Poly Styrene was an icon and visionary. Of Anglo-Somali heritage, she was the first woman of colour to front a successful rock band, and was a key inspiration for the riot grrrl and Afropunk movements in Britain. Her sparse, potent lyrics still resound today. The documentary Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché,features unseen archive material … Continue reading Celebrating Poly Styrene
Creative Process
Celebrating Breathing Space
Online launch of the wonderful work produced over lockdown by participants of Breathing Space, a group that Katja Stiller and I have been facilitating for the past two years. Transferring onto Zoom during the pandemic, the weekly sessions consist of mindfulness, creative writing and art for people with mild to medium mental health issues. Taking … Continue reading Celebrating Breathing Space
Cut-out Critters
I've been cutting out creatures from the experimental print textures as examples of what can be added to The Weaving Tree, an exciting project at Wales Millennium Centre. I planned the birds and hare, but the two creatures below emerged from random marks made in the print-making process, and I love how kooky they are. … Continue reading Cut-out Critters
Creative Insights Exhibition
For the past year, Katja Stiller and I have been facilitating sessions for the Creative Insights project, funded with assistance from Cardiff and Vale Health Lottery and Tanio Arts. We have been working with a group of people with lived experience of eating disorders, to develop creative content for the Cardiff and Vale Adult Eating … Continue reading Creative Insights Exhibition
Printmaking Experiments
In preparation for the workshops at Wales Millennium Centre in a few weeks time, I got back in the print workshop. I haven't done any printing for what seems like ages due to lockdown and being ill, so it felt good to spread out and get messy. The workshop brief is printing with items people … Continue reading Printmaking Experiments
Beyond the Label Project
Launch of Beyond the Label, a project I have been facilitating with Katja Stiller with funding from The National Lottery Community Fund and working in collaboration with Ty Canna Mental Health Outreach service in Cardiff. Over a period of three months, we worked with a group of service users over Zoom to produce creative content for an animation, booklet and … Continue reading Beyond the Label Project
The Phorescent
Sometimes, just doodling with whatever's to hand to see what happens. I added the cut-outs from a random page afterwards. Thoughts about interconnectedness and sustainable communities. There's a Sanskrit saying “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam”, which means “the whole world is one family”. The Phorescent
Spinning
I didn't manage to spend long on an image today, but here is the found poem. You can begin at any point and progress clockwise. Spinning - Taith Series (08/10), collage and found words on paper.
Strength in the Young
I've been missing our trips to London during lockdown, so when the Hackney Citizen newspaper came through the door for the previous tenant, I cut out some pics of young people from Hackney who starred in the recent film, Rocks. Here is today's collage using found words. Strength In the Young - Taith Series (07/10)
Soundings
Have been in the hospital today, so feeling pretty drained, but managed to make this one earlier. I want to continue to do one piece a day if I can. Being creative helps with healing, and it is interesting to see what comes out from the found words - one from each line of a … Continue reading Soundings
