We are lucky in Macclesfield to have a thriving arts scene, and two of our town's best known creatives have joined forces.

On Saturday 11th December Whose Hues?, will combine the work of Macclesfield artist Becca Smith and Macc pianist Charles Ormrod.

Charlie and Becca have been working together to create a series of vibrant performances, with Charlie's spontaneous, virtuosic piano improvisations creating a colour palette for Becca to make live painting compositions.

When Becca Smith was little, she used to argue with her brother about what colour the days of the week were. In Becca's world, sounds actually have colour.

Charlie Ormrod doesn't have synaesthesia, but he is a pianist who sometimes thinks his improvisations should have palpable shape, texture and, er… flavour. So the two are working together for a unique one-off performance just for culture-lovers in Macclesfield.

Becca said on the collaboration: "The initial idea had come from us talking about synaesthesia, and also the idea of the performance element: of me physically painting with Charlie on stage creating his music, for an audience".

Charlie added: "In my previous shows, I have explored music in terms of all sorts of things! Food, textures, sometimes colours and comparisons with visual art... but Becca literally experiences this! A show like this was just too enticing".

Live Show will take place on Jordangate at Macclesfield Library, Saturday 11th December 2021, 7.30 pm.

This fascinating artistic collaboration on 11th December is produced as part of Charlie Ormrod's Patreon. You can sign up to his Patreon for £5 to get a free ticket with each sign-up, or buy tickets at CharlieOrmrod.com.

Without a Patreon subscription, tickets will cost £9.

Patreon supporters will also be invited to a drinks reception before the show.

Charlie is a pianist, composer, session player and piano tutor living in Macclesfield. His live performances, which are often heavily improvised, draw on influences from jazz, Latin, blues and soul, as well as classical styles.

Recently, he has begun sharing new compositions on Patreon alongside his piano tutorials, and has plans to tour and film a new series of live performances next year. In 2020, Charlie composed the theme 'LIGHT' for Macclesfield art collective IDST! for their Tree of Light installation on Market Place.

Macclesfield: you can listen to Charles' music here.

Becca is an artist working with painting, printmaking and multi-media collaborations with other artists and community groups. Recent work includes the Macclesfield Brick Project, The Print Mill artists collective, Barnaby Homemade Parade and the Town Council mural in Water Street. She also exhibits with London-based contemporary art collective The Tunnel.

The mum-of-one also works delivering practical art workshops and mentoring young people at Pinc College, The Old Sunday School and the Silk Museum and runs Stranger-Than-Life Drawing. She lives on Richmond Hill in Macclesfield.

You can see some of Becca's best work on her Twitter.

Macclesfield Nub News also produced an article with Becca earlier in the year. She designed the vibrant street mural in the Churchill Way carpark.

Please click here to read that article.

See also: New Macclesfield arts magazine will launch next year.

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