Painting and Music with Hester Berry and David Smale

will present the evocative music of the Koto, a beautiful traditional Japanese instrument, accompanied by painting a landscape. Hester's live painting will be projected onto a screen for the audience while David performs several pieces as well as talking about how he came to play the instrument, a brief background of the music, and the Japanese reverence for nature which comes across in their art. There will be opportunity for questions and discussion after the performance.

David Smale studied at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford and has performed all over the world as the bassist for legendary Rock and Roll band, The Yardbirds. He now plays in various other bands around the UK, he writes and performs his own material, and he has worked as a session musician on various film soundtracks.During the Covid Pandemic when he found himself unable to work, David taught himself Japanese, which led to a love of the culture and he became fascinated by traditional Japanese music. Recently David had the opportunity to travel to Osaka to receive intense training on the Koto, as well as being gifted the instrument. He hopes to bring this evocative yet unfamiliar music to a new audience in the UK in order to justify the kindness of his Japanese friends.

Having grown up in rural Devon, Hester has always been interested in landscape and the environment. Her traditional university training in Aberystwyth nurtured this interest and also led her to explore life drawing and portraiture. After continuing her studies to complete an MA in Fine Art: Painting in Wimbledon, she taught life drawing and painting in Brighton and London. She paints and exhibits widely as well as teaching internationally.

In 2016 Hester and David returned to Devon, where they now live with their two children.

Www.hesterberry.co.uk

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