UPWARDS AND ONWARDS - PART 1Edwyn Collins and His Birds of Recovery
INTERVIEW BY ANDY CAPPER
Edwyn Collins is that cool Scottish guy who was the singer in Orange Juice. They were one of the best and most original British pop bands ever. He also did that song “A Girl Like You” that has been used in a million commercials and movies, especially in montages of women trying on clothes at fancy stores.
In 2005, Edwyn suffered two major brain hemorrhages that left him unable to walk, talk, or use his right hand. He was not even able to read anymore. His brain had lost the ability to work out letters and words.
Over the next three years, with the help of therapists and the encouragement of his wife, Grace Maxwell, Edwyn started drawing animals, primarily birds, with his left hand, as a way of teaching his body and mind how to work again.
Last month in London, Edwyn exhibited his bird drawings, from his shaky first attempts to the recent works, which are remarkably more accomplished. Walking around the gallery and seeing his recovery charted in pencil drawings of birds was really moving, and it prompted me to buy the first and last of the series because I am a big softy with tears perpetually streaming down my face.
After the exhibition I talked to Edwyn and Grace about the drawings. His illness has turned his voice into a peculiar British/Scottish staccato, which regularly breaks into laughter. Go on YouTube and watch the recent BBC Scotland documentary to witness it for yourself. If you can get through the whole thing without blubbering at least once then you are a stone.
CONTINUED
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 Anonymous, on Jan 8, 2009 wrote:
if you don’t like feeling sad, don’t watch the youtube video | | Anonymous, on Jan 8, 2009 wrote:
i wish the best for edwyn and grace. nice article. | |
| Eh?TL, on Jan 7, 2009 wrote:
I finished the BBC show on Collins last night. If you have the time, you should watch it. Great story. | |
| cynthia, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
his lines become noticeably stronger as the time goes by. going to watch the bbc video later for sure. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
still leaving his mark after a double brain hemorhhage. what a fucking trooper. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
the bbc doc is rough. a testament to his strong will, but rough nonetheless. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
it’s great that he can walk and is relearning his motorskills. that is a long and tedious road. | |
| DabblesInPacifism, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
i read about this show. nice to see the some of the work. how many are we talking total? 50? 100? | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
just looked for prints. didn’t find shite. i don’t think they’re out there. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
the ones from 2008 are excellent. it’s cool to see his improvement over time. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
any chance this show will come to the states? | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
it’s okay to have one gay pop song in your career. shit, that is what pays for retirement. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
thank you grace for being with him through this time. my wife’s stepmother left her dad when he was diagnosed with parkinson’s. i know, she’s a fucking bitch, and you could never think of doing that, but still, i know it takes a lot of energy to help edwyn with his rehabilitation. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
did he draw before hospitalization? these are pretty damn good. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
if by dr. katz, you mean the shaky lines, that’s pretty low. dude is drawing left handed and had major brain surgery. he can’t even walk normally. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
will be able to recover his memory from before the hemorrhages? | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
where are the "guy in his 20s" drawings? | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
his tics in interviews now is so sad. he still seems full of enthusiasm, though. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
dr katz | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
are prints of these available online? | | |
| Eh?TL, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
I wasn’t familiar with Collins by name, although I had heard his music many times. I just finished part 1 of the BBC documentary, and it’s a tearjerker if I’ve ever seen one. Thanks for mentioning it, but I think I’ll have to finish it at home. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
it’s a sad story, but thankfully, it could have been so much worse. brain surgery and a half-year of recovery is no piece of cake. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
any particular reason for birds? | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
balls, that’s what it takes to do this | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
a girl like you is pretty fucking bad but the guitar tone gives me the warm ’n fuzzies. | | Anonymous, on Jan 6, 2009 wrote:
the turtledove is about 8.7 times better than i can draw with my fully healthy right hand. | | |
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