Sound artist Tansy Spinks talks about how to listen. Thoughtful and informed, this experimental artist makes a fascinating podcast.

Tansy Spinks always knew she wanted to be an artist. Growing up in a family of female painters, her decision when she left school was not whether to be creative, but which creative path to follow: art or music. Choosing to attend Leeds University and study photography, Tansy relished the opportunity to experiment. Now a senior lecturer at Middlesex University, Tansy works with students, evaluating their work by examining the students’ curiosity and their commitment to their course and their research.

Tansy has had a varied career as an artist. During her forties, she returned to university to study for her phD, and here she began to combine her interest in sound with her art process. Fascinated by what our ears bring to the experience, Tansy enjoys performing live. She visits places and performs using objects that are readily available or have a special relevance to the historical or current environment. She’s performed live at various locations, from Brixton Market to an old WWII sea fort in Kent.

In this podcast, Katie and Tansy discuss Tansy’s life and work. Working through the writings of Marx, Morris and Ruskin, they discuss the relevance of creativity in the human world, how we are inherently creative beings, and the need for schools and society to recognise and value this reality. They also listen to an extract of Tansy’s sound art, a 45-minute recording of re-enacted Leeds United football and discuss the narrative value of sound.

Visit Tansy's website and listen to more of her sound art: http://tansyspinks.com/

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