From the Red Gate Gallery review of Entwined, an art and music show I held in Brixton in February 2010...

Giles Hayter's music is full of rhythm, with strong chords and soaring melodies. The base is a blues drive with the flexible harmonies of the piano. The songs are finely crafted with great care, in the search for depth and texture. The piano combines clear left-hand stride rhythm and harmony with complex right-hand syncopations in two, three and five time. The lyrics are colourful and vigorous, with a careful balance struck between the sounds of the words and their meanings.

Recently recorded with Lucie Low : Allelujah Sounds
Recently recorded with Rachel Lynn : In Search of Eve

I am very keen to collaborate, and am always looking for new projects, vocalists, instrumentalists, producers and so on. Currently I'd be very excited to hear from any brass players, guitarists and especially cellists! Please feel free to get in touch if you have any suggestions or ideas.

I produce music using ProTools and Reason, in my home studio in Stockwell. My music is almost exclusively keyboard based, though I do occasionally use the guitar for writing purposes.

I am also available to play the piano live - I have played at parties, weddings, bars and others. My piano playing is very upbeat - a mixture of ragtime, stride, blues and jazz. I play some classics (Scott Joplin, Fats Waller, Count Basie etc) and spend the rest of the time improvising away! I charge £100 an hour if bringing my own piano, or £80 an hour if playing yours. In London I charge nothing for travel - elsewhere by arrangement.

I have worked with a number of vocalists - recently Rachel Lynn and Victoria Kruger. I record a great deal in my studio, though I have also worked with Luke Henderson at Fluke Productions on a couple of tracks, and Nicolai Kelhet in Bangkok.

The Paintings for Sale are located to the north. The main Gallery is found towards the south, but there are paintings spread throughout the surrounding areas. For a look at some of the techniques involved please click here, or take a look at some photos from the Studio.

I started painting in 2008, initially as a break from making music. I took a week off, bought a roll of canvas, made twenty paintings and have not looked back since. I have held four exhibitions so far. The last two have been at galleries in London. Restless Kinetic was held in October 2009 at the Troubadour Gallery in West Brompton, and Entwined took place in February 2010.

Since February I have been mostly finishing this website, and am now setting off on a new set of music/art adventures. Entwined was all about links between art and music, and I am planning to explore that further. My next exhibition will be a step in the same direction, with a bolder set-up. I am planning to write a long piece of music, which will guide the listener around the gallery. Become a friend to recieve further updates...

I would be delighted to take on commissions of any kind. Please feel free to email me if you have a suggestion. I can produce paintings to fit any size, shape or colour scheme. As my paintings are often pattern-based rather than figurative, it is ideal for me to paint to fit a certain space. I am no primadonna, and I take pride in producing professional work to deadlines.

I am always keen to experiment, and commissions are in no way limited to paintings alone. Apart from paintings, I have produced work in all manner of guises, from sculpture to furniture. For instance, I have built a variety of random things, such as...

	Drum Tables My old drum kit is now a set of tables. The cymbals also became a set of wall hangings.
	Cellar Bar I built this bar in an unused space in a cellar in Balham.
	Jewellery Holder Various people have asked me for these - and I would be very happy to make even more! This one is 80 cm tall by 20 cm wide but they could come in any size, shape and colour...
	Wooden Snake This is a floor standing sculpture, 120 cm tall, carved from a single log.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch - I am very happy to discuss ideas, and will provide you with an instant quote if you want one.

Restless Kinetic was all about movement. The paintings were dynamic, vigorous and colourful. I painted most of them using machines to get the paint moving. Pendulums, 3-D contours, spinning wheels, syringes and the like were the order of the day.

It was my first exhibion to include musical elements - my first two, Experiments in Paint and Energy and Optimism were purely paintings. Having taken a pause from music production to concentrate on the art, I decided to record one of the last pieces I wrote before taking up painting in 2008. A bit of research led me to Rachel Lynn, who I'd heard singing at a gig in Shepherd's Bush. She was ideal for the song, but sadly was on her way to tour in south-east Asia. Rather than let it slide, we decided to go for it anyway - so I found a producer in Bangkok, and set about recording backing tracks in London.

Rachel went to Thailand, and I sent backing tracks, guide vocals and Nicolai Kelhet, a Danish producer working in Bangkok. Rachel and Nicolai had their sessions, and sent the results back to me to mix and master with Luke Henderson at Fluke Recordings. In Search of Eve was the result. This gave me the idea to expand into further musical ventures with the exhibition that followed - Entwined.

Giles Hayter's Relentless Kinetic exhibition at the Troubadour Gallery in Earls Court was, in many ways, as musical as it was visual. The artist, who is a maths teacher at Westminster School, is also a talented poet, composer and musician, so for him it all comes naturally. This was his third exhibition since he took up art seriously just over a year ago. His approach to art is experimental and multi-sensory. He allows nature to determine the final outcome of his pieces by using scaffolding poles, credit cards, pins and turntables. As a result the paintings burst with colour, twinkle with light and plunge through numerous depths with their multi layered surface. They are charged with energy.

The most engaging paintings are multi layered, like palimpsests. They are a series of compositions spread on top of each other and then sliced to reveal the pattern below. The resulting image is both attractive on the surface but also snares your attention and draws you in to see what is partially exposed beneath. Other favourites included what looked like a firework display made using a credit card, a sheet of Perspex and some acrylic paint as well as a piece called Kabboom that resembled a dragon-fly being flamboyantly squashed into a blackboard to the sound of Primal Scream.

Streamers

100 cm x 50 cm, Liquid Gloss on Acrylic Glass.

1. I built up layers of blue, black and white liquid gloss, which I then sandwiched between two sheets of acrylic glass. I then pulled and twisted the sheets apart, so as to create the marbling effect in the background.
2. I then rigged up a pendulum. The pendulum consisted of a three metre string, to which was attached a bottle of water, to which was attached a sharpened stake. I loaded the stake with white gloss, and set the pendulum swinging. The pendulum swept slowly across the surface, with the bottle performing much faster, smaller amplitude oscillations on the bottom of the string. This created the streamers.
3. I hammered a set of nails into a length of wood, so that the resulting object resembled a very coarse comb. I then dipped this repeatedly into a pool of coloured liquid gloss and applied it to the acrylic glass.

Fanfare

80 cm x 90 cm, Liquid Gloss on Canvas.

1. I began by building a wigwam out of wooden stakes each about 1.5 metres long. I arranged these into an irregular heptagonal based pyramid, and smoothed the corners...
2. I then took a sheet of raw canvas, and draped it over the top of the wigwam. The angles of the pyramid were carefully chosen so that when the canvas was folded over the top of the stakes, the parts of the canvas unsupported by the stakes would end up vertical, so that the canvas resembled a folded umbrella. I then pinned and stretched the canvas, ensuring that the folds were smooth.
3. I poured a lot of paint over the top of the ridges, using sticks and syringes, and then left it to dry overnight.
4. In the morning I removed the canvas, stretched it 2D, and left it to dry fully.
5. A few weeks later I stretched it onto a wooden frame.

The Sound of a Triangle

70 cm x 70 cm, Gloss and Card on Wood.

1. I painted the coloured strips by drawing out liquid paint across the surface of glossy card. This was done by sandwiching the liquid between two surfaces and drawing them against each other
2. I left these to dry, and then later cut them into shapes. Brightly coloured and very varied bars for the atonal impact at the bottom of the painting, and pale blue squares for the metallic pitched sheen of a triangle at the top.
3. I then made the background (the percussive impact) by spinning a piece of wood very rapidly, and drooling black and white paint onto it using syringes.
4. While the background was still wet, I arranged the foreground.

The words on this website fall broadly into two camps.

• Philosophy to the North
• Poetry to the South

I have become fascinated by language - in particular the misunderstandings that arise when we erroneously assume that another's usage of a word is the same as our own. No two people attach exactly the same meaning to any word - no matter how simple.

Some examples...

Introduction to this Philosophy

The study of philosophy is, as I see it, an attempt to answer one very simple question - how do I live?

With this in mind I have endeavoured to set down the methods by which I have ended up living.

Fundamentally I make two assumptions, for which I can provide no proof.

1. There is no god.
2. There is matter.

The first of these is a personal choice. I cannot prove there is no god, and no one can prove to me that there is one. I imagine that there might be (and would welcome) a time when such a statement is unworthy of mention. There seems no reason for me to believe in a god, and I believe the world could be a happier place without religion, but it would be a horrible generalisation to say that every individual (as they are now) would be better off becoming an atheist.

The second of these is a practicality. We can offer no proof, but it seems a waste of time to keep doubt in the mind as to the existence of the world around us. My use of the word 'matter' does not necessarily imply solid objects - matter is whatever we define it to be and there is much unresolved debate in the scientific sphere about its true nature. All I will assume is that there is something, and I will call it matter.

Using these assumptions, my entire philosophy is then based on the notion that any living creature's physico-chemical make-up changes over time, in a way that is affected by the decisions made by that creature. This does not require a belief in free will, only recognition of the fact that the decisions (by which I mean the sensation of free will) made by a mind affect the future state of that mind. The decision to insert a fork repeatedly into your own face and the implications of that decision should serve as proof.

I will quote no philosophers in these essays. I have not read very widely in philosophy, but my decision to avoid quoting great philosophers is not primarily due to a lack of familiarity with their ideas, though that is certainly the case in some areas, nor is it due to a desire to steal their ideas and pass them off as my own. Philosophy is a matter of opinion, and there are 'great' philosophers who have held shades of the full spectrum of views on every issue imaginable. Quoting "As J***** W****** said..." is a sign of the weakness of an argument, not its strength. It signifies that the convictions of the philosopher (which must appear at some point in any philosophy) are not strong enough to defend themselves, but require the ghosts of philosophers past to support them. If I think my views worthwhile, I must be willing to stand by them unassisted.

These essays are some early thoughts in philosophy, and I feel fairly certain that I will adjust and refine many of the points made. I set out with the purpose of clarifying my opinions on some questions, forming opinions on others, and hopefully binding these together into a viable philosophy.

I have written much of the content of these essays in the first person, to reflect my view that much in philosophy must logically be put forward as opinion rather than fact. Much must rest upon our initial assumptions about the nature of existence, and mine are different to those of many others. I do not claim that mine are definitely right. Elsewhere I use the pronoun 'we' where I feel justified in applying something universally. The above 'much must rest on our initial assumptions' applies to everyone attempting answers to questions of anything.

I am keen to discuss, refine, alter, remove, strengthen, reverse or defend any of the positions put forward. If we are willing to offer opinions, we must be willing to see them taken to the cleaners.

Synopsis

Early Conclusions in Philosophy

1. What Is A Table?

   The division of matter into objects is a human construction. There are no such entities as tables, buildings, planets and so on. There is matter, and words such as ‘table’ represent empirical models used by humans to describe certain configurations of matter. These models are essential to our existence, but their practicality does not imply that the objects they describe actually exist as entities in themselves. Philosophers have expended a great deal of energy on questions such as ‘what is a table?’. The answer is simple. If you want somewhere to put your breakfast, it is a good idea to know what will stand up to the task. You'll use ‘table’, but ‘table’ is the means by which you find a suitable spot, not the thing you'll eat off.

2. Of Course There's No Such Thing As Free Will.

   Firstly, there is no such thing as a mind to exercise it. Secondly, the human consciousness is built of matter, and its make-up at conception does not depend on personal choice. Thereafter the makeup of the human consciousness depends on external influences, and the prior states of that consciousness. Neither of these is under our control.

3. The Meaning of Life (There Isn't One)

   There is no intrinsic purpose to our existence. Any purpose to our existence must be derived subjectively, whether it be philosophy, religion, hedonism or anything else you care to mention.

4. The Meaning of Life (We Could Make One)

   ‘No meaning to life? What's the point?’ I would rather be happy than miserable. Obviously! Happiness is worth striving for. There is a sensation of self in human bodies, and it has come about through evolution that humans feel emotions, some of which are desirable. If we set our goal in life to be the pursuit of happiness, then this is all the purpose that a human can ever need.

5. Selfishness: Very Very Short-Sighted.

   A human is not likely to gain lasting happiness by selfishness. Happiness is a chemical state in the body, and there is no reason whatsoever to imagine that bodily pleasure and selfish luxury will produce more than short-term happiness derived from sensory comfort. The body becomes quickly accustomed to pleasure, and it is only in the mind that lasting happiness lies. Humans are by evolution social animals, and they require interaction with others for their well-being. This immediately precludes short-sighted selfishness as a way to happiness.

6. Happiness Through Purpose.

   If our main aim is happiness, then this requires the setting of subsidiary goals. It is then not the achievement of these goals that will bring lasting happiness, but the process of achieving. It requires some strength of mind, but if our ultimate goals are set on a sliding scale rather than succeed/fail, they are much more likely to bring happiness. The goals can of course then never be entirely realised, though we may win victories along the way. If the goal is riches, we will be happy while getting rich, but what then?
   Essay - A Purpose

7. The Problem With Hope.

   We should not succumb to hope, for we instantly leave ourselves open to its partner fear. Instead we should be aware that our happiness is our own responsibility, and hope is trusting to fate. As soon as we find ourselves hoping we should force an answer to the question - what can we do to maximise our happiness? We are never in control, but there is always something we can do.
   Essay - Hope and Fear

8. Right and Wrong.

   There is no such thing as objective right and wrong. All moral systems are flawed, by definition. An individual may make judgements on another based on behaviour, and these judgements are essential to the future interactions of the two, but it does not mean that the behaviour in question was right or wrong.
   Essay - Morality (of the Lack of it)

9. Breaking the Rules.

   Legal systems are not to be thought of as being necessarily based on ethical systems, and there is therefore no intrinsic need to follow them. It is of course sensible, in the vast majority of situations, to obey the rule of a well-constructed legal system, but there is no moral obligation to do so.

10. New Year's Resolution.

    The human mind can be trained. Nothing in the personality is set in stone, and all of the aspects of the biochemical makeup of the human character can be changed over time. This change is a slow affair, and attempts to achieve it are all too often taken as an instant fix. Everything can change, but not overnight. Undertaking a resolution to be less susceptible to anger is easy and is therefore a pointless exercise. Undertaking a resolution to train oneself to be less susceptible to anger is much harder, and far more likely to be successful.

11. Animals Through and Through

    It is worthwhile becoming master of our animal instincts. This is not to say that we should forbid ourselves indulging them, but that it should be on the terms of our conscious minds. Asceticism and abstinence are impressive feats of will, but they are by no means the only way forward. If we can become masters of our instincts, then we can enjoy them on our own terms.

12. We're All The Same Underneath

    We should be aware that all humans are trying to increase their own happiness. A politician who says he is acting for the good of the nation might well be telling the truth, but we should not forget that his overarching desire is for his own betterment. This is not a call for utter cynicism - many gloriously altruistic deeds have been done for this reason. We should certainly seek those individuals who tie their happiness to that of others, as they will be likely to make us happy. We should certainly reject those who go after their happiness selfishly, as they will be liable to make us unhappy.

13. Turn The Other Cheek?

    ‘Turn the other cheek’ is a poor maxim. We should certainly be forgiving, as mutual recrimination and hatred are to be avoided if at all possible, but this does not imply that we should ignore misdemeanours. It is our choice as to whom we interact with, and if we present ourselves as suckers we will be treated as such. It must be clear that we do not tolerate selfish or dishonest behaviour in an individual, such that future interactions will be coloured by this knowledge.

14. How Dare You?!

    Succumbing to anger in debate is a sign of weakness. Anger achieves nothing, and results from a lack of confidence in one's arguments. Such thoughts as ‘how dare you?’ ultimately stem from a misguided sense of another's duty. No human has a duty to any other, and behaviour that has diminished our happiness should not be greeted with rage, but merely the recognition that we should act differently with that individual in future.

15. Questions and Answers

    In the development of a human mind, a consideration of philosophy is of benefit. The knowledge we gain may well be useful or very often useless, but more important is the realisation that all our certainties, our blacks and whites, our prejudices and pettinesses will be washed away in time, and our existences will be reduced to nothing. Only with this realisation can we be truly free to enjoy our short lives.

16. Spirituality

    We should not be afraid to be spiritual, even if we are rational. The human mind feels like a remarkable thing, and has a great faculty for spiritual thought. There are sublime spiritual sensations that are utterly rational. They stem from the realisation that we are the same as our surroundings, being all parts of a universe of matter. It is possible, if we open ourselves to this realisation without fear, to feel, at least sometimes, gloriously alive and at peace.

Essays

A Set of Essays in Philosophy

A Purpose

Hope and Fear

The Human Ego

In Wonder of Nature

Why Do We Ask Why?

Morality (of the Lack of it)

Fact and Opinion

Atheism or Agnosticism

Comments on the Repugnant Conclusion