We spent the afternoon with Kent based artist and DJ, Abi Clarke. We sipped coffee and chatted art, fashion, music and of course – the new Clarks Torhill!
Abi went for the dusty pink, that just so happened to perfectly match her carefully curated outfit for that day. It’s easy to see from her collages and screen prints, that Abi is not afraid of colour. She primarily uses shapes, bold colours and typeface to create her uplifting artworks, also inspired by the music she loves, grew up with and shares with others.
“I was born in the 60s. Back then when you were a kid you wanted sweets, but when you got to about 9 or 10, you’d want to collect records. Over many years I built up a record collection. In 1996 I was at a friends party and their music system had broken down! Music system being a CD player in those days. I had some cassettes with a compilation of all my favourite records on in my car, so I brought that into the party.”
Abi goes on to tell me about this promoter, who happened to be at the party and who loved her choice in tracks. He asked her to DJ at his club when it opens in London. Laughingly and not taking the offer seriously, she accepted. It was only after a phone call from a friend that she realised the event was serious, and that her name was printed on 5000 fliers ready to promote her DJing in the West End that following week!
After a quick lesson on queuing up records from a friend, the next 28 years were set, and it started her career as a DJ locally and across the world. As well as travelling all over to share music she loves, Abi also has a monthly radio show on Mysoul Radio.
“My first love, my passion is music. Closely following that is clothes and shoes! I love my clothes, I’ll wear them for decades. I consider clothes and shoes to be real treasures.”
Abi explains that her jeans were bought from a dear friend’s shop in Camden, she then customised them herself. The jacket was handmade by a friend out of other sentimental clothing and the necklace is crafted by a Native American artist. The Pendleton blanket waistcoat was our personal favourite!
The conversation moves to shoes – Clarks specifically. And Abi talks us briefly through the history of Clarks shoes in relation to music.
Clarks shoes were adopted heavily by the reggae and dancehall musicians and Rudeboys of Jamaica. Due to them being considered expensive, they felt it was what they needed to impress. Wutang Clan got into wearing Clarks, and more recently MF Doom. Acid House Ravers wore Wallabees into some of the clubs, as they weren’t allowed to wear trainers but needed something colourful and comfortable.
“That’s why these Torhills are so interesting to me, because of that connection with the music that I love”
The painting, collage and screen printing came during lockdown. Abi’s Dad’s studio (Graham Clarke) wasn’t being used, so she moved in! The first one made was ‘We Are One’ and it went from there. The others are inspired by the music she loves. ‘ Super Natural Thing’ is now a brand her the printing and artwork, as well as the title of her radio show. ” It’s about being your authentic self, your natural self, embracing it for what it is”
You can listen to Abi here: www.mixcloud.com/abi-clarke/ and find her artwork on Instagram.
