Artists' Spare Room | Daniela Fleckenstein Part 1
As a creative person from London Town, with several strings of creative outlets; setting and building a stage at events, painting the scene for immersive theatre, doing the bump lift and shift; working as stage hand at festivals and other gigs.
Forging a way into the art department for theatre and film - I am all to aware that creativity is a shy animal that needs nurturing, to be able to perform and deliver when needed.
Let alone the pace and lifestyle, of doing and surviving in the metropolis, doesn’t quite allow to reflect and evaluate what it is that I am doing and where I am going with it all?
Aware that my Art is a means to express and communicate the often unseen and only imagined, shouldering the responsibility of finding meaning, not just in my work but life; I embraced all to eagerly the opportunity to step out of the City (where I live by myself), and do the most crucial part in any Artist’s journey: share.
My chosen medium of Poetry for this stay, is a tool and coping mechanism I adopted for many years, in order to process my impressions of the world we live in.
Painting a Picture with words; they are often a snapshots or a social commentary of the world we live in.
Changing method and style ( after lockdown) where observations of other people become rare.
My poetry took me on an inwards journey to my internal world and inner sanctum.
A vessel for my hopes and dreams for humanity and the place we inhabit - and the emotional experience of being alive, in the times we are in.
Being closer to and in nature, this week’s journey took interesting turns. Taking stock of the Poems I had strewn in several notebooks and places - I pulled together a collection of my work - trying to identify the themes they describe.
Wishing to add and write more and finding pathways for their suitable outlet.
Keen to share my views on the human condition and nurturing a better relation to oneself and nature. I was not quite prepared for the trigger moments it provided. Reflecting back, how I really felt and what I hope for and had achieved and experienced.
Making myself aware of how I really felt, I was reminded: artist should do art - and bliss is doing art for art’s sake - but to scrutinise ones own work and what its purpose could be, was harder than anticipated.
But isn’t that humanity ?
The importance of having this artists spare room, nestled amongst the Eden Arts Team, encouraged to do me and explore. I felt supported and held when I really needed and didn’t expect it.
With Eden Arts a place where creativity, exploration, doing art in many and in any form it comes in is welcome; became the place for me, to realise a few things about myself and the world we are in.
Meeting other Artists, Writers and Poets in this space, I learned that the isolating experience and difficulties of exploring ones own inner sanctum, thoughts and emotions - was a shared experience all the same.
Having a clown and comedian ( Darryl Carrington) as fellow artist in residence, offered the best distraction - the giggles and light entertainment was most welcome.
Changing some approaches of, ‘I can only do this’ or ‘that is what I believe’ - and ‘oh my god - I can’t ‘, where subtly challenged, by the energy and the drive to create and do more, that Eden Arts offers.
Ending my first week with realising my Voice as a Poet, with Purpose and a Place in the world of words.
Walking up the Beacon of Penrith with a Penrith Writer and Poet - sitting on that top of the hill with calming ( and sunny!) views, learning about the place and poetry - sharing my work.
Feeling at one with myself and ambitions to communicate and share. Learning that the frame of mind travels wherever you go - and the human potential of growing as a person, doesn’t happen without other people around you and their faith in the freedom to create.
Finding a new Balance and confidence of inner and outer world - ready to create and express what was once only imagined.
Thank you EdenArts
Please follow me on Instagram and become part of my journey. @DanielaFleckenstein
Watch a short film of Daniela here.
