Tag: art exhibition

Freelance Reflections #196

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Now I’m working full time, I’m enjoying having bank holidays off. I went to Field Day on Saturday, which was really fun despite it not being a festival I’d normally go to, and on Sunday I went to Farleys House. It was so interesting to be in the home of Lee Miller and Roland Penrose, with incredible artwork including a Picasso wall tile, plus learning about the work of photographer Dorothy Bohm, and eating lunch in the gardens, filled with sculptures.

Monday was a personal healing journey, marking the anniversary of the “break” that turned into a break-up. I went to a rage room for the first time having wanted to go for years, followed it with a picnic in the sun with a couple of dedicated art therapy pals, and ended with a floatation tank.

Today I had my Spanish passport appointment. Thankfully, it went smoothly despite them somehow making an error on my Spanish birth certificate that I didn’t clock – who is MATEO?! After a couple of dishes at Brindisa, I went with my parents to the James McNeill Whistler exhibition, where I enjoyed the references to butterflies and was particularly drawn to the nocturnes.

This Sunday all being well, there is the usual Forest Hill Stanza open mic at Forest Hill library 2-4pm. Otherwise, I’m making the most of the good weather by swimming outdoors as much as possible and reading in the sun.

Watching: I Love Dick, Younger, Something Bad is Going to Happen

Reading: Time Regained by Marcel Proust, The Problem with Men by Richard Herring

Podcasts: Jillian on Love, What Now? with Trevor Noah, Teal Swan

Music: Patrice Roberts, Interplanetary Criminal, Kilimanjaro, Flowdan, PJ Harvey, Olivia Rodrigo, The Plot in You

If you’d like to buy some books, please do!

Follow me on instagram: @carminamasoliver 

Freelance Reflections #38

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Last weekend was the ‘Free Spirits: Loss in Lockdown’ exhibition. I went with my parents, and my mum could especially relate to Rachel Sambrooks’ beautiful poetry, alongside the visual artwork, since also losing her dad at the start of the year. Two of my poems were on display: the first one I wrote after his death, and the other simply titled ‘Grandad’, which I had written about last week in relation to the Muddy Feet Poetry video.

This week, I have started with a few more students again, and I’m slowly getting on top of things and starting better habits, with writing at least. I’ve felt quite stressed out with work at times, still feeling overwhelmed, but I’m feeling a bit lighter now. I also have made a few tweaks to a new book I’m self-publishing, ‘Selected Poems: 2007-2012’.

With my Nasty Little Press having came out in 2014, I felt this period would be nice to have as a kind of time capsule. I previously published ‘Carmina’s Poetry Tease’, but this work combines poetry with a kind of visual mixed media. Initially produced during my MA in Creative Entrepreneurship, it’s a third of the size of the original. I got the proof copy, and needed to make some adjustments, and once I’ve approved the next copy, it’ll be available for global distribution via Lulu.

‘Leopard print is my favourite colour’

I’ll also make some available on my Big Cartel, though as it’s print-on-demand, it’ll take a little longer to come through, but much better for the poet than buying on Amazon! In other news, I treated myself to this lovely rose and peony candle from Art Wow, which is a cool website with affordable artwork. The candle is in my favourite colour combo (also the colours of the pansexual flag) – blue, pink and yellow! As I write this, I’m also wearing my Biffy Clyro ‘There’s always space for the arts’ t-shirt*. I’m excited about seeing them live in November! I also got to eat this lovely lunch with my flatmate for her birthday, from The Guava Kitchen in Forest Hill (I recommend the guava balls!)

*100% of proceeds will go towards supporting Create (Arts) Limited to improve the lives of society’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged people through creative arts. (Registered Charity No 1099733).