Holding Up The Ladder

In today's episode of never before heard conversations from my archive, I speak with portrait painter Christian Allison. Christian hails from Nigeria, a self-taught artist who left a career in engineering to pursue art full time.We talk about his commitment to learning, to his love of painting elderly people, how he manages to relay so much emotion through his subjects, especially the eyes. How he enjoys the solitary nature of his work, his harshest critic being his girlfriend. And we of course talk about music.One of the things that struck me the most about our conversation and why I love interviewing people from around the world, was how Christian talks about his practice. With none of the self-deprecation associated with British culture, Christian loves his work and states it as fact, without any guile or artifice.Guest: Christian AllisonTitle: There’s something unique about the eyes that has to come aliveMusic: Dunsin Oyekan and Nathaniel BasseyLinksChristian's WebsiteChristian's IGHolding up the Ladder linksFind out ways to support the Israel-Palestine project click herePodcast WebsitePodcast IG

In this week's IBTA I talk about dreaming, pondering...day-dreaming. Why taking time out to dream is a necessary part of our work.That art and Its utility isn’t measured by its function. Its utility simply is. It is because you are and you are the maker of it. LinksWebsite: https://www.holdinguptheladder.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/holdinguptheladder/Israel-Palestine project: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/holding-up-the-ladder-podcast-israel-palestine

Welcome back! I’m so pleased to start this series of never before heard conversations from my archive with a dear friend of mine - photographer, artist and co-founder of menswear brand Adret, Adam Rogers.Along with his co-founder Seto Adiputra, Adret is discreetly tucked away between the high fashion luxury brands of London’s New Bond Street and the bespoke tailors of Saville Row. Their tagline - ‘Smartly Tailored for Smart Relaxing.’We talk about patience, about finding your way, about imposter syndrome, about being uncompromising. About independence and the musical Singing in the Rain. And how a young man from a family of musicians, with a love for BMX bikes, who studied art and design, ended up with his own menswear brand. And of course we talk about music.Guest: Adam RogersTitle: It was the constant idea of independenceMusic: Clifford St playlist Matthew Halsall, Johnny HartmannLinks: Adret on IGOther Links:Find out more about ways to support my special limited Israel-Palestine series click herePodcast WebsitePodcast IG

To kick of Season 4 we start with a new segment where I share things I've been thinking about pertaining to the creative process, it's called 'I’ve been thinking about' (IBTA)The first IBTA is a manifesto of sorts. A reflection on my time away, why I love the Arts so much, why the Arts are important and why we need to protect artists. It's called 'I've been thinking about...Us'Website: https://www.holdinguptheladder.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/holdinguptheladder/

Welcome back, it's been a long time! Season 4 is special as I'll be sharing never before heard conversations from my archive. We've also got a new segment called 'I've been thinking about' where I share my thoughts regarding creativity, basically things I've been thinking about! Those will air on Sundays.Our first episode goes live on Sunday 6th April and then Wednesday 9th April.I'll also be sharing details of an upcoming project I've been working on that I'm really passionate about - a limited HUTL series around the events that lead up to 7th October and the ensuing crisis in Gaza. To find out more and ways to support you can click hereWebsite: https://www.holdinguptheladder.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/holdinguptheladder/ Israel-Palestine project: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/holding-up-the-ladder-podcast-israel-palestine

Holding up the Ladder Salon Series IThis episode is in collaboration with Black British Art, an arts platform that focuses on championing, educating, curating and advising on all that is Black British Art. Its founder Lisa Anderson-Diffang, a curator, consultant and Interim Managing Director of The Black Cultural Archives* chairs the discussion asking the question - ‘Are we having a Black British Art Renaissance?’. Our panellists were: Bolanle Tajudeen - founder of Black Blossoms – an expanded curatorial platform showcasing contemporary Black women and non-binary artists since 2015. In 2020 Bolanle launched the Black Blossoms School of Art and Culture, an online learning platform decolonizing art education. Bernice Mulenga is a London based multidisciplinary artist, who prioritises the use of analog processes in their work. Mulenga’s work also explores recurring themes surrounding their identity, sexuality, grief, family, and Congolese culture. And Dr Kimathi Donkor, Kimathi is a contemporary artist. His work re-imagines mythic, legendary and everyday encounters across Africa and its global Diasporas, principally in painting. Dr Donkor earned his PhD at Chelsea College of Arts and he is currently Course Leader for the BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art: Painting at Camberwell College of Arts. On the night we were served a bespoke menu consistent with the Black British Art theme prepared by The Future Plate, the chef was William Chilila.The episode was produced and recorded by AiAi studios*Lisa Anderson is now Managing Director of the Black Cultural ArchivesTitle: 'Are we having a Black British Art Renaissance?’LINKS:PanellistsBolanle Tajudeen: https://www.black-blossoms.online/; IG - @blackblossoms.onlineBernice Mulenga: https://www.bernicemulenga.com/; IG - @burneece Dr Kimathi Donkor: https://www.kimathidonkor.net/; IG - @kimathi.donkorChairLisa Anderson-Diffang: IG - @lisaandersonaaBlack British Art: IG - @blackbritishartBlack Cultural Archives: https://blackculturalarchives.org/FoodThe Future Plate - https://www.thefutureplate.com/ William Chilila: IG - @william_chililaSalon Series I Playlist - https://tinyurl.com/5mf5n6snFor images of the event head to the podcast website - https://www.holdinguptheladder.com/