slowworm

Hi,

My name is Richard. I am a nursery school teacher and an amateur musician from the United Kingdom. I love to make things, give them and swap them, but don't know so much about this site just yet. I am hoping to get involved in some swaps that encourage me to develop my rudimentary artistic skills. I was born in Scotland but now live in England.

I love rats, cats, music (grunge, electronic and lots more). I love my guitars and keyboards - oh yes and of course my lovely children too!

I have lots of favourite bands and singers, some well known and some obscure. Rickie Lee Jones is probably my favourite ever. I also would love to be able to write music like Beck and Eels. I love the grit of Tom Waits but the sweetness of the Carpenters. Abba brings back memories of childhood but Soundgarden, Audioslave, Dinosaur Jr. and The Pixies are good for when I am feeling energetic.

I really like electronic music - Bat for Lashes, Bjork, Portishead, Tricky, Amon Tobin. Basically, if it has been recorded, I'll listen to it at least once.

I love all kinds of collage. I enjoy experimenting with tissue paper to create layers of colour. I especially like children's book illustration, particularly Eric Carle and Ezra Jack Keats. I like making my own postcards and artist trading cards and although I am not that good I am always practicing and trying to get better. Most of all I like writing and recording music and would like to swap some of that with someone else!

I am a geek at heart and love all kinds of comic and comic art. My favourite is Calvin and Hobbes.

But I also like comics from the seventies and eighties. My favourite is:

Things I Like...

The Moomins (loved the books since I was small)
Seventies and eighties Nostalgia (games, books, TV shows, films...)
Music!
Macrame (inherited love for this from my mum and aunt, though I guess it's a bit out of fashion now)
photography (but I'm really bad!)
Children's toys - especially Playmobil and Lego
Mouse Guard

So, even though I have not taken part in a swap using this site before, I am really keen to prove I can do it on time and please people with what I send out. I have been looking at how things work round here and I think I might have the hang of it. It would be great if someone would give me a hand if I need it, so I'm hoping to meet some kind people!

I would like to meet some new people from other countries who want to keep in touch through Facebook, so please - send friend requests!

I'm going to keep adding to this profile as I have been advised to help when it comes to swapping. Thank you so much for the welcome I have received so far. I really feel at home.