Are words alone, enough?

Having spent my entire life as a singer/ songwriter, storyteller &/or spoken word artist, I am now experimenting with mixed and multi media to find new, quiet, tinnitus & hyperacusis friendly ways through which to express my creative writing.

I have been making and photographing images within which to embed my text, just as I would have embedded these flows of consciousness within my music

Then last night, when I was laying awake deafened by tinnitus, I got to thinking ... what if my words are enough on their own? What if I do not need another medium to replace music and my written words alone, are the medium.

And so this evening, Jeff very kindly came over to Quiet Space Studio & Gallery to install my first 2 poetry frames, hanging in what will be 'Poet's Corner' at Quiet Space. I love these insitu floating frames. They instantly give me a Poetry Gallery.

I chose 2 poems from my forthcoming collection 'A Conversation with Tinnitus.' 

When I stood back and looked at them, I felt strangely moved in a way I have not experienced before. 

In many ways, I have been stripping myself back to the core throughout the whole experience of my hearing impairment. This feels like another layer being shed. For the first time, I have a sense that perhaps my words alone, are enough.

Welcome to Quiet Space Studio & Gallery

I am so excited to share my new venture with you. For some strange reason, I had this idea that I needed a separate blog for Quiet Space Studio & Gallery. I suppose before I had moved in I didn't realise how utterly beautiful it would be or even if it would work. But what I have found, is that it has very quickly become my heartbeat, a place of immense love. 

It really is the most healing space. I play meditation music softly in the background, I have essential oils in my cold air diffuser & a writing desk set up for when a poem or story comes.

There's a comfy seated area to knit and make &  a beautiful exhibition window.

I find that it has re-sparked my deep need to create and I find myself working on 2 new exhibitions and I also have 2 to install for the Summer. 

Quiet Space has given me back a sense of connection to the world. Friends call in, I have meetings there, folk passing peer in and wave. I am part of something instead of being isolated at home mourning my hearing loss. 

I have 2 fundamental questions that Quiet Space can answer: - Is it possible to create a work environment that nurtures my new health needs? 

The second is more an exploration of arts based mediums to see if I can find quiet ways to express words, now that sustained music and song can no longer be part of my life: I am experimenting to see if I can find a new voice through multi and mixed media. 

Anyway, I digress ... just to say that from today, I will blog about my Quiet Space journey here at Fusion Inspire, where it should have been all along. 

In the background

I spent this afternoon designing a new background picture for my blog and here it is. The photograph of me is a Selfie that I took during a night time candlelit meditation. I like the way that the light of my candle is captured in my eye. 

The second overlay photograph is a bright daytime shot of the sky in my favourite woods where I go very often to think about the world. Trees share such lessons for life.

So. in the one picture, I hope to have captured the night and day of my journey through the creative mind, reflecting the cycle of life, the ebb and flow of it ...