My Citizen Journalism course finished on Tuesday. It has been really informative and enjoyable and although i love the conversations, already i miss the world of the arts!
I'm wrapping up for Christmas and this came in today from Jamie.
I shared the beginning of Jamie's talk with our group on our last session together and they enjoyed it.
15nov22
Tuesday
My friends Jo and Peter Willis go back a long way..
Jo [Bird, in Cornish] does a podcast wherein she interviews people.
She and I did this podcast of 1 hour, the link for which is below in blue.
It is on ‘The Third Way Beyond Communism and Capitalism.’
It draws upon the Scottish visionary Patrick Geddes and Red Indian sources, with a touch of Taoism and Judaism.
Patrick Geddes and the Third Way was brought to my attention by Basil Wrugh many years ago.
The Third Way arose in the context of the city, yet it describes what is special about the close to nature Red Indian, Indigenous, social, cultural, political, spiritual, set-up.
Indigenous societies never split into Left and Right bc they include the best of the Right [person, freedom] with the
best of the Left [community, solidarity], in a higher unity.
When the ‘necessary contraries’ split apart, each becomes its worst case.
Only in harmony with the other opposite does each opposite become its fullest case.
In the Third Way, the opposites harmonise yet each becomes itself, not a watered down mush in the middle.
Indigenous societies had immense personal freedom and immense communal solidarity.
“the best thing we can do is to share the power and control that we have, in a way that empowers people or enables people in place to design what the future looks like… [it’s] localised, strength based, and Indigenous led, building on what works for people.” – Angie Tangaere
“All things are subject to interpretation. Whichever interpretation prevails at any given time is a function of power, and not necessarily truth.”– Beth Smith
I'm at home missing a Force of Nature Climate Cafe at Dark Pony Coffee and I missed the first Peoples Assembly at Falmouth & Exeter University campus - 81 people!
However have finished my hand ins for Citizen Journalism and made some progress with background needs of next performances and enjoyed a really nice time at Shallal 2 with the second half full of nibbles and mulled drinks and even a visit from Santa - thank you Shane!
So...
Shallal continues it's mission, enabling and promoting Access & Equity in the wonderful meeting ground of creativity...
and we are processing the conversations/podcasts with friends and learning how to best go forwards in such critical times that we can't ignore...
Culture and Creativity are an important voice in Innovation and Communication
Eden Projects latest advert of 'Climate Positive' sounds good so maybe need to talk to them?
i still the need to hear more solutions, but the system is broken?
is it too broken for many solutions to be implemented and to be accepted?
“Something has to flip. We have to shift deep cultural norms within the financial system.”
- Making The System Shift Learning Festival
Just listened to research reports relating to Climate Justice and young people and Audiences and at Culture Declares Emergency's ENERGY FOR CHANGE
"What do audiences want cultural organisations to do around the Earth crisis? ... speakers shared the latest research and examples of practice as we open up discussion on how we can join up actions for sustainability with work for climate and social justice."
Impressed by Exeter and Falmouth university students involved in...
At present in our rehearsals research, we are using some established protest songs? gathering our perspectives, workshopping to incorporate new performers, waiting, trusting the process ( but not myself ) new work is coming in to support our many voices...
I'm struggling with how to find the right pitch and voice, it's getting clearer but slowly and our first show /event could be 4th March so we have to speed up and pull it together, but no too tight, in the new year.
Framing narrative? Open improv performance style, and ?
at present i'm looking at tryptch style pieces/themes that can be moved around,
rearranged for large shows, pop ups, small events
Satelite stories seems to fit the lifebelt/doughnut economics model for looking at such epic stories and ecosystems, all entwined
Started this to look at threads and themes last night and ask questions
and looked at it again this morning and now heading to prepare the day and drive to Newlyn for Shallal Dance Theatre then St Austell for pilot group - really hoping that the fund we wanted to apply to to extend our pilot groups hasn't closed early :(
Getting older and tired of chasing funding, although now we have such a good team in place, so usually my writing efforts aren't needed unless a project that is small and close to my heart which extending the pilot project is
and Arts Lab which we have just applied to second round for.
Always cheer up when in the room of the wonderful creativity and community of Shallal Dance Theatre, so I look forward to that and the sun is just rising. accompanied as always by bird song.
“At this time in our history/global crisis, i would like to explore 3 questions:
What inspired you?
What are you doing now?
What would you do/support/invest in if you were a philanthropist now?
Arinda's notes and poems
One thing I would campaign for meaningfully is the celebration of
scrap and bottle collectors in my Country Uganda. These people are devoted
cleaners of mother earth, ridding her of plastics and metals that are
increasingly eating up my soils and clogging my waters. They are underpaid and
yet the benefit of the work they do is immense. They move around with sacks and
huge bags picking up after careless busy bodies. Without contracts they feed
the supply chain of recycling plants.
The people who Collect bottles and metal scrap are usually street
children. These children have no parental love and care, they are homeless and
this is one way to make a little money to buy some food.
If I was able to, I would campaign for the recognition of their
labour as work that deserves to be paid generously. I am campaigning for them
to be recognized as protectors of mother earth, for them to be awarded honour
and accolades, to be consulted and considered in the development of policies
and laws. They need to be visible in the line of advocacy towards climate
justice.
The second thing I am really passionate about is poetry and
specifically, I am talking about poetry as the language of nature. We should
armour ourselves with a language that speaks to humanity about their habitant
earth; a habitant which sustains them. We have forgotten how dependant we are
on mother earth and poetry can create this connection. Engaging in poetry as an
art of writing causes us to seek out nature often for ambiance. A quiet green
spot can inspire free thought and creativity. Because many of us are not
writing poetry, we miss out on this desire for serenity so we don’t know the cost
of cutting down trees, destroying the hash of the river.We have not hunger for
quiet or the colour green because crafts that get us into such spaces are
forgotten or not equated the necessary
centrality in our education, politics and cultural expression.
Listening to or reading poetry is another way we can reconnect with
nature and be encouraged in our drive for fair use of the Earth’s givings like
minerals, oceans, forests and islands. I use poetry to inspire environmental
justice.
Here is a poem about Women’s. relationship with land, how their
right to mother earth is disenfranchised by patriarchy, colonialism and
capitalism. Women are inheritors of the land yet the laws in most countries
refuse them land ownership and equal rights to access land. The poem is titled Goddess of the
Earth. In this verse I call forth African deities of the Earth Queen Ati of
Djibouti , Atete of Ethiopia, Wagar of Somalia, Mumbi of kenya, Kitaka of
Uganda and Abuk of Sudan.
GODDESS
OF THE EARTH
The equal rights
promised by our constitutions
Are only ‘a sorry’
from a faulted intuition
You’d think that it
is only natural
To remember that
men and women are equal
They all breath
using lungs
They have limbs to
walk
And mouths to talk
And even if they
did not walk or talk;
Because they
breath- that is enough.
We use the law and
policies
Like borrowed
candles
That burn only for
a while
But cannot be used
completely
We call earth
mother
But look what we’ve
done here-
Pollution in the
air and water.
We love our mothers
Yet treat women as
weaklings
Things to be despised and deprived
Queen Ati of
Djibouti
Atete of Ethiopia
Wagar of Somalia
Mumbi of kenya
Kitaka of Uganda
Abuk of Sudan
The deities of land
are women
Yet women are the
most dispossessed of land!
Shall we comply
with a pile of lies
Laid out in words
On sheets of paper
Ratified and passed
by men
Yet the Goddesses
tell us
That women are the
inheritors
of earth
And that is not
selfish
Because women love
their children
And men are women’s
children.
GASIYA
Pesticides have robbed butterflies of their homes and plants don’t flower anymore.
Our soils are awash with non-bio degradable grain
This is not Biology!
This is “sort your garbage!
Because tea pots are being recycled from medical waste and the toxins rattle in the belly like snakes
For each breath taken carcinogens are the token…
- Black fumes
- White fumes
I can’t breath…
Rest in Peace flood victims in Bwaise,
Did I say Kyambogo too?
Rest in Peace fresh water without zinc, mercury or lead.
Rest in Peace Good roads:
robbed of its way,
the silver blade digs a away through our roads.
Subbi?
Xenson,
Is there art in Gasiya?
Can we recreate each piece of plastic into a centre piece
For our tables when we’ll dine on the benefits of Waste management?
Flowers in forests
Cannot be seen at the canopy
Down below
They glow
And only those who crawl
Can see their glory.
Until Land fills
And recycling plants
Are depots of compost
We shall only see a forest of waste
Waiting to consume us.
Can we crawl for the almighty Compost
That awaits to bless our fields and give yield to our crops?
Sharing an exercise from Citizen Journalism course, tracing dance and access from the background tradition that enabled Jo Willis Shallal's founder and creative director.
Salamanda Tandem were always well spoken of, Shallal's first development manager Danu Fox managed to do some training with them, but that is all. However i have included them as Wolfgang was pivotal in their beginning inspiration as far as i know, and they work across art forms.
All the text is direct from websites so in their own words.
Week 9 of Citizen Journalism and excited to be talking to Oliver Baines who was the Chief Executive at Cornwall Community Foundation and now deeply involved in current direct action campaigns.
George is in an exhibition with Mel, with an improvisational Sharing of music, dance, poetry and song this Wednesday 7pm, entrance by donation.
Christmas songs coming in and so much more! Skye and The Wheelers already with us.
AGM postponed and Christmas Party planning and an online one soon to be announced
Good day at Shallal Dance Theatre today/yesterday,
finally forming our responses to new music choices and starting more large paintings and a poem written and ideas landing...
photo from last week support for Climate Action Coalition
answering an email today i found old links to ideas we work with all the time
Yes could do a workshop in a small form in smaller spaces as a lesson in adaptation and working in different spaces. could be drawing and dance, sound /word we could just see where it goes?
Moveable feast was a residential workshop offered at Dartington some years ago, one of the main people put forward the idea as Workshop as art form and i read about it as i hadn't attended it - my then Shallal Dance Theatre working partner Phil Jacobs did - it was multi arts event.
From that idea, as i have been running workshops for over 30 years i started looking at the process, and now it is similar to being in an art studio, the participants and their creativity are your materials and together we create work...it is not an 'us and them' but a 'we' a real in the moment collaboration and is quite scary but also freeing ( and hopefully fun) for everyone.
Colin and i often refer to it and it comes from experience, it might be of interest to other facilitators, skills are involved but are in a different emphasis to many 'teaching/sharing' workshops.
Also useful to consider and reflect on 5 stages of a workshop from The Five Part Session Dr Marcia Leventhal: warm up, release, theme, centring, closure. https://www.marciableventhal.com/
A useful take away from a year, on a two year, postgraduate Dance Therapy course at Roehampton....many years ago
A vivid description and analysis of Workshop’s distinctive features. Using a combination of narrative, explanation, and rumination, Tony Gee investigates the premise that Workshop is a distinctive creative form with its own politic, poetic and aesthetic.
Fantastic new participants to Newquay Pilot group and good to be working again with Sapphire.
Kerry J and Barbara came to visit Shallal 2, especially for Rita and Kerry to work together, and we hope to repeat it soon.
Learnt a lot from chatting with Jamie Moran and looking forward to chatting with Oliver Baines this week.
Podcasting make me slightly obsessive! and is quite time consuming in editing and caption checking etc but also a lot of fun!
It's quite a balance with that and new projects needing to land, but what i didn't add to the email was:
"Trust the Process" another major part of our approach
and ' don't get in the way' ( of it).
'The work works' if it isn't, that is where we need to reflect on our practice and try again, trust the (creative) process.
I often say to artists make friends with/get to know you own way of working there is no right or wrong way. What works for you? ( and is reasonably healthy.) We waste a lot of time trying to fit ourselves into other formats, how we think it 'should' be done, when we need to embrace our own style and way of creating/doing things, reflecting knowing your strengths, weaknesses, areas that need support etc and allow a sense of humour into the mix it helps to gently laugh at ourselves. Take ourselves lightly.
If you can have fun, then you can engage and trust, take risks, experiment, extend your practice.
So much going on and enjoying the opportunity to listen and learn more that podcasts bring...
Thank you to Skye- Anna for my 'jingle' from Dreamin'
Enjoyed the wonderful mix at Sharing at Back Lane West, we sat around Rosa's banquet table of clay vessels, watched films and looked at paintings and tapped and moved shells in a gentle installation.
Thank you to all the artists, we make sense out of what we do ( eventually/!) and it is always a privilege to see people work/dance/play.
Miles solo with support is such a little gem and we hope to show it soon. Shallal 2.
We have no idea and lots of ideas where our Passmore Project will go but Dean Evans comes along to tomorrow, now todays, session so we will have someone to inform us and who we can ask more of.
Looking forward also to a wide roll of thick paper and seeing some of our artists work BIG again.
Thank you to Dark Pony Coffee, a nice mention in this article for Joseph and hoping for Sam's exhibition in the new year and then we will be there twice a year which feels just right.
Fingers crossed re funding news coming in, not sure i can face more uncertainty, but that seems to be the way of it all. Big thank you to all our funders who support our long term provision so we can relax and develop initiatives and get on with the work, and to all our team who work so hard constantly.
Shallal Studios Knitted Together workshops Autumn term 2022
If you are interested in joining any of the following workshops, please let Lou know on lou@shallal.org. Places are limited but there are often one or two spaces.
All workshops take place at Shallal Studios, G08 Krowji, West Park, Redruth TR15 3GE. There are directions on the Krowji website here: https://www.krowji.org.uk/contact-us/
Natural dyeing and felting with Naomi Hannam
Tuesday 1st November 10:30 – 12:30
Tuesday 1st November 1:30 – 3:30
Tuesday 8th November 10:30 – 12:30
Tuesday 8th November 1:30 – 3:30
Tuesday 15th November 10:30 – 12:30
Tuesday 15th November 1:30 – 3:30
You are welcome to come to all three weeks if there is space. Please choose either the morning or the afternoon session.
Weaving memory looms with Stina Falle
Using surplus wool, string and interesting objects to make a personal tapestry
Thursday 10th November 10am – 12:30
Thursday 17th November 10am – 12:30
Thursday 24th November 10am – 12:30
You are welcome to come to all three weeks if there is space.
Weaving, knitting and playing with seaweed. Ruth and Kerry from The Seaweed Institute
Wednesday 16th November 2 – 4pm
Tuesday 13th December 10:30 – 12:30
Tuesday 13th December 1:30 – 3:30
Thursday 15th December 10am – 12:30
Please come to just one of the four sessions.On Tuesdays, please choose either the morning or the afternoon session.
Giant knitting in a group with Katie White
Experiment using things like our arms or chair legs as knitting needles to make big knits!
Tuesday 6th December 10:30 – 12:30
Tuesday 6th December 1:30 – 3:30
Wednesday 7th December 2 – 4pm
Friday 9th December 10am – 12noon
Please come to just one of the four sessions.On Tuesdays, please choose either the morning or the afternoon session.
Workshops in the January term include Wearable Ceramics with Susy Ward, Kimono-making with Isla Campbell and something fun with the team from Make-a-Mends in Redruth. Watch this space for dates and details.
If you would like to suggest a workshop to do with textiles and using recycling materials please do.
So my dear daughter who is standing in on Zoom sessions from London, at the moment, but sadly hasn't made it to our Back Lane West residency this year, has encouraged me to keep going...i had thought i might pause this blog, as there is so much going on these days.
But maybe it will be more bullet points:
This week we have....
Bobby in Back Lane West all week with an Open Studio Sharing on Saturday 1.30-3.30 of some of the work created....work can be seen on reels and the event is at https://www.facebook.com/events/
2 new pilot groups Newquay was on Monday, really fun! thank you to Sheron for helping start it and delighted to work with Julie and Becky as associate artists on it, handing it on hopefully to Sapphire as it develops she joins us for the next one on 14 November, same time, same place a bright beautiful old church hall with sea views!
and St Austell on Friday, thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of Natasha, and seeding it with Janice and Demelza!
it made me reflect on starting our Liskeard group it can take time to establish groups, get the word out there.
In Newquay we might work on performances early on as Emily and Becky are strong experienced performers.
thank you to Anna for poster designs
Meanwhile we celebrate the launch of Shallal Studios awaited E-BOOK
Baccid by Amy Lawrence and I can detect a bat by Eddie Callis are also on Shallal Arts you tube.
Potential conversations re a dance group aimed for people with Parkinsons in Falmouth in the new year
Attending The Ladder Advisory Board meeting on Thursday
‘The Ladder’ at the former Redruth Library on Clinton Road. The former Garde II listed library building had been closed for several years with the opening of the new library on Alma Place. A few months ago, Cornwall Council agreed to lease the property to a new community organisation, the Former Redruth Library CIC, who announced the relaunch of the library under the new name of The Ladder. Refurbishment works to the building are being carried out with financial support from the Redruth HSHAZ scheme and Cornwall Council. The Ladder is expecting to open its doors to the community later this year.' from https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/council-budgets-and-economy/redruth-s-revival-steps-up-as-historic-buttermarket-prepares-for-a-multimillion-pound-refurbishment/
Julie's Bicycle "We Make Tomorrow 2022" summit on catch up, 'creativity, community and connection'
Thank you to Elle for introducing me what canva can do, now to get us all using it!
Still trying to make my report sound more sensible...i experienced a real 'block' for the first time, writing isn't my strong point, as readers will know,...i felt i might mark myself on it, 'grammer - Shocking!'
...trying to get some more interviewees lined up, for my Citizen Journalism
did an extra zoom interview for BLW with Lisa, who was unable to be at the sharing for the installation
so many more planned, Manda Brookman soon and artist Georgie Finn and so many people to ask,
and 3 on Soul in planning, a separate but all related subject, that has been brewing for ages.
Thank you to Matthew Rogers for the excellent Citizen Journalism course and to all the other interesting and supportive students ...
I'm back to 'school' - a poor pupil not really allowed to do official studies again*but might make it through this short course!
*I dropped out of a Psychology degree in London to do Dance with Wolfgang Stange
and later on was recommended to do the then new Dance and Movement Therapy post grad at Roehampton College, London, i commuted on Fridays from Penzance to London and left half way through, so my family are not allowed to let me do anything 'academic' again, i get too restless and ( sadly ) too opinionated ?!
Renaissance Woman, Bon Vivant and a Big Beer drinker!
Zoe works in a wide range of mediums, including painting, digital drawing, fashion, dance, video, music, photography, writing and performance.
Currently, Zoe is inspired by films and tv shows where she draws the characters and scenes. She is also exploring working from her imagination, which has led to her writing her first novel, which is called The Crazy Detective and developing a series of memory paintings.
Zoe has exhibited throughout Cornwall, at Newlyn Art Gallery, Studio 62 Gallery and Krowji Open Studios.
Zoe has regularly appeared in the local ‘Cornishman’ newspaper and has regularly been awarded as a finalist in the Down’s Syndrome Association's annual, ‘My Perspective’ photographic competition.
Over the last 40 years, the list of people she has met reads like a ‘Who's Who’ ~ including members of the Royal Family, Lords & Lady’s in visits to The House of Lords, Prime Ministers at Number 10, assorted Politicians, Mayors & Celebrities and in 2005, Dawn French during her visit to The John Daniel Centre (where Dawn was presented with her own portrait painted by Zoe). The Actor Timothy Spall bought three of Zoe’s paintings during his ‘Somewhere At Sea’ tour around the Cornish coast.
As a founder member of the Shallal Dance Theatre Company, Zoe has been involved in performances across the county performing through dance, theatre and her clarinet.
On top of all this, Zoe worked for many years for Cornwall Health And Making Partnerships (CHAMPs), helping people with a learning disability in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly get equal access to health service.
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