Lora is an Egyptian–British interdisciplinary artist, writer, and researcher whose community-led work moves between environmental storytelling, walking-based arts, and cultural practice.

We are channeling full moon energy in the studio. This was recorded before Nick’s Costa to Costa mission and he is buzzing to set off. Lora is the partner of our previous guest Marley, the Community Farmer and Film Maker, who we LOVE! We love Lora too! What’s up culturally between Essex and Suffolk? Lora moved to the S county, but still feels culturally rooted in Essex. What is ethnobotany? It’s all about how humans relate to plants and place. Anthropology of plants. Uses of plants and their names change with places, especially historically.

Essex’s modern identity is part geezer, part Haywain. The National Gallery, so many great paintings in one place, and The Haywain is coming back to Essex this year! Changing the image of Essex. Lora is a wildcrafter, working with foraging, land access, dealing with pollution, and now a tenant farmer, which is very hard. Lora worked bringing people together and showing them what is around them, edible, medicinal, and the justice that exists around land use. A deeper understanding helps people want to protect their natural environment. Education about plant families and similarities to make global connections between people and place. Lathcoats Farm apple tasting station is amazing to try different varieties. Planting fruit trees and digging bore holes on the farm. Wondering at the layers of orange earth, blue London clay, sand and chalk that came from the bore hole, and processing them into art - all of these colours from beneath their feet on the farm.

How did feudalism and capitalism change land rights. Hawthorn was planted to keep people off of land in these times, and it is very prolific across the county.

All about the 70 mile North to South ‘Saffron Trail’ in Essex, running from Southend-on-Sea to Saffron Walden. Lora walked the Pilgrim’s Way and the Essex Way during lockdown. Saffron is a plant not from Essex, so it is an interesting subject for people and place. Growing saffron and grapes for wine in Essex, and climate change. The cultural stress of learning about new growing and production on land, such as Essex’s move to grape growing playing catch up with generations of tradition from other growing regions. What are ‘blue spaces’? Water spaces. Of which there are loads of varieties on the Saffron Trail. And artists can respond to these sites in Lora’s project. About the Sudbury to the Sea kayak route. Slow travel and exploring the county. Making inks and paper from the land, and using them for calligraphy. The history of colours. Lora has been exhibiting at Wellcome Collection in London in the exhibition ‘Thirst In Search of Fresh Water’. Be curious - learn about plants, talk to people about them, observe them, and explore.

Lora Aziz website

Lora Aziz on Instagram

Are You Creative? recorded by Adam at Lawker Media, Chelmsford, ESSEX
Edited by Nick Hearne
Artwork by Alpaca Antenna

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Children’s book illustrator from Mersea Island, Essex. He recently got a selfie stick and will throw it in a ditch if he sees anyone else on his walk. Mark Strong and his sexy microphone voice. Tom had just been doing an online schools event for the book he created with author Michelle Robinson ‘The Pumpkin that Stole Halloween’ - talking to 400 schools. Tom has drawn SO MANY pumpkins in his career. He’s illustrated over 50 books, and written some too. Good Knight, Bad Knight by Tom Knight illustrated by Tom Knight is a classic! It takes about three months to illustrate a book. He used to illustrate with ink, but now does a lot of work digitally on iPad. Crowd scenes take a long time to draw, and Tom likes to sneak friends into them. Tom started his career as a graphic designer in the marketing department for Essex Police. Poo Watch at Chelmsford Police Station. Sneaking small subversive illustrations into the police artwork. What is the difference between vector and raster artwork? The police allowed Tom to work part time, so he balanced earning money with starting out as an illustrator and establishing himself. Tom quit his full time job in 2016 and made the leap into full time illustration. Establishing your own unique style as an illustrator. He always drew from very young and felt like he was an illustrator, but needed to hone his illustration skills. His first commission came from sending a postcard to David Bennett from Boxer Books at the perfect time when he needed an illustrator. How do you get an agent? Bright were Tom’s dream agency, and they signed him up. Big up Vicky from Bright! The publisher Magic Cat has signed up Tom for three of his own books, written and illustrated by Tom, ‘The Hole Beneath the Hedgerow’. Everyone has an idea for a children’s book, is it the default side hustle? Nick’s Adrien Brody story. Drawing real humans like Greta Thunberg and Caleb the farmer. Pairing authors with illustrators. Going for inspiration walks around Mersea Island. We all love David Hockney! Is digital art real art? The importance of meeting your audience, understanding them and getting feedback. How to set your price for creative work. How to start out as an illustrator in such a competitive market? Find the thing that makes you happy, be yourself, and fly your own flag. Pirates in Pyjamas is an amazing book!

Tom Knight Instagram

Bright Agency

Are You Creative? recorded by Adam at Lawker Media, Chelmsford, ESSEX
Edited by Nick Hearne
Artwork by Alpaca Antenna

Don't forget to like, subscribe, share and all the good stuff.

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Send comments, questions, or suggestions for fascinating creative people in Essex give us a shout on our Instagram

Thanks to NGDA for their support

LIVE from Patch Place, Chelmsford for Essex Podcast Festival. Disappointingly Steve isn’t wearing his MBE medal. Talking The Meffs and MeffFest at Charter Hall. Steve grew up in a small village near Halstead, Essex. He discovered music at Xmas 1973 when his Dad was listening to the top 20 on the radio. Tom Robinson, The Stranglers and Eddie & The Hot Rods got him excited about punk and music, and then The Lurkers came along and he fell in love with the sound and went to see them in Chelmsford when he was 13. After that Steve was addicted to gigs. Started a fanzine, and took a course in journalism in Harlow. Learning the pyramid of how to write a news story, which is still a useful skill now. The power of camaraderie and teamwork in a newspaper office, and learning from mentors. He was sports editor at the age of 21. His journo skills and fanzine landed him a role as sub editor at NME. Advice to people starting out: Write every day to become a better writer - Set yourself writing challenges, or subjects, and build up a body of work. Know your subject better than anybody else. Steve is fascinated by the musicians that just have to perform, there’s something they need to get out and express, pure drive - like Idles! Looking after Kingmaker on tour in Colchester and watching Blind Date in a hotel room. Discovering Coldplay at a gig he almost didn’t go to at Camden Falcon - they were ready for the big time. The more gigs you’ve seen, the more well versed you are to have an opinion. Backing The Streets on the Evening Session, and the audience didn’t agree, very vocally on email. Steve started a record label, Deceptive Records. After years of being a music critic at the NME he wanted to prove that he could run a label - and to create a hit band from Harlow. A chance encounter at The Square led to him signing Collapsed Lung. Eat My Goal was a top 40 hit and featured on a CocaCola advert. Deceptive also signed Elastica - they went on to do well! All about Colchester legends Bum Gravy. Other amazing named bands from Essex - Pregnant Neck, Horrible Dolphins. Steve is Chair of LIVE Trust, and trying to get underserved towns and cities back on the gig map. People need places to play to form bands, and find inspiration. How does Steve find new bands to check out? Steve prefers being an observer of music, rather than a creator of music, he never felt like starting his own band. Balancing the music and connection to your audience when you put together a radio show - play one that the audience will like, play one they’ll probably like, play one for me - and round again! Steve likes to give as many different people and bands the chance to play on the BBC, like Slay Duggee! Interviewing Nirvana in a bed and breakfast in Shepherd’s Bush - the best story ever.

Thanks to Essex Podcast Festival and Chelmsford For You

Are You Creative? recorded by Lawker Media at Patch Place Chelmsford, ESSEX
Edited by Nick Hearne
Artwork by Alpaca Antenna

Don't forget to like, subscribe, share and all the good stuff.

Follow our Instagram for latest news and behind the scenes photos

Send comments, questions, or suggestions for fascinating creative people in Essex give us a shout on our Instagram

Thanks to NGDA for their support