Time and Tide, Poetry and Place

 I'll be reading at two events in the next few weeks in Leicestershire with some brilliant artists and poets.

Time and Tide will take place on Friday 27th January at Leicester Print Workshop in Leicester's Cultural Quarter.

With Imminent contributor, artist Saintly Amok, we will present a live reading, followed by unfolding conversation exploring the themes of the latest 'Red Hot' issue of the zine, with a focus on the concept of tidal phenomena in the context of climate change. 

Saintly Amok's Red Tide print exhibited is in the current LPW members show, and copies of the zine will be available to purchase on the night. You can read more about Red Tide by clicking here.

I have known Saintly (aka Mita Solanky) for years and our work share many interests. We have often walked together in the Charnwood Forest and found new connections in our creative thinking each time. Saintly's work seeks to create a reconnection with 'nature' and the current human condition. In common with my work, her work spans multiple disciplines, drawing from her own personal embodied practices of yoga and meditation and influences from nature-based social and spiritual practice. Mita has an academic background in Particle Physics, and her art practice is a further exploration of understanding the human condition. I have always found her work to be beautifully sensitive to the nature of material, and she is deeply thoughtful and articulate about her concerns.

On Tuesday 7th February from 7pm I'll be at The Needle and Pin in Loughborough, along with poets Deborah Tyler-Bennett and Jill Simpson. There will be poetry readings by me from Imminent, by Deborah, who organises the poetry nights, and from Jill who will be reading from her anthology. The common thread that links Imminent and Jill's work seems to be about place; Jill's anthology is set in Leicestershire with many images of place and ecology, which chimes with themes within Imminent.  It will be interesting to see how our readings weave together. 

I was delighted when Deborah, who has regularly contributed to Imminent, asked me to take part. Deborah and I have crossed paths many times over many years in various creative projects and it will be great to catch up with her again. Deborah is a brilliant poet and fiction writer, deeply empathetic, with a subtle sense of humour that I love and a very distinctive style. Jill I don't know yet, but as Deborah's choice I'm sure she will be just as interesting and can't wait to meet her!

Both events are free and no need to book. I hope I might see you there.