Nina Mae Fowler's Guide to Lockdown

Brains : Meet

07 January 2021

Now the UK is in its third lockdown, your previous attempts of keeping yourself sane have probably been exhausted by now. If you're sick of the taste of banana bread and feel too old to partake in the latest TikTok routine, then take inspiration from British artist, Nina Mae Fowler.

Not only is she creative for a living – her large-scale drawings and installations around themes of celebrity, beauty, power and sexuality are critically acclaimed, and she's represented by the Cob Gallery – her lockdown list of activities are equally as inventive. Learn of how she'll be entertaining herself this month, and hopefully her list will inspire yours too.

What I'll be doing during lockdown...

TV
I'll be watching series 13 of RuPauls Drag Race on Netflix, because it's the antithesis to the news!

Book
I'll be reading The Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg this month, because we are expecting a baby girl this February and I find her 'Eat. Activity. Sleep. YOU time' (easy) method the least anxiety producing!

Game
I'll be playing Guess Who, because I used to love this as a child and now my 6 year old son is just old enough to play with me :)

Recipe

I'll be cooking recipes from Danny's Kitchen because it is a new self-published cookbook by my friend Daniel Varani. He's always dreamt of making a recipe book of his family's Italian cooking, so when he was furloughed from his day job, he produced it this year. Laced with stories, photos and authentic recipes – it's a gem.

Films
I have been re-watching the entire Star Wars series with my son (Episodes I - IX) because the latest instalments, reuniting the old cast, makes me very emotional and nostalgic. In these strange times it is great to have a good weep! At night, I am (of course) indulging in my usual infinite list of Golden Age Hollywood classics, in the hope some of it is absorbed by my pregnant belly. Currently I am enjoying a binge of Bette Davis and Ava Gardner – Now, Voyager and The Barefoot Contessa.

Podcast

I'm listening to The C-Word, written and presented by Lena Dunham and Alissa Bennett, it's a dive into the tragic stories of various women who have undergone a very public demise. They ask what really happened and why they would never label them as 'crazy'. Alissa recently wrote the leading article for my new monograph of works: Ruined Finery. I also love Behind the Bastards, an American podcast with Robert Evans because his in depth research into the history of the US brings to light much of what is wrong in the world today.

Ruined Finery: Libby Holman charcoal on screen-printed paper and vinyl by Nina Mae Fowler at the Cob Gallery

Book
I'm reading Dreams That Money Can Buy, a biography of actress and singer Libby Holman, because I discovered this lady recently and have become fascinated by her life that's laced with drama and tragedy. After the death of her son (aged 15) she established a foundation focusing on the economics of disarmament, theories of world government and racial justice.

What i'll be wearing during lockdown...

Scarf
I plan to indulge in my new We Are Spastor oversized scarf because it has been made in collaboration with the Tom of Finland Foundation – 10% of proceeds are donated to the preservation of the artists archive. A Barcelona based company, ethically manufactured and the BEST PRESENTED PARCEL I HAVE EVER RECEIVED IN THE POST!

Trainers
Flamingo's Life, because they are another wonderful, ecologically aware company based in Spain who are manufacturing vintage style trainers from recycled bamboo and corn waste. I am so in love with these high tops – I bought my husband a matchy matchy pair!

Cashmere socks
Only from The White Company, because they are the ultimate in cozy luxury and I am forever shrinking them in my washing machine.