and adaptable nature connects us to the past, to our natural surroundings, and to the promise of continued future renewal.

The songs tonight have been chosen because they connect pop music with the broader traditions of Midwinter: people gathering together in warmth and light on the darkest night of the year, with a shared faith that the sun will return, bringing longer, brighter days.

History shares the experiences of those from the past.

Nature always tells the truth: a trustworthy present.

Hope and faith, and faith and hope for the future.

The earth keeps turning.

I’ll meet myself again in each returning season, with past experiences and new learning.

“The big wheel keeps on turning

On a simple line, day by day

The Earth spins on its axis

One man struggle while another relaxes”

From ‘Hymn of the Big Wheel’ by Massive Attack

Folklore and customs adapt and change to suit the needs of each generation:

What stories and songs do you need today?

I don’t want to outsource all my wonder to past times or faraway places.

I want to experience wonder today, with the people and places I love.

When I find that kind of magic, I’ll want to share it because it will look like community.

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Head Librarian of The Just in Case Zine Library

Invitation:

To make a collage for the front of your postcard.

Use it to express how you feel now. These Audio Postcards accompany a digital collage zine that was made with Artists as part of a Peer support session at Artshape in Gloucester.

Thank you to them for their generosity and honesty.

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Lindsay is one of my favourite humans and I always look forward to a wander with her. We walked over and around the Severn Ham, Tewkesbury, North Gloucestershire. 

Why not try listening to this on a walk? As always be careful, take a torch or phone and let someone you trust know where you are walking. 

During the chat we talked through the scarcity mindset, the idea of working seasonally, the value of being part of a community and how liberating it can be when you just ‘try something out’ - although that is often easier said than done. 

If anything we talked about resonated for you too, please do reach out and leave a review! If you have a creative practice, please reach out to me: justincasezine@gmail.com or via Instagram: www.instagram.com/justincaseizinelibrary.com 

>> Next Month I’m off to the Tremula Festival for the first time. I cannot wait, I’m sure it will inspire lots of new ideas and hopefully some guests! <<

Here is a link to all the fantastic things they do: https://tremula.network/festival

The Guest: 

Lindsay Martin

Lindsay is a singing teacher, creative health practitioner and musician based in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. Find out more about what she does (really really well) here: https://www.lindsaymartin.co.uk/

Open Mic Tewkesbury Lindsay spoke about is The Watson Hall Open Mic: https://www.facebook.com/watsonhalltewkesbury

The Walk:

Tewkesbury Ham or The Severn Ham where we wandered: https://tewkesburyhistory.org/The-Severn-Ham

A map where you can see where we joined the Ham:

https://www.visittewkesbury.info/media/1762/hamhistoryleaflet2.pdf

The Nature:

We saw around 24 Cormorants during our walk and at one very exciting point we saw a flyering ‘v’ of 18 cormorants. It was amazing! I’ve ha

Cormorant info: 

https://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/wildlife-explorer/birds/seabirds/cormorant 

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The Summer Solstice

The moving of the seasons and marking of mid-summer

The earthy smell of Petrichor, exhaled from the earth after it absorbs the heat of the day

The feeling of peace and being grounded when so much is changing around us

My friend and collaborator Lindsay Martin has created Solstice Songs a beautiful evening to mark midsummer, with a specially curated playlist of songs, which she is performing Live in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.

Lindsay has invited me to be a creative collaborator on Solstice Songs, this is the second session, with the next marked for Mid-Winter.

I hope you find peace and a sense of feeling grounded whilst listening to this.

Thank you for listening, send me an Audio Postcard soon...

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Risée is a guest artist from Barbados presenting ‘Caribbean Atlantean’ as part of SITE Festival in Stroud. Showing a new series of digital collage pieces created by merging photography, digital illustration, text, and watercolour  which tell the stories of Africans who jumped from the slave ships - who chose the water instead of the world of colonisers.

Her work is at SVA in Stroud until 22 June 2025.

I really enjoyed our time together, hearing about her practice - delving into her what motivates her work and finding out a bit more about her journey as an artist was a privilege and I'm very grateful to her for taking the time out from a very busy week in the UK to spend time wandering past the lake and busy traffic of Stroud. Also am very chuffed I got to witness her first experience of seeing a swan in person.

Thanks to Jo at SVA for her support and Introductions.

Enjoy!

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A series of anonymous audio confessions from participating artists.

Sharing your creative frustrations, celebrations, mundane moments, or existential crises. Whether stressed about exhibition or procrastinating on the 15th cup of tea! These artists have confessed - why don't you?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A series of anonymous audio confessions from participating artists.

Sharing your creative frustrations, celebrations, mundane moments, or existential crises. Whether stressed about exhibition or procrastinating on the 15th cup of tea! These artists have confessed - why don't you?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A series of anonymous audio confessions from participating artists.

Sharing your creative frustrations, celebrations, mundane moments, or existential crises. Whether stressed about exhibition or procrastinating on the 15th cup of tea! These artists have confessed - why don't you?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features Mark Darbyshire

We talked about Mark's exhibition during SITE; Just When You Look The Other Way which was on for a special 2 day event as part of SITE 2025.

Thank you to Mark for taking the time to chat me me about his practice. Enjoy!

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If you are interested in taking a walk up Bredon Hill, here is some useful information on All Trails

I use All Trails but there are plenty of useful websites out there. As always, be safe, wrap up warm, cary a charged phone and torch! Always let people know where you are walking!

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