We all need to take time out from the hurly burly of our busy lives and there is no better place to do that than at the Edwardian House and Grounds of Shepherd’s Dene, venue of our latest creative writing workshop, where we explored the theme of nature and made use of its glorious setting in the Tyne Valley, Northumberland.
In the morning, we looked at some examples of writing about bees and the viewpoints taken by various authors including that of my very glamorous assistant Helene, who delighted our writers with a performance of her bee monologue (in costume!).
Then it was out into the sunshine to find beekeeper Kyle with his mini beehive for us to observe and find inspiration for our creativity. After a spell of writing in the Arts & Crafts gardens, we all came back together and shared some amazing work.
By this time, we had worked up an appetite for a tasty homecooked lunch. then we headed into the afternoon with a self-awareness exercise on the lawn to ensure we didn’t follow asleep after lashings of trifle! Out on the terrace, we delved into the world of gardens in literature before trying our own interpretation.
Then it’s tea and cake over feedback (I always feel very privileged to hear everyone else’s creative efforts) before we wrapped up and left this beautiful oasis.
I am looking forward to returning again on Saturday 16th August for the writers’ retreat I am holding where writers can spend a day on their own work in the peace and tranquility of Shepherd’s Dene. Why not join us?
https://rachelcochrane.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMG_0399.jpg13821934Rachel Cochranehttps://rachelcochrane.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Rachel_cochrane_logo_hori_2.jpgRachel Cochrane2014-08-10 08:56:562014-09-30 18:34:45PAST WORKSHOP Shepherd's Dene: Birds, Bees and Trees writing workshop: how the day went
Our first Cuture Bites@ podcast comes from the wonderfully eclectic Quilliam Brothers Teahouse, set up by (yes you’re ahead of me) the Quilliam Brothers. Not only are these 3 guys extremely hard working entrepreneurs ( the Teahouse is open from 8am to 1pm), they are also very talented in the music & drama department (two of them have even acted in my supernatural thriller Dolly’s House); is there no end to their talents?
Well they certainly know how to create a fantastic vibrant place with a warm welcome. And of course there’s a great selection of drinks (over 60 types of tea available!) & lots of scrumptious grub.
It’s hardly surprising that, in such a stimulating environment, award winning writer Victoria Watson has chosen Quilliam Brothers Teahouse as the place to hold her weekly creative writing group, every Monday evening 7-9pm, and she’s happy to welcome new members of all writing abilities.
I spent 2 thoroughly enjoyable Monday evenings in the venue’s small but perfectly formed cinema (checkout their Tuesday & Thursday film Nights) recording work from Victoria’s writers, a diverse selection of short stories & poetry inspired by their meeting at The Teahouse. Enjoy listening!
Taking part in the Durham Creatives and Durham Light Infantry Always Remember, Never ForgetWW1 exhibition at the DLI Museum & Gallery has been both an amazing & a sobering experience. The idea for my exhibit came after I was inspired by handling artefacts from the DLI WW1 exhibition.
Recording ‘Pickelhaube’ for WW1 exhibition with Roland
I chose 2 artefacts, a Sweetheart Pincushion & a German Pickelhaube helmet and wrote their imagined story, as told in the first person. I wanted to literally give the objects a voice and so set out to record their story for people to listen to during the exhibition.
For the Sweetheart pincushion, I felt that I needed a feminine voice and asked voiceover artist Helen J Aitken to read the poem I had written and Roland Koerner, from Germany, gave the Pickelhaube a most authentic voice.
Creatives get ready for the ‘Always Remember, Never Forget’ WW1 exhibition
The day before the opening of the exhibition, I went into the DLI Gallery to get my exhibit ready and on arrival was instantly moved to see the exhibits from the other 13 creative practitioners taking part in Always Remember, Never Forget.
At long last, after months of planning & discussion I was able to see everybody’s creative work with diverse interpretations of WW1 in jewellery, ceramics, painting, textiles, written work, film, graphic design, photography & my own audio recording.
Arranging Sweetheart Pincushion & Pickelhaube for display
First task for me was to polish the glass of the case where the Sweetheart Pincushion & the Pickelhaube was to be displayed, then to arrange the Sweetheart Pincushion & Pickelhaube in the case and finally the technicians mounted the i-pod shuffle containing my recording in a perspex bracket with headphones next to the artefacts together with some explanatory text on the wall.
Reading by workshop participants at the Preview Night
At the Preview Evening there was a great buzz with some of the participants from my workshops reading out their prose & poetry inspired by handling objects from the DLI WW1 collection as the corresponding objects were displayed on a podium next to them. These included a bugle, a bayonet, a rifle, another story about the Sweetheart Pincushion and even the most mundane of objects, a grey blanket, inspired a wonderful story.
I also took the opportunity to wander about with my portable recorder and get some reactions from the sponsors, creatives and of course the visitors.
The WW1 exhibition Always Remember, Never Forget runs at the Durham Light Infantry Museum & Gallery 7th to 22nd June 2014 from 10.30am to 4pm (closed Monday & Tuesdays)
A podcast is available with recordings from the exhibit plus a selection of work recorded by various writers from the creative writing workshops.
https://rachelcochrane.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Listening-to-Rachels-exhibit-Copy.jpg161197Rachel Cochranehttps://rachelcochrane.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Rachel_cochrane_logo_hori_2.jpgRachel Cochrane2014-06-14 12:23:532014-09-01 21:28:47'Always Remember, Never Forget' a WW1 exhibition at the DLI Gallery
PAST WORKSHOP Shepherd’s Dene: Birds, Bees and Trees writing workshop: how the day went
/in Get Writing!, Uncategorised, Writing Events /by Rachel CochraneWe all need to take time out from the hurly burly of our busy lives and there is no better place to do that than at the Edwardian House and Grounds of Shepherd’s Dene, venue of our latest creative writing workshop, where we explored the theme of nature and made use of its glorious setting in the Tyne Valley, Northumberland.
In the morning, we looked at some examples of writing about bees and the viewpoints taken by various authors including that of my very glamorous assistant Helene, who delighted our writers with a performance of her bee monologue (in costume!).
Then it was out into the sunshine to find beekeeper Kyle with his mini beehive for us to observe and find inspiration for our creativity. After a spell of writing in the Arts & Crafts gardens, we all came back together and shared some amazing work.
By this time, we had worked up an appetite for a tasty homecooked lunch. then we headed into the afternoon with a self-awareness exercise on the lawn to ensure we didn’t follow asleep after lashings of trifle! Out on the terrace, we delved into the world of gardens in literature before trying our own interpretation.
Then it’s tea and cake over feedback (I always feel very privileged to hear everyone else’s creative efforts) before we wrapped up and left this beautiful oasis.
I am looking forward to returning again on Saturday 16th August for the writers’ retreat I am holding where writers can spend a day on their own work in the peace and tranquility of Shepherd’s Dene. Why not join us?
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
The Quite Brilliant Quilliam Brothers Teahouse
/in Culture Bites, Listen up!, Projects, Reach out!, Uncategorised /by Rachel CochraneOur first Cuture Bites@ podcast comes from the wonderfully eclectic Quilliam Brothers Teahouse, set up by (yes you’re ahead of me) the Quilliam Brothers. Not only are these 3 guys extremely hard working entrepreneurs ( the Teahouse is open from 8am to 1pm), they are also very talented in the music & drama department (two of them have even acted in my supernatural thriller Dolly’s House); is there no end to their talents?
Well they certainly know how to create a fantastic vibrant place with a warm welcome. And of course there’s a great selection of drinks (over 60 types of tea available!) & lots of scrumptious grub.
It’s hardly surprising that, in such a stimulating environment, award winning writer Victoria Watson has chosen Quilliam Brothers Teahouse as the place to hold her weekly creative writing group, every Monday evening 7-9pm, and she’s happy to welcome new members of all writing abilities.
I spent 2 thoroughly enjoyable Monday evenings in the venue’s small but perfectly formed cinema (checkout their Tuesday & Thursday film Nights) recording work from Victoria’s writers, a diverse selection of short stories & poetry inspired by their meeting at The Teahouse. Enjoy listening!
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO PODCAST
The Quilliam Brothers Teahouse, 1, Eldon Place, Claremont Buildings, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. NE1 7RD (the corner of Barras Bridge & Claremont Road)
Victoria Watson writing group – runs every Monday 7-9pm at The Teahouse, go along on the night
‘Always Remember, Never Forget’ a WW1 exhibition at the DLI Gallery
/in DLI, Get Writing!, Listen up!, Projects, Rachel Cochrane Writer, Reach out!, Uncategorised, WW1 /by Rachel CochraneTaking part in the Durham Creatives and Durham Light Infantry Always Remember, Never Forget WW1 exhibition at the DLI Museum & Gallery has been both an amazing & a sobering experience. The idea for my exhibit came after I was inspired by handling artefacts from the DLI WW1 exhibition.
Recording ‘Pickelhaube’ for WW1 exhibition with Roland
I chose 2 artefacts, a Sweetheart Pincushion & a German Pickelhaube helmet and wrote their imagined story, as told in the first person. I wanted to literally give the objects a voice and so set out to record their story for people to listen to during the exhibition.
For the Sweetheart pincushion, I felt that I needed a feminine voice and asked voiceover artist Helen J Aitken to read the poem I had written and Roland Koerner, from Germany, gave the Pickelhaube a most authentic voice.
Creatives get ready for the ‘Always Remember, Never Forget’ WW1 exhibition
The day before the opening of the exhibition, I went into the DLI Gallery to get my exhibit ready and on arrival was instantly moved to see the exhibits from the other 13 creative practitioners taking part in Always Remember, Never Forget.
At long last, after months of planning & discussion I was able to see everybody’s creative work with diverse interpretations of WW1 in jewellery, ceramics, painting, textiles, written work, film, graphic design, photography & my own audio recording.
Arranging Sweetheart Pincushion & Pickelhaube for display
First task for me was to polish the glass of the case where the Sweetheart Pincushion & the Pickelhaube was to be displayed, then to arrange the Sweetheart Pincushion & Pickelhaube in the case and finally the technicians mounted the i-pod shuffle containing my recording in a perspex bracket with headphones next to the artefacts together with some explanatory text on the wall.
In addition, a selection of writing from the Stories from Souvenirs creative writing workshops that I ran at the DLI leading upto the exhibition were also on display in a file for visitors to read.
Reading by workshop participants at the Preview Night
At the Preview Evening there was a great buzz with some of the participants from my workshops reading out their prose & poetry inspired by handling objects from the DLI WW1 collection as the corresponding objects were displayed on a podium next to them. These included a bugle, a bayonet, a rifle, another story about the Sweetheart Pincushion and even the most mundane of objects, a grey blanket, inspired a wonderful story.
I also took the opportunity to wander about with my portable recorder and get some reactions from the sponsors, creatives and of course the visitors.
The WW1 exhibition Always Remember, Never Forget runs at the Durham Light Infantry Museum & Gallery 7th to 22nd June 2014 from 10.30am to 4pm (closed Monday & Tuesdays)
A podcast is available with recordings from the exhibit plus a selection of work recorded by various writers from the creative writing workshops.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST