Daily Inspiration: Meet Lauren Varian and Cian Hamilton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Varian and Cian Hamilton.

Lauren and Cian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Cian: Lauren and I met in Ireland while working on a music documentary series called This Ain’t No Disco. Lauren was the producer and I was the sound engineer. Through that, we got to work with some of the best musicians and bands in Ireland at the time. We soon started dating and got married in 2019. After that, we lived in my hometown, Sligo, for a few years, working on projects like Spilt Milk, an audiovisual/music festival, and Sea Tamagotchi, a video series with author Manchán Magan showcasing ancient Irish words to describe the sea.

During the pandemic, we decided to move back to Lauren’s hometown Parkfield, California. Lauren wanted to move back to be more involved in her family ranch, the V6 Ranch. We soon saw the potential of starting a recording studio on the ranch.

There was a derelict cabin known on the ranch as “The Lower Cabin”. The cabin was built in 1988 and was the first building Lauren’s father built. It never had regular use and was eventually taken over by nature. The building is pretty incredible; it feels like it’s from another century and is in the most serene setting away from the noise of the city.

Over the course of several months, I worked to bring it back to its former glory and added vintage and modern analog and digital recording equipment and instruments. We launched on April 1st of this year with a concert in the idyllic setting outside the studio’s door. So far, it’s been an amazing adventure; it’s been really exciting to work with artists in the beauty of Parkfield and the V6 Ranch.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
After navigating immigration challenges, our next struggle was bringing the derelict log cabin back to life. When we started working on the studio, there were structural issues, the windows were all smashed, there were a lot of openings for mice to sneak in, and the building had no power. We put together a reliable off-grid power supply. We completely restored the building, added insulation, and put some style into it with the bits of donated and repurposed furniture we could find.

Once we had the studio in a decent place, the launch party became our next obstacle. We originally had the launch party scheduled for 24th of February, which turned out to be one of the snowiest days in Parkfield, with a blanket of 3ft on parts of the ranch. It may have been naive of us to book an outdoor concert in the middle of winter, but we were intent on launching as soon as possible. We decided to reschedule for the 1st of April and had to book some new acts. Though we were disappointed at the time, the launch party that went ahead was amazing! We somehow picked a date in the wettest winter in 20 years where the ground had dried and an unbelievable super bloom was just beginning.

Our next obstacle moving forward is to create accommodation options for the artists that want to come and record with us.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Cian: I’m a recording and live sound engineer. In the studio, I am currently mixing an album for Irish harp virtuoso Alannah Thornburgh. We are incorporating modern ambient textures, and we’re really excited about the project. I’ve also just finished an album for Antonio O’Breskey and Ultan O’Brien. The album is yet to be released, but I recorded, had a hand in producing and mixed the album. We recorded it in Hellfire Studio, located in the Dublin Mountains.

My live sound work is going great. Since moving to the US, I have done monitors for Steve Vai, A Flock of Seaguls, Foghat, Iam Tongi and have provided audio for Mike Posner.

I am most proud of the studio. It’s still in its growing phase, but I know it’s going to be a huge success. I’m constantly improving the space and its equipment, and the room just sounds fantastic. Having a log cabin recording studio in such beautiful countryside has been one of my dreams since becoming a sound engineer, so to see that come to fruition is a dream come true.

I think the thing that separates me from others is my desire to be honest and stay true to the artist. The thing I love most about recording is that the possibilities are endless, especially when you use the process of recording as part of the creative process. What I love most about this is that you can end up with a piece that is truly unique.

Lauren: Having grown up on the V6 Ranch, 40 minutes from the nearest grocery store, you learn how to become a jack of all trades and the importance of a strong community. When I moved to Ireland and started working in the music industry, these values became the core of my work. As an event and documentary producer and artist manager, learning how to do everything in-house came second nature, so my work tends to vary from graphic design to video and audio editing, to event production, marketing, and more.

In my work, I’ve focused on staging art and artists of varying mediums in unique settings, from homes to warehouses, docklands, crypts, and more. We use the events or films to help amplify art and spaces we love, create networking opportunities for artists and creatives, and hopefully create strong collaborative communities. It has been incredibly rewarding to see the success of the artists we worked with and the collaborations and communities born out of these productions. Middle Ridge Studio is a dream space to continue this work.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Cian: If you’re Kind of introverted like me, it’s tough. I’ve been lucky enough to make most of my contacts through friends and friends of friends. Although, I’m getting a lot better at making contacts on my own. My advice is if you have a networking idea, follow through. You literally have nothing to lose. If you’re looking for a mentor, look for a friend. Someone you look up to and someone willing to share.

Lauren: My advice in looking for a mentor is to find someone you can truly be friends with because with friendship comes honesty, vulnerability, and generosity that help you gain a deeper understanding of your field. Frequenting spaces and events I love and offering my skills to projects I love have been my best networking tools.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.middleridgestudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleridgestudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/middleridgestudio