Work

More flavours

People are certainly developing a taste for the 26 Flavours exhibition.  After its success at Trebah, it went on to appear at the Poly during Falmouth Week (6-14 August) and is due to appear at the Lander Gallery in Truro from 16-30th September.

Which means a lot more people have the chance to see our words and pictures.

As a writer, you don’t often get chance to show off your work in quite the same way as a photographer, or a painter, for example. At the end of my MA course, I have to confess I was a little envious of people on the other creative courses who had week-long exhibitions of their work.  Simply telling people about my novel wasn’t quite the same thing…

So for me, 26F has also been a chance to show people a bit more about what I do, as well as an opportunity to get away from my laptop and work as part of a creative team to develop something totally different.

Me with design partner Eleanor Bell with our finished flavour at the launch

It’s been a fantastic project to take part in, and I have to say a big thank you to the 26F team – Tom Scott, Rob Self-Pierson, Phil Gendell and Daniel Oparison for all the hours they’ve put in to make the project a success).

And there are also plans afoot for the 26 Flavours exhibition to travel further afield, so watch this space for details…

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In search of lost time

Time.  It’s strange how sometimes weeks can fly by, but sometimes a few minutes feel like hours.

Most people seem to live such fast-paced lives; we’re always rushing. I noticed it particularly when I was working in London.  Even when you’re not actually dashing from one commitment to another, there’s something about being in the city that speeds everything up.  You rush to get on the underground.  Slow-walking tourists annoy you and having to queue for more than a minute has you tapping your foot impatiently and muttering under your breath about why some people take so long.

Often we’re so busy trying to cram everything into our already-overflowing lives that we rarely take the time to enjoy the experience of doing something.  Obviously there are some things that you just want over as quickly as possible.  Trips to the dentist, for example.

A few years ago I spent a few months travelling around New Zealand and Australia.  The opportunity to step off the treadmill was an enlightening experience.  With few responsibilities, it was the perfect opportunity to really experience everything – to be in the moment.

Unfortunately, real life beckoned me back before long.  But feeling of being in the moment is something I’ve tried to hold on to.  A few minutes a day can be enough.  And it doesn’t have to be anything extraordinary.  Sitting looking out of my window and watching the sun glinting off the water made me realise how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place.

And it also gave me an idea for a short story…