The Next Level

We can now offer personalised dog lead wall hooks. We can add your pets name and any text. Available in aluminium or wood. We have different breeds so please ask what we have. Perfect Christmas gift.
Prices from £15
Message me for more information.
Thank you for looking.

Actions Speak Lowder Than Words.
That's what they say.
If like me you find it difficult to tell someone how you really feel about them, find another way.
I make things. It doesn't really matter how you do it, just find a way.

Actions Speak Lowder Than Words
That's what they say. If you find it difficult to actually say how you really feel about someone face to face, find another way.
I find it very difficult so I make things to try and express how I feel. It doesn't matter how you do it, just find a way.

Hand Made Gift For Guitarist's
We can now offer these hand made wooden storage boxes for Picks/Plectrums.
The guitar shaped box has a slide out drawer with two storage spaces for up to 6 picks.
£20 as in the pictures or £25 with any personalised text.

Always fancied having a go at building an electric guitar. Thought I would start small to see how it went. This is a 1/2 size Gibson Les Paul. Added some signatures of famous Les Paul guitarist's. 90% of it has been made from scrap materials.

The Next Level updated their address.

How to become cynical very quickly !!!!
The Next Level and Positive Impact have been well over two years in the making. The idea was to try and help people in our local community. I have lost track of the hours I have spent in meetings with the so called 'Right People'. Everyone of them patted me on the back and said, fantastic idea we will back you all the way. But it needs to be something physical, not just an idea.
So here we are, it's real, it's physical but where are they now. Disappeared likes rats from a sinking ship, but this ship ain't sinking it's very much afloat.
Yes things have changed. We are going to do this without your empty promises.
What hurts me the most, as in the heading of this post, it has made me cynical.
Can I just say a BIG thank you to all those on here who have supported me and what we are trying to do. We WILL do this.
Thank you.

Hand Crafted Personalised Door Signs.
We can create any shape, any name and virtually any image.
Hand crafted and personalised for just £30
For more information please get in touch.

Went a bit bonkers with this one. Tried to create the idea of movement and some texture.
Simply called it 'Colour Explosion'

Pretty happy with how this one turned out.

Pushing The Boundaries
Really pushed the boundaries of what's possible with this one. The 'cell' formation is amazing. Will have to see how/if it dries but loving the result so far.

Laser Engraved Signs for this year's Manchester Pride Festival.
If you are out and about in Manchester keep your eye's peeled as these will be popping up around the City.

Unique Artwork
We have 3 artworks ready for a new home.
Sizes are left 10"x8" middle 16"x16" right 13"x11"
Because of the way these are created no two pieces will ever be the same.
Like all our work, you pay what you think it is worth. Ignore the prices you see on sites like Etsy, we are not greedy.
Grab yourself a piece of unique art.
Thank you The Next Level.

Things can get a bit crazy when you combine acrylic paint, silicone oil, WD40 and a staw. 🤣🤣

Been trying out some new techniques/effects on a 16"x16" canvas.

Another Project Finished
The design has evolved slightly but that's what can happen when you create something from scratch.
With a nod to Bob Dylan I felt it needed to resemble on old vinyl record. I think we have pulled that off.
This will be taking its place at a well know Canal Street bar.

Project "Street Art"
This afternoon saw the launch of our new pilot initiative. The idea is that homeless people can learn to create art like this. Once they have completed the artwork they can sell them instead of just begging basically.

The two guys who attended learnt how to Pour Paint. This technique involves layering different coloured paints mixed with silicone oil. The oil causes the paint to 'split'. The canvas is tipped and rotated creating the effects you see here. How you layer the colours has a direct effect on the outcome, it's not actually as easy as it sounds.
They will be back Saturday to make frames.
Once framed these will look amazing.
If we can gain funding we hope to make this a long term project.

Inspirational Quotes.

We are working on some (hopefully) inspirational signs for a local partner charity.
Please share this if you or someone you know is going through a difficult time.
Also if you have any quotes that resonate with you please post them.
Thank you.

Tilly

This one is for an old school friend who's gorgeous dog Tilly is poorly at the moment.
Hope this cheers you up just a little bit.

Gay Pride 2022
This is something we are working on for this year's Manchester Gay Pride which takes place on the 27th August this year.
Whilst thinking through what we should do we started thinking about how things are slowly changing in relation to LGBT acceptance.
This got me thinking about Bob Dylans famous protest song The Times They Are A-Changin.
So the natural progression was to produce a clock of some form. Of course we had to include the rainbow colours.
Still a work in progress but it's getting there.

The "Log Lamp" is finally finished.
The base is made from slices of log set in epoxy resin tinted Ocean Blue. The lamp has been professionally wired, tested and certified.
A totally unique, one off table lamp made from recycled materials.
Thank you for looking.

Whilst out on a walk I found this so it had to come home with me.
The hardest part of using recycled materials is working out what to make from it.
After a bit of head scratching I decided on a table lamp.
The log was cleaned up and then cut into slices. These were then glued and sandwiched together around a central tube for the electrical cable. More slices were cut to form the triangular base.
Just got to work out how to create a shade from the remaining wood, but hey that's what makes it fun.
There will certainly be some coloured epoxy resin used somewhere in this project.
Thanks for looking.

Really good session this morning.
Whilst waiting for the laser to finish they learnt how to make a simple picture frame from recycled pallet wood.
Got some really positive feedback so that's always good.
Four people have gone away happy and with new skills which is what this is all about.

Those of you who have followed our page will know that we started working with a young lad called Jamie. From the very first session I had the feeling that this lad was special.
Jamie has multiple learning difficulties. That is the label he has been given.
What Jamie actually is, is a super talented, creative, exceptional person who just needs to communicate in a slightly different way.
I started tonight's session by asking him, if you were an animal what animal would you be. Straight away without hesitation he typed LION. Why I asked, because as a Lion I can protect my family. So we got busy. Jamie lives and breathes tech, that's what allows him to communicate after all, so graphic design is a breeze to him.
The end result you can see below. The title was Jamie's alone. "Careful I May Bite" that to me is perfect saying. I'm a nice guy but if you hurt the ones I love I will hurt you.
Totally unprofessional I know but I am starting to get a real soft spot for this young man.

"Rat Rod VW Beetle update"
OK so it's now framed and a description added.
Perfect for Garage, Man Cave or just a piece of unique practical artwork. Come on must be worth £25 of anyone's money. 🙃

"Rat Rod VW Beetle Clock" 14"x8"
This is second of the two 'time waster' order.
This design took a lot of effort and time to create. The "Burn" itself took over 8 hours on the Laser. Complete with battery operated quartz movement. If you prefer it framed we can do that. You won't find laser engraved wood like this anywhere else.
Same thing, make us on offer.
Collection from Rochdale.
Thank you The Next Level.
If you are not sure what to offer then the first bid over £25 buys it.

"Warrior Princess" Dimensions 8.5"x10"
This is one of a double commission. Unfortunately the person who ordered them has turned out to be a time waster. So this one off piece of artwork is up for grabs.
As a not for profit organisation we need to cover our costs so please make us on offer.
Not only will you own a totally unique piece but you will be helping people with disabilities.
I will post a pic of the second piece later.
Thank you for looking The Next Level.
Collection from Rochdale.
The first bid over £15 buys it.

The day job has been pretty stressful today. Anyone who has gone through an Ofsted inspection will know what I'm talking about.
This is how I de-stress, creating something entirely from scrap materials.