Name and Occupation

Diving into everything we have about creative people via in-depth interviews.

Paul Bower

https://nameandoccupation.com/2023/12/26/paul-bower/

Daniel D’Ottavio

https://nameandoccupation.com/2023/12/26/daniel-dottavio-photography/

Erik Nieminen

https://nameandoccupation.com/2023/12/26/erik-nieminen/

Henri Groenewold

https://nameandoccupation.com/2022/01/11/henri-groenewold/

Monkeyhouse Guitars Kansas

https://nameandoccupation.com/2023/12/26/monkeyhouse-guitars-kansas-2/

Chris Carkner

https://nameandoccupation.com/2023/12/25/chris-carkner/

Desert First Boutique Bakery

https://nameandoccupation.com/2023/12/25/julia-gindra-dessert-first/

Paint and Beer

https://nameandoccupation.com/2019/08/21/beer-paint-amsterdam/

Mural Demolition

https://nameandoccupation.com/2019/08/01/dutch-graffiti-demolition/

Quesnel Media

https://nameandoccupation.com/2023/12/25/andre-quesnel/

https://blackvinylpublishing.gumroad.com/

You looking for hidden gem in Provence?

Vacances en Luberon (France) NAO IN-DEPTH interview with Rixt Ferkranus in Reillanne https://youtu.be/xvn-jd7BuIw

In 2000 Rixt’s father moved from The Netherlands to Reillanne in the Parc Naturel du Luberon, Alpes de Haute Provence. They restored a 12th century notary house to establish Vacances-en-Luberon. Renting apartments, rooms and a holiday home. Rixt took over the family business in 2016 and she tells us about her journey of moving from The Netherlands to France.

Location: Reillanne, Provence, France

Rent a vacation home, apartment, or bed and breakfast bedroom at Vacances en Luberon

Make a reservation
https://www.vacances-en-luberon.com

Facebook Page
https://facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100063689074636

https://blackvinylpublishing.gumroad.com/

Diving into everything France via the music, the food and in-depth interviews.

Discover French Culture

NAO IN-DEPTH Paris: From Eiffel Tower to Louvre (France)
https://youtu.be/tbpNTnazv8o

Daze and Francesco’s excellent Paris adventure. This episode is full of fun facts and tips on traveling the city of love. Come take tour with us… from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre Museum and Chateau de Versailles.

The Roaring 20s Paris | NAO IN-DEPTH The Lost Generation https://youtu.be/-jAO7sXJ10U

The sun also rises at Le Select Montparnasse | NAO IN-DEPTH Ernest Hemingway’s Paris
https://youtu.be/I2zjgxdtRak

Paris in the 1920s ! World War 1 is over and the alcohol prohibition is in full effect in the United States. This episode explores the creative boom driven by the lost generation in Paris. Come explore the world of literature, fashion, art, music, and burlesque. Come discover how this liberal minded era called the ROARING 20s became legendary.

https://nameandoccupation.com

https://blackvinylpublishing.gumroad.com/

Manager, promoter and musician

LONDON BASED manager, promoter, musician and more https://youtu.be/SJNfjMW3_JU

Topic: the music business

After being booted out of High Storrs Grammar in 1973 for laziness Paul joined the ground-breaking Youth Arts workshop Meatwhistle where he took up guitar duties with proto punk anti-group Musical Vomit.

They were joined on stage by 16 year olds Ian Reddington later of Eastenders and Coronation Street on percussion & posing and Glenn Gregory on 3 string bass (they could not afford to replace the missing string) later of Heaven 17 and backing vocalist to Tina Turner. Musical Vomit split in 1974 after their 6th gig at Bath Arts Festival where they were canned off stage by hippies shouting ‘Play some music man!’ Of course that was the point. They couldn’t . A young Poly Styrene of X-Ray Specs was in the audience and later described them as ‘ the first punk band I ever saw’. The one gig Musical Vomit splinter group ‘Underpants’ featured Martyn Ware on stylophone with Paul on guitar playing his first composition, “Wimpy Bar Magnet’. 10 years later Martyn produced Tina Turner’s classic comeback multi-platinum hit ‘Let’s Stay Together’. Amazingly, they are still close friends.

In 1976 Paul went on to found punk fanzine magazine – one of the first outside London – with conceptual artist and ex Meatwhistler Adi Newton who later went on to cult fame with his band Clock DVA. The magazine was distributed by Rough Trade and reached Japan and the USA . IIssue 4 contained the first interview with Cabaret Voltraire. He went on to form new wave agit pop punk trio 2.3 who released double A side Where to Now?/All Time Low on indy label Fast Product. Paul took a cassette demo of early Human League (Paul had been on the mixing desk at the League’s first gig at Sheffield Art College) tracks to label boss Bob Last who then signed them and released the iconic Being Boiled/ Circus of Death single 3 months later.

2.3 split in December 1979 and whilst getting a degree in Spanish at Sheffield University he managed Sheffield soul outfit Floy Joy and secured them the production talents of Don Was (later Oscars musical director) Don Was by waiting for 9 hours outside the offices of Geffen Records in Manhattan until A&R would speak to him.

After leaving university Paul was the co-ordinator of Red Wedge the Labour Party music campaign led by Paul Weller and Billy Bragg and then moved on to manage Sheffield legends ABC for their comeback single ‘When Smokey Sings’ and their 4th album Alphabet City. His management career came to an abrupt end in an all night drinking session with a Dutch karate instructor

Paul now works as the Business Development Manager of the British Ecological Society the world’s oldest community of academic ecologists. Divorced with two adult children he lives in Camden Town with his collection of hilarious anecdotes.

He regularly plays on the London open mic scene. His most popular self-penned song is ‘You Won’t Miss Me When I’m Gone’ about his impending death.

Instagram
https://instagram.com/bowersubmerged

Miss me when I’m gone | PAUL BOWER | NAO IN DEPTH MUSIC
https://youtu.be/vsscs24JgvM

2.3 New wave Album
https://23basstonetrapdetian.bandcamp.com/album/new-clear-waves

3.2 All time Low (1978) https://youtu.be/YWIB_yuEmaA?si=ZClWseZP5PmRP7eQ

ABBEY ROAD & THE BRITISH INVASION | NAO IN-DEPTH MUSIC featuring Rick Beato
https://youtu.be/wR05LJdx1lw

https://blackvinylpublishing.gumroad.com/

Topeka, Kansas

Monkeyhouse Guitars (KANSAS) NAO IN-DEPTH Interview https://youtu.be/oVLVwnsbTzA

Name: Mike Thompson
Occupation: Monkeyhouse Guitars
Location: Topeka, Kansas, United States
Website: https://monkeyhouseguitars.com/

https://blackvinylpublishing.gumroad.com/

American fashion photographer based in New York City

NYC Photographer Daniel D’Ottavio: NAO IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
https://youtu.be/AA0thZ739Qo

Name: Daniel D’Ottavio
Occupation: Photographer / Model
Location: New York City, NY, USA

Website
https://www.danieldottavio.com/

WAX TEMPERATURE PLAY: DDNI Photography (Art) NAO IN-DEPTH
https://youtu.be/nO4rXGFo7P4

Portrait Photography with Daniel D’Ottavio | NAO IN-DEPTH NYC
https://youtu.be/TwTLWYuU0Wg

SNCTM (NYC) The world’s most exclusive club | NAO IN-DEPTH
https://youtu.be/3MoG2Spuo14

https://blackvinylpublishing.gumroad.com/

Canadian visual artist

Erik Nieminen is a prominent Canadian visual artist based in Montreal. Recognized for his complex oil paintings that blur the lines between urban realism and surreal abstraction. His work uniquely captures the essence of contemporary city life, intertwining elements of architecture, landscape, and the human experience. Through a meticulous layering technique, he creates striking pieces that invite viewers to explore the relationship between reality and imagination. His work has shown in galleries across North America and Europe. The paintings stop people. That’s the point.

Welcome back to another edition! Today we’re live in a Montreal studio with an artist who shares his space with his equally creative wife. We’re back diving into how he navigates in a rapidly changing world. His process, and the ongoing debate around artificial intelligence in art.

The heart of our conversation focused on how the art world has changed. Particularly in light of the pandemic and the rise of digital platforms like Instagram. The internet has pushed the visual arts forward in an “inevitable” progression that artists are quick to embrace. Including new AI-generated mediums. That shift brought NFTs into the conversation — new ways to buy, sell, and own art. These digital assets are creating new opportunities but also raising questions about ownership, value, and authenticity.

Erik, however, doesn’t view AI as an existential threat but as a potential partner in creativity. He finds that purely AI-generated art often lacks the depth of true intellectual thought. Composition that human creators bring to their work. Instead, Erik collaborates with the technology. He uploads photos of his creation and allows the AI to “fiddle with it” and create a new version. The result is something neither human nor machine would have made alone. He then reclaims this AI-interfered image and works back into it. Pumping humanity back into the AI” to create a collaborative, unexpected new work. Like Neo interfacing with the Matrix, blending human intuition with machine efficiency to produce truly original creations.

For an artist who takes up to three months to finish a single painting. The slow-drying nature of oil paint is essential. It allows for the reworking of areas over extended periods. Unlike fast-drying acrylics, which can hinder the layering and detailing process. Erik views painting as the most “magical” of mediums, capable of creating space out of “colored mud.” His approach sees paintings acting as “transponders” or portals, transforming mundane subjects into something recontextualized and surreal.

PAINTER Erik Nieminen

In our conversation, we also explore the cultural differences between Europe and North America through the lens of an artist. Berlin’s identity, forged in the vacuum left after the Fall of the Wall, presents a fascinating backdrop. Derelict factories and abandoned buildings became a playground for artists, and “weirdos,” turning the city into a global creative hub. However, that vibrant era is now fading away. Much like London, Paris, and New York before it, Berlin is rapidly gentrifying. The very artists who made the city “cool” are being priced out by skyrocketing rents. Leading to a significant transformation of the cultural landscape they once dominated. This raises important questions about the sustainability of artistic communities and what happens when affordability clashes with creativity.

It’s an aspiration that transcends geography, connecting viewers to deeper narratives and emotions. Watch the full interview on our YouTube Channel

Watch the full interview on the YouTube Channel.

ANONYMOUS REALITY

The Documentary captures a decade of his journey in the art world, showcasing his unique perspectives and style. The story takes us to Ottawa, Montreal, New-York City, London, and Berlin. Exploring the vibrant art scenes and diverse cultures that have profoundly influenced his work. Each city serves as a backdrop for pivotal moments in his career. Highlighting exhibitions, collaborations with fellow artists, and experiences that shaped his creative process. Through candid interviews the viewers are invited to witness the challenges and triumphs that come with a career in art world.

ErikNieminen.com

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Video producer, freelancer, documentary filmmaker and podcaster

I am Canadian André Quesnel, and I’ve been living in the Netherlands since 2014.

I’ve been a micro-budget video producer and freelancer in the media industry since 2003. Recently I’ve added content creation into the mix with the release of a streaming culture series called Name and Occupation in 2019. In 2020 I released the first documentary for the series, entitled Anonymous Reality. In 2022 we started the nao in-depth podcast with co-producers Chris Carkner, Francesco And Daysi Maragoni.

Website

https://quesnelmediavlog.wordpress.com/

https://blackvinylpublishing.gumroad.com/