Creativity- site specific antics......

Today I am feeling a sense of achievement. I am in a very exciting process of linking my practise as a workshop leader with  artist practises and finally working in harmony!!

So far I am noticing that a lot of this year has been grappeling with my different roles within the art world. Now im a teacher, now im a workshop leader, now im a choreographer, now im a live artist, now Im doing burlesque dancing! now im job hunting! I felt sad and confused and as a result I wanted to reJect them all; shed the layers, so I could get to the heart of things! I realised what was at the core.....creativity!...

So reading my book 'The Art and soul of midwifery' (dont ask, to be dicussed at length later!) I have come back to creativity, back to myself, back to connecting the art of the everyday, rituals, gardening and glimpsing the purpose in the 'doing' rather than 'thinking'!

Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:

"Creativity is not only in the making but in the 'seeing' of things in a different way"

" To be effective in the caring, there must be a wisdom, which is shown by an ability to be open-minded, 'to keep the process of knowing in a receptive and open state of creative chaos out of which the emergence of new insights can be faciliated'( Dimitrov 2004)

" The art of careering"

"Through everyday tasks we can be naturally visually creative. Tasks such as: choosing clothes to wear, decorating the place we live or plan our gardens (campbell 1993)

"Looking at ways we explore creativity as a spiritual experience. Exploring the use of stories of everyday aspects including ritual, care for children and parents and caring for gardens" (Art and soul of Midwifery) ( this is the link I like!)

SHED THE TEACHER!
I have been busy with an exciting new project that has connected me to exploring different environments. The ideas have been from questioning why I am interested in non-theatrical spaces and linked to my work with Suffolk Artslink.
Having the opportunity to try out ideas in a park environment when attending the site specific workshop with Rosemary Lee in Brighton in June, helped me gain confidence in working with other people. The confidence to share my ideas and be understood are very important to me and doing it in a workshop setting can be very daunting and almost like a performance in itself! (discussions on when is a workshop a performance can be found under discussions!)

So now I am creating a performance happening and finally merging how I lead as a teacher with creative processes of an artist!.....

I have gone back to drawing board with ways to create and started using mind maps (which I haven't done for years!!) here is an example of one to share!...

The project is called Waiting shifting shoppers and takes place in three locations in Norwich.

A line of chalk will link the spaces which the audiences will be encouraged to walk at the end of the performance.
I am interested in exploring the invisible pathways of the shoppers, who will become part of the piece. I love the theatre of the everyday and the moments when groups of people in public spaces look in the same direction, or pause to perform an action. The synchronicity and choreography of it is very interesting to watch!

Here are some pictures of the studio and on site rehearsals so far:

Come and watch on Saturday 13th October performances start at 12ish!...