MEMBERS CORNER
Our members are a creative bunch and we're always keen to share what they've been working on or getting up to.
If you've produced something or are working on something you'd like others to know about then get in touch with us.
THEATRE
As part of our programme we run a Theatre Group called Kindred Spirits. The group is led by Artistic Directors Tanya Myers and Stephen Lowe. During lockdown they have been setting improvisation tasks exploring a range of themes that group members have been responding to. The work they have produced has covered pieces of writing, poetry, imagery, sound and video recordings.
Kindred Spirits member Don Rowe shares his sound recording of his response to the task 'From My Window.' His piece is titled Reflections From The Window Seat and can be listened to by clicking on the image below.
An extract from:
Reflections from the Window Seat
"I'm looking out my window, I see red geraniums in chimney pots shouting their colour to anyone passing by. I see trees, a Magnolia that's finished flowering and is putting on lots of green growth. Further afield is a rowan who's branches are no longer iced with delicate blossom but is soon expecting an abundance of lipstick red berries..."
Kindred Spirits member Carrie has recently pursued another of her creative interests and has produced a documentary film to celebrate the life and music of her father, composer Leonard Salzedo. 2021 marks his centenary year.
Leonard Salzedo A Life Composed in Music - Watch the documentary here
To help with the filmmaking process Carrie took part in our introductory film making workshops that were delivered online by Film Maker and Tutor Keith Allott.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Beginning in September 2019 we ran a 10 week photography course led by Photographer Jagdish Patel. At the end of the course the participants exhibited their work as part of the Off Centre Photo Festival.
The gallery below shows some of the images that were taken by participants during the course as well as pieces from their broader portfolio of work.
Continuing on from the course we have worked with a range of photographers who have led workshops covering a range of different genres of photography. These has taken place online, as indoor and outdoor tutorials and practical workshops. The genres covered have included: Photo editing, Alternative Camera Techniques, Advanced Camera Techniques, Portrait and Wildlife Photography.
ARTSPEAK AMBLES PHOTOGRAPHY WALKS
We then held monthly photography walks and worked with photographers to suggest tasks and set challenges around specific areas of photography to help participants get the most out of the session.
We now hold fortnightly photography sessions, consisting of a walk/visit somewhere for a practical photography session, followed by a photography review where participants can share and gain feedback on their images and receive tasks for future sessions.
The sessions are open to all abilities, no prior experience in photography is required, all you need is something to take photographs on and a willingness to try. Review sessions are tutor led and generally take place at Cafe Sobar, on Thursday morning, 10:30 - 12:30. For the upcoming schedule of dates, please visit our Creative Workshops page
The location for the photography walks varies each month and will be tutor led until April 2023. Please note. There will be no photography sessions in July and August.
June
Leicester based Photographer and founder of Photography Oddities, Sammy, began our series of walks with a walk themed around ‘Urban Nature’. The walk took place along Victoria Embankment and around the War Memorial Gardens. Participants were tasked with looking more closely at the relationship nature played in this urban environment and capturing signs of it in unusual spaces.
Photo credit: Sammy
July
Nottingham is full of interesting Architecture but it's easy to overlook it when visiting for different purposes like going shopping or socialising. July’s photography walk was all about ‘Architecture Photography’ and took place around the City Centre, focusing on the City’s cultural quarter and historic Lace Market and seeing how these contrast with the modern areas such as Trinity Square. Tasks involved looking for interesting details and textures in buildings and considering different vantage points to capture some of this great Architecture.
Photo credit: Sammy
August
Participants were keen to practice photographing water and movement so for the August photography walk they headed to the Beeston and Rylands Weir and Marina. The area provided plenty of texture and movement, and there were lots of great points of interest on and around the water in the form of boats, flora and fauna.
Photo credit: Sammy
October
There was an interest from participants to have a go at some action and sport photography. We partnered up with Flo Skate Park in Nottingham who let the group visit during one of their beginner skate sessions. This gave them lots of opportunity to practice capturing movement and they learnt about how to get the best results from indoor photography.
Photo credit: Graham Stamper
Photo credit: Graham Stamper
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Photo credit: Mervyn Mitchell
November
Our November photography walk was a perfect excuse for an autumnal walk around Highfields Park. The parkland, architecture, wildlife and water around the park made for a really interesting session.
Photo credit: David Cowper
Photo credit: David Cowper
Photo credit: Mervyn Mitchell
December
As we approach winter, the December photography walk was a great chance to combine a visit to Nottingham Contemporary and have a walkthrough of the latest exhibition 'Our Silver City'. The group were given an introduction to the gallery and the exhibition before exploring the work in each gallery space. They then headed to St Mary's church, a gem in the City Centre due to its grandeur, tranquility and beauty.
Photo credit: Theo Stickley
Photo credit: Theo Stickley
Photo credit: David Cowper
January
Contemplative photography is a method of seeing and photographing the world in new ways. Integrating meditation into each image that you take.
For January's workshop, Mervyn Mitchell delivered a presentation around this subject of photography, teaching participants how to be in the moment and to capture what they see. Mindfulness and contemplative photography exercises were included and some of the participants share their results below.
Photo credit: David Cowper
Photo credit: Graham Stamper
Photo credit: David Cowper
February
This month the photography group went to The National Justice Museum and spent time immersing themselves in the history and stories that lie within the walls, cells and dungeons of Nottingham's historic County Gaol.
Photo credit: Theo Stickley
Photo credit: Mervyn Mitchell
Photo credit: David Cowper
March
The Photography group explored Nottingham Castle this month and had a lovely Spring day for it. Participants were free to explore the gallery spaces and enjoy the collections then headed outside to take in the panoramic views across the City.
Photo credit: David Cowper
Photo credit: David Cowper
April
This month's photography walk took place at Wollaton Park where participants explored the woodland, grassland and wetland areas to capture some fantastic images. They also had the opportunity to experiment with the theme of motion.
Photo credit: David Cowper
Photo credit: David Cowper
Photo credit: David Cowper
Photo credit: David Cowper
CREATIVE WRITING AND POETRY
'Ode To Chris'
By Miriam Gifford
My Name is Resurgence: I live in a tent
They keep trying to house me; but I can't pay the rent.
I live round the Meadows, I like to be free
There’s a community here, they let me be,
The Autocracy says that I’m supposed to
conform,
They want me to change; fit with the norm,
I have the Trent beside me, flowing to the sea
I sit by it at night, see all its’s ‘beautee’,
Read the whole poem here
We first met Miriam when she attended our Creative Cafe in the Meadows. She has also participated in our Creative Writing Course.
Hundred and Fifty Horse-Tail Hairs
By Simon Kew
Violins pitch our mercurial desires.
A luthier figures these by number,
sets a finger-board at 85 degrees.
The bow is laid across his knee -
a sprung and gently tapering length:
the artist in him measures craft by feel.
How much of us is needed for his hands
to match, reach into a body’s dark interior,
expose the pulling of heart-strings’ winding?
Music interleaves in us, but who knows how?
Luthiers are busied scrolling, edging corners
setting ribs, burnishing the spruce and maple
until they sing. In the end what can they do
but hang the varnished body out to dry in
a room of mirrors and humming lights?
Imagine you are a piece of water
By Sue Allen
You think I am a droplet
Stretched
Elongated
Tear shaped.
But actually, I am spherical
A ball of saline meaning
Falling
Down the curve of your cheek.
You think I am small
A tiny ball of sorrow
Wiped away by tissues
Fingertips
Sleeves.
But actually, I am mighty
Sometimes, so mighty
That I can drown you in salt saturation.
You think I am caught in the corners of eyes
Held fast in tear ducts
Held back behind eyelids
Restricted by convention.
But when the dam breaks
You will feel the power of me shunting
Through the locks of your shoulders
Stirring the whirlpools of your chest
Breaching the banks of your heart.
As you fight for breath,
You will taste the ocean of my emotion
In every spherical Drip
Drip
Drip.
Sue wrote this poem during our 'Words on Water' poetry workshop delivered by John Humphreys and Clare Stewart as part of the Nottingham Poetry Festival 2022
Kind of Blue
By Simon Kew
forlorn recessionals
cracked arpeggios
and the heart silent
like an owl’s wing.
We track those down-beat
opening chords,
the tawny bass’
open hands,
the piano filling up
with winter,
plump yearning
by the ream.
Then a cymbal’s white-out frost
and melodies of falling snow.
Simon says " I wrote this poem with the great jazz track 'So What' in mind from the album 'Kind of Blue'.