Creative nourishment and staying well hydrated
Recently we saw someone talking about how as an adult you can do what you want. Chocolate cake for breakfast? Go for it! Mid day dance party in your living room with your friends? Turn it up! It is funny how we resort to “childlike| wishes and wants when we are reminded that we simply can if we want to. Playfulness and fun should always be an encouraged aspect of our lives. Some things feel serious of course, from prepping for school exams to meeting work deadlines and caring for our families and friends. However a bit of good-natured mischief and belly laughter is an absolute necessity, something that should be weaved throughout each day. That’s why we love to share our MOJs! So with the year wrapping up, firstly we wanted to remind you to be like a mischievous elf on a shelf and secondly we wanted to share our MOJs where we found creative nourishment throughout the year.
Vicki
For those who know me, I love to read! This year, my creative nourishment has definitely been inspired by all of the fiction books I've read; from mysteries to adventure, fantasy, family dramas and romances. It's made me really appreciate writing as an art form, and how clever writers can be with their use of language. One of my favourite authors is Elizabeth Acevedo, who is a poet that writes young adult fiction; her writing is so rhythmic and captivating. I would recommend that everyone takes the time to read a book, any book, as it is a great way of appreciating the art of storytelling through words and imagination, and a chance to even hearing stories that you've never heard, seen or been told before.
Alix
For me I have been creatively nourished on many different occasions, from the Gloucester residency in the summer, to writing Snapshots and eating Caribbean food, to spending time and meeting our new focus group and collaborating and meeting new artists for our new upcoming productions. I am so incredibly thankful to our team who work so hard to make so much happen and sharing GIFS and moments of laughter in our team meetings... I could go on!Tips for staying creatively hydrated, finding moments to rest and reflect, journalling first thing in the morning or at night.
Helen
This year, I've really enjoyed in-person events returning on a regular basis, such as our We Are Here to Share evenings, and joining the Beyond Face team in the rehearsal room for the residency in Gloucester! As for tips to keep you hydrated, surround yourself doing the things or with the people that make your heart sing.
Tamera
This year I've been fortunate to be creatively nourished by other creative individuals from different practices and backgrounds. Just by making the time to stop and share space and have conversations with them has inspired me to trust my gut more and just go for it! Being back home in the Caribbean was a real push for me to question the way we live life, from the speed that we work at to our priorities, and I left feeling empowered by my own ability to make change. My tip for staying well hydrated in our creativity is stopping to rest, reflect and restructure, making it a constant practice in our individual and communal lives.
Sonia
I love to get stuck in with my arts and crafts- whether it’s painting, collage-making, or curating a festive display in my home. For halloween, I made small spooky salt-dough sculptures and cobwebs from sticks and string. For diwali, I draped colourful fabrics, old chunni’s and lit candles. For winter, using old newspapers from the local recycling centre, I’ve been finessing my paper snowflake making and if I may say so myself I’ve managed to make some fairly intricate designs so rest assured there’ve been some smug smiles as I look up at my living room wall and watch them hanging delicately, dancing, and casting decorative shadows.
Corinne
My tips for staying well nourished:
Take a chance on that book that you think you won't like or that film that seems a bit weird or that album everyone's talking about. I made a commitment this year to watch one film I haven't seen per week, which felt like an easy target at the beginning of the year but it ended up being pretty challenging some weeks. It really expanded my outlook and I found it so fulfilling when I'd watch a film that I'd never previously heard of but which ended up making such an impact.
