Boxset – a different kind of musical journey
The Arrival
23 ceramic containers arrived all the way from Portland, Oregon while I was away in Australia’s Northern Territory at the end of 2020. Mudshark Studios is a ceramic slip mould studio who I employed to make my out-the-box Box Set.
The shells that arrived are for me to grade, a, b and c. Only the ‘a’ grade will make the grade!
As you can see my box set is based on an Urchin Shell.
This has been quite a process and it feels like the best gift to watch the threads of inspiration become real!! Brett owner of Mud Shark and his team have been really wonderful to work with. So easy and inspired. It has taken more than a year to get to this point. As you can see they’ve produce quality work.
My boxsets when all is said and done, are unlike any other!
I want to thank the 13 individuals who pre-purchased the Toni Childs box set so far. You’ve made it possible to get to this point in the process. We are nearly there!
That said, I need 10 more individuals to pre-purchase my box set to help pay for the final bits: the printing and pressing of the inside jackets and foldout.
Unfortunately, Covid put a wrench in the works last year. It stopped my 17 date tour in March of 2020 after four shows. I lost 50k in Advertising and 200K in revenue. And as I write this in August of 2021, gig after gig has been cancelled פתח. Not great!
I’d really like to get this to the next phase, which means producing a hundred units for sale. So, if you’re a fan of my music or know someone who is a fan, this is the Best Buy on the planet as the pre-purchase price is much lower than what it will cost when it is all said and done. If you’ve got the capacity to purchase – click to buy!
The Design Components
Please allow me to take you on a walk around the different parts of the design.
I created my own symbolic language which are typically called glyphs, and had them etched into the rosewood that surrounds my ceramic shell. I’ve included my glyphs and a portion of the translation here. As well as an image of the vellum and th colors I am thinking of using to separate each cd. I chose vellum because it is transparent, it comes in different thicknesses, and it will add colour and dimension to the inside experience.
Each cd will have a Cymatic pattern connected to it with the HZ number and corresponding pattern. If you are unfamiliar with Cymatics please click on this link to see for yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJAgrUBF4w
Glyph translation:
From far in the future, I traveled to earth to experience like you the spectrum of sensations…
Inside the shell is another message written in my language – a message on a tiny scroll in a small clear glass bottle with a cork stopper. The bottle acts as a spool and holds the CDs in place. You will have to buy my Box Set and go on an online journey to translate the glyphs into your language.
I am delighted to be at this stage in the creation process. I have almost all of the components that make up my box set completed. It is important to me that everything that I create takes one on a journey and it is an experience beyond one would normally expect. Enjoy!!
Jackie Moon…
and I at the National Gallery Victoria Gala at the end of 2019 – drinking bubbles!! For those who may not know who Jackie is – Jackie designed the Citizens of the Planet Special Gratitude Edition CD/Book. If you purchased the Gratitude Edition then you know what a very special graphic designer she is. I love love love her work. And… she is pure gold to work with. Thank you Jackie for playing with me!
Jackie and I are cooking up something very special for the inside of the Box Set. Sooo excited!!
Meet Mud Shark Studios
Thank you Thank you Thank you Brett and everyone at Mud Shark that worked on my very special box set!!