Ceramic Instruments , Diddly Bow
Andrew Cooke ceramic instruments
After working for over 20 years in the car body repair trade, aircraft technician and classic car restoration I found myself unemployed due to ill health.(arthritis) I took this life changing event as an opportunity to follow my desire to be a self employed artist. I started on a road which lead me to completing my degree in fine and applied art (Ceramics) in 2012. I now make unusual ceramic and found material art instruments; the strange thing is I am not a musician. I have always wanted to be able to play an instrument and whenever I discovered American Folk instruments like the one string Diddly Bow I was hooked!
I enjoy experimenting with materials and techniques, and clay lends itself to my interpretation of traditional folk Instruments. I take impressions from objects I have collected over the years like Motorcycle parts,old American number plates etc and transfer them into clay, I make and hand wound the magnetic pickups and source the reclaimed wood from pub refits around Belfast.
All my materials have a story ,a past life ,I tranform them into a new object, give them a new life .This is somewhat similar to my life transformation over the last number of years.
I Fire my work with waste wood and sump oil in my handbuilt kiln at my studio which is built on a derelict stock car track my father owned and ran in the 1970s.
This is in the hills close to Newtownards and Bangor in Co Down Northern Ireland
My vision for my work is to give the impression of folk art, of making, of using what is disregarded by modern life. To me my work is firstly sculptural and an instrument second, but they have the potential to be a great sounding instrument; the real buzz is when a musician takes my work and gives it life.
New range coming soon !
If you would like to buy or commission a unique instrument please email me at [email protected] or connect though the links at the top of the page.
To listen to the instruments click on the you tube link at the top of this page
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Justin Johnson playing one of my ceramic body diddley bows which was custom made for him .
I make these to commission from £495 , email me at [email protected] |