Name: Barbara Keal.
Profession: I’m a live artist. As part of Artwave, on the 14th and 15th of September, I’m doing a live performance singing seven songs through seven ceramic sound vessels. The whole performance is going to take place inside a felt dress I’ve made from fleeces from the flock on Malling Hill, given to me by the farmer. The felt-making process involved two horses pulling along a giant rolling pin, covered in the untreated wool. The songs are varied: some are based on Medieval plain chant, others are influenced by the Sephardic Jewish tradition.
Are you local? I’ve lived permanently in Lewes for four years, but my parents have had a house here all my life. I grew up in a Christian community in Notting Hill Gate, run by my mother, where 20 people lived together like one family, including a proportion of mentally ill or very vulnerable people. We all took turns doing the chores. It was quite an exciting place to grow up. We’d come to the house in Lewes on holiday for a taste of nuclear family life.
What do you like about Lewes? I like Malling Hill best of all. I love the fact that you can get out of town so quickly, and get an overview of the place. I also like its friendliness, especially since I had my son Isaiah, who’s just over two now. I like feeling connected.
What don’t you like? The fact that there is no industrial centre where people are doing hard manual work. There are too many shops selling weird and wonderful things, but not enough practical places.
What’s your favourite pub? I haven’t got one. My favourite church is St. Michael’s, where I’m the church warden. I think they have a beautiful way of celebrating mass - with song, and smells and bells. There’s also a wonderful Sunday school there, where all the kids are making their own-sized papier mâché angels..