Rise Up Empowering Arts & Entertainment: An Interview with the Creative Mind behind the Light, the Music and the Art

For Apostolis Fotiadis, giving new life to unwanted and rundown instruments is truly his artistic calling. We recently interviewed Apostolis and asked about his art, his inspiration, and his process.

1. What is Your Favourite Piece to Date?

This is probably the most difficult question for me to answer. Every piece means so much to me but yes, there are a few that I hold closer to my heart. My Johnny Cash Guitar Lamp and my Floor Tom Side Table Lamp are my current favourites. I will have a really hard time parting with these when that time comes.
 
One of my all-time favourite pieces found a new home during the September Perth Makers Market.  Of course, this gave me some mixed feelings, but I'm so glad this piece has gone somewhere where it can be appreciated by someone as much as I do.

2.    Where Were These Instruments Sourced From?
 
Like most instruments that I come across, the guitar was purchased second hand. It was in a terrible condition and instead of throwing it away, the seller had it for sale. I drove quite far to collect it because I knew that there was something special about this guitar, and I wasn’t wrong. It was old and neglected with rusty metal parts and strings. It needed a refresh.
 
The Floor Tom was bought from a music school that needed to replace older instruments for their students. It was an opportunity to help young musicians get new instruments and for myself to create some art. 

3. What Was Your Inspiration Behind These Pieces?
 
I am inspired by the pieces themselves. The guitar was old and rusty and needed a facelift, so I gave it a face, I wanted to create a piece to honour a classic legend like Johnny Cash so I gave it a rustic, Country Western look.
 
The Floor Tom was calling for something unique, so I decided to play with Fluid Acrylic Paints and see how those colours move and change when the light turns on. I’m also making a side table to sit alongside the drum, making it a three-in-one piece.

4. Describe the Process Undertaken to Make These Pieces
 
When making Johnny, I first had the rusty metal strings and parts removed, and the guitar face sanded down. It was sanded down to a beautiful natural wood which added to that old, rustic feel I was looking for. I chose three pictures of Johnny Cash and using Pyrography, I slowly burnt those images onto the guitar. I placed the light on a snake-like metal rope with a noose, giving the piece that Country Western look. I created a stand for it to sit upright and used a dark varnish that perfectly complemented the wood. I believe I succeeded in making it feel rustic, with a warm ambient light, for a final touch.
 
The Floor Tom needed some prepping too. I cleaned up the shell and the skins first. Creating the light fixture inside was a challenge but eventually it sat perfectly inside the shell. I used Fluid Acrylic Paint and let it create natural and interesting patterns as I tilted it from side to side. It looked like a kaleidoscope of colour, and when the light was turned on it cast a warm glow over these already striking colours. I then tightened the skins back on the drum and added a glass piece so it could be used as a table as well.