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UNRAVELLED Discover Reveal Uncover Expose
UNRAVEL... Natural life in Whinfell Forest Two hours away a haven waits. Forget city living. Forget your stress. Amongst the trees in Whinfell Forest all you need to do is exist. Breathe the fresh, clean air. Let it fill your lungs and cleanse your mind and body. Winding paths strewn with acorns and autumnal leaves lead the way to hidden retreats. Exploration uncovers the burrows and nests of the forests non-human inhabitants. Growth is wild and sporadic, with natural colours and textures merging with one another. Nature’s casualties become integrated with the forest floor. Moss creeps over their static forms whilst their shapes cast unidentifiable shadows under the canopy of giants. Live in harmony with nature while you can. Appreciate its infinite beauty, let it surround you and consume you. A life cannot be more pure than when it is experiencing nature.
HELEN LOUISE DIXON
UNRAVEL... Creativity
Imagine your emotions expressed as something physical. What would it look like? Would it take on a solid form or would it mutate from one shape to another depending on your mood? Do you write songs, journals or stories? Are your emotions conveyed through sculpture, fine art, language, design or fashion? What colours transmit your feelings? Are they textured, bright, harsh, dull or fading? I often imagine my emotions as a variety of different things. Colours, words and images help me to express how I feel. This is my creativity!
As I write, I use a range of emotions that aid and encourage my creativity; it would stutter and fail if I were emotionless. I would have nothing to draw feeling from and my writing would be lifeless. Expressing my emotions through a creative output is a means of expending these pent up feelings into an outside body. Releasing them into the public sphere where peers will be privy to my inner workings makes me feel vulnerable yet strangely lighter. The feeling and theme behind each individual piece of creative work is born from a personality trait, amongst other contributing factors. My work often conveys my confident personality and my predisposition for neatness and precision. However in the past I have produced pieces that have mirrored the more reserved side of my personality showing that my creativity is adaptable and transformable.
Life events promote different feelings and personal attributes. Going through the hardest time in my life did not hinder my creative flow, in some cases I felt it had been enhanced by this event, dredging up darker, negative and more complex emotions which in turn produced a completely different type of creative work. Without an outlet for these emotions I might not have come to terms with this life altering experience. From this point I have never doubted my creativity or attempted to suppress it in any way. Being a creative individual allows me to communicate feelings and viewpoints to people that I could not convey face to face. Articulating my opinion through creative writing is something I find very therapeutic. Have you ever wanted to voice your opinion but felt that you would get knocked back? I have, so I wrote about it. Making my point of view heard through a creative medium is a very unique and rewarding feeling.
Using a combination of found imagery and words is the creative field in which I feel most at home. There is something special about linking a series of images that were taken by a multitude of people at varying times. Did they all stumble across the same idea? What makes them process their creativity in this way? Do they enjoy the same activities? And what made them all capture subjects of a similar theme? It is the elusive answers to these questions that add interest and drive my creativity to another level. Building a story or narrative out of images that were created at so many different points in time can be both relaxing and stimulating. No matter the activity, if it is something you love to do you will achieve a peaceful state of mind while you are doing it. At the same time you will find that it stimulates your thought process, triggering new ideas. For me, my personal brand of creativity allows me to achieve both.
Searching through the cornucopia of remarkable images that are stored on the Internet can spark an idea that will soon develop, evolve and mature into a piece of work that I will be proud to showcase alongside that of my peers. If I am content with the work I have produced my creative mind is at rest until a new idea blossoms into life or my emotions come bubbling to the surface waiting to be transformed into something physical. When I access my creativity I enter a space in my mind that has no limits, boundaries or restrictions. Inhabiting this space brings about a feeling of enlightenment as I know that, in there, my thoughts are free to travel wherever they please, uninhibited by closed minded people who have little imagination. Once an idea has gathered momentum there is little I or anyone else can do to stop the flow of creativity surging through my mind. Ideas, emotions, influences, images and words all merge together forming a fully-fledged piece of creative expression.
To encourage the development of creative processes I believe it is imperative to absorb a wide variety of work from talented and creative individuals. By drawing inspiration from a variety of different creative sources we have the scope to produce something innovative and fresh. We have a near endless supply of inspirational resources at our disposal in this modern age. Making excuses for limited inspiration are quickly becoming unfeasible. As a creative person I know all to well that without confidence and conviction an idea will never flourish and achieve its full potential. It is for this reason that we must share with others what our creativity generates. Letting other people into our creative processes may be difficult but the benefits we reap from sharing what we have produced far outweigh the feeling of vulnerability that so many of us dread.
My creativity grows as I grow, I would not feel whole without it. Much like my personality or soul, my creativity is a part of me that cannot be removed. Over time it has matured and developed into something I am extremely proud of. Having a creative mind has helped me deal with personal problems, express a wide array of emotions and produce work that has allowed me to progress through varying stages of education. Yes, creativity is a very personal thing but taking that first step towards opening up to a world of like-minded creative people might be the most liberating thing you have ever done. The recognition that you could achieve for the work you have kept concealed for so long might be just what you need to expand your creative outlook. Do not let those who cannot imagine stop you from showcasing your talent and creative flair.
In my eyes, creativity should be embraced, promoted and celebrated by all of us. I aim to appreciate every attempt at creative expression whether it is a highly commended piece of work or a first attempt. It may not be to my taste but recognising and accepting all forms of creativity will only broaden my mind and allow me to absorb inspiration from a wide variety of talent-rich sources. Creativity is something I will forever rely upon. I think it is often taken for granted and in many cases it is left unappreciated by those who cannot access or interpret their creative thoughts. Creativity should certainly not be overlooked. It is required in so many walks of life to solve problems and devise strategies. You might feel that you are not remotely creative but you would be wrong. Everyone can be creative in some respect and many utilise their personal creative talents on a day-to-day basis without being aware of it.
As a child I was encouraged to use my imagination. Being given inanimate toys and creating personalities and scenarios for them developed my creativity from a very young age. We as a nation need to recognise the need for creative thinking and expression. Me must develop a creative culture and hone the minds of future generations to appreciate what creativity can achieve and produce. The first twelve years of the twenty first century have seen a massive growth in technology, which has led to a wider audience and greater acceptance for the work of creative people. Me must continue this development process so we can build a creative culture that will envelop an increasing amount of creative minds allowing them to share their work without fear of rejection.
I feel profoundly grateful for the upbringing I have received. I have always been encouraged by my family, educators and peers to pursue my creative thoughts. As I have grown up and matured I have realised that opportunities to express my creativity may present themselves in the form of a paying job. This is my goal. I want more people to appreciate my creative outputs and I believe that there are many platforms from which to do this. So take this opportunity to kick-start your creative career. The possibilities are endless and are only determined by what you believe to be achievable. It is never too late to access your creative thoughts, use them to produce something that you are proud to call your own. Express your emotions, realise your talent, and embrace your creativity.
HELEN LOUISE DIXON
UNRAVEL... Pure Beauty Underneath the fake smiles and painted on faces lies pure beauty. Forever taken for granted, a fresh face is significantly more beautiful than one that is artificially made up. Be yourself and only yourself, the way nature intended you to be. There is no need to cover imperfections; they are what make you special. Individuality is often overlooked in the race to be perfect do not get swept along in the tide. Embrace what you have been given with open arms. There is no need for hesitation or doubt. Pull back the veil that has hidden your beauty for so long, it is never too late. Purity is replaceable. Strip back to your roots, ignore outside influences and draw on your emotions to return to a state of original purity. Slow down and let yourself breathe, feel your insecurities unravel as you embrace your natural beauty.
HELEN LOUISE DIXON
UNRAVEL... Natasha Haws
Inside Newcastle’s Lit and Phil Library Natasha Haws is sound checking. Her dramatic tones and insightful lyrics come streaming out of the open door, confirmation that I am indeed in the right place. Her voice is unmistakeable; the Newcastle accent that is distinguishable even when she sings gives her an edge unlike most. Even in song she seems personable and humble. Her performance is mesmerising, my eyes don’t stray from her as she interacts with her band and immerses herself in the music. It is plain to see that she means every word she utters. Her songs wrap themselves around her and the two become one entity, seemingly oblivious to those watching. As her sound check comes to a close she packs her guitar away, grabs her food and walks my way. She introduces herself and shakes my hand as I compliment her performance. She seems humbled by my praise unlike many current aspiring musicians.
She invites me to take a seat in a side room of the library where we can talk with little interruption. Creativity is the topic up for discussion after the niceties have been observed. I want to explore Natasha’s creative process, understand her talent and its origins and discover what kind of person it takes to become such a talented and creative individual. Being asked to define creativity and what it means to you is a very hard question because most people have never considered the answer. When I posed this question to Natasha she began to answer it by explaining how she finds it hard to express her feelings to people and with a very emotional history she needed a method of conveying these emotions. It would seem that creativity is an outlet for this musician, ’Creativity is the only way for me to be able to talk about things properly. I say things in songs that I would never be able to say to anybody face to face.’
When asked what drives and develops this creativity Natasha jumps straight into explaining where her evocative lyrics originate from. ‘I can’t write a song without something happening to make me write that song. It definitely comes from emotions. I have to really feel something before I even get any sort of creative feeling. As she talks I can tell that my questions are really making her think about her talents. Her responses are in-depth and very personal and I feel that I am breaking the surface of this aspiring musician and uncovering her inner workings. The stories behind her lyrics are intriguing and private yet she seems comfortable as she narrates some of her songs to me. The manner in which she relays her life stories is very to similar to the way she delivers her songs to a crowd - personable and very down to earth.
When I ask her if it was hard to let people so deeply into her life via her music she replies with a quiet and hesitant ‘mmm hmm’. As she elaborates on this response it becomes very clear just how involved she is with her music and vice versa. ‘Constant Fairytale, every time I’ve sang it I’ve burst into tears.’ I can plainly see just how much each song means to her and how emotionally attached to each one she really is. She tells me that this song is about her little brother and the relationship she has with him. As the interview progresses I feel like I am beginning to truly understand Natasha and her music. Her talents are undisputable hence her increasing successes. I asked her if she saw music becoming her future career and I was glad to receive the following response, ‘I want it to be my career’. Despite her laid back attitude it is clear that she has focus and knows the direction that she wants her life and career to take.
Conducting this interview with Natasha has allowed me to break through the exterior of this rising musician to expose her inner creative workings. Her approach to music is refreshing and inspiring. The feeling that builds up as I listen to her music is one of admiration, and empathy. She pulls you into the journey that she is reliving, giving you a first hand experience of her emotional encounters. Unravelling this rising creative talent has been very interesting and an experience that I feel honoured to have encountered. Natasha Haws is certainly a talent to watch. Take the time to listen to her music and understand her story, you won’t be disappointed.
NATASHA HAWS
UNRAVEL... Barbour - A Brand at Work Barbour has provided functionality for 117 years. The brands heritage is internationally revered and orders are submitted from around the globe. Despite its success and popularity Barbour has remained true to its roots and continues to provide high-quality British clothing. Each Barbour coat has its own story to tell. Whether it has been purchased for its functionality or its fashion aesthetic every owner has bought his or her coat for a purpose. A Barbour coat can work as many hours as its owner and remain as efficient as the day it was bought, albeit with an added dose of personality. It will perform its duty in all conditions. Come rain or shine a Barbour coat will prove incredibly useful. The distinctive smell of a waxed Barbour coat is unforgettable and instantly relatable to the brand as is the fabric quality and cut. Each piece is made to stand the test of time. This heritage brand certainly knows how to produce hard working attire.
HELEN LOUISE DIXON
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