Pilgrimages, Shrines, Walking, Making Labyrinths and Story Telling.

In her talk at the conference  Beyond The Pedestrian: Walking in Research, Theory, Practice and Performance in Liverpool on July 26th Professor Dee Heddon stated that we learn by being in conversation with each other and outside our own comfort zones.

I found this re-assuring as I'm often working on things without really understanding where it's taking me, often involving other people (who I thank for their forbearance as I cannot sometimes explain what I am doing or where it is going)  and then ...hey presto, 

This is what I love about what I do and drives me on.

I'll be at  4WCOP in Huddersfield on September 8th, with Sonia Overall, Treading and Threading the Labyrinth, Walk-threading-and-treading-the-labyrinth

Then, on  to Walking with Shrines at The Margate Bookie on September 29th  .

walk-with-shrines

With artists, creators and makers: Sara Trillo. Virginia Fitch, Diana Lane, Maggy Rodd, Anna Bowman (filming), Simon (Half Day Holidays), Anastasia Miller (photography)

authors :
Jessica Kidd , Mr. Flood's Last Resort
Philip Whitely, Marching on Together
Owen Lowery, Transition Poetry (performance)
Elise Valmorbida, Madonna of The Mountains

 Finally  on to "Friends of Interpretable spaces" at St Augustine's Church, Hackney in October, for some more Labyrinth building with Sonia Overall,

  http://www.degreesof-freedom.com curated by Degrees of Freedom details to follow.

 I am taking a little time to reflect on the domino effect which allows one thing to lead to another. Enjoying the journey.

Slow Looking - Exploring the relationship between weaving, threading, walking and the landscape .

A long Walk to Nowhere, through Thread and Word 

part of the Whitstable Biennale Satellite programme 2018

A visual reflection on a walk for the Whitstable Biennale Satellite program with Thread and Word.

Thinking with Thread and Word

Signage 

Instructions 

with thanks to Kate Monson and all who came, joined and contributed to a truly memorable walk.
Photography courtesy, Jennifer Deakin.

Join us on our next walk , Walking with Shrines at the Margate Bookie
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/walk-with-shrines-tickets-48830648785

A Walk with Thread and Word for The Margate Bookie September 2018 

An Invitation

 

 This is a walk as pilgrimage creating shrines for the Margate Bookie September 2018 by Thread and Word. Led by Elspeth Penfold

Drawing inspiration from Dee Heddonʼs Walking Library and the book Home Altars of New Mexico by Dana Salva. Thread and Word will take participants and walkers on a journey through poetry, walking, books, Margate and the passion and following that these engender. 

Elspeth Penfold will  create portable shrines to the books and the writing of four authors. At selected spots in Margate books will be introduced and then a small shrine will be built and marked with the placing of “Ofrendas” or offerings created by local artists and creative makers ( this might include a chosen reading/performance from the text). 

The walking shrines will be a symbolic act, celebrating Margate, and expressing our gratitude to The Margate Bookie, the Authors and their books for the difference they make to our lives. 

The authors are:

 Elise Valmorbida - The Madonna of The Mountains 

PJ Whitely - Marching on Together 

Jess Kidd - The Hoarder

Owen Lowery - who will be presenting a multimedia poetry show ʻTransitionsʼ 

Each of these authors has sent Elspeth artefacts, that have contributed to the writing of their  book. These artefacts include, objects, photos and music. The larger objects will be placed on a small portable altar behind a symbolic rudimentary rood screen where we might catch glimpses of the larger artefacts so that they act as relics which have prompted the pilgrimage, objects you might touch but which are at the same time unattainable. 

All contributors to this project are invited, if they wish, to make an ‘Ofrenda’ something that might fit in with the concept, and can be added to the altar as a personal response or offering. It does not have to be costly, the simpler the materials the better. The most important things are that it should be your personal response to the book or books or poems, if you fancy doing more than one, and also that it should be easy to place or carry. You might choose to do a performative reading.

I am hoping you can join the walk , but if this is difficult let me know and I will place your piece for you. 

I hope you have as much fun doing this as I am! please get in touch if you have any questions.

 elspethpenfold@yahoo.co.uk  

This walk is free but ticketed on Eventbrite linked below as there will be a limit on numbers. Please also visit eventbrite for more details including dates and times.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/walk-with-shrines-tickets-48830648785