ask me about a workshop for your school / group
I am experienced in creating and leading workshops in Creative Writing and in songwriting. My workshops are always aimed at helping others build confidence, try new things, and eventually, feel brave enough to share their ideas.
I am an Associate Artist at The Sainsbury Centre Art Gallery and Museum in Norwich and an Associate Artist at Norwich Arts Centre. I am also a lecturer at Norwich City College and Lowestoft Sixth Form College.
Recent projects:
This year I have been working with visitors to the Pricilla Bacon Hospice who have engaged in art workshops exploring links between the Sainsbury Centre’s permanent collection and exhibitions, and the Hospice’s beautiful grounds and garden. We have enjoyed gently dicussing issues of climate, community as well as exciting ways to play with art techniqies such as print, paper-making, drawing, using natural materials, expressive mark-making and clay.
Working with Norwich Science Festival saw me helping the ‘Bugs and Beasts’ event visitors (mainly pre-schoolers) to “make friends with slugs and snails” and to make hundreds of small clay snails which hardened in the sun.
Sainsbury Centre ‘Big Sunday’ activity - using up the years scraps and lots of spotted materials to celebrate our winter speckled birds.
Trying their hands at Paper Sculpture and making a collective poem, young people experimented with aspects of paper-making, found poetry and finding their voice to speak out about climate change.
Sainsbury Centre activity for visiting Primary Schools - responding to The Black Cormerant by Preston Singletary “Black Cormorant” (2020) which was shown as part of the Can The Seas Survive Us exhibition. 3D Paper Birds suitable for making down in the galleries ie. lots of fun and absolutely zero mess!
2022 saw the launch of the Safe Space Creative Writing Group - for LGBTQ+ young people between 14 and 18 (or therabouts) meeting on Sunday afternoons in the Cafe/Bar area of Norwich Arts Centre, who were our kind supporters - along with the National Centre for Writing and Young Norfolk Arts. For those who couldnt attend in person - or for anyone really, sessions are recapped in a Podcast hosted by Young Norfolk. The Podcasts are free and represent a six part beginners Creative Writing course, each with a specially written ‘audio letter’ from a leading queer artist. We were delighted to feature: poet Andrew McMillan, poet and playwright James McDermott, multi-genre writer Molly Naylor, folk musicians, Maddie Morris, Belina O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow, Danni Nicholls, and drag artist and creative Liv.
Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/youngnorfolkarts/sets/safe-space-podcast