Category: Portia Chapman

Behind the Art, Behind the scenes, Drum December, Drum Works, How Po Makes Hand Drums, Indigenous Art, Kingston Artist, Portia Chapman, Studio Process, Uncategorized

Drum December Day 21: Drumming in the New Year 2026

Portia "Po" Chapman
A smiling Portia Po Chapman in a blue shirt standing in front of a decorated Christmas tree. The image includes white text that reads "Day 21 Happy New Year 2026.
A New Year’s Eve Celebration: Wrapping up 21 days of Drum December with a heart full of gratitude and a resonant new drum for 2026.

We did it. Let’s drum in the New Year!

Look how beautiful the Drum December drum turned out. This where we started with Drum December. You can learn exactly how we crafted this instrument by visiting the previous 20 days of the series. The golden translucent rawhide is like golden stained glass when it is backlit, a testament to the patient curing process and the beauty of the deer rawhide.

A Final Note on the Journey

As the final resonance of this drum rings out, I am struck by the power of community. What began as a kiln dried, white oak board and a dream of a New Year’s heartbeat has transformed into a sacred instrument, witnessed by thousands across the globe. Thank you for walking this 21-day path with me—from the first steam-bent curve to this final, triumphant pulse. May this drum’s voice carry our collective intentions for peace, healing, and creative connection into 2026.

The rhythm continues.

Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.


To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

2 responses to “Drum December Day 21: Drumming in the New Year 2026”

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Happy New Year Portia you did it and the drum is beautiful.

    Reply
    1. Portia "Po" Chapman Avatar
      Portia “Po” Chapman

      Happy New Year to you too. I wasn’t sure if the drum would be ready to drum, but it all worked out great!

      Reply

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Drum December, Drum Works, How Po Makes Hand Drums, Indigenous Art, Kingston Artist, Po's Drum Making Process, Portia Chapman, Uncategorized

Drum December Day 20 – Stringing Rawhide Completion – Ready for New Year’s Eve

Portia "Po" Chapman
A top-down view of the back of a frame drum resting on a red towel. The translucent rawhide is tightly laced to the dark wood frame with golden sinew, meeting in a central cross pattern. An artist's hand holds the remaining sinew. Bold white text reads "Day 20 Drum Has Been Strung."
The Marriage of Wood and Skin: Day 20 marks the completion of the stringing process, bringing us one step closer to the first heartbeat of the New Year.

The Final Stretch — Ready for New Year’s Eve

Day 20 is a momentous milestone in our journey! This update spans two high-energy days—December 27 and 29, 2025—to bring us to the finish line. To ensure this drum finds its voice by New Year’s Eve, it had to be strung by midnight on December 27. Despite the whirlwind of Christmas festivities and a few winter storms, we made it!

As I write this on December 30, the drum is nearly cured. I have just tested its resonance, and it sounds heavenly. The deer rawhide has dried to a stunning, golden translucence, reminiscent of stained glass. We have successfully completed our 20-day journey together!

Measuring the Architecture of Sound

Before the lacing begins, precision in measurement is key. For a drum of this size, I use a specific formula: one arm’s-length of sinew per pleat (pair of stringing holes). With 22 pleats on this white oak frame, I measured out exactly 22 arm’s-lengths to ensure a continuous, strong lace.

Tightening and Learning

After threading the sinew from side to side around the frame, the focus shifts to tightening. This is a nuanced process I often teach in my workshops and include in my custom drum kit instructions. During this stage, my assistant asked several insightful questions that many first-time makers share. We’ve included that conversation here as a helpful learning moment for your own crafting journey.

Weaving the Spokes

By December 29, the rawhide was nearly dry—the perfect window to create the spokes. Spokes serve two vital purposes:

Tuning: They gently tighten the rawhide to achieve the desired pitch.
Ergonomics: They provide a comfortable, secure grip for the drummer’s hand.

I use a basket-weaving technique to create these, which can be an art form in itself, often resulting in patterns like trees or stars. For this specific drum, I crafted small, wide spokes for a sturdy and elegant finish.

20 Days of Transformation: A Retrospective

Think of how far we have come! Over these 20 days, we have:

  • Milled kiln-dried lumber and used sun-steaming to hand-bend the frame.
  • Dried, cut, glued, sanded, and finished the white oak with black cherry stain and varnish.
  • Rough-cut, soaked, and used digital templates to prepare the deer rawhide.
  • Punched stringing holes, measured sinew, and completed the final stretch.
  • Cured the hide and wove the spokes to secure a glorious, resonant sound.

Ready for the New Year

We are officially ready to drum in 2026! Come back tomorrow night to hear the first official heartbeat of this New Year’s Eve drum.

Bring the Rhythm Home If you feel called to own a custom drum or want to experience the making process yourself with a step-by-step drum kit, please reach out via my About Page or email me directly.

Join us tomorrow for Drum December Day 21, for the big New Year’s Eve Reveal!

Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.


To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

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Behind the Art, Behind the scenes, Drum December, Drum Works, How Po Makes Hand Drums, Indigenous Art, Kingston Artist, Po's Drum Making Process, Portia Chapman, Real-Time Crafting, Studio Process, Uncategorized

Drum December Day 19 – Preparing to Stretch the Deer Rawhide

Portia "Po" Chapman
A close-up of Kingston artist Portia Po Chapman’s hands pressing down on a brown towel that is covering soaked rawhide to remove excess moisture. Bold white text in the center reads "Day 19 Preparing to Stretch Rawhide."
Removing the excess: Preparing the soaked deer rawhide for stringing and stretching on Day 20 of Drum December.

The Art of the Template

Preparation is the silent partner of success. Before we lift the rawhide from its sacred soak, we must ensure every measurement is exact. Thin rawhide, like the deer skin we are using for our White Oak frame, can dry out remarkably fast. If the hide becomes too dry during the stringing process, you risk the sinew ripping right through the skin—a setback we avoid by being “safe rather than sorry.”

Engineering the Perfect Fit

To protect the hide and ensure the beautiful wood of the frame remains visible, I begin by creating a precise template.

The Measurement: I cut a paper guide measuring roughly 1.5″ in length. This ensures the rawhide wraps perfectly, leaving about 0.75″ of space between the stringing holes and the edge.

Digital Precision: After sketching the rough pattern, I move into the digital space. I photograph the pattern and use Photoshop to precisely space the stringing holes.

The Cut: Using my Cricut Maker, I turn that digital file into a physical pattern. This machine truly makes light work of creating an accurate, repeatable guide.

Retrieving and “Swaddling” the Hide

Lifting the rawhide from its bath is a delicate, two-person job. As I hold up a fresh towel, my assistant carefully removes the quartz and geode anchors.

The hide is gently pulled from the water and placed into the towel. The process of wiping it dry feels remarkably like drying a baby after a bath—it requires a gentle, caring touch to move the moisture away while keeping the hide supple.

Once “swaddled,” I move it to a festive workspace and lay it upon a fresh, dry towel to keep it from slipping.

Tracing and Punching: The Final Prep

With the template held firmly against the damp rawhide, I trace the perimeter and every single stringing hole with a pencil.

Steady Hands: It is vital that the template does not shift during this process; a slip here could be disastrous for the drum’s final tension.

The Cut: I move gently but swiftly with tin-snip scissors, following the traced line to trim the hide to its final shape.

The Holes: Using a leather hole puncher set to a medium size (approximately 2.5 mm), I punch out the marks for the sinew.

Real-Time Update: On Schedule for the New Year

As of 10:00 PM on December 27, 2025, I am thrilled to report that we are officially on schedule! To have this drum ready for New Year’s Eve, it had to be strung by midnight on the 27th to allow for a full three days of drying in a 50% humidity-controlled environment. We hit the deadline! The heartbeat of the New Year is officially within our reach.

Join us tomorrow for Drum December Day 20, where we move into the powerful work of stretching and stringing. The drum is almost ready to find its voice.

Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.


To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

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Reclaiming the Sacred Pulse: The Frame Drum and the 20th Century Women’s Movement

Portia "Po" Chapman

By Portia Chapman BFAH, B.Ed. (Kingston Drum Maker and Artist in Community Education Specialist)

Artist Portia Po Chapman standing by a rocky lakeshore, holding a large circular frame drum that she made. The drum head features a vibrant, stained-glass style painting of figures and a tree in primary colours that appears to glow in the sunlight.
Portia “Po” Chapman stands by the Kingston shoreline holding her gallery drum, rawhide painting entitled, “Sharing Wisdom: Tending to Nature’s Little Ones.”

Striking the Sacred Skin: Reclaiming the Ancient Pulse of the Female Drummer

For millennia, the heartbeat of human civilization was measured by the strike of a hand against a stretched skin. In the ancient world, from the temple of Inanna in Sumer to the Dionysian rites of Greece, the frame drum—a simple wooden hoop covered with a membrane—was the primary instrument of women. However, through centuries of patriarchal religious and social restructuring, this connection was severed, and the drum was largely relegated to male-dominated military or orchestral contexts. It was not until the late 20th century, fueled by second-wave feminism and the burgeoning “Women’s Spirituality” movement, that the frame drum was reclaimed as a tool of liberation, identity, and social change.

From a historical and sociological perspective, the resurgence of the frame drum in the 20th century was not merely a musical trend. It represented a radical reclamation of “female sacred space.” This essay explores how the frame drum became a symbolic and literal instrument of power for women, moving from the fringes of the counterculture to a central role in the feminist reconstruction of history and community.

The Historical Erasure and the “Return of the Goddess”

To understand the 20th-century movement, one must first acknowledge the sociological “void” it sought to fill. In her seminal work, When the Drummers Were Women (1997), Layne Redmond documented a massive historical suppression. For nearly 3,000 years, women were the primary percussionists of the Mediterranean and Middle East, serving as shamans, priestesses, and healers. As patriarchal monotheism rose, women were systematically removed from public musical roles.

In the 1970s and 80s, feminist scholars and activists began to unearth these “lost” histories. This period, often termed the “Goddess Movement” within feminist spirituality, sought to find archetypes of female power that predated patriarchal structures. The frame drum emerged as the perfect material artifact of this search. Sociologically, the drum functioned as a “bridge” to an ancestral past. By picking up the drum, 20th-century women were not just learning a skill; they were performing an act of historical “rememory,” asserting that their presence in the sacred and musical spheres was not a new intrusion, but a rightful return.

The Rise of Womyn’s Music and Separate Spaces

The mid-1970s saw the birth of “Womyn’s Music,” a genre and subculture dedicated to expressing female experiences through a feminist lens. Events like the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival (established in 1976) provided a sociological “protected space” where women could experiment with sound and rhythm away from the male gaze.

In these spaces, the frame drum—specifically the bendir and the tar—became ubiquitous. Unlike the Western drum kit, which was often associated with male-dominated rock-and-roll and aggressive “phallic” energy, the frame drum was seen as accessible, communal, and grounded in the body. Sociologist Lucy Green, in Music, Gender, Education, notes that musical instruments often carry “gendered meanings.” The 20th-century women’s movement successfully re-coded the frame drum as an instrument of “soft power”—one that emphasized synchronization and collective rhythm over soloistic virtuosity and competition.

Layne Redmond and the Intellectualization of the Movement

While many women played drums in circles, the movement gained significant academic and sociological weight through the work of Layne Redmond. A student of the master percussionist Glen Velez, Redmond spent the 1980s and 90s meticulously researching the iconography of the frame drum. Her work provided the “intellectual architecture” for the movement.

Redmond argued that the drum was a technology of transformation. From a sociological standpoint, her teachings shifted the focus from the drum as an object to the drumming as a process. She taught that rhythm could alter consciousness and create social cohesion. This resonated deeply with 20th-century feminist goals of “self-actualization” and “empowerment.” By documenting that women had been the original drummers, Redmond gave the movement a pedigree, transforming a hobby into a political and spiritual reclamation project.

The Drum Circle as Radical Democracy

One of the most significant sociological contributions of the frame drum to the 20th-century women’s movement was the “drum circle” model. Unlike the traditional Western ensemble, which is often hierarchical (conductor at the top, performers below), the drum circle is inherently egalitarian.

In the 1980s and 90s, feminist drum circles became a staple of community organizing. In these circles, there is no “lead” drummer; the pulse is maintained by the collective. This mirrored the “consciousness-raising” groups of the second-wave feminist movement, where every woman’s voice was of equal value. The drum circle served as a physical manifestation of feminist theory—a place where the “individual I” was integrated into the “communal We.” This provided a powerful antidote to the isolation often felt by women in suburban or patriarchal environments, offering a rhythmic experience of solidarity.

Global Solidarity and the Diaspora

Towards the end of the 20th century, the movement expanded to include a global perspective. Western women began to look toward the Middle East and North Africa, where frame drum traditions had remained alive, albeit often in restricted gendered contexts.

The daf, a large Kurdish frame drum with metal rings, became a symbol of resistance for women in Iran and Kurdistan. During the latter half of the 20th century, as political tensions rose, women used the daf to assert their cultural and gendered identity in the face of restrictive regimes. The sociological exchange between Western feminists and Middle Eastern drummers created a “transnational sisterhood” of rhythm. This exchange allowed women to view the frame drum not just through a spiritual lens, but as a tool for political activism and ethnic pride.

Conclusion: The Legacy of the 20th Century Pulse

The role of the frame drum in the 20th-century women’s movement was transformative. It began as a tool for spiritual reclamation, evolved into a symbol of communal empowerment in the “Womyn’s Music” scene, and eventually became a global icon of female resistance and identity.

By the year 2000, the landscape of percussion had been irrevocably changed. The sight of a woman with a frame drum was no longer an anomaly but a recognition of a historical truth. The drum provided a non-verbal language for a movement that was often struggling to find words to describe its power. Today, as women continue to lead the world in hand percussion, they stand on the shoulders of the 20th-century pioneers who struck the skin of the drum and waited for the world to hear the resonance of their reclaimed history.

Works Cited

Doubleday, Veronica. “The Frame Drum in the Middle East: Women, Musical Instruments and Power.” Ethnomusicology, vol. 43, no. 1, 1999, pp. 101-134. JSTOR, [suspicious link removed]

Green, Lucy. Music, Gender, Education. Cambridge University Press, 1997. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/music-gender-education/B162799307D53C85E42A64468B39B2A7

Morris, Bonnie J. The Disappearing L: Erasure of Lesbian Spaces and Culture. State University of New York Press, 2016. (Context for Womyn’s Music Festivals). https://www.sunypress.edu/p-6284-the-disappearing-l.aspx

Redmond, Layne. When the Drummers Were Women: A Spiritual History of Rhythm. Three Rivers Press, 1997. https://www.layneredmond.com/when-the-drummers-were-women

Sarkissian, Margaret. “Gender and Music.” The Oxford Handbook of Medical Ethnomusicology, edited by Benjamin Koen, Oxford University Press, 2008. https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34346

Find Portia “Po” Chapman Kingston Art Studio on Google Maps

Keep coming back to read more about Frame Drums and their contribution to life over ages.

Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.

To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

Let Me Know What You Think! Start or Join the Convesation

Find Portia “Po” Chapman Kingston Art Studio on Google Maps

This article was written in collaboration with Google Gemini.

Disclaimer
The information provided in this post is for educational and historical purposes only. You are encouraged to do your own additional research to confirm your understanding of the topic.

Behind the Art, Behind the scenes, Drum December, How Po Makes Hand Drums, Indigenous Art, Kingston Artist, Portia Chapman

Drum December Day 18 – How to Soak Deer Rawhide Before Stringing the Drum

Portia "Po" Chapman
A top-down view of translucent deer rawhide submerged in a water bath, with an artist's hands guiding the skin and a large dark rock used as an anchor to keep the hide from floating.
The “Sacred Soak” begins. On Day 18, we prepare the deer skin for the white oak frame. This stage requires patience, clean water, and natural earth anchors like quartz or geodes to hold the hide beneath the surface for a full 24 hours.

Preparing the Rawhide is as Much About Honour as it is Technique

Preparing the rawhide on Day 18, we step away from the woodshop and begin the patient process of rehydrating the rawhide. This is a slow, quiet transformation that requires respect for the animal and an understanding of the specific needs of the skin.

Step 1: Choosing the Voice of the Drum

I source my rawhide from across Canada, and I’ve learned that even within the same species, every hide has its own unique quality. In my workshop, I work with deer, elk, moose, and bison.

  • The Rule of Thumb: Generally, the larger the drum, the larger the species of rawhide required.
  • The Scale: Deer is typically the thinnest and smallest, while moose and bison are the thickest and largest. Moose is so substantial that I often purchase it in quarter-sections.
  • Today’s Choice: Because our White Oak frame is on the smaller side, I am using a beautiful, translucent deer rawhide.

Step 2: The Rough-Cut

Before the water touches the skin, we must define its shape. I lay the drum frame directly onto the rawhide and cut a piece that extends about 2 inches beyond the frame all the way around.

  • Tools of the Trade: For deer and elk, a pair of tin-snip scissors works perfectly. For the heavy moose or bison, I switch to a jigsaw.
  • A Maker’s Hint: Trim off any sharp points or jagged edges during this stage. This prevents the rawhide from marking or scratching itself during the soaking and stretching process.

Step 3: Entering the Water

Soaking is about preservation. It is essential to use a clean vessel that is entirely free of soap residue, as we want to preserve the natural oils within the skin.

  • The Vessel: In the summer, I love using a galvanized wash tub filled with fresh rainwater. In the winter, I move to the laundry tub and use distilled water.
  • The Anchor: When the hide first enters the room-temperature water, it often wants to float. To keep it fully submerged, I weigh it down with rocks—specifically geodes and quartz. I can’t explain the science behind it; it simply feels right to anchor the animal skin with the bones of the earth.

Step 4: The Patient Wait

The rawhide needs time to remember its suppleness. I typically leave it to soak for 24 hours, though thicker hides like moose may need a little longer.

How do you know it’s ready? You will feel a change in the texture. The rawhide will feel thick in your hands and the color will transition into a soft, opaque white.

Join us tomorrow for Day 19 (December 27, 2025). We will lift the rawhide from its bath and begin the powerful work of stretching it over our White Oak frame.

Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.


To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

Let Me Know What You Think! Start or Join the Convesation

Find Portia “Po” Chapman Kingston Art Studio on Google Maps
Behind the Art, Behind the scenes, Drum December, Drum Works, How Po Makes Hand Drums, Indigenous Art, Po's Drum Making Process, Portia Chapman, Real-Time Crafting, Studio Process, Uncategorized

Drum December Day 17 – How To Varnish a Drum Frame

Portia "Po" Chapman
Close-up of a white oak drum frame stained in Black Cherry, resting on wooden risers for the varnishing stage of Drum December Day 17 at Portia Po Chapman’s studio.
Moving from the deep stain of Day 16 to the protective glow of Day 17: Preparing to varnish the white oak drum frame.

Making the Drum Frame Shine

Varnishing is rarely a single-day task; it is a meticulous 2–3 day process that requires patience, a steady hand, and a keen ear for the wood’s texture. While the varnish gets harder the longer it dries—which is our ultimate goal for a durable instrument—this hardness can make it difficult for the next layer to bond. To ensure a professional, glass-like finish, we must navigate the delicate balance of drying times and sanding.

Choosing the Right Finish: Water-Based vs. Spar Varnish

For drums intended for rugged, outdoor drum circles, I typically use a natural spar varnish. It applies thickly and offers heavy-duty protection, though it requires significant drying time.

However, for this white oak frame, I chose a clear, non-yellowing water-based Varathane finish.

  • The Benefit: It dries much faster than oil-based alternatives.
  • The Challenge: The coats are much thinner, meaning the wood grain often “raises” after the first application.

In the video below, you can actually hear the raised grain as I sweep my hand across the dry surface. This texture must be smoothed before we can move forward.

The Secret to Sanding First Coats

Sanding the first coat of dry varnish is easier than it looks, provided you have the right technique. Because I am on a strict timeline—with the goal of stringing this drum on Day 19 (December 27, 2025)—I chose to sand after just one coat.

Pro Tip for Sanding:

  1. Wet the surface: Lubricating the varnish prevents the sandpaper from “grabbing” too aggressively.
  2. The Paper: Use 400-grit wet/dry sandpaper.
  3. The Motion: Lightly draw the paper along the surface, always following the direction of the grain.

Note: If you are using a very thin acrylic “varnish,” it is often safer to wait until the 3rd coat to sand.

Once sanded, the frame must be wiped down and dried. Always use a tack cloth as your final step to remove every microscopic speck of dust before the next coat of varnish touches the wood.

Controlling the Environment

Timing is everything. I applied the first coat roughly eight hours ago, but the humidity outside was climbing. To ensure the frame dried in time for the second coat, I moved it into my humidity-controlled drum painting studio, which I keep strictly between 45% and 50% humidity. This controlled environment is essential for a consistent cure.

Efficiency on the Turntable: The Game Changer

The way you physically handle the drum during varnishing dictates the final look. I prefer to use a lazy-susan (turntable) painting surface equipped with risen bars.

Why use a turntable?

  • Continuous Motion: It allows for long, fluid brush strokes that follow the grain without the artist having to change positions.
  • Self-Leveling: Fewer brush strokes mean the varnish has a better chance to self-level, resulting in a smoother finish.
  • Drip Management: If excess varnish begins to pool at the bottom edge, you can easily catch and wipe it with just the tips of your bristles as the frame spins.

Using a turntable was a complete game changer for my craft, and it is the secret behind the flawless finish on this white oak frame.

Come back tomorrow when we cut the rawhide and put in the water to soak.

See you on Day 18!

Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.
To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

Let Me Know What You Think! Start or Join the Convesation

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The Pharmacopoeia of Rhythm: The Frame Drum as a Tool for Natural Healing

Portia "Po" Chapman

By Portia “Po” Chapman BFAH, B.Ed. (Kingston Drum Maker and Artist in Community Education Specialist)

Beyond the Pharmacy: The Drum as an Ancient Instrument of Healing

In the modern world, we are accustomed to viewing medicine as something we ingest—a pill, a syrup, or a surgery. We tend to separate “healing” from “art.” However, for the vast majority of human history, these two fields were indistinguishable. Art was medicine, and the primary medical instrument was often not a scalpel, but a drum.

As a drum maker, I spend hours with the raw materials of the frame drum—white oak, deer hide, and sinew. When I stretch a skin over a frame, I am aware that I am constructing a musical instrument. But looking through the lens of history and emerging neuroscience, it becomes clear that I am also constructing a technological device designed for natural healing.

The frame drum is perhaps humanity’s oldest therapeutic tool. From the ancient healing rituals of the Tuva Republic to the modern clinical setting of trauma therapy, the drum has been used as a vehicle to transport the human body and mind from a state of disease (dissonance) to a state of ease (resonance). By exploring the historical philosophy and modern science of drumming, we can understand why this ancient instrument remains a potent force for natural healing today.

The Shamanic Tradition: Rhythm as a Bridge

To understand the healing power of the drum, we must first look to its roots in shamanism. In traditional hunter-gatherer societies, the shaman acted as the doctor, psychotherapist, and spiritual leader wrapped into one. Their primary tool for diagnosis and treatment was the frame drum.

Anthropologist Michael Winkelman, in his research on shamanism and neurotheology, argues that the drumming was not merely symbolic. It was a physiological technology used to induce “Altered States of Consciousness” (ASC). Winkelman posits that the repetitive, driving beat of the shaman’s drum—typically ranging from 3 to 6 beats per second—drives the brain into “theta” wave synchronization. This state, which lies on the border of sleep and wakefulness, allows the brain to integrate information, process emotion, and access deep states of relaxation that are conducive to healing (Winkelman 8-12).

In this historical context, the drum was the vehicle that allowed the healer to enter the “spirit world” to retrieve the patient’s lost soul or extract the spiritual cause of an illness. Philosophically, this establishes the drum as a bridge. It connects the physical body with the unseen, and the conscious mind with the subconscious. For the modern player, this ancient mechanic remains valid: the drum quiets the “chatter” of the analytical mind (Beta waves) and opens the door to a deeper, meditative state where natural healing can occur.

The Biology of the Beat: Tuning the Immune System

While ancient cultures explained healing in terms of spirits and energy, modern science is beginning to explain it in terms of biology and neurochemistry. The philosophy of “natural healing” often centres on the body’s innate ability to repair itself—a capacity that is frequently suppressed by modern stress.

One of the most significant studies bridging this gap was conducted by Dr. Barry Bittman and his team. Published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, the study examined the biological effects of group drumming. The researchers found that after just one hour of group drumming, subjects showed a statistically significant increase in “Natural Killer” (NK) cell activity. NK cells are the white blood cells responsible for seeking out and destroying cancer cells and viruses (Bittman et al. 38-47).

This finding is profound for our understanding of the drum. It suggests that the act of drumming does not just make us “feel good” emotionally; it flips a biological switch. By reducing the stress response (cortisol) and stimulating the immune system, the drum acts as a biological regulator. It returns the body to a state of homeostasis. Philosophically, this validates the ancient view of the drum as a “healer.” The drum does not cure the disease from the outside; rather, it wakes up the body’s internal doctor to do the work.

Wiring the Brain: Rhythm and Trauma

Another fascinating dimension of the drum’s healing capacity is found in the field of trauma recovery. Dr. Bruce Perry, a leading expert on child trauma and the brain, has written extensively on how trauma impacts the brainstem—the primitive, regulatory part of the brain.

Perry explains that trauma disregulates the brainstem, leaving the individual in a persistent state of “fight or flight.” Talk therapy often fails to reach this deep, non-verbal part of the brain. However, “patterned, repetitive, rhythmic activity”—like drumming—can regulate the brainstem (Perry 23-25).

This aligns with the concept of “entrainment.” Just as a room full of pendulum clocks will eventually swing in unison, the human body entrains to the rhythm of a drum. The heart rate slows, respiration deepens, and the brainstem calms down. For survivors of trauma, the frame drum offers a non-verbal method of self-regulation. It is a form of somatic (body-based) healing that bypasses the need for words, allowing the nervous system to “reset” itself naturally.

The Communal Resonance

Historically, the frame drum was rarely played in isolation. It was an instrument of community. French sociologist Émile Durkheim described the concept of “collective effervescence”—a moment where a group of people, connected by ritual and rhythm, feel their individual selves dissolve into a greater whole.

In the context of natural healing, this social connection is vital. Isolation is a known risk factor for poor health, while social connection is a buffer against stress. A drum circle functions as a “social immune system.” When people drum together, they are not just making music; they are synchronizing their physical movements and their emotional states.

Dr. Michael Thaut, a pioneer in Neurologic Music Therapy, discusses how rhythm acts as a “temporal scaffold” for the brain (Thaut 120). In a group setting, this scaffold holds everyone together. For someone suffering from depression, anxiety, or grief, the drum circle provides a container where they can be “held” by the rhythm of others without the pressure of conversation. The drum becomes a vehicle for connection, curing the modern ailment of loneliness.

The Maker’s Reflection: Crafting the Medicine

As a maker, these perspectives shift how I approach the workbench. When I sand the rim of a drum or tighten the sinew, I am not just building a noisemaker. I am crafting a tool that has the potential to lower cortisol, increase immune function, and regulate the nervous system.

The “natural” in “natural healing” is doubly true for the frame drum. First, the materials are natural—wood from the earth, hide from the animal. Second, the mechanism of healing is natural—it relies on the body’s own response to rhythm. There are no side effects, only side benefits.

When we pick up a frame drum, we are tapping into a lineage of healing that stretches back to the dawn of humanity. We are using the same technology that our ancestors used to make sense of the cosmos and to heal their communities. Whether you are a professional musician or someone just looking for a way to unwind after work, the drum offers a path to wellness that is accessible, primal, and profoundly effective.

It reminds us that sometimes, the best medicine doesn’t come from a pharmacy. Sometimes, it comes from the steady, heartbeat rhythm of a hand on a drum.

Works Cited

Bittman, Barry B., et al. “Composite Effects of Group Drumming Music Therapy on Modulation of Neuroendocrine-Immune Parameters in Normal Subjects.” Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, vol. 7, no. 1, 2001, pp. 38-47. ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12059819_Composite_effects_of_group_drumming_music_therapy_on_modulation_of_neuroendocrine-immune_parameters_in_normal_subjects. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

Perry, Bruce D. “Resilience: Where Does It Come From?” Journal of Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families, vol. 26, no. 4, 2006, pp. 20-30. ChildTrauma Academy, https://www.childtrauma.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Resilience_Where_Paper.pdf. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

Redmond, Layne. When the Drummers Were Women: A Spiritual History of Rhythm. Three Rivers Press, 1997.

Thaut, Michael H. “Neurologic Music Therapy in Cognitive Rehabilitation.” Music Perception, vol. 27, no. 4, 2010, pp. 281-285. University of California Press, https://online.ucpress.edu/mp/article-abstract/27/4/281/62657/Neurologic-Music-Therapy-in-Cognitive. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

Winkelman, Michael. “Shamanism and the Altered States of Consciousness: An Introduction.” Sacred Hoop, vol. 26, 2002, pp. 12-17. Arizona State University, https://public.asu.edu/~atmxw/shamanism-asc.html. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.
To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

2 responses to “The Pharmacopoeia of Rhythm: The Frame Drum as a Tool for Natural Healing”

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Oh my goodness I hope that God would allow this to work.

    Reply
    1. Portia "Po" Chapman Avatar
      Portia “Po” Chapman

      I didn’t really know of any science or research backing this before I thought that I’d look into it with the help of AI searches. I knew someone who was in a car accident years ago. He sustained traumatic brain/brainstem injury and he ended up losing much of his life to PTSD. About 10 years ago, he said that he heard in a dream to drum himself back to health. So he started drumming. Since then, he progressively found wellness in ways that every medical professional told him was impossible. Is it because of the drumming? He seems to think so.

      Reply

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Keep coming back to read more about Frame Drums and their contribution to life over ages.

This article was written in collaboration with Google Gemini.

Disclaimer
The information provided in this post is for educational and historical purposes only. You are encouraged to do your own additional research to confirm your understanding of the topic. This post is not medical advice. Always consult with your qualified healthcare practitioner or medical professional before embarking on a new healing or wellness journey.

Behind the Art, Behind the scenes, Drum December, Drum Works, How Po Makes Hand Drums, Indigenous Art, Kingston Artist, Po's Drum Making Process, Portia Chapman

Drum December Day 16 – How to Stain a Drum Frame

Portia "Po" Chapman
Close-up of Portia Po Chapman’s hands in pink gloves applying a dark mahogany stain to a hardwood drum frame component at Kingston Art Studio for Drum December Day 16.
Transitioning from the smooth finish of Day 15 to the deep, rich tones of Day 16: Applying the first layer of stain to the hardwood drum frame.

The Race to Drum in New Year – 2026

The rhythm of the season is building toward a crescendo. While many were tucked away with holiday films on Christmas Eve, I was in the workshop, continuing our journey toward a finished instrument. To drum in the New Year with a voice that is both resonant and beautiful, we must follow the proper order of operations: sand, stain, varnish, and finally, string.

Reflecting on the Foundation

In our Day 15 video, we tackled the critical task of erasing the overlap seam. Using a portable spindle sander, I smoothed the transition until the wood felt like a single, continuous loop. As you can see in today’s introduction, that seam has completely vanished, leaving us with a flawless canvas for our colour.

Engineering the Workspace: The Staining Station

Success in finishing starts with a stable environment. Whether it is a sunny summer afternoon outside or a brisk winter day in the shop, I rely on a portable, heavy-duty folding table that has weathered years of artistic projects.

Building Your Staining “Cradle”: To ensure the frame is evenly coated without sticking to the work surface, I create a temporary riser system.

  • The Materials: I used trimmings of red oak from my table saw bucket, though bamboo garden stakes work wonderfully in the summer.
  • The Technique: Break your wood trimmings to length so they span the width of your frame.
  • Pro Tip: Use green painter’s tape to secure your sticks to the table. This prevents them from shifting while you work and allows for effortless cleanup, as the stain won’t bond to the tape.

The Art of the Application: “Black Cherry” on White Oak

White oak is a legendary hardwood, prized for its pronounced grain and historical use in antiques. However, its density makes it a challenging student in the workshop. To properly stain a wood with such deep pores, you cannot simply wipe the color on; you must work it into the fibres.

The Staining Process:

Saturate: Use a lint-free cloth soaked in Varathane “Black Cherry” stain.

Rub Across the Grain: This force-feeds the pigment into the deep, open pores of the white oak.

Wipe Along the Grain: A final pass in the direction of the wood’s growth removes excess liquid and creates a uniform, professional finish.

A Christmas Eve Revelation

The timeline for a New Year’s drum is strict: to have the hide stretched and dried by midnight on December 31st, the frame must be strung by December 27th. This meant the staining had to be completed by the 24th to allow for proper curing.

Adding this workshop session to my Christmas Eve festivities—slipping away between wrapping gifts to check on the wood—added a special layer of joy to the holiday. When the stain hit the wood, the result was breathtaking. My shop assistant, the cameraperson, and I were all stunned by the revealed grain. It became clear in that moment why white oak was the choice for the heirlooms I have admired all my life.

White oak has been an adventure—it is stubborn, heavy, and demanding—but seeing this “Black Cherry” finish reveal its hidden patterns has made every hour of labor worth it.

The frame is ready. Join us for Day 17 as we move into the varnishing phase!

See You Tomorrow for Day 17

Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.
To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

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Drum December Day 15 – Sanding Smooth the Drum Frame

Portia "Po" Chapman
Close-up of Portia Po Chapman’s hands guiding a white oak drum frame on an oscillating drum sander for Day 15 of Drum December.
The final sanding stages begin in the woodshop for Day 15.

Levelling the Joint: Precision Sanding in the Winter Workshop

Welcome back to the workshop! Today is all about the “Great Sanding.” The dust is flying as we move into the first and most critical stage of finishing: leveling that joint.

In today’s video, I’m at the drum sander, pink shop apron on, getting to work on the white oak frame. You’ll see me focusing on the seam where the wood overlaps.

“We are sanding the sharp edges off of the seam. We are using a RIDGID Oscillating Edge/Belt Spindle Sander so that the seam is really nice and even. Some of my competitors leave this inside edge. But you won’t find that here at Love Art By Po.”

The “Po” Difference

For me, the inside of the drum is just as important as the outside. By using the drum sander to level those sharp edges, I ensure the frame feels like one continuous, seamless piece of wood. It’s a small detail, but it’s what makes a Love Art By Po drum a professional piece of art.

The Holiday Schedule

We are moving fast to hit our December 27th stringing deadline! Here is what the next few days look like:

  • Day 16 (Tomorrow, Dec 24): I’ll be finishing the hand-sanding and moving straight into the custom staining process.
  • Christmas Day (Dec 25): The studio will be closed. I’ll be taking the day to celebrate with family while the first layers of our work cure.
  • Day 17 (Boxing Day, Dec 26): We hit the ground running with the first coats of varnish in the painting studio.

Come back tomorrow for Day 16 to see these frames finally get their colour!

See You Tomorrow for Day 16

Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.
To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

One response to “Drum December Day 15 – Sanding Smooth the Drum Frame”

  1. Drum December Day 16 – How to Stain a Drum Frame – Love Art by Po Avatar
    Drum December Day 16 – How to Stain a Drum Frame – Love Art by Po

    […] our Day 15 video, we tackled the critical task of erasing the overlap seam. Using a portable spindle sander, I […]

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Behind the Art, Behind the scenes, Drum December, Drum Works, How Po Makes Hand Drums, Indigenous Art, Kingston Artist, Po's Drum Making Process, Portia Chapman

Drum December Day 14: Stepping Into the Winter Workshop

Portia "Po" Chapman
Portia Po Chapman in a pink beanie and sunglasses smiling in front of the Love Art By Po studio sign for Drum December Day 14 Winter Workshop reveal.
Stepping into the winter workshop for Day 14! The real-time race to New Year’s Eve begins.

From Summer Bends to New Year’s Song: The Real-Time Race to December 27

Welcome to Day 14! The seasons have shifted, and it is officially winter here at the Love Art By Po studio. As I toss this fresh Kingston snow into the air, I am inviting you to step out of the summer archives and follow along with the Drum December real-time videos from inside my workshop, where it is warm.

We have finally moved back into the winter wood shop to finish the frames that we have been working on throughout the first thirteen days of Drum December. Sitting here at my bench, surrounded by some of the cherry, maple white oak frames I crafted in the heat of the summer, the journey ahead feels both exciting and urgent. On New Year’s Eve, I plan to drum a drum made from one of these hardwood dry-bent drum frames.

It is December 22nd, and we are now in real-time. My goal is to transform this raw white oak frame into a finished work of art—much like this sanded, green-stained, and varnished maple frame beside me (featured in the video below).

The clock is ticking toward my December 27th deadline. We must have the frame ready to string by then so the rawhide has the time it needs to dry, allowing us to drum in the New Year together.

Between Christmas celebrations and family gatherings over the next four days, I will be balancing holiday joy with shop discipline. To transform these raw summer hoops into a finished masterpiece, I need to follow these specific steps:

The 8-Step Sprint to Stringing

  1. Level the Joint: Using a drum sander, I’ll sand the joint edges. The goal is to make the overlapped ends appear as one continuous, seamless hoop.
  2. Progressive Sanding: I’ll sand the entire frame using 80, 120, and then 220 grit papers. It is vital to start coarse and transition progressively to the finest grit.
  3. Detail Work: Using a “mouse,” palm sander, or oscillating sander, I will delicately sand every inch until the wood is perfectly smooth and all scratch marks vanish.
  4. The Hand-Finished Touch: I’ll complete the final sanding by hand for total control.PRO-TIP: Do NOT use 400+ grit sandpaper. If the wood is too “polished,” the stain cannot penetrate effectively to reveal the beautiful, natural woodgrain.
  5. Custom Color: I’ll hand-mix a custom stain and apply it to the wood with a cloth to bring out its unique personality.
  6. The First Coat: The frame moves to the painting studio for its first layer of varnish.
  7. Refining the Finish: Once dry, I’ll lightly sand the varnished frame and wipe it down with a tack cloth to ensure it is dust-free.
  8. The Final Glow: I’ll apply the remaining coats. While I hope for two, sometimes it takes three or four to reach the perfect luster.

Why the Frame Matters

I treat my drum frames like a standalone piece of art because I choose not to fully cover the outside edge with the rawhide. I want the wood to highlight and accent the rawhide head, not just support it.

Come back tomorrow for Day 15 for the full drum sanding tutorial. It is truly amazing how rough, unfinished wood can be transformed to look like opaque stained glass.

See you tomorrow for Day 15!



Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make.

To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca

Let Me Know What You Think! Start or Join the Convesation

Find Love Art by Po’s Portia “Po” Chapman Kingston Art studio on Google Maps at this link.