Drum Maker Stretches Hide in Cardiff Twilight

Cool blue light from a side window falls across a cluttered workbench in a Cardiff workshop. A drum maker stands at the edge of the frame, hands pressed against a large, damp animal hide stretched taut over a wooden hoop. The skin glistens with moisture, showing rough, fibrous textures under the dim, diffuse glow. Metal hooks and scattered leather scraps rest on the bench beside the hoop. An iron clamp sits nearby, its surface dark and worn. Dust particles hang in the shafts of light entering the room. The wet sheen runs down the edge of the hide where the maker's thumb presses deepest.