I’m creative in the way that I think, live and work. The participatory projects and events that I run are always creative, using methods such as role play, walking, collage, drawing, interpreting found object collections, inventing games and visual mapping.
When time, I also practice arts for myself and with others, as a way to make sense of experience, to explore personal issues, and generate fresh ideas. These various practices come and go, sometimes waiting in the wings for months, then only making a momentary appearance.
I’ve often needed groups, courses and challenges to give me prompts and critical friends. One of the most inspiring was a creative shamanic retreat on Iona with Kate Walters. I’ve been part of:
- The Creativity for Life group, using Tom Mansfield’s Cards for Life as a weekly prompt.
- Norwich Writers Rebel – the only local branch of the writers that support Extinction Rebellion, attending their workshops and open mics (mostly organised by Rebecca Stonehill)
- Listen to the Landscape – a 13 week course at the Norwich Theatre, engaging with climate stories using writing, voice, music, movement and cyanotype photography.
So, these are some of the things I do:
- Writing poetry and creative non-fiction, including visual and film poems.
- Taking photographs, mostly posting on Instagram these days.
- Drawing and painting with inks, watercolours and coloured pencils. Making collages. See a recent visual art selection here.
- Diagrammatic illustrations to explain ideas, e.g. putting them together in visual handbooks and toolkits.
- Upcycling clothes with embellishments & eco symbols.
- Singing, songwriting and playing guitar, and other instruments.
