Hey! Kevin Gillam has written a great review of my Dance of Light..
“Dance of Light is an accessible, well-edited and attractively presented celebration of poetry, sculpture and nature. The strength of the book is the presence of the author … - a curiosity and exuberance for all that is creative.”
You can read the full review in five bells (pp.73-75, vol 16, no. 4, Spring 2009).
Explore the sculptures in an interactive way. Join Perth poet, Jenny de Garis, who will provide ideas that lead into writing creative responses to the artists’ works.
You don’t have to be a practising writer to participate, but if you are, new stories or poems will surely be germinated: if you aren’t, you may be surprised by the fun of the fragments your pen produces stimulated by the sculptures. Everyone will enjoy the way an artwork opens itself when ringed by a variety of ways of seeing it.
Friday 31st October, 10 am to 1pm.
Cost: $20.00 per person, includes morning tea.
Bookings essential as class sizes limited to 12. Phone or email Holberry House to secure your place.
Address
Holberry House
14 Grange Road (PO Box 99)
Nannup 6275
Western Australia
Telephone
08-97561276 (Australia)
+61 8 97561276 (International)
Email
holberryhouse@westnet.com.au
Sample poetry and pictures (pdf document)
Siesta by Danuta Szolc
This event was offered free of charge thanks to the City of Melville.
Resulting writings were displayed in the Environment Education Centre.
For anyone who likes writing, being involved with artworks or out with nature in the reserve, and would enjoy extending their appreciation in any of these directions. You don’t have to be an expert already, but you can be!
Two linked sessions. The first introduces a range of possible ways of interacting with the sculptures, mainly through creative writing ? fragments, stories, poems . . . and the opportunity to share responses and readings will open new ways of seeing both the sculptures and the environments in which they are set. The following week those who wished re-gathered to share and discuss the results, possibly including some revising and editing work.
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| Writing at Rottnest 2006 – photo album |
The weekend went with a swing and a sing! Among the outstanding moments for me were: descending the iron spiral that holds the great lens of the Wadjemup Light to the lovely resonance of one of her own compositions on Maryanne’s Chinese flute; Anna reading her deeply intelligent writings and playing her violin; Esther’s exhuberance; through her lively writing of them, Cyndie’s sharing of memories of youthful holidays on the island; having the expressed appreciation of the natural beauty and wonder of the island from the perspectives of three Southern Scribes – Richenda, Gai and Eve; reading one histooric lighthouse play and having two quite different cleverly entertaining plays written by Kerry and Cyndie and performed by everyone; watching Faye and Glenis enjoy creatively their four-day break from busy lives; the privilege of being with eleven other people wanting to write and responsive to such beautiful places as the early morning dunes and beach behind our Kingstown cottage, and Salmon Beach and Green Island where most of us spent our final morning.
Thanks, as usual, to my husband, Brian, for feeding us all so well!
Condolences to the several writers who had to pull out at the last moment: do join us next time.
JjdeG.
ARTEQUATE
an unusual creative opportunity offering in the context of
National Poetry Week 2006
in the Art Gallery of Western Australia
Saturday, 9 September, meet 9.30 am outside the café ? end 1.00pm
no fee, but a donation $8+ requested for work of World Vision in Ecuador
Interested in art and like to explore it in a new way?
Love reading books but find paintings more obscure?
Want a new boost for your own writing?
Enjoy the adventure of a morning of creative interaction amongst the treasures of our state gallery. Perth poet, Jenny de Garis, will suggest different ways of writing in response to a selection of artworks, encouraging individual approach in words that may lead to poems, but could feed into other writing interests. There will be opportunities, but no obligation, to read.
Some participants have won prizes from writings begun in Jenny’s workshops, others have simply enjoyed being involved on the day. As a follow-through from this one, during the week, you might like to take your best artequating poem to pin up on the POETRY WALL in the Alexander Library or to read or perform at one of the festival open sessions.
an unusual creative opportunity offering in the context of
National Poetry Week
in the Art Gallery of Western Australia, September 2005
Notes following ArtEquate at the AGWA
We loved the inspirational potential of Wall Power, so spent most time there surrounded by the energetic colours and shapes.
Experimented with having one or two writers for each painting in the narrative sequence by Aboriginal artist, Phyllis Thomas, then reading out in order: what can be read by the perceptive and receptive imagination without the ‘framing’ of titles and explanations . .
About half the group (of 14 in all) stayed on to write individually, a couple beginning dialogue and story in response to portraits in Gallery 7.
Thank you Frances, for including us as a group in your readings – even if only Suzie Pryt, Julienne Miller and I could make it to the Thursday Poets’ Corner. Being able to do a reading in the Alexander Library that way was a new experience, and not too far from the gallery! It was also satisfying for me to have the sculptor, Patricia Schuttler, present while I read waving not drowning which I had written in response to her work in the Bunbury Biennale in the context of the ArtEquate I led there in August.
In a letter to the Curator and copied to me, one writer, Molly Hall of Witchcliffe, says,
‘It was one of the most stimulating, thought-provoking, enlightening and enriching workshops I have attended.’ (thank you, Molly!)
‘?relating to art through poetic eyes enabled me to gain greater insight into the artists’ minds and their creations. I felt a real connection even though I was not familiar with these artists or their works. . .
I hope it was one (workshop in the gallery) of many to follow.’
Thanks to ArtEquaters for their participation and donations to Mission Australia amounting to $120.20, and to the AGWA staff for their assistance with booking and provision of stools.
Jenny de Garis.
September, 2005.
