A Sense of Place
2024 FREE WORKSHOPS - Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon.
You are warmly invited to an immersive workshop, where we will explore our past, present and future relationship with place through the realms of the senses.
Tuesday 9th April 11am - 1pm
VENUE: Family Resource Centre, Saint John's Terrace, 1 an tSráid Nua.
Saturday 13th April: 2pm.
VENUE: Shambles. Market Street.
Booking Link Below.
Anna will share a range of sense-making practices, such as visualisation, reflective inquiry and story-telling, to explore some of the themes that evolved out of a series of Contemplative Walks around Ballaghaderreen’s heritage sites.
Please note: *** You do not need to have attended the walks to join these workshops - as the themes will be outlined throughout the sessions.
These workshops are part of a year-long ‘Creative Places Ballaghaderreen’ endeavour called PLACEWAYS. Over the coming months, Anna will explore with the local community how places are known, imagined, lived-in, felt and remembered.
“Together we will consider how people form attachments to - and derive meaning from a place”.
Please note: you do not need to be a creative, or practicing artist. The workshops are designed in such a way that anyone can take part.
Explore your relationship with place through the senses
Intuitive sense-making is a profound practice that provides a counter-balance to fast-paced living. It is an invitation to slow down and appreciate elements of life from a multi-dimensional perspective; for example: when we see a tree, we are immediately aware of it’s branches and leaves; but it takes closer observation to be aware of other complex eco-systems, such as lichen or moss. Or, for example - it takes time to appreciate the unique shadow a tree casts at different times of the year.
Fallen branches may be included in the sensory workshop. All photos by Anna King
A sensory experience
The workshop will include a series of carefully curated place-based guided visualisations. You will be invited to close your eyes and become aware of different senses - such as touch, or smell - as you engage with items that have been gathered from the local Ballagh environment (respectfully borrowed and returned).
Our aim is to ignite a series of responses, feelings - or memories - that are connected to place.
Following each sensory exploration, you will have the opportunity to express your thoughts, memories and sensations, through various mediums - be it writing, drawing, speaking, even singing; or, maybe you will just enjoy sitting in silence, absorbing and integrating the experience.
Bog Cotton. We will reflect upon the storied-landscape from which the items were found.
We will enjoy the aroma of seasonally foraged petals, and consider how certain smells are associated with memory.
Together, we will celebrate the diverse ways in which we perceive and connect with our environment - both present-day engagement and memories of far off places.
As the workshop unfolds, we will delve deeper into the artistic potential of our collective expressions within the context of our future relationship with place.
From transforming words into poetry - to creating visual symbols in the form of painting or drawing, we will explore how our individual and shared encounters with place can be curated into a multimedia exhibition (at a later date), which will include soundscapes, items crafted in response to PLACEWAYS, as well as poetic prose, visual art, and living spaces - working with natural materials.
If this workshop resonates with you, I invite you to join me on this unique sensory journey of self-discovery.
Your presence and perspective are invaluable, and I very much look forward to meeting you.
Anna
This Creative Places workshop is for members of the Ballaghaderreen community, and surrounding area.
You can book your ticket via the button below - or, if you prefer just text with your name and preferred date to: 086 3952831 - and I will get back to you.
The hawthorn (or May tree), with its delicate spring flowers, vibrant red autumn berries and wintery gnarled branches, remains an important part of Irish folklore and Celtic tradition.