A free two-hour creative writing workshop, led by Lisa Storm-Olsen, using the river as its central thread at The Millhouse, Ilminster.
Thursday, 2nd July 10 am - 12 pm
With the River Isle on the doorstep, the mill's own water history running through the building, and the wider web of farmland, meadow, and human-built landscape that surrounds it.
Our waterways, their ecology and the biodiversity that they support are precious and vital. Rivers - what flows through, over and alongside them. The water-born, the water held, the water seeks and is a carrier of life.
Published writing on nature recovery and the connection between humans and the environment has seen increasing growth and demand. In this two-hour session, participants are invited into the nature wriitng space - to write into and through the river: its ecology, its memory, its disturbance, its restoration.
By hearing and reading examples of writing on rivers and the natural environment, looking at art, photography and inspired by the themes in the current Seeking Ecological Exhibition in The Millhouse gallery and other source materials, we will consider the resonance of a river, how this resonates with us and how restoration can work both ways.
We will reflect on the following questions:
How do we connect with rivers?
Do we use and observe or do we immerse, revere and protect?
Can we integrate both?
Are we compelled to reduce the impact we have on water and become positive actors in the wider drive to effect positive change?
Can writing support this and how?
We will listen to different perspectives on these topics, including the practical, scientific, historical, recreational, and how rivers have supported industry, craft and communities, and share experiences and thoughts. And how climate change is impacting on river health and function.
The reintroduction or movement of species such as the beaver, the crane (Somerset) and the pine marten (Devon) stimulate public interest, as does rewilding and heritage farming. They bring both some hope and some positive potential steps towards nature recovery.
We’ll experiment through short, informal writing exercises and prompts, some in a group, with discussion, and time to write individually.
Inspired by the riverbank setting and the varied visual and written resources, you will be guided with methods to generate some short pieces of work in response. Constructive feedback will be on hand if you would like it, and any sharing of work with the group is entirely optional.
A range of source books will be available to use for further inspiration during the workshop.
Coffee and other refreshments are available in the on-site cafe, and there are riverside seats to take in the silence and observe whilst writing (weather permitting). Join us for lunch afterwards.
All levels are welcome, from beginner onwards and can encompass all genres and approaches.
The workshop will be accessible and inclusive, friendly and supportive - we look forward to welcoming you.
Part of the Seeking Ecological Citizenship workshop, exhibiting between 19th June - 18th July @TheMillhouseIlminster.
