Dual Delight

27 July 201527 July 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

I think I’ll make this the last attempt at playing around with editing photos that I publish for now. It really makes me think how little I normally notice when I look at a flower. When I see these flowers here, it’s as if I am looking at them for the first time, noticing all their intricacies. Kay

Beauty amongst Chaos (3) – more abstract art from photo

26 July 201526 July 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

I am enjoying this! Surprising what comes out of a visit to a garden nursery … (read my previous 2 posts for more info!) Once again, I am using a photo and selecting a portion of it to play with. On reflection, maybe this isn’t ‘abstract’ as it can be seen that it is a flower petal and leaf? Kay

Beauty amongst Chaos (1) – creating abstract art using a photo

26 July 201526 July 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

It’s early Sunday morning and I’m playing around with a few photos I took in my small garden, which is in dire need of a makeover. I had given up on it completely this year and then I visited a garden nursery and decided to splash out on some sale goods – three pots of herbs and two hanging baskets – so that I had a bit of colour. I’m having a go at putting together a small slideshow just to see if I can technically manage to get it on my blog. I then decided to edit one of the photos which was too blurry to use. I cropped the photo and used the basic editing facilities available on an Apple computer. I love the colours and the abstract shapes created by the lines of the yellow flower. To me, I look at it and see deep blue sea and turquoise sky in the distance.

Urban Gem – finding tranquility

20 July 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

Living in a mainly urban area, I sometimes forget how easy it is to escape in less than 20 minutes and find tranquility, something I should do more often. It was wonderful sitting by the lake reading my book and I hope to return to do some writing soon. It gave me a chance to try out the panorama facility on my phone and I quite liked the black and white filter effect for the last photo shown here.

Creative Anticipation – poem written from the facilitator’s perspective about the start of a creative memories workshop Uniday for families

18 July 201518 July 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / 1 Comment

I call this a poem – it is exactly as it came to me on the day of a Family Uniday – the theme for which was creativity and memories. I wish that I had continued writing to show more of what happened once the families became captured by the thought that they could actually create but my time was otherwise engaged! It was a heart-warming occasion, families of all generations sharing quality time creating together. Kay

Creative Anticipation

Empty rooms, space filled with expectancy

the clock ticks on

the first signs as footsteps and faces emerge

the chain cranks slowly into action

people emerge in the doorway, open, hesitant

warmth draws them in and they take their place

Tables fill, people become names

a gentle hub softens the air

words are shared, plans made clear

leaders share their passion

memories recalled, mine to offer

the underlying gift of it all

Choice is given, the queue is drawn

excitement building as wishes are met

the underground motion moves them on

each family starts their own journey

the throng is split, meandering to rooms

new experiences and knowledge theirs to find

Watching like an angel guide

sharing as a friend in kind

working on what needs to happen

valuing the help that’s found

creation has begun its travels

and pride with wonder gathers round

An African Jewel amidst Ruskin Park, London

2 July 20152 July 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

Yesterday I posted about my visit to London which included my discovery of Ruskin Park. This painted picnic bench was an unexpected find. I wanted to find out more about it before posting these photos.

This art picnic bench was created as part of the Camberwell Arts Festival, the longest running visual arts festival in the UK at 21 years. 10 artists were commissioned to decorate picnic benches which would be used during the festival and then be placed within local parks. The bench located in Ruskin Park is an African design created by Nkiruka, a creative fashion, arts, crafts and textiles design partnership and is called The New Yam Table.

Information about the festival which was held at the end of June is at http://www.camberwellarts.org.uk. Information on Nkiruka is at http://www.makerhood.com/nkiruka.

(If you believe the information I have provided is incorrect, please let me know. Information on the bench was limited and I could find no images online.)

Unblocking creativity and releasing inspiration – 10 minute writing challenge (2 of 2)

25 June 201525 June 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

Copyright 2013 Miguel Virkkuhen Carvalho, Flickr, CC-BY, via Wylio

This 10 minute writing exercise was written four days after the last one posted yesterday, back in January of this year when I was in hospital. It was a very emotional time yet at the same time my emotions were somewhat on hold, still struggling somewhere with my new situation in life, having just been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia – a fast-acting life threatening form of cancer. Fortunately the final report revealed that I had the type APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia) which has the best prognosis.

‘Let anything come to light. Light, sun, shade, depths. My favourite colours. Pink and turquoise. Where are they now? The luminescence of my favourite pink is in my hand leading this waltz of writing. Waltz – music is within me yet it has evaded me. The song of life, the thrill of it all. The lilting sound of creativity. Creativity is to be found all around – or is it? I need to search it out, to wallow in it and bring it back to life. Life, it keeps coming up. This new, unexpected venture. How does it feel to be here? But I am not ‘here’. I am soothing my soul to do something special with creativity. There is so much around, but where is it hiding. I am on a journey and that journey is just finding me. I must avoid the logic. That is not what this is for. Storytelling was my aim and that can stay with me. I will write a short story, one that wings in from the sky above. One that I don’t think hard about, it just comes to me. Will it be real? There will be more than one – but fantasy is what breathes through my veins. A new light. Get caught up in the colour that comes to me. Take inspiration from all that has come to be in this vessel of a room. The cards and gifts. Where am I? I am with heart. I am loving life. All is not lost it is within me. To find the light and the story. To have music in my mind. To love and to laugh. To write music is a gift that I can bring to this time. I am soaring through the sky in Florida. Such a wonderful and special time. The cool air brushing through my hair as I swirl through the clouds like a swan sweeping across the ocean.’

Unblocking creativity and releasing inspiration – 10 minute writing challenge (1 of 2)

24 June 201525 June 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

Copyright 2009 Trug Bui Viet, Flicks, via Wylio

I thought I would share with you this 10 minute writing exercise I carried out after a friend gave me a very special writing book while I was in hospital. This is the very first bit of writing I did as a result of receiving this book. (Try it yourself – set a timer for 10 minutes and just write whatever comes into your head.) This was written in January this year. I have in the past month started my story … I just need to return again. This 10 minute extract conveys the kind of autobiographical fiction I would like to write.

‘Heart of my life. This moment. Where am I? I am in a new life. I am boarding a train at Platform Life. I have my ticket to an unknown destination. It is calling me. I have no idea where I am going but I have my inside filled with the fuel of inspiration. I am alone. Yet I do not feel alone. I feel that I have my spirits with me. The special light of those I have loved and lost. Yet there is the call of mystery. This is my story. I recall when I was given a signal to get on the train and know that I was on a special journey. I received texts telling me that I was not alone. It was scary yet somehow exciting. I love trains and I was on a journey to my mystery story, the one I am going to start.

I feel it is a fantasy story. It means I can go on any plane of life. The now, the future, the past, the unknown. The hidden depths within me. I may get lost but the fragments of me will collect themselves and save me from the hardness of life as I know it at this moment. I am on a soft journey to a fantasy world. I am going to soar into a story of such powerfulness that inspires me and connects me with the people who I love now and those I have yet to meet. I feel blessed to have this opportunity. And it is going to re-alight my creativity. Take me to a place that is beyond the bounds of special. A unique, timeless experience that is so touching, so enchanting, that I will create many special characters to join me on this journey. They will be colourful, fantastical, special, heartwarming …’

The Trapped Butterfly – Poem

18 June 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

Copyright 2009 Donald Duss, Flickr, CC-BY, via Wylio

The following poem was written in 2010. A woman I had met in Brighton had talked about being a trapped butterfly and other things she spoke about encouraged me to get on and write my book. Yes, even back then I had the intention to write a book – maybe 2015 will be the year! I have recently made a start on two books – one is a fiction story based in Brighton which I started writing a couple of weeks ago. The second is a book on Memories and Creativity which I started writing today. I have made many ‘starts’ over the years – I just have to keep the momentum up and see it through … Anyway, here is my poem.

The Trapped Butterfly

Thoughts of freedom fill her mind

not knowing what to do

She cannot leave it all behind

to find that something new

Life has done it once again

entrapped her in its web

Amongst it all it is the men

that cause a constant ebb

The journey has been happy

it has not been all bad

Such gifts there’ve been for all to see

yet now she feels so sad

The spiders web surrounds her

it’s not a pretty sight

And nothing feels the way things were

so taking all the might

Yet through her fragile being

comes wonder and such light

That lifts and is so healing

she’s not giving up the fight

To break through all the limits

and fly to reach the sky

To take a look to where he sits

with not a tearful eye

So from this day now forward

she knows what she must do

To lift her high as like a bird

and give a happy coo

A butterfly is special

it flutters here and there

But her wish is now to settle

with one that wants to share

And the choices that she makes

are hers and hers alone

And it will be for all their sakes

though some of them may moan

Time is slipping through her wings

the moment is now here

To feel the joys of all life brings

there’s nothing now to fear

Oblivion – poem

14 June 201514 June 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

Copyright 2008 David Ohmer, Flickr, CC-BY, via Wylio

I wrote this poem when I was attending a creative writing course in 2013. It was at this time that I learnt about different types of poems and editing. It was my first (and only!) attempt at a Villanelle style of poem. Most of my poems have been written spontaneously and rarely edited. I’d love to know what you think.

OBLIVION

Across the trapway looming dwellings queue

I struggle with thoughts of others’ feeling

Shimmering isle inspired by blue depth hue

Eery emptiness fakes tempting trespass

I’m drawn to chance the shake of such stepping

Across the trapway looming dwellings queue

Furtive steps melt along the curving path

I feel the heat of the orange glowing

Shimmering isle inspired by blue depth hue

Hidden echoes of the privileged few

I hear aching voices softly calling