Was in my element at FPG today! People to talk to, a stimulating task – what could be better? Ahah! TWO stimulating activities. José Garcia Oliva led a word workshop, “How words fly and what happens when they land”. He showed us how to generate phrases that could be mixed and matched and then compiled into a complete poem.
First he asked us to think of the two worst pieces of advice that we had been given, then the two best and to write them on squares of paper so that they could be slotted together.
“Don’t worry you are old” and “It does not matter”. On reflection, this second phrase is both bad and good advice. Let me think:”You do not have to do it” or maybe “Always follow your dreams” and “Keep moving and dance”
Slotted together this gives;
“It does your dreams
Don’t worry, not matter
Keep moving you’re old
Always follow and dance”

“Or Don’t worry and dance
It does you’re old
Always follow, no matter
Keep moving your dreams”

Mmm! Perhaps I might find a better combination of words by slotting together different squares from other participants. “Notice what’s behind sailor’s stuck feet”. No-o-o! Not quite right.
Let me try again:
“Always cross a smile
And never eat your fingers.
Don’t be scared to fail.
Just try and make all nice things
Then tell me happy stories tomorrow”

Should I “tidy” that up?

“Always show a smile
And never chew your fingers.
Do not be scared to fail
Just try – make all nice things
Then tell me happy stories tomorrow.”

Now José sent us into the exhibition room displaying the work “Faunal Succession” by Lucia Pizzani and asked us to jot down words resulting from our impressions. This time he gave us squares of paper slotted two ways and asked us to write out our words. Then we built a paper sculpture off which we could read fresh phrases.

“Footprints in the sand what’s behind the rocks” I took liberties with that phrase, rearranging the word order even more. After all, that is the objective of this workshop

“Giant beads roped to hold up the ceiling
With a sea creature cocooned in kelp
What’s behind the rocks
Footprints in the sand
Witches were here
Leaving brooms behind.”

But it was time to try the second workshop. “Clay, plants and traces of place” with Lucia Pizzano.. I had picked some leaves from my garden and I wanted to print them. In the heat of the day, the clay kept drying out and needed constant spraying with water. It was difficult to press the leaves into the clay then Lucia showed me how to press the clay down onto the leaf instead. Kneading and pummelling clay until it is soft and pliable is very therapeutic. And there something so satisfying about lifting the clay to reveal the printed image. I plan to mount my best images on gift cards. Or should I enhance the print by threading some stitches through the image? Shall try stitching later.
I came home happy, my head still buzzing with ideas. Returning to the problem with obtaining a deep enough impression on the clay to print the leaves I wondered whether I could have tried a completely different way – too late now to try. I think I could have used a paintbrush to coat the leaf all over with a dilute clay solution then pressed the paper down onto the coated leaf.That is the joy of these FPG Open Days. They do inspire creativity!

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