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Drum painting in my studio
“I found Sharyn through Etsy and I emailed her about getting a 14” remo drum custom painted. After conversing over email, I was certain I chose the right person for the job. I shared a couple of ideas with her of what I wanted but Sharyn was able to take my idea and develop it into something much more than I could imagine. Sharyn is an incredibly talented artist but she is also very intuitive and I had full trust in her. The care and love that was put into the painting is clearly evident and she has a gift of infusing beautiful healing energy into her work. I am so happy with my custom drum and I am extremely grateful to Sharyn. ”
Drums have been used for thousands of years. They are found throughout many cultures. Sacred, ceremonial instruments, they are used in ceremony, healing and by the shaman to alter their state of consciousness to allow their spirit to journey. The shaman's spirit rides the beat of the drum into different realities.
Until you have a drum you cannot realise the power which it has. I use my drums so much. Drumming allows you to shift your consciousness out of the mundane and hence access states of altered perception. I use my drum when chanting the runes and I use it to connect with the pulse of the earth and interact with the land spirits.
As a shamanic artist I can offer you something special where your drum is concerned. I can paint a drum for you with the image of your choice. This could be an image of your Animal Spirit / Plant Spirit Guide(s). You may know what you want on your drum. Alternatively, I can journey on this for you and bring back images and ideas which we can discuss before I put paint to drum skin. As I paint the drum I often receive messages and guidance for the client. It's a wonderful process and it's so interesting so what what unfolds as I work.
As a vegan, my preference is to paint Remo drums which are drums made from a synthetic fibreskyn. They have a beautiful resonance and the beauty of this drum is that, unlike skin drums, they are not affected by damp and temperature changes meaning that they are perfect to be used outdoors and their tone is never affected. I will admit that a completely virgin drum can feel a little souless which is why I like to embue it with spirit through art.
I can paint on the drum head, as shown in the below examples or I can paint around the drum frame. Or both!
I am able to paint your own drum for you or can source a Remo Buffalo Drum for you and paint it.
Click here to read an article about my drum painting process which I wrote for Indie Shaman magazine
Drum Gallery - please click below to see enlarged images of my drums
A short video where I talk about the drums I paint and the process behind it.
A short video showing my drums from 2019
A short video showing my drums from 2018
A short video showing my drums from 2017
A short video which shows step-by-step how this Black Panther Drum was painted
Prices
Every drum is designed and created as a one off, unique creation and as such I am unable to give fixed prices. The cost of painting a drum will be dependent upon the detail and complexity of the design. Some designs will take much longer to paint than others. As I am sure you can appreciate, all of my drums involve many hours of painting to create.
To follow are guide starting prices. This price is for a basic design (i.e one furry animal plus a little foliage) and the price increases depending upon the level of detail and time required. Please note, these prices do not include the price of the drum.
12" drum - from £260
14" drum - from £300
16" drum - from £340
22" drum - from £600
Please contact me to discuss your requirements at which point I will be able to give you a better indication of the price. A deposit will be required when you commission your drum. Payment by installments is welcomed enabling you to spread the cost of your drum. I am always happy to offer advice and help about choosing your drum and you may find the following information helpful.
Choosing Your Drum
The full range of sizes available as Remo Buffalo Drums - from highly portable and lightweight 10 inch up to booming, arm aching 22 inches!
If you have any questions or need any guidance on choosing your drum then please just ask. I can source Remo Buffalo drums for you to be transformed and awakened with my paintings.
There are various considerations to take into account when choosing which size of drum to have. Smaller drums are more portable and great for taking out and about with you. A larger drum is better for group work. I personally have a range of sizes that I use for different purposes.
Below are some sound clips of Remo Buffalo Drums so that you can hear the different voices of the drums. Please bear in mind though that even synthetic drums can vary. I have played two seemingly identical drums and they sounded different so these sound clips are intended as a guide only.
Remo also make an alternative drum that can be painted and which comes in at a considerably lower price. This is the Remo Frame Drum. The main differences, apart from the price, are that the frame is shallower, there is no rope handle as with the Buffalo drum and no beater is provided. It is possible to drill the frame and add your own rope handle though although I have yet to try this myself. As an example, a 16" Buffalo drum costs around £85 whereas a 16" frame drum costs in the region of £35.
The Remo Frame drums have no handle, like the Buffalo drum. When you play them you hold onto the frame. One handy feature is that they stack inside each other. They come as small as 8 inches right up to 22 inches.
Below are a few sound clips of Remo Frame drums for you to compare to the Remo Buffalo Drum. The sound produced is pretty similar.
Shipping
Drums can be shipped worldwide. I use DHL and drums can be insured for their full value. Where possible I endeavour to use recycled packaging.