Tamsin Wilson
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tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Tamsin Wilson
@tamsinwilson.bsky.social
1.8K followers 1.4K following 2.2K posts
She paints, she draws, she rarely talks about herself in the third person. Stone botherer. Oil painter. Costume maker. No AI. No DMs.
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tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Looks great! I've been inspired to update it as well. Now can you make me do my website?
Screenshot of bluesky banner image at the top of my profile. Jonkonnu costumes.
December 4, 2025 at 11:30 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Photo taken just after the Jonkonnu performance from last Saturday at Well Dressed Dark Peak/White Peak, The Quad Derby. Hugest of thanks to the excellent performers @susieoftraken.bsky.social, Aery Lyndon, @geologydisco.bsky.social, Liam Hopkins, and Matt Kerry.
Landscape colour photo of Jonkonnu performers in colourful costumes standing against a black background. From left to right, a grey horned Cow Head with grey fabric body, multicoloured all over rag Pitchy Patchy with pointy head, Horse Head with white skull head and red fabric body, head to toe rag Jack in the Green with a pointy head, the Devil wearing black and red patterns and holding a fork.
December 2, 2025 at 6:55 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
I'm sad to say I think a pirate died in the Midlands recently, the furthest from the sea they could possibly be. In good news all their books were donated to the local British Red Cross. The other bad news is I didn't buy any of them.
Portrait colour photo of a selection of books held up by a hand. Three books on cornish/west country smuggling. One book on the shelf about cornish recipes.
December 2, 2025 at 6:22 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
I have a cousin of a Mari Lwyd - a Jamaican Jonkonnu Horse Head character - painting in @skullsandsheets.bsky.social excellent charity auction which is now live for bidding on eBay. Tons of awesome art is in the auction, go have a look! www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15750673...
Watercolour ink painting of a Horse Head character from Jonkonnu - a white horse skull (painted cardboard) with red fabric flowing and gathering below, and two rosettes.
December 1, 2025 at 4:36 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Working on some Horse Head paintings. Hopefully one will be finished just in time to get to @skullsandsheets.bsky.social for the charity auction. 🤞🏽 (Cutting it a bit fine.) #wip
Portrait colour photo of a watercolor ink painting in progress. Red folds of fabric and the outline of a yet to be filled in horse skull. The painting is on a wooden desk and there's a ceramic paint palette above it.
November 25, 2025 at 12:50 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Sad news about Jimmy Cliff. Time to rewatch The Harder They Come.
Black and white portrait photo of Jimmy Cliff wearing an leopard print shirt, a shiny waistcoat, striped trousers and a hat - outfit worn by his character 'Ivan' in the film The Harder They Come. He is welding two guns in a confident pose.
November 24, 2025 at 12:19 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
I borrowed a badge making machine from my very kind friend @geologydisco.bsky.social and I'm making Jonkonnu badges from drawings of costumes I've made, for an event next weekend. This was the first batch, some of the text doesn't fit so will fix that. What badges have you made?
Portrait colour photo of small badges made from drawings of costumes. Mostly red and green. Some of pointy rag outfits and some of goofy horse skulls. The text on the badges reads JONKONNU - a masquerade tradition from the Caribbean.
November 23, 2025 at 9:33 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Favourite charity shop purchase of today 🤓
Colour portrait photo of the faded front cover of a book. Cover reads 'MIDLAND TITHE BARNS A preliminary checklist of reputed tithe barn sites in the pre-1974 counties of Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire. M.J.A. Beacham'
November 21, 2025 at 5:35 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Swung by The Devil's Quoits on my way back from Oxford today. I visited years ago but forgot to put a memory card in my DSLR that time. It's a weird place, now in the middle of an industrial site. It feels a bit sterile. Glad I went nonetheless. #standingstonesunday
Portrait colour photo of 5 of the 28 stones that make up the reconstructed stone circle of The Devil's Quoits, Oxfordshire. Landscape colour photo of the absolutely huge reconstructed stone circle of The Devil's Quoits, Oxfordshire.
November 16, 2025 at 6:18 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Portal 18. A naturally occurring portal taking you god knows where... only the trees know. Looks inviting on the other side though doesn't it. Somewhere in Staffordshire.
Landscape colour photo of a gloomy woodland. Brown leaves on the ground in the middle, green bushes and overgrowth on the left and right, and two stone outcrops like huge walls on either side of the photo. The gap between the stones is at least 10ft high and would probably fit a car through. Either side of the stone two trees have straight grown up next to the stone, framing the path in the middle.
November 13, 2025 at 12:38 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
I see your cute guinea pig church kneeler and I raise you this surfing church kneeler from Manorbier, Cornwall (of course).
Landscape colour photo of the top of a cross-stitch rectangular church kneeler. It is blue to depict the sea with a pale pink surfer with blonde hair, wearing blue shorts, standing on a on a white surf board with 'reef II' written on it. The surf is breaking behind him as he moves at speed.
November 13, 2025 at 7:52 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
People of Derby! I'm looking forward to being part of this event with a killer lineup on Nov 29th.

Callout for performers - if you know anyone who wants to come and wear one of my folk costumes for a freestyle performance please reply to this :)
Poster for event. B+W Illustration round the outside of text of stone circle, mushrooms, ivy leaves, trees, the moon and a cottage. Text reads- WELL DRESSED DARK PEAK // WHITE PEAK Exploring Folklore, Customs & Curiosities Through Performance, Art and Film Featuring... Stone Club / Boss Morris / Man In The Woods / Jennifer Reid Lucy Wright / Simon Scott (Slowdive) / Tom Cox /Elspeth Anne / Tamsin Wilson / Weird Derbyshire / Off Beat Folk Film Club / Studio Skai Callanish AVR / Hwaet! Zine / St. Ulla / T& The Creatures / Heath & Mud / Vic Jay / DJ YrPriceless / Witch Cult Now PLUS.. Closing party with Andy Votel Talks/Music/Films/Workshops Morris Dancing / Stone Circle / Stalls DJs & more November 29th QUAD, Derby Midday til late Photo of people in colourful jonkonnu folk costumes. The Devil, Cow head, Horse head, Jack in the green x2, Pitchy Patchy.
November 10, 2025 at 8:04 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Portal 17. An abandoned house in the mists of Staffordshire.
Portrait colour photo of a doorway in an abandoned house. Inside the dark room there is rubble on the floor, plaster peeled off the walls to expose the red brickwork, a sagging ceiling with beams, and the grass is growing into the room through the open doorway. Outside is a bright white/grey foggy view over a green field, with a metal fence. Everything is wonky.
November 3, 2025 at 7:48 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
My favourite recent finds. Tiny teeth marks in half eaten acorns. I assume a squirrel...?
Portrait colour photo of two acorns with tiny rodent teeth marks all over them, resting on the palm of a hand.
November 3, 2025 at 7:17 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Portal 16, Kit's Coty House, Kent. #standingstonesunday
Portrait colour photo of a Neolithic chambered long barrow - 4+ huge stones, one balanced on top standing in a field behind a fence. There is a hedge either side framing the path leading to the megalith.
November 2, 2025 at 7:30 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
This is how I'm going to look every time someone hits the dislike button on one of my posts.
November 2, 2025 at 7:06 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Portal 15, Croxden Abbey, Staffordshire.

Missing the fog today.
Portrait black and white photo of a ruined stone archway of an Abbey. The arch still has patterned carvings. Through the arch is a foggy field with fences and trees in the background.
October 31, 2025 at 6:41 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Portal 14, St Ann, Jamaica.

If you have spare money (I know, in this economy) please consider donating to help people in Jamaica recover from the extensive damage caused by hurricane Melissa.

supportjamaica.gov.jm official gov website, or research local Jamaican charities. Be wary of scams!
Square colour photo of an archway in a dark wall. Plants in silhouette hang off the edges of the arch, and you can see lush green vegetation through the arch.
October 29, 2025 at 7:54 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Speaking of dead horses, I have a right goofball here. My version of a Horse Head costume from Jamaican Jonkonnu. He's tall (extendable pole). He's big (about the same size as a horse skull). He's silly (rosette winning levels of goofy).
Portrait colour photo of a greyscale painted cardboard horse skull up close, front teeth and nose cavity first. Very goofy, slightly wonky. Portrait colour photo of a greyscale painted cardboard horse skull with fabric for the body - close up. Very goofy, slightly wonky. The red fabric hangs down below the upper jaw. Portrait colour photo of a greyscale painted cardboard horse skull with fabric for the body. Very goofy, slightly wonky. The red fabric hangs down below the upper jaw completely covering the man wearing it. Red ribbons used to tie the fabric fly out in the wind in front of the horse head costume. Portrait colour photo of a greyscale painted cardboard horse skull with fabric for the body. Very goofy, slightly wonky. The red fabric hangs down below the upper jaw. Two rosettes, one yellow, one black and green are pinned on the red fabric.
October 28, 2025 at 1:22 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Portal 13. Looks inviting doesn't it. Somewhere in Staffordshire.
Portrait photo of a footpath leaving a graveyard and heading through a tall dark holly hedge. There an archway of light ahead where you would emerge into a sunlit field. On the right as you enter the path is a tall gravestone in the shape of a cross, with ivy growing up it.
October 28, 2025 at 7:05 AM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Not my home, but I know my way around.
Screenshot of the game Settlers 2.
October 26, 2025 at 3:29 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
A greatcoat with embroidered details, moss, and a spine? Deepest coat envy. Plus skulls at the feet.
Portrait colour photo of a costume from Frankenstein. A very worn and weathered grey greatcoat, with rips, green mossy coating, and a spine texture running down the back. A photo of the base that a costume stands on. A fibreboard textured black plinth with black plastic cast skulls that look like they're embedded in it.
October 24, 2025 at 7:12 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Hunting for skeletons in the Frankenstein Exhibition yesterday at Selfridges. Difficulty level low. First item an immediate success - a beautiful illustrated Frankenstein from 1831. If you can go see the exhibition you really should. It's extensive and it's free.
Black and white etched illustration from 1831 edition of Frankenstein. A naked man is surprised on the floor and a skeleton has taken between his legs. A cloaked man is surprised and weirdly exiting the room. 1831 illustrated edition of Frankenstein. A naked man is surprised on the floor and a skeleton has taken between his legs. A cloaked man is surprised and weirdly exiting the room.
October 24, 2025 at 6:05 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
Forgot to add to the skeleton list the skull in The Ambassadors, 1533. I love this painting. The first photo is the closest I've gotten to finding the right angle to see the skull unwarped.
Close up of the anamorphic skull, in the painting The Ambassadors, 1533. Viewed from the bottom right corner of the painting it looks almost like a normal human skull. The painting The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1533. Two men in tudir clothing stand at a table which is piled with objects. At the bottom in the middle is a long very large warped human skull placed diagonally.
October 24, 2025 at 5:46 PM
tamsinwilson.bsky.social
William Hogarth - Marriage A-La-Mode 1743
Detail of a Hogarth painting from Marriage A-La-Mode series. A man sits next to a table with a skull on it. Painting from the series Marriage A-La-Mode by Hogarth.
October 23, 2025 at 4:07 PM