Katharine Wheeler

Question

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Are we still free to imagine? We are bombarded by other peoples images, ideas of a character, are we still free to find our own?

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project

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To stimulate the imagination and encourage creative response through the exploration of spoken word/storytelling.

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about

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Beautiful books, illustrations, and animations, other people’s character surround us but have we lost our own imaginings?  This project looked at our emotional, creative and imaginative response to a story where we do not already have an image or preconceived character placed in our mind.  To explore what can be stimulated in an environment spun through spoken word in a simple, un-elaborate style.  Aimed to challenge our preconceptions by encouraging the listener to focus on their own imagery, what we see, feel, what sound does it have, what colours, and to facilitate creative response to this?  In a wider sense to encourage confidence in creative thinking through acknowledgment of the power of the imagination, our individuality of thought, and our ability to be innovative within our own environment.

 

 

activity

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Your Story with Paragon Music - Piloted in 2015 and then repeated in 2016 - a series of facilitated music and art workshops for those with additional support needs. Participants were given the opportunity and support, by professional artists and musicians, to express their creative responses to storytelling, run over a period of 6 sessions at The Usual Place in Dumfries and showcased at The Stove Network (2015 & 2016) and the Theatre Royal (2016).

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quotes

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Stuart "This has been just amazing...I can't praise you enough, the way you all communicate and work with the young people is just so respectful and involving...it actually makes me feel tearful as a parent and support worker...I hope you can continue to offer this a lot more"

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"Feels like you have been in the space for ages, you've generated so much work and the young people seem to be really comfortable in the space"

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collaborators

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Stuart Macpherson(musician), Steven Burnie(artist), John Wheeler(storyteller), Paragon Music (music educator for additional support needs), The Stove Network (arts and community organisation), Martin Joseph O'Neil (artist), Maria Ruiz Plana (puppeteer)

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Links

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www.stuartmacperson.net
www.paragon-music.org
www.thestove.org

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