The Bendy Test — Po checks the flexibility of her sun-steamed hardwood before shaping it into a drum frame.
Today, Po reveals the next step in her innovative sun-steaming process — the moment when three days of sunlight, water, and patient preparation finally transform kiln-dried hardwood into a material that is ready to bend.
Testing the Wood After Three Days of Sun-Steaming
Today marks the moment when Po checks the results of the full three-day sun-steaming cycle. In yesterday’s post, we watched her begin this method by sliding the hardwood into the long ridged tube and filling it with water to let the sun do the work. By this morning, the fibres within the wood had warmed, expanded, and begun to relax. Now it was time to see whether the wood had softened enough to become flexible — or whether it needed more time in the sun.
After pouring out the steaming water, Po slid the hardwood out of the tube and laid it gently on the grass. The board emerges from the tube hot, ridged, and stiff — the opposite of what you might expect from a piece of wood that will soon become a circular drum frame. But this is where Po’s ingenuity comes in.
Still too hot to handle with bare hands, Po begins a technique she discovered through experimentation: walking on the wood. Wearing proper shoes, she carefully steps along the length of the board, back and forth, allowing her weight to massage the fibres into motion. The grass protects the surface from dents and provides the perfect soft foundation for the wood to ease into its new flexibility.
For about five minutes, she continues this rhythmic movement — a sculptor’s touch expressed through her feet rather than her hands. And then comes the test.
With one foot still grounding the board, Po gently lifts the opposite end.
In today’s video, you can see the moment the wood answers.
It bends — cleanly, smoothly, willingly.
This once rigid hardwood is now supple enough to be shaped into the elegant circular frame of a drum. What seemed impossible only days before becomes possible through Po’s blend of patience, innovation, and the natural power of the sun.
Tomorrow, Po will continue the transformation as she prepares the wood for its first bends toward the circle it is destined to become.
Drum December unfolds one authentic, beautiful step at a time.
[…] 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 […]
Shortlisted mural proposal by Kingston artist Portia “Po” Chapman for the Robert Bruce Memorial Parking Garage.
What Is a Mural? A Simple Definition
A mural is a large-scale artwork painted or applied directly onto a wall or architectural surface — indoors or outdoors. Murals often transform plain walls into powerful visual stories and can serve cultural, community, decorative, or branding purposes.
Where Are Murals Typically Found?
Murals are among the oldest forms of human expression. Prehistoric communities painted animals and symbols inside the caves of Lascaux and Altamira, creating one of the earliest records of human imagination and daily life.
Over time, murals appeared in:
Egyptian tombs
Roman villas
Byzantine churches
Renaissance cathedrals
royal courts
civic buildings
These early murals documented history, mythology, religion, social order, local life, and cultural values.
Unlike portable canvases, murals were integrated directly into the spaces where people lived and gathered — making art part of everyday life rather than a luxury object.
Murals as Social Voice and Public Expression
In the 20th century, murals became powerful tools for social storytelling and cultural empowerment.
The Mexican Mural Movement
Artists like Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros used murals to:
depict working-class lives
celebrate Indigenous heritage
critique colonialism and oppression
advocate social change
Murals became visual public conversation.
Community & Identity
In many places — including Ireland, South America, and North America — murals have been used to:
assert identity
preserve memory
inspire civic pride
spark dialogue
Murals allow communities to see themselves reflected in public space.
Modern Murals — Transforming Urban Environments
‘Building a Bright Future’ — a circular mural by Kingston artist Portia ‘Po’ Chapman created for Base31 in Picton, celebrating the site’s historic past and its new cultural identity.
Today, murals are commissioned for:
homes
offices
cafés
cultural centers
schools
playgrounds
public buildings
city walls
They add character, colour, and emotional connection to environments that might otherwise be plain or anonymous.
A mural can: ✔ make a neighbourhood feel cared for ✔ help a business stand out ✔ brighten a public walkway ✔ create community engagement ✔ become a local landmark
Murals invite people to pause, look, and feel.
Murals as Transformative Elements in Modern Spaces
One powerful example of this is Po’s large-scale custom mural created for Strong Enterprises in Belleville, Ontario. Designed specifically for a contemporary open-concept headquarters, the mural functions not just as artwork, but as an architectural feature woven into the identity of the space. With its Bauhaus-inspired forms, generational story, and colours that echo the landscape seen through the building’s floor-to-ceiling windows, the mural becomes both a visual anchor and a narrative centrepiece — a living expression of the company’s values, past, and future.
“Strong and Growing Stronger” — a custom mural by Kingston artist Po Chapman for Strong Enterprises headquarters, celebrating four generations of family legacy and growth.
Mural Techniques — From Classical Fresco to Contemporary Methods
Po painting final details on her ‘Exploring the Senses’ mural at Base31’s Sensory Garden.
Modern mural artists use many techniques, including:
Fresco — pigment applied to wet plaster
Acrylic painting — durable and colour-strong
Oil on mounted canvas — later installed on walls
Spray paint & aerosol art
Projection-based layout
Digital-to-wall transfer
Mixed media & textural methods
Today, murals are both an art form and a technical craft — requiring knowledge of materials, architecture, weather resistance, and scale.
For examples of Po’s hand-painted techniques, you can explore her custom mural services.
Why Murals Matter
Murals bring art to everyone — not just those who visit galleries or museums.
They are:
accessible
democratic
collaborative
culturally meaningful
Murals change how people feel about their city, their workplace, their community — and themselves.
They are landmarks, memory-anchors, and emotional colour in physical space.
Murals in Kingston & the Surrounding Region
Po’s murals in Kingston connect contemporary colour-blocking and modern visual storytelling to the fabric of the city. Each mural is designed in conversation with:
the space
the community
the history
the client’s vision
Whether for a home interior, a business storefront, or a community space, a mural by Po brings:
✔ warmth ✔ identity ✔ energy ✔ meaning ✔ visual harmony
Example of Po’s colourful mural designs in a children’s playroom.
While Po is based in Kingston, many of her mural and installation projects extend throughout the surrounding region — including Prince Edward County and other Eastern Ontario communities. One of the most beloved examples is “Exploring the Senses,” a large interactive mural created for Base31’s Sensory Garden in Picton.
Po’s ‘Exploring the Senses’ mural installed at Base31’s Sensory Garden in Picton, Ontario.
Commissioning a Mural — The Process
Working with a professional mural artist typically involves:
Initial conversation & intention
Site visit & measurements
Concept sketches
Colour & mood selection
Timeline & technical planning
Execution of the mural
Protective finishing
If you’re considering a mural for your home, business, or community space, visit Po’s Mural Commissions Page for details.
How to Choose the Right Wall for a Mural
Consider:
Lighting
Visibility
Surface texture
Environmental exposure
Audience & purpose
Long-term durability
Indoor vs outdoor application
Custom Murals by Love Art by Po
Great spaces don’t happen by accident — they are shaped with intention. Whether you’re creating a place for families, communities, students, or a growing business, a mural becomes a statement about the environment you’re building. It communicates care, identity, and the desire to shape an experience that people genuinely feel.
And when you’ve poured vision, effort, and heart into what you’re creating, you deserve a space that reflects that same level of purpose and pride.
Po offers:
interior murals for homes
business & office murals
restaurant & café murals
children’s room murals
faith-space and reflective murals
public / exterior murals for community areas
Po works out of Kingston and serves clients across the wider region, from Toronto to Ottawa.
Bring Your Story to Life Through Mural Art
Art has a way of meeting people exactly where they are. Whether you’re building a home that feels magical, shaping a space where children learn and explore, revitalizing a community environment, or leading a business with a story worth telling — a custom mural changes how people experience a place.
Po’s murals are created for families, founders, educators, dreamers, doers, community builders, and anyone who wants a space to feel alive with meaning and colour. Every project — big or small, playful or powerful — begins with a conversation about your story.
If you’re ready for a mural that reflects who you are, what you value, and what you’re building for the future, Po would love to create something unforgettable for you.
Hand-painted kitchen murals may feel like a recent design trend, but their history stretches back thousands of years. As long as humans have gathered around food and fire, we have decorated the spaces where we cook, eat, and connect. These murals reflect cultural values, artistic innovation, and the evolution of the kitchen itself. (See the original sample kitchen without mural.)
Below is a journey through time exploring how kitchen murals began, how they changed, and why they continue to flourish today.
Ancient Beginnings: Art Around the Hearth – FromCave Paintings to Early Communal Kitchens
Long before contemporary kitchens existed, early humans adorned the walls of communal living spaces with painted symbols and scenes. The spaces where people prepared food were often decorated with images of animals, hunts, and daily life.
These early images did more than beautify spaces, they told stories, marked traditions, and connected communities.
Egyptian and Roman Domestic Art
In ancient Egypt, homes of wealthy families featured painted walls depicting food, agriculture, and abundance. These symbols reflected the household’s prosperity and honoured deities connected to nourishment.
The Romans pushed wall painting even further. In Pompeii and Herculaneum, frescoes decorated kitchens, pantries, and dining areas with images of fruits, fish, wines, and market scenes.
Medieval and Renaissance Kitchens: Function First, Decoration Later
During the Middle Ages, kitchens were utilitarian, smoky, and often separate from the main living quarters. Decoration was limited due to soot and open flames. Still, some monasteries and noble estates painted devotional symbols near hearths as blessings for safety and abundance.
With the Renaissance came a renewed interest in beauty within the home. Frescoes began appearing in dining halls and hearth rooms, including scenes of feasts, harvests, and nature. These early murals set the precedent for connecting kitchens and dining spaces with artistic expression.
The 17th–19th Centuries: Folk Art and Cultural Identity
As homes became cleaner and better ventilated, painted kitchen walls became more common, especially in rural communities.
European Folk Art Traditions
Regions such as:
Bavaria (Germany)
Scandinavia
Eastern Europe became known for bright, hand-painted kitchen motifs: flowers, birds, vines, and symbolic patterns.
These murals were typically done by local artisans or homeowners, making the designs deeply personal. They celebrated family heritage, religious beliefs, and seasonal cycles.
Colonial North America
Early North American settlers brought European traditions with them. Hand-painted stencils, sweeping floral garlands, and pastoral scenes decorated hearth rooms and kitchens. Many of these murals doubled as storytelling tools to record harvests, travels, or family events.
The Early 20th Century: Murals Meet Modern Design
As kitchens became more central to the home as gathering spaces, rather than just practical spaces, kitchen murals experienced a revival.
Arts & Crafts Movement
This movement celebrated craftsmanship and natural motifs. Hand-painted tiles and wall panels featuring fruits, flowers, and farm life became common, particularly in English and American kitchens.
Art Deco & Art Nouveau Eras
Sleek, stylized murals with geometric or botanical themes brought elegance to kitchens, often blending artistic flair with the era’s growing interest in beautifying the home.
Post-War Boom: Murals as Cheerful Homemaking
The 1950s and 1960s brought bright colors, optimism, and a quickly growing home décor industry.
Popular Themes Included:
Fruit baskets
Vineyards
Roosters and country motifs
Cheerful kitchen scenes
Checkerboard patterns
Decorative borders
Hand-painted murals and stencilling kits became widely available, allowing everyday people to personalize their kitchens for the first time.
Late 20th Century to Today: Custom Art for Modern Lifestyles
The contemporary kitchen is a social space, and murals have reemerged as a sophisticated and creative form of self-expression. Today’s hand-painted kitchen murals combine historical inspiration with contemporary design and technique.
Current Trends Reflect:
Nature and botanicals — a nod to earlier folk traditions
Food and wine themes — inspired by Roman and Tuscan frescoes
Minimalist line art — echoing modern aesthetics
Cultural motifs — celebrating heritage
Large-scale abstract murals — turning kitchens into art installations
Artisans now use durable paints, sealants, and washable surfaces, allowing murals to stand up to heat, moisture, and daily use.
Why Hand-Painted Kitchen Murals Remain Desired
Across centuries, cultures, and artistic movements, kitchen murals have persisted because they provide:
A personal story: They connect the homeowner to heritage, memory, and meaning.
A sense of warmth: Art transforms a utilitarian space into a welcoming space.
A celebration of food and community: Murals reinforce the kitchen’s emotional significance.
Timeless craftsmanship: Hand painting creates authenticity that printed murals can’t fully replicate.
Final Thoughts
The history of hand-painted kitchen murals is a history of home, family, and creativity. From ancient frescoes to contemporary custom artwork, these murals have always served as more than decoration; they are symbols of nourishment, heritage, family, and the beauty of everyday life.
Contact Po, if you’re ready to create a mural that sets your kitchen apart from your friends and families’ kitchens with a bold, contemporary, and hand-painted mural. Book your complimentary e-consultation and you can collaborate to design a wall that leaves a lasting impression and tells your story.
Po has Drawn on Shape and String Holes and is Ready to Cut the Rawhide
In order to cut the shape, I first draw on the pattern. In order to do this, I lay the drum frame on the soaked rawhide and draw the shape with an HB pencil that is not very sharp. The size that I draw on is usually about 2-1/2″ larger all the way around the frame. So for a 14″D frame, I draw on a 19″D shape that is the same shape of the frame. After I do this, I mark the string pleating holes, to be punched out later. This can be a very frustrating step, so I create a paper template and fold the paper to assure that the pleat holes are perfectly symmetrical. I will be posting another how-to concerning this step, but basically the two holes close together are for the pleat and the wider space is where the hide will lay flat against the frame when dry. The number one thing to remember is, the pleats must be evenly spaced and even in number, such as 8, 12, 16 pleats and so on. Keep the string holes about 3/4″ from the edge, all the way around. Premium drums have 16+ pleats. But to begin, I would only use 8 or 12 pleats.
Step 2: Cutting the Rawhide
Po Cutting Soaked Rawhide to be Stretched Over the Drum Frame
Cutting rawhide is fairly easy to do if the hide is thin. In this step-by-step guide, I am using opaque elk because this drum head will be painted. Elk and deer are from the same family. Deer is typically the more thin of the two. I will be posting another guide concerning the different rawhides, but for now a rule of thumb is: 14″D and smaller drums use deer or elk. In the photo at the top of this post, I am stringing a 14″ D drum with a coiled white cedar frame that I have painted. In order to cut thin elk, I find that using kitchen sheers or fabric scissors does a good job.
Step 3: Punching the String Holes
Po Punching Hole in Rawhide for Stringing the Frame Drum
This step is quite simple, once you have the hole spacing figured out. After I mark on the dots for stringing the drum skin pleats, I use a leather hole punch. There are two hole punches that are readily available to purchase at craft and building supplies stores, they are: ones that work like scissors (as in the photo above), and punches that resemble awls that you hammer through the rawhide. The former is usually strong enough for deer and elk, but the latter may need to be used when punching moose and bison. Punching holes through rawhide is not like punching holes through note paper. Rawhide is fibrous, almost stringy. When it is soaked, it becomes thick and rubbery too. In other words, every hole punches differently from each other.
Step 4: Situating the Drum Frame
Po Placing Drum Frame in Centre of Cut Rawhide
Before stringing, I check to make sure that everything fits and is evenly spaced. I place the finished drum frame in the centre of the cut and punched rawhide. To assure that it fits the way I want it to fit, I use a ruler and measure the distances between the frame and the edge. All the way around, there should be the same amount of rawhide outside the drum frame.
Step 5: Measuring out the Sinew
Po Stringing Through First Punched Hole After Measuring Out Sinew String/Lace
I use synthetic sinew for stringing. Some people call the sinew, “string,” and other people call it, “lace.” There are 4 types of string/lace, that are commonly used, they are: sinew (from a deer’s Achilles Tendon), synthetic sinew (buy by the spool), rawhide (thin strips that are cut from the perimeter of a soaked piece of rawhide), and rope for large moose, double headed, pow-wow drums. Measuring out the sinew is a tricky, nerve wrecking procedure. The length you need, needs to be one continuous strip. I measure about 5′ of string for every 1″ of drum frame diameter. So for a 14″D drum, I measure out 70′ of sinew. For a 24″ drum, I measure out 120′ of sinew. Also, just to be safe, I measure out another 20′ of sinew. I ran short once. I never want that to happen again. So now I wheel off extra! “Better safe than sorry,” as they say. This is the number 1 reason I use synthetic sinew. It is the best choice to use 120′ of continuous string.
Step 6: Stringing the Drum
While Stringing the Drum, Po Measures the Edges to Assure that the Drum Frame has Remained in Place
To string a drum, I pull one end of the string through one hole and then through the hole on the exact opposite side. Please note, I pull the entire strand through both holes, leaving about 2′ hanging outside the first hole. Then I continue to do the same, all the way around the drum, crossing the strings through the centre. In the image immediately above, notice that the string passes through the frame-side of the pleats (the two closest hole pairs). This allows for an attractive, elegant pleating of the hide. So when stringing, pass your needle through the outside of the hide, across the inside, and then through the inside to the outside. You’ll catch on. The practical reason I do this is due to physics. By pleating through two holes, rather than one, creates a stronger hold while applying less pulling on the individual holes. If you use one hole, you stand a pretty good chance that the rawhide will rip through. Believe me when I say: “YOU DO NOT WANT THAT!” Please note that I am creating a video to illustrate this more clearly and will be posting in the near future.
Step 7: Creating the Strung Spokes
After Stringing, Po Creates Spokes to Hang Onto While Drumming
Before I begin with this step, take a look at how the pleats look after the rawhide has been stretched and strung. By stringing through the frame side of the pleats, a uniform pleating is created and the pulled holes are firm and uniform. If you want to make a premium drum, you will need to master this step with this method of drum stringing. Now onto the spokes. From what I can tell, in various traditions, the spokes are formed by wrapping cord, sinew, or deer hide. Locally, they are formed and wrapped using split deer hide. I prefer using the continuous synthetic sinew because it is strong and I prefer the appearance. So what I do is, I wrap the sinew around multiple pleat (forming) strings. As you can see in the photo, I am wrapping 10 strings (5 pleats’ worth) together. I wrap them as far up as I want to achieve the desired tightness of hide. When I reach the furthest point desired, I weave the sinew through the individual strings 3 or 4 times. This creates a basket weave appearance. I do this to anchor the spoke so that it won’t slide out of place. When the weaving is complete, I wind the sinew back down the spoke. Once the centre knot of the strings is reached, I wrap the centre knot a few times and pull it tightly. Then I proceed to create another spoke. Once all 4 spokes have been created, I knot off the string behind the main centre knot. At this point, the drum is complete. I then sit the drum in a dryish (50% humidity) location with good ventilation above and below the drum. In just a few days the drum is ready to be drummed.
Hi, I am Portia “Po” Chapman from Kingston Ontario. I am an artist who hand makes unique frame drums. On this post, I will show you how to pick the best hardwood pieces for single-ply, steam bent drum frames. You’d think that it is easy, but it is not. Follow these steps and you will improve your chances of success.
Po Returning from Lumber Supplier
What Types of Wood are Best for Bending Drum Frames
My top 3 woods to use are: red oak, maple, cherry. I have not had much luck using white oak or walnut. All the research I have done, says that white ash is the best, but I cannot find a white ash supplier and the white ash drum frames that I have purchased from other suppliers have been economy grade. So for this article, I will address my preferred 3 woods mentioned above.
Po Sanding End Wedge of Red Oak Board Before Steaming and Bending. Notice the Long Grain Without Knots.
How to Choose Wood for Drum Frames
When selecting the lumber at the yard, be sure to choose wood without knots, splits, or swirling/wandering grains. All three of these characteristics will result in drum frames that crack and break while bending them into a drum shape. You want to pick long straight grains that do not drift off to the edges of the board. It will take you some time to find the ideal ones. Note: you pay the same price if they are in the same pile, so take your time to choose the most suitable ones.
What Size of Lumber to Buy for Drum Frames
The next thing with which to concern yourself is the board length and width. Most frame drums / hand drums range from 12″-16″ in diameter. To create drums frames of these diameters, you will require boards between 4′-6′ long. If you can afford it, however, purchase boards 7′-8′ long to assure that you can make drum frames after potential splitting during the bending process.
Notice How the White Oak has Snapped. In this Photo, Po’s Assistant is Compressing the Drum Frame to be Marked for Cutting. Be Sure to Have Enough Wood to Accommodate for Splits and Breaks During the Milling, Steaming and Bending Phases of Frame Drum Making.
Recap – How to Choose Wood for Steam Bending Drum Frames
I choose Red Oak, Maple, or Cherry woods that have long straight grains and have no knots. My preferred stock is 1″ thick, 7′ long and 4″-6″ wide. In Kingston, these boards will run between $50 and $100 each. In short, making steam-bent hardwood drum frames is not a cheap art in which to dabble. At my private art studio in Kingston, I make rawhide drums from 8″-23″ in diameter and range in price from $200-$2000.
Photos of Portia Po Chapman Making Hand Drums During 2021-2023
In the winter of 2024, Po began making hand-bent oak drum frames and in the summer she began making maple drum frames as well. All three, current (July 2024) drum frames available for hand drums have their own character, tone and resonance. Rawhide options include: 3 types of Deer, Moose, Elk, and Bison from across Canada.
Po unveiled some new drums at the 2024 Gather in the County: Modern Textile Market in Picton ON on June 15, 2024
Po is currently producing a few how-to make hand drum videos using her special techniques. In the mean time, Po has created 3 blog posts that list the steps of making the drum frames, stretching the raw hide, and painting the faces of the drums. Drums made by Po are considered “PREMIUM.”
The hand drums in the 2023 collection were meticulously handmade by Po using the following method:
Cedar Drum Frames: Receiving, Sanding & Painting
The raw drum frames are shipped in from Western Canada. Po has built a wood steamer and will be bending her own frames over the winter.
The raw drum frames are sanded using machinery and then finished by hand.
The sanded drum frames are then hand painted using a multi-layer rubbing technique. The drum frames used in the buffalo drums are stained/waxed. Both painted and stained frames are varnished in an oil based spar varnish so that the drums can be taken to outside drum circles.
Rawhide: Receiving, Cutting, Soaking & Stretching
For this collection, the buffalo and elk rawhides have been shipped from Western Canada. The materials support Indigenous communities. In the woods where Po grew up, huge elk wandered the land. Elk rawhide is Po’s prefered drum skin to paint.
The hide is unrolled and the rough cutting pattern is taped to the hide. To do this, Po has at least one family member hold down the hide. As you can see, the hide is too big for her to do it alone without using clamps.
Although a drywall knife will generally cut through the elk rawhide, for the buffalo, a jigsaw was needed. Buffalo is very thick and fibrous.
Below, Po is holding the elk rawhide that she rough cut for the 24″ drum: “Nature in Me.” Notice how the varying levels of transparency reveal animal and spirit faces in the rawhide.
Once the rawhides have been roughly cut, Po soaks them in spring water for about 24 hrs before stretching. In the photo below, three 10 inch drum skins have been put in together. After a couple of hours, they will naturally flatten out. For the above drum skin, Po used a kiddy pool and filled it with spring water. The skins are held down by rocks that she brought from the woods where she grew up. At least one rock will have quartz.
These are the tools that Po uses to prepare the rawhide for stretching. A different template is used depending on the size. Po’s drums have an average of 20 pleats. The 24 inch drum skin has 32 pleats. The more pleats in a hand drum, the tighter the skin forms to the frame and a more even pitch is achieved. Most drum makers use 12-16 pleats on average. 16 pleats and over (at least for 14 inch drums or larger) are considered “premium.”
After the template is drawn onto the wet and pliable rawhide, Po cuts the accurate shape and punches the string holes.
Before tightening the strings, Po measures the depth of the drum frame : drum skin ratio to best assure an even overlap. Some drums, however, dry and stretch differently. The rawhide is so strong while it shrinks and dries, that it can bend the frame and even pull the hide in its own direction. This gives each drum a one-of-a-kind hand made character.
Po uses synthetic sinew that has been pre-waxed. It takes about 60+ feet of sinew to string a typical drum. As for the 24 inch drum in the collection, Po used about 100 feet of sinew. This is where Mom comes to the rescue as Po’s assistant. Her mom, Kim, does her best to prevent the sinew from tangling during the process of Po pulling the sinew through the rawhide.
When the moon is full and bright, Po finds it peaceful to string drums outside.
The strings are then gathered in groupings and then decoratively strung with a nice wound finish. The drums in the exhibit have had the top of the centre tie waxed with beeswax. This is done to anchor the end of the sinew in the knot and to provide a personal connection between drummer and drum. The more the drummer holds it, the beeswax forms to the drummer’s hand, thus imprinting on the drum itself. This extension can last a lifetime – hand drums are that special.
The drums are put on racks to dry. The drying process takes about 3 days. During, this time, the strings tighten and the drum will sound like it is drumming or fiddle strings are being plucked.
Image: Sketching, Printing, Stenciling & Painting
Image creation begins with inspiration memories and walks. Then sketches are made from day visions and night dreams received. The collection of images for this exhibit took about 4 months to surface. Not all drawings were used. They will be kept in a file until another collection is created.
The images are then refined in such ways as to fit the collection or personality of the drum. This process is drawn by hand using a light table.
The drawn image is then digitally cleaned up to establish clean smooth lines.
A template / stencil is then printed out using a Cricut Maker.
Once the image is cut out and weeded, Po traces the image onto the rawhide using a 2H pencil.
Using No.2 and No.3 professional watercolour brushes, Po paints the drums faces with hand mixed hues of Golden So Flat acrylic paint. This is how Po’s paint technique ends up being so crisp and flat.
After the paint dries for 24-72 hrs, the face is then preserved by spraying an oil based paint/hide-friendly varnish
Presenting Completed Hand Painted Hand Drums
The end result is both a beautiful piece of art that you can display and one that you can use. Some skins are more suitable for drumming and others more suitable for display. This depends on a variety of factors. Po recommends choosing the one you love. If you need further assistance choosing your drum, someone will be happy to assist you.
All drum sales are final and without exchange or refund.
Po presented an Artist Talk about this Collection and Greeted Guests Gallery on October 26, 2023 at 6:30pm-7:30pm
One Guest Commented: “It was a great pleasure to listen to Portia “Po” Chapman (@loveartbypo) talk about her art currently on display at Parrott Gallery. Po’s inspiration comes from her close relationship with nature and her beautiful family!”
Another Guest Commented: “It was such a wonderfully positive talk about a positive art collection. Very informative and truly enjoyable.”
How to Make a Painted Drum: Kingston Artist Portia Po Chapman’s Method of Painting a Drum Face
Portia Po Chapman Painting the Face of 14″ Elk Rawhide Drum: “Knowledge.”
Link to Phase 1: How Po Makes a Drum Frame Link to Phase 2: How Po Works with Rawhide – Stretching and Stringing Link to Painted Drum Page
Phase 3: How Po Paints the Face the Drums She Makes
Painting the face of a rawhide drum sounds much simpler than it is. The artist must keep in mind the nature of rawhide. Rawhide stretches and shrinks depending on humidity and temperature. Rawhide vibrates and flexes when it is drummed. Rawhide, is not smooth and sometimes has scars, hair, and wrinkles too. Most of all, each rawhide drum has its own sweet spots – where the drum sounds its best when drummed. Some drums even have multiple sweet spots and a couple locations whereby it makes a quiet sound when drummed. Therefore the paint needs to be thin, flat, translucent, and able to stretch. Po’s drums have addressed all of these issues in order to assure/improve longevity while enabling the drum to be drummed in both interior and exterior environments. When meeting the public at drum shows and art shows, Po is frequently told stories of paint cracking on drums made by other drum makers. Rest assured that Po drums every drum before selling them. Po also encourages clients to drum the drums before purchase as well. As far as the paint longevity – so far so good. Although many of the drums Po makes are sold to clients seeking works of art, Po still seeks to make beautiful drums that can be drummed. In short, whether you want to hang the drum on the wall or take the drum to a drum circle, the same amount of love and time is spent creating your masterpiece – and in so doing, every drum made by Po can be drummed. Po views drum making like this: “Why make a drum if you cannot drum it?!”
Po’s Phase 3 Drum Face Painting is as follows:
The image creation stage can happen overnight or as much as 3 months, it depends on the drum.
Usually Po will see an image in her mind while drumming the drum, but sometimes images visit her in her dreams.
Again, as strange as it sounds, Po says: “I just wait until I see what the drum wants me to see – and each rawhide is different.”
It is something like suddenly knowing what one will knit with the fleece that one has cleaned, carded, spun and dyed – each time is different – and so too is the sheep/goat that offered it in the first place.
Nature has a way of reaching through the noise and smiling upon us.
The image is sketched with a marker and then refined using a light table.
The flow of the lines begin to take over and the image you see appears.
The image is digitally cleaned up and a template is cut using a Cricut.
Upon the dry face of the rawhide drum, the template is traced using a 4H graphite pencil.
It is worthy to note that rawhide is a textile that varies widely in flexibility, texture, scarring marks and amount of hairs still present. This means that each drum is painted using a slightly different method.
Using a very special, flexible acrylic paint the images are lined (free hand brush painted) with “black” (if at all). The “black” is usually a deep, earthy purple.
Po thinly paints the images using #1 to #3 professional grade round acrylic or equivalent watercolour brushes. The images are not stensilled, stamped, or air brushed. The images are not stickers, which some people think because the painted images can appear to float due to the depth of the rawhide’s transparency.
Using Po’s innovative colour-blocking style, Po pulls apart the shades and hues. The result is an unblended image that invites the mind to seam together the colours in its own way. The images shift in different lighting conditions and when drummed, the image appears to leap off the face of the drum.
The image is briefly held up to an intense studio light, enabling Po to see where a second or third coat of paint is preferred.
Once dry, the painted face is lightly sprayed with a mist of archival UV resistant varnish.
I exhibit and sell the drums I make. Please contact me to purchase a completed drum of to discuss a custom hand drum made just for you. I am happy to paint you a drum with the image you choose or one that I create just for you. Custom images are from $250. Drums, with painted and not-painted faces, range from $200-$2000.
I look forward to fitting you with your drum.
Po Standing with Drum Booth At the Gather in the County – Modern Textile Market – Picton, ON June 15, 2024
How to Stretch and String a Rawhide Hand Drum: Kingston Artist Portia Po Chapman’s Method
Po Stringing Her 24 Inch Elk Rawhide Drum Entitled: “Nature in Me.”
Link to: Phase 1 of Drum Making is Making the Drum Frame Link to: Phase 3 – Painting the Drum Face Link to: Painted Drums Page
Phase 2 of Drum Making is Working with Rawhide: Soaking, Stretching, Stringing
In order to make a drum, there are 3 basic stages of working with the rawhide: Soaking, Stretching and Stringing. Although these stages can be rushed, to achieve a premium drum that sings beautifully, it takes a lot of time, care and love. Hence, from receiving the rawhide to completing a playable tuned instrument, it takes about 1 month, sometimes longer. In my studio, I do all of the steps below. Please note that I do employ a shop hand to help detangle sinew when I am stringing large drums, like the one in the above image, because a 24 inch diameter drum requires a 100+ feet long continuous strand of sinew .
Phase 2 of Drum Making: Working with Raw Hide
Purchase sustainable rawhide that supports Indigenous communities across Canada.
Build relationship with the hide.
Humidity condition hide in the hide room.
Po waits for the hide to “speak” to her – it may sound strange but the hide will choose to make a drum or a drum will not be made. Working with rawhide requires patience and a lot of love.
Once the hide is ready to make a drum and make its voice once-again heard, Po introduces the hide to the frame options – this is a beautifully mystical step in Po’s drum making process whereby a holistic, earthy bond is made between wood, rawhide and drum maker.
With the marriage of drum frame and drum skin, Po designs a drum skin template with the number and placement of stringing pleats marked.
The rawhide is rough cut to match the shape of the template.
The rawhide is cleaned, scrubbed, pealed , rubbed and polished.
Sometimes the rawhide requires a sunshine bath or controlled UV bath.
Using a galvanized wash tub, Po soaks the rawhide for 24-48 hours in a rain water bath as the rawhide is kept submerged using special quartz and/or citrine rocks that she found while diving in her childhood lake.
Once the rawhide has become thick and pliable, it is removed from the water and rubbed with a soft terry towel. It is then cut to the shape of the pre-designed template.
String holes are punched (Po’s premium drums have between 16 and 30 pleats).
Of synthetic and waxed sinew, Po measures out about 5 feet per pleat – yes 80+ feet.
The frame is laid onto the underside of the rawhide and Po begins the lacing process.
As you can see in the above photo, generally, Po strings the drums by putting the string through two holes (to make pleat) on one side of the drum and then does the same on the exact opposite side of the drum. Po uses more decorative / ornate stringing patterns when stringing Po’s non-circular hand-bent drums.
Using a darning needle to string a drum, it takes Po between 2 hours and 8 hours of hand stitching, winding and wrapping the sinew as she pulls the rawhide into place. It can be tricky, when stringing large drums, because the hide begins to dry and become stiff within 30 minutes of being removed from the water. Aligning the timing of stitching and drying is possibly the most difficult thing for a drum maker must grow accustomed.
At this step, Po has found that the hide wins the tugging process. No matter how even the rawhide edge is originally made by Po, the rawhide will pull it to where it wants – resulting in a less uniform rawhide edge around the frame. Synthetic skin head drums do not present this challenge.
It is also worth noting that each animal and species’ rawhide pulls differently – and the spinal ridge pulls differently from the belly region. This takes a long time to get used to. In the case of working with rawhide as a textile, Po has had to relax and work with the rawhide, rather than demanding that it behave as she may want it to.
The drum is placed on the drum drying racks and is dried in a 50% humidity controlled space.
Once the drum is dry, it is taken out into the sunlight and drummed.
Po sings, chants and drums the new drum as they both rejoice. It is a seemingly miraculous happening.
Sometimes the general pitch of the drum is determined by drumming it beside a well tuned 1950’s Heinzman piano.
You cannot get use to the moment when the rawhide seems to come back to life and express its own voice and connection with the drummer.
The drum’s pulse throbs upon the breeze.
The ethers rejoice and the heart smiles with an air of wellness.
The central sinew knot at the back of the drum is then waxed. To try the drums, Po has people use nitrile gloves. When the drum is paid for and drummer is ready, the drummer’s glove is removed. At that time, the drummer & drum imprint. Their bond is marked by the drummer’s hand print pressed into the beeswax.
The drum is then cared for and sung with in the humidity controlled studio until it is to have a painted face (if it is ever painted – some drums refuse to be painted while other drums seek to be painted).
Another phenomenon then occurs – the drum picks the drummer at exactly the same time as when the drummer picks the drum. The moment of bonding is nothing short of magical.
Premium drums made by Po are very, very special – and premium special drums cannot be rushed.
I exhibit and sell the drums I make. Please contact me to purchase a completed drum or to discuss a custom hand drum made just for you. Drums range from $200-$2000.
I look forward to fitting you with your drum, Po
Po Standing with Drum Booth At the Gather in the County – Modern Textile Market – Picton, ON June 15, 2024
Phase 1 of Drum Making is Making / Preparing the Drum Frame
A drum frame takes me about weeks to make from start to finish. In my studio, I do all of the steps below. Please note that, I do employ a shop hand to help clamp and bend the steamed wood – this requires 2 sets of hands.
For coiled wood frames, the wood is planed very thinly and before gluing the coil is created by clamping and re-bending more tightly 3 times over a week’s time.
For both the hand bent in-studio frames and rough pre-coiled frames, the following steps are the same
Sand the frame to desired shape, thickness and smoothness
Paint, rub, dye or stain frame
Polish and finely sand frame
Varnish
I exhibit and sell the drums I make. Please contact me to purchase a completed drum of to discuss a custom hand drum made just for you. Drums range from $200-$2000.
Po Standing with Drum Booth At the Gather in the County – Modern Textile Market – Picton, ON June 15, 2024
A Process of Art Planning Creation by Portia Po Chapman Kingston Artist
We all have our own method and strategy to create our art pieces. For me, I start with 2 things: 1/ An idea notebook that I enter flashes of visions, ideas, concepts, and sketches of possible cool things to do in the future. I also include inspiration quotes and sometimes reflections about my experiences. I keep sheets of paper on my bedside table to record dreams too. When one idea doesn’t float at one point, it may in the future. The following image was eventually painted in 2022 as a mural for Queen’s University’s Kingston Hall Reflection Room but I first created it in 2018 for my 3rd year BFAH class and it was rejected by the professor because the prof said that, “It looks like something you’d paint in your garage.” The thing is, it was the beginnings of my current art style and landed me several commissions when I finally finished it outside the course. “My Creation” mural took 4 years before it was commissioned and mounted. It began with a simple sketch and grew for years. The mural was created because the ASUS executive adored the original digital image and had been awaiting the chance to have it painted. This is often how commissions work. The organic growth and development of art concepts can take many turns until it reaches its destination. I still find the journey amazing.
“My Creation” Published as Cover Image (the cover is more intense the photo is faded) 2019
“My Creation” Digital Journal Cover Proposal 2018
“My Creation” Began as a Sketch and Then I Painted a Trial Image Which was Rejected by My Prof 2018
2/ The second thing I do for art creation is take photos or have photos of me in the environment. I like to catch a moment – the nuances of life that happen in a moment in time. The following digital image is a current idea that I am working on as I consider the painting medium and final expression. The piece is entitled, “My Drum and Me.”
“My Drum and Me” Digital Draft for Painting Planning 2023
“My Drum and Me” Stone Lithograph Art Print 2018
“My Drum and Me” Hand Drawing Lithographic Stone 2018
“My Drum and Me” Original Photo A Family Member Took this Photo When I Was Drumming Outside 2017
Again as one can see, a beautiful moment in time captured by a photo and/or inspiration notes and drawings can lead to some really beautiful art pieces in the future. If anything, their journey materializes as life takes its own twists and turns. An art concept never gets old, it simply waits for its time to shine, but as it waits, the inspiration weaves itself through one’s career and the creation of other pieces. Art is not created in a vacuum – it lives and breathes through us as artists and art enthusiasts. Art is alive, even as it awaits its birth.
Love Art by Po 
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