Thin places and severe dips
Scotland, Northumberland, nature writing, and many frogs.
Hi everyone,
Sorry for radio silence, I've been dealing with some life stuff, and this fell off a little. I didn’t want to write until I felt inspired to either. I hope you're all doing well.
I’ve been mostly just tattooing and adventuring a little, or sitting out the back of my house and urging summer to kick in. Everything is looking very green anyways.
I just got back from a trip to Edinburgh, for some family stuff, but managed to also see some nice bits and pieces around the city. Here are some highlights:
Since we spoke I facilitated my first collage workshop at the wonderful Leftbank, for the Leeds LGBTQ+ Community Consortium - it was a real success and the attendees asked for more sessions, so if you're LGBTQ+ and fancy exploring identity through collage, keep an eye out for the next sessions (and others)
Here's some examples of the work people made - I had collected a bunch of found materials, magazine cuttings, and photos I liked of famous queer folk, and the results are ace. The main point though was it was a nice way for people to meet new folks while doing something creative.
I’ve been looking at collage artists for inspiration, and have been really enjoying the work of Elbetoval. These are digital collages, and he calls himself a surrealist vintage collage creator.
I looked back through the art I've been favouriting on Instagram and found a common theme - frogs and toads! Not sure what that's about, but perhaps because Spring alway makes me look out for em. Love those guys. Here’s an assortment of frog related art for your pleasure…
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I had also collected some cloud related art, perhaps reflecting the frustration, or trying to find beauty, in the cloudy skies we seem to have constantly…
Despite the cloudy skies, I’m still trying to get outside plenty, and it feels good to reconnect with some of the things that feed my soul, because sometimes as a self-employed person there is very little balance.
I've had a few wild swims - one at a lake swimming campsite in York, one in a beautiful river in Northumberland. I love Northumberland so much.
I also stayed in an wee shepherds hut up there where you could hear curlews constantly, a cuckoo too, and we could see hares in the fields behind our hut. A barn owl visited too.
Curlew are my favourite birds, and it was wild that at the same time as seeing them there, I happened to be reading this beautiful book by Kerri ní Dochartaigh, where this passage about Curlew stood out. I love the symbolism of birds, and would like to read more about their folklore.
Would really recommend this book actually - it’s a mixture of memoir, history and nature writing - about the authors childhood growing up during the The Troubles, and the healing nature of well, nature. It's very beautiful.
I really do need to lean into reading as a way of soothing myself when things are tough, even just being around books helps - we spent a very happy hour or so browsing Edinburghs bookshop Topping & Company, and I could've bought the whole place. I ended up adding another Mary Oliver collection to my bookshelf.
This one is my fave so far…
If anyone has any recommendations, particularly poetry or nature writing, please do drop a comment below? So while I've been a little bit ‘away’ I also left my wildlife camera for an entire month without checking it. The results are lovely - the grass has grown up so much and the light has been beautiful. The pictures of the deer gave me so much life. Hope you like them too.
In other news, I'll be announcing a London guest spot for summer soon, so if you're keen or know of anyone, keep your eyes peeled. It would be great to see you.
I've been tattooing plenty more flash from my flash sale, and soon start doing my new colour flash, which is exciting! If you'd like to book some while it's at a lower introductory price get in touch (booking July and August)
I'm off to do some tattooing - a nice chance to look up and away from my screen, which is full of horrific images coming out of Gaza. I feel helpless, but I know there’s plenty of small, meaningful things we can do? If you'd like to join me in donating to this fund I’d be really grateful. My sister-in-law has a friend who lost her son Isa, and is raising funds for Palestine in his honour.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/isas_play_space_for_gaza
