An online prompt and sharing experience with members from The Bodies Collective – Dr. Claudia Canella and Dr. Alys Mendus.
This project born from an invitation from Claudia to Davina in 2021, and a wish between us to collaborate with images as well as text (we often write together for academic papers and books see collaborative writing). A series of prompts from Claudia in the evenings of the 12 days in-between time from Christmas to Twelfth night begin the next years reflective artworks. We individually respond with images and words and then share them each next day on a Whats App group. Then for the next year each one of the 12 visual and textual prompts is used for a monthly prompt in response. We have been doing this ongoing practice since 2021, Alys joined us in 2022, (along with Sarah Helps for the 12 days). The process keeps us connected not only with our individual reflections on that magical betwixt and between time between the years, and a moment of reflection back each month, but with each other and our hopes, dreams and emotional lives.
I share here only my images and responses to the prompts.
First iteration:
Dec 26 – When I dive into my stillness who do I meet there? I dreamt I had articulated wings that unfurled. I was standing on a bridge – a gap between and showing them to someone.
Jan response – Angels are waiting in the gaps inbetween.
Dec 27 – Do I feel an impulse to orient myself towards something? Celtic magic, shapeshifting, shadows, my heart on my sleeve; to trust and let go.
Feb response – the hare in the icon space.
Dec 28 – What do I open my heart to? My heart opens to Raphael – healer and protector of travellers, to canine companions and elemental forces.
March response – Raphael and Tobit in the icon space.
Dec 29 – Where do I want to grow to? Balance, ritual, nature, rhythm.
April response – Balance, ritual, nature, rhythm.
Dec 30 – It is all about being wild. Dec 30 – Intensity – grief, veils between life, sex, death.
May response – The intensity of grief, the veils between life, sex and death.
Dec 31 – Let go of what has to be left behind. Let go of the deep dark holes i fall into and remember I have a ladder if needed.
June response – The deep dark hole can be a portal to a new beginning.
Jan 1 – How can I live with more intensity here and now? Being in the here and now with Ulf and his unconditional red dog love.
July response – Playing with materials and processes, and Ulf of course features!
Jan 2 – What do you enjoy? I enjoy cosy indoors, knowing lunar time, and hanging with my red dog indoors and out.
August response – Blue blue electric blue I will sit right down waiting for the gift of word and vision (borrowed from David Bowie)
Jan 3 – Where is the place within you where you find the good? The hare’s breadth between despair and delight.
Sept response – travelling expands my horizons and brings new experiences.
Jan 4 – What do I use my life energy for? The energy of creativity is in the gerund – making, printmaking, drawing, collaging, sewing, walking, dancing, exercising.
Oct Response – Being, daydreaming, collaborating.
Jan 5 What happens if I let go? Maybe it all works out.
Nov Response – Glittery night skies and deep dark spaciousness.
Jan 6 – Does something from the past nights need further clarification? Moving forward through dappled shade with the grace and joy of the orchid.
Dec response – The portal to possible futures.
Second iteration:
26 Dec – Who meets me? The red dog of delight, and blue skies. January response: Holding onto the golden thread amongst the blue.
27 Dec -What do I long for? I long for angelic intervention. February response: Letting go again.
28 Dec – We allow miracles – Sky, sea, pool reflected; miraculous blue. March response: A portal to the miraculous.
29 Dec – How do I integrate play and fun in my life? Being in the moment – in nature with Ulf, letting images emerge from collage. April response: collaging with others touches playfulness.
30 Dec – Am I my own best friend? I need to be kinder to myself. May response: Miracles happen in the everyday we just need to pay attention.
31 Dec How does Trust manifest within me? Finding points of balance between the shallows and the depths. June response: Finding points of balance between objects and spaces.
1 Jan – Let us reshape things. New year, new horizons, new skies. July response: reshaping caring and being cared for
2 Jan – Do only what you feel like doing – A window of wing light wing bright possibilities. August response : New love, new life, new paths.
3 Jan – We connect to our golden core. Wrapping myself in the golden thread to not hear complaint as criticism, to hold onto good humour and logical response! September response: A golden figure waits in the depths with logical superpower.
4 Jan – How do I use my thoughts? I want to stop the middle of the night anxious repeat and let them be as expansive as the blue sky. October response: Move the pieces around to create anew.
5 Jan – we go deep and explore our strengths. My strength is in my ability to keep on keeping on, break tasks into chunks to make them less overwhelming! Nov response: My strength is in speaking the truth faster.
6 Jan – Gathering together all 12 days transformation occurs through the process. Dec response: Transformation occurs with a willingness to step into the void.
Third iteration:
Dec 26 – How do I meet with my ancestors, and who meets me when I dive into my stillness.
Dec 26 – I meet my ancestors through touching objects they touched and in stillness I meet the self that strokes, holds and calms me. Jan response – I meet my ancestors at twilight.
Dec 27 – Where does my inner voice lead?
Dec 27 – My inner voice leads me to experiment and play. Feb response – my inner voice leads me to drawing as I touch my face.
Dec 28 – We allow miracles and ask ourselves: what is the next step?
Dec 28 – Open my heart and embrace change. March response – revel in treefullness and Spring growth.
Dec 29 – How do I embody curiosity and play in my life?
Dec 29 – Getting into studio time; letting the layers develop. April response – gold leafing the kitchen wall, because why not?!
Dec 30 – Where can I give up control?
Dec 30 – letting the marks speak. May response – giving space to creative gifts.
Dec 31 – what in my life needs purification?
Dec 31 – to let go of negative comparisons and let myself be light as a feather. June response – I always achieve completion.
Jan 1 – what have I achieved and what is yet to come?
Jan 1 – A project that has inclusion and alchemy at its heart., less doubt is to come. July response – repair, reuse, embellish; delight.
2 – What do I really feel like doing?
Jan 2 – Sunshine on my face, sea air in my lungs, Ulf running tail up with delight to be on the beach. August response – Reskilling; playing with print and collage.
Jan 3 – We connect to our golden core.
Jan 3 – Creating space for play and pleasure; the spaces between support that golden core. Sept response – renewing skills, being inspired by others and my surroundings, as I remember how much I love printmaking.
Jan 4 – let your visions come alive.
Jan 4 – How the past inflects the present and the past. Oct response – gathering together images that move me and using them to create new.
Jan 5 – The power of transformation.
Jan 5 – Craving brightest hues to counter grey, damp foggy days. Nov response – transforming grief into beauty.
Jan 6 – What do I decide?
Jan 6 – To use my time wisely. Dec response – Ulf and I wish you a very merry festive season and plenty of creative joy.
Fourth iteration
Dec 26 – Where do i want to be brave?
Dec 26 – by stepping through the portal into a new rhythm of care. Jan response – by saying yes to invitations to travel.
Dec 27 – What helps me to remember my innermost light?
Dec 27 – beach walking. Feb response – the red dog
Dec 28 – What wishes lie deep in my heart?
Dec 28 – radical honesty in the constellation of interpersonal relationships. March response – to create a screen print each month.
Dec 29 – Your creativity is boundless.
Dec 29 – shadows and silhouettes; “birds flying high you know how it feels.” April response – another leaky vessel.
Dec 30 – Are you ready to leave the past behind?
Dec 30 – Doors open forward and back, letting my past guide my future. May response – best foot forward.
Dec 31 – How do I show confidence?
Dec 31 – noticing golden moments amongst the everyday. June response – layering images that speak to me and trusting others will respond positively.
Jan 1 – How do i experience abundance in my life?
Jan 1 – breathing in space, light and feathery possibilities. July response – finding ways to rework images and artwork and not abandon them.
Jan 2 – What do I really feel like doing?
Jan 2 – playing. Aug response – playing.
Jan 3 – connect to your golden core.
Jan 3 – I connect to my golden core in glimpses.
Jan 4 – how does my power of expression manifest itself?
Jan 4 – by being enough.
Jan 5 – which areas of my life need healing and transformation?
Jan 5 – letting myself take time to enjoy each moment.
Jan 6 – what new horizons do I want to explore?
Jan 6 – I want to create a new screen print edition each month and find ways of selling them.
