Vocalist and songwriter Sarah Gillespie, in partnership with the UK charity Help Musicians, is launching her second collection of limited edition paintings, ‘Ramona’. Feature by Rosa Sawer

Sarah Gillespie with Warmer Than Blood (31 x 39 inch)

As in her first collection ‘Tango Palace’ – featured in the LJN Wednesday Newsletter in May 2020 – each artwork in ‘Ramona’ is inspired by a specific song. “‘Tango Palace’ was really successful and meant I could give hundreds of pounds of commission to the 606 Club where I’d been due to exhibit. It felt good to give back to a venue that has given artists like myself so much love and support,” explains Sarah Gillespie.

Included in ‘Ramona’, is work inspired by Miles Davis, Tom Waits, Joan, Bob Dylan, Charles Mingus and Tin Hat Trio. The paintings are created using mixed-media: oil, acrylic, metallic ink, pen and conte. All pieces are created on 100% duck weave cotton canvas with high grade 36mm timber frames.

For the second collection, Gillespie said: “I wanted to create some larger scale pieces and explore painting with palette knives and sponges onto stretched cotton canvas. I feel that my painting is freer and working on larger scale pieces means I can really let rip!”

Gillespie’s large-scale canvas of the vinyl cover of her bandmate Chris Montague‘s critically acclaimed new trio album Warmer Than Blood is also included in this collection.

L-R: Take the ‘A’ Train – Charles Mingus (19.8 x 19.8 inch), Sketches of Spain – Miles Davis (16 x16 inch), Ramona – Bob Dylan (19.8 x 19.8 inch)

The other three paintings are pictured above. “I’m happy with Sketches of Spain because I struggled with painting too consciously and the paint kept arranging itself around my anxiety. I had to destroy the work and, just as I gave up on it completely, it sprung to life,” explains Sarah.

On Help Musicians UK, Sarah says: “They have provided vital support to us as a community since March. I admire the work they do and approached them. They love the work and are understandably enthusiastic about the prospect of any funds coming in that can channel back to musicians. So many musicians aren’t eligible under the current government schemes so this is of huge importance.”

30% of all sale proceeds from ‘Ramona’ will go to Help Musicians UK.

More information can be found on Sarah Gillespie’s website

Sarah Gillespie is playing Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club on January 10th 2021 with Kit Downes – piano, James Maddren – drums, Ruth Goller – bass, Chris Montague – guitar, Emma Divine – backing vocals and special guest Laura Jurd – trumpet 

Buy tickets for the show here