Creative Islanders: Martin Dyar

Photo: Frances Marshall

The Creative Islanders is a new interview series showcasing some of Ireland’s brightest creative talent and enterprise. It is about people who are stepping into their dreams, purpose and possibilities and embracing their one wild life. The interviews give a rare ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into creative practice, motivations and mindsets- shining a light on what makes people tick, and how, collectively, Ireland is alive with creative possibility.

.....

I think it is fair to say that Martin Dyar has a way with words. His poems pack powerfully gentle punches,  turning you to cadences and verbal connections which you may never have experienced before. They become particularly alive when read aloud; his own renditions doing them the best justice. For a while I hosted a poetry evening in my home (soon to be reactivated!). On the occasions when Martin would come, he made the whole experience into treasure- his knowledge of poetry, and beyond it, his passion for poetry, would fill any room with light.

Martin's debut collection of poems Maiden Names (Arleen House, 2013) was a book of the year selection in both the Guardian and The Irish Times, and was shortlisted for both the Pigott Poetry Prize and the Shine/ Strong Awards. He has also written a play, Tom Loves a Lord, about the Irish poet Thomas Moore. He won the Patrick Kavanagh Award in 2009, and the Strokestown International Award in 2001. He is currently working on his first novel.

I am delighted to bring you Creative Islander... Martin Dyar:

What keeps you in Ireland?

A strong sense of home, a sense of possibility, and maybe from time to time the special historical sense of this being a writer’s island. Ireland is an endless, beautifully eccentric subject.

What makes you tick? 

I am motivated by the curious optimism of the instinct to pursue a writing life. It kicked in early, with its own meaning, and I am following and responding as best I can.

What do you do just for the love of it?

I sometimes get up from my desk and dance. It mortifies my dog. Recent songs that have got me to my feet are ‘The Way Young Lovers Do’ by Van Morrison, and even mellower things, like ‘Caught a Long Wind’ by Feist. The American novelist Johnathan Franzen made a very memorable remark about creative commitment, along the lines of: ‘In order to be relentless, first you must love the thing.’ It is hard to be in love with the whole experience of writing. But the good days are full of amazement, and they can be magically restorative.

Photos: Clare Mulvany

What does the creative process teach you?

My learned process has taught me the skill of expressing before thinking. A central concern is to parry the shadows of perfectionism and self-criticism. I don’t believe in writer’s block. There is some truth in the idea that if you can speak you can write. I prefer to generate looser improvised material and then accept a longer process of finalisation than to sit there invoking inspiration and begging the page to reveal a single path. I’m debunking the muse a bit perhaps, but there is also the sense of the artist as a channel, and there are certain experiences which are best explained by that term. Neil Young once said, ‘When the songs are coming, it’s my job to get out of the way.’ That’s a massively idealistic remark, but then Neil Young may well have been born with a cosmic tap inside his head.

Why do you do what you do?

I don’t know why I started. But I keep going to honour the special echoes that still reach me from the beginning. Also, I believe in poetry and fiction as essential forms of communication. A good poem can stop time. The poem ‘Reuben Bright’ by Edwin Arlington Robinson can stop time when read aloud. The novel ‘The Member of the Wedding’ by Carson McCullers stopped time for me recently.

What were some of the key moments along your own journey that helped you to get where you are today?

I played Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady in secondary school in Swinford in County Mayo. I was thirteen, and my mother and I somehow made easy work of memorising the lines. I recall being asked to write a poem in an English class around the same time, and lifting my head after about twenty minutes in a crazed peace and satisfaction. In 2000 I spent a year in the creative writing program at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. I was hungry to learn and to get my writing dream off the ground. It seemed that all of the faculty and graduate students in Carbondale were going around saying vatic and pithy things about what stories and poems were and where they came from. ‘Go back to your story,’ the fiction writer Beth Lordan, a powerful mentor, used to say, ‘Your story will tell you what she needs.’

I won the Stokestown International Poetry Award in 2001, and that depth-charge of encouragement, and the localised thrill of the Strokestown festival, and the people I met through that experience, helped me to get serious and perhaps through the lastingness of those happy memories, to stay serious about my work. I was quite young, but terribly hungry to proceed. I would also say that the process of doing a PhD in Trinity was a great help, both in terms of the people I met, and the discipline that had to be mustered. I was an Assistant Warden in Trinity Hall, the university’s off-campus accommodation facility on Dartry road, during that time. A formative, and very happy period. I was subsequently a lecturer in the School of Medicine in Trinity, teaching ethics and literature. That exposure to the language of medical education, the privilege of teaching medical students, and the experience of hunting for the poetry of science with them, has branded my writing mind entirely. More recently, a year spent at the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa was like following the pied piper into the mountain and then discovering a tumult of generosity and inspiration.

Photo: Performing in Tom Loves a Lord

How do you get unstuck? Any secret tools?

I swim every day, I walk the dog three times a day. These are tools and ways to retreat, and maybe amulets of a kind. But the only way unfortunately to get unstuck is to write. Maybe allowing oneself to write badly is the best way to get unstuck.

Where do you find inspiration? Any hidden gems?

I can find inspiration in stories, poems and plays. When something really grabs me, really excites me, I will sometimes begin to hatch new dreams of writing. Recently, I was spellbound and boosted by Edna O’Brien’s story Baby Blue. I’ll always remember seeing Declan Conlon play John Proctor in The Crucible at the Abbey. And I feel I’m still recovering from the glory of Conor McPherson’s The Seafarer, also in the Abbey. John McGahern’s story ‘The Country Funeral’, whenever I go it, draws me right in, and then makes me want to roll up my sleeves.

How do you get through tough times? What sustains you?

I’m a talker, a social person, and yet my work has always been solitary. Tough times I’ve learned require buckets of language, delivered face to face. But writing is a healing activity too, and a way to say something about the inevitability of darkness.

What key lessons have you learned about doing business or being a creative practitioner along the way? What have you learned from your 'failures'?

I’m thinking of Johnathan Franzen’s ‘First you must love the thing’ line again. Failure educates of course, but the springs of perseverance abide in a simple, private commitment to the act that is the centre of your art form. A new inscription: ‘First you must love the early night.’ My writing experience has also taught me that doubt is a dynamic force.

Do you have a morning routine? Or other creative habits or rituals?

I like to set up my desk before going to bed. And I like to write early in the morning. It’s the most productive time, or maybe the best time to trap a bit of timelessness.

What books have inspired you? Or what websites do you turn to? 

Timebends, Arthur Miller’s autobiography.

The plays of Conor McPherson.

The novel Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.

The short stories of Edna O’Brien and John Cheever.

John McGahern’s novels, especially The Pornographer, and That They May Face the Rising Sun.

The poems of Bernard O’Donoghue, Paul Durcan, Michael Hartnett, Edwin Arlington Robinson, Wallace Stevens, and Richard Wilbur.

The novel The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers.

Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby, and Jane Austen’s Persuasion.

The story ‘What Kind of Day Did You Have?’ by Saul Bellow.

W.B. Yeats’s poems ‘Her Praise’ and ‘Ego Dominus Tuus.’

The novel Wiseblood by Flannery O’Connor

The Lifelong Season by Keith Duggan

What advice do you wish you had received as you were stepping onto your own creative path?

I feel I had a very good start. But nothing can reduce the difficulty or the fearfulness of choosing a creative path. I recall feeling a sense of trepidation when I told my father that I wanted to be a writer. I felt I was confessing that I wasn’t going to be able to knuckle down with a real career. I also understood it as a promise of trouble. “I want to be a writer, Dad,” I said. “And nothing else.” My father thought for a moment, and then replied, “Well, you have plenty of paper.”

And what advice would you give to your future self?

I’d have to say something like ‘Don’t look back.’ There’s a wonderful moment in Rilke’s poem ‘Orpheus, Eurydice, Hermes.’ Orpheus has chanted his way into the underworld and bargained for his love Eurydice’s release. Now he has the task of hiking back up to the surface, with the messenger god Hermes leading Eurydice along behind him in the darkness. It has been agreed that they will have another life together if Orpheus manages not to look back during the ascent. He succeeds in the challenge for a time, but then, tormented by the fear that she is no longer following him, he turns around. Here Rilke adds a magnificently poignant touch to the original myth. The poem portrays Eurydice as too deep in her death for revival, suggesting that if Orpheus had fulfilled the task their reunion might still have been doomed. When Hermes sees that Orpheus has looked back, he officiously raises his cloak and turns to lead Eurydice away from the light. By way of instructing her to return to the belly of the earth with him, he tells her simply: ‘He has turned around.’ Rilke puts one word in drowzy Eurydice’s mouth. She asks, “Who?”

I’m thinking that I am powerless to reach my future self, and that he might not remember me. I’m writing for him maybe. But I hope he won’t be living in the past. My favourite closing lines of any book are in John Banville’s novel Athena. The lines are: “‘Write to me,’ she said. ‘Write to me.’ I have written.”

...

Listen to a few readings here:

........Delighted to announce that Martin will be joining the live session of Creative Islanders at Another Love Story this coming weekend (Saturday 3-4pm) , and also giving his own reading (Sunday 12-1pm) as part of the 'That's Another Story' session. 

Thank you so much Martin for your time and your eloquent insights-  So very much appreciated, and I have no doubt that readers will appreciate them too.- Clare. 

................PS:Have you spotted my new online course? Living Seasonally is a 5 day journey to dive into your dreams and visions, and create plans of action in tune with your energy. It start this coming Monday 24th August.  There is still time to sign up. Head on over here to find out more. 

Gone Fishing

Well, not actually fishing, but you get the idea.

I am excited to be heading off to the beautiful South West coast of Ireland for a couple of weeks- myself, yoga mat, camera, tent, art supplies, a zillions books and, importantly, doggie Finn are off on an adventure to see where the wind (and hopefully not the rain) will take us.

So, I am pressing pause on the blog and my business while I am away (because being my own boss means I get to do things like that!) It is an energetic thing. Over the last few months I have built two new websites, launched a new business, developed lots of new content, worked on a art exhibition and got through the challenge of learning to drive and then passing my driving test! It has been a big time in my life which took lots of energy, and a particular kind of creative energy. Now I need to refill the creative fuel tank.

The creative process works in cycles. Ebb and flow is as natural as a river running its course or the seasons turning. And so it is time to power off for a little while to allow the ebb to give rise to a fuller flow to take me through the Autumn. It is time to turn off social media and all the electronic chatter, and tune inwards to my own voice to really listen to where it is calling me next.

So there won't be any Creative Islanders interviews for a few weeks (much as I am loving them), but I am very glad to report that it will be popping up in real time at Another Love Story, where I will be bringing together four amazing creative entrepreneurs and artists in a live session of 'Creative Islanders'. We will be exploring our practices, sharing our processes and I have no doubt enjoying some great conversation together. We will be in the library of the amazing Killyon Manor on the afternoon of Saturday 22^nd August.

Until soon my friends, happy creative adventuring, through your ebb and your flow.

Clare x

Creative Islanders: Mari Kennedy

Photo: Clare Mulvany

The Creative Islanders is a new interview series showcasing some of Ireland’s brightest creative talent and enterprise. It is about people who are stepping into their dreams, purpose and possibilities and embracing their one wild life. The interviews give a rare ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into creative practice, motivations and mindsets- shining a light on what makes people tick, and how, collectively, Ireland is alive with creative possibility.

.....

Transformational leadership coach, yoga and mindfulness teacher, and facilitator, Mari Kennedy has been a pivotal friend and colleague in my own life, and in the lives of many. Her creativity spans many ventures including The Ireland Iceland Project, The Yoga Salon, and my own collaborations with her through Be Retreats.Mari has a special knack of sparking fresh conversations and insights, and creating learning spaces for rich and lasting change. She is always real, ever honest and just through her being inspires creative responses to life. She is great craic too and has been the brightest treasure of a friend anyone could wish for. It is such an honour to be able to include my creative collaborators in this interview series. So, go make yourself a cup of tea and dive into these rich words from the radiant, Mari Kennedy....(All photos by myself, apart from Cliff of Moher Retreat Centre, by Mari)

What keeps you in Ireland?

I ask myself this question all the time. Certainly for the first 30 years of my life it was a combination of being very close to my family and fear of the unknown. I was a funny mix of someone who dreamt of travelling and new experiences and a total home-bird, safety junky. The latter always won out. Deep down I was afraid of change and loss. Life threw me a few curve balls over the last 10 years, reminding me there is no such thing as safe, and ensuring that I understand that change and loss are the very essence of living- rather than fearing them they are to be danced with. Now I choose to stay here with a willingness at any moment to leave. I am in Ireland today because I am excited by what I see around me – friends, colleagues and clients who are asking bigger questions, choosing to live in a more courageous conscious way, desiring a different future for this particular corner of the earth and its inhabitants.

 (Mari speaking at Body & Soul Festival, Trailblaze event)

What makes you tick? What motivates you?

The mystery of life and attempting to show up to the adventure and the crazy complexity of being human. That excites me and terrifies me. I have learned to love the fact that everything is always changing, transforming and evolving. Everything! Think about it - in the utter bliss of kissing someone for the first time is the loss and ending of that relationship, whether it happens a day later or at the end of a lifetime of kisses. Isn’t that amazing and painful and beautiful all rolled up together? That’s what we have to deal with as humans.I love working with others developing and designing transformational experiences, events, programmes, retreats. Collaboration brings me alive. And yet it’s the most challenging thing I do because it always brings up shadow (the parts of me I prefer not to see or more significantly don’t want anyone else to see!).  It also demands that I stop trying to control people and situations. When we collaborate we are invited to stop relying solely on our own intelligence and trust in the bigger collective intelligence. Its pure magic but it is guaranteed to unearth the small self. My first attempt at collaboration was with Kathy Scott in the ireland:iceland project in 2011 and we’ve been playing with collaboration and learning ever since. More recently we created The Yoga Salon which allows us to bring other great creatives and yogis together.Inquiry and questioning is also something that makes me tick. Both self-inquiry and asking questions of how we are living as a society are essential to our evolution. I became a coach because coaching provides a place to safely question and open up new possibilities. The world I grew up in did not encourage questioning and it’s taken me a long time to relearn the questioning that was so natural as a 2 year old.The change I see happening in the world motivates me. It’s really exciting. One thing that really struck me in the last 12 months in my work in Leadership and Mindfulness is how mindfulness and wisdom practices are been taken on by organisations. I have been amazed at how deep people are going in the practice of meditation and how committed they are even in the middle of a busy office and hectic work load.

Photo: Cliffs of Moher Retreat Centre, Mari Kennedy

What does the creative process teach you?

Perfection is overvalued, impossible to sustain, and ultimately cold and clinical. Imperfection and brokenness are rich with potential and full of beauty.Play, curiosity and kindness are some of the forgotten portals into creativity.Mistakes are part of the process and to be celebrated as opportunities to encounter my small limited self (who hates them!). It teaches me to respect and revel in cycles, make friends with the unknown, listen and celebrate.That loss, confusion, discomfort when given space give rise to hitherto unimaginable possibilities.There’s a time to listen and there’s a time to act - and that is the process.

How do you get unstuck? Any secret tools?

Sit in the stuckness, stay close into the stuckness and inevitably it will open up. As our Celtic ancestors knew, everything begins from darkness. 

What do you do just for the love of it?

Jump off rocks into the sea. For the pure joy freedom and craic of it!My morning meditation- it connects me to larger belonging every day, keeps me close to my heart and to what really matters.I love words and I find myself collecting them like beads with the hope that some day I will string them together into a couple beautiful pieces.Making food–put me in a kitchen with music to sing along to, a fridge full of fresh beautiful food and I’m happy out.Reading poetry -Rilke, David Whyte, Hafiz, Rumi. I just got introduced to Marie Howe when someone recited “Annunciation” to me, standing in a field during Body and Soul and it blew my heart open. 

Where do you find inspiration? Any hidden gems?

Amazing women and men in my life who are stepping up, dealing with their shit, taking personal responsibility for their lives and speaking their truth. Having them accompany me at the edge of my own comfort zone as my friends is a daily inspiration. (You know who you are!)My Dad’s legacy of gratitude and seeing the good in all situations.Clients who sit opposite me and say “I’m lost” or “something needs to change in my life and I don’t know where to start”. I celebrate those moments of honesty as doorways to potential.Integral Theory makes sense of this complex world for me, and Theory U and the work of Otto Scharmer at MIT inspires me to live in the unknown.The research and work on mindfulness, empathy, compassion, neuroscience and the heart by people like Tanya Singer, Kristin Neiff, Richie Davison, Dan Segal, and The Institute of Heart Math inspire me to believe that we humans are evolving our capacity for compassion and empathy which potentially could enable us to create a caring society.

How do you get through tough times? What sustains you?

I recently read a quote “When somethings goes wrong in your life just yell “plot twist and move on". I found myself smiling and wanting to yell. I recently lost my home and that was really tough. I had to face fear, vulnerability, grief and shame. I was so grateful to have a practice that allowed me to meet and face all those feelings and allowed me to catch my tendency to fall into, 'poor me, nothing ever goes right...' You know the script!My practice of sitting with myself in meditation and inquiry got me through – it helped me to ultimately see that I have a choice to be the victim of this 'plot twist' or turn it into a jumping off point to a new and different life, one that is more real I suspect. One thing I know there is always gold to be mined in the challenge of plot twists. The steadfastness of my family, the extraordinary generosity, support and love of friends, and uncovering some shocking limiting beliefs are some of the gold I continue to mine. 

What key lessons have you learned about doing business or being a creative practitioner along the way ? What have you learned from your 'failures'?

Pausing is one of the most creative (and courageous) acts you can perform. We are so conditioned to be busy and always in our strategic mind. Pausing summons our creative mind.Right now I am experimenting with just that. I’ve been testing my capacity to press pause - and failing often – since I first realised, eleven years ago, that I was perpetually over-functioning and never ever stopped. When I first tried to stop back then I saw that I actually didn’t know how to even slow down. So here I am now, down in the West of Ireland, without a schedule, without a plan, with the intention of not filling up time with busyness. Sounds quite idealistic and dreamy but it’s actually excruciating at times not to reach for some distraction but to be in the nothingness of nothing to do. In that nothingness I see the panic that drives the busyness. The more I have learned to stop the more creative my life has become.Over-achieving and trying to be perfect or create perfection is exhausting. The more you allow yourself to be human and stop worrying about being right or “the expert”, the more innovative and creative you become.Through my failures I have learned how hard I am on myself and how that unconscious self-rejection has hijacked my life. Self-compassion and friends with a sense of humour REALLY helps.I have learned that curiosity keeps mind and heart open and that the capacity to take multiple perspectives creates connection and invites possibilities that otherwise would have been missed.Collaboration is immensely difficult for us humans at this stage in our evolution but hugely rewarding and essential for the future of humanity.

Do you have a morning routine? Or other creative habits or rituals?

Yes - I try to spend 60-90 minutes practicing. I pour (but don't always drink!) a litre of hot water with some cider vinegar, and I always sit. Then I do one or two of the following depending on time and what’s going on - yoga, dance, running hills, journaling, inquiring.Silence, setting intentions and checking in are some creative practices I also use. Silence connects us to something bigger, attention as a rule follows intention, and checking-in inspires empathy and connection.

What books have inspired you? Or what websites do you turn to? 

These days I listen and watch as much as read. I think Ken Wilber’s Kosmic Consciousness changed my life and my perspectives and I loved his dairy One Taste.Rilke’s Love Poems to God.Emily Bronte's Wuthering HeightsRoger Housden's Ten poems to Change your LifePema Codron's When Things Fall ApartDavid Whyte's The House of BelongingI love the writing of John Moriarty but I have yet to finish a book of his.Integral Life for all things Integral and the work of Ken Wilber.Tara Brach Darma TalksSounds True Insights at the Edge - some of the great leading edge thinkers in evolution.Yoga Glo -  great for home practice.The Love Revolution - Matt KahnMystic Mamma for bite sized pieces of wisdom and great images. 

What advice would you give to your future self?

I suspect my future self would have more interesting and useful advice to give my present self than other way around. So if I can turn it around my future self would ask me four questions:

What's asking for your attention?

What really matters to you?

What do you want to create?

What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

....

Thank you so much Mari! xx

...

Mari's links:

The Yoga Salon

Cliffs of Moher Retreat Centre (Regular Guest Teacher)

Creative Islanders: Sharon Green

(Photo: Andreas Pettersson- Queens of Neon for Body and Soul Festival)

 The Creative Islanders is a new interview series showcasing some of Ireland’s brightest creative talent and enterprise. It is about people who are stepping into their dreams, purpose and possibilities and embracing their one wild life. The interviews give a rare ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into creative practice, motivations and mindsets- shining a light on what makes people tick, and how, collectively, Ireland is alive with creative possibility.

..........

I am delighted to bring you this interview with Sharon Green, creative spark behind the creative collective The Queens of Neon and co-founder of the fabulous Dublin Flea Market. I have long admired Sharon's zest for life, her keen eye combining beauty and quirk, and her ability to create magic whatever she lays her hands upon. From festivals to weddings, from street parties to space transformations, I think of Sharon as someone who can bring fairytales to life and a reminder of why we must dream big, in bold and brilliant colour. Plus she has a brilliant dog called Lola- what more can I add!

Over to Sharon ...

 What keeps you in Ireland? Sure there is no place like it. I feel lucky to call it my home. It is magical and spiritual and has so much potential. My family and friends are here and it is bubbling with creativity. I know there is a lot of surface gripes, which I have regarding the way it is run and managed- the bureaucracy and politics- but I believe the positives outweigh the negatives. I believe in getting on with things so that is what I do- carry on regardless.What makes you tick? What motivates you? New experiences. Doing, making or creating things I have never done or tried before. Working in collaborations with other creative people, so you are seeing things in a different way and learning new skills. Travelling abroad and around Ireland, connecting with people of all walks of life and hearing their stories.What do you do just for the love of it? Mostly everything. My business The Queens of Neon is a labour of love. I only take on work that I really want to do. I could make a lot more money if I said yes to everything. I also put so much effort into the projects that sometimes it exhausts me. The Dublin Flea Market is also a non-profit driven Social Enterprise so that is another labour of love. I don’t think I could put energy into something for purely a monetary return. Easier to say when you don’t have kids or big financial responsibilities. I’d say if I had creche/school fees my perspective would alter and I would be taking on all sorts of jobs that I possibly wouldn’t think of taking on now.

(Photo: The Little House of Lost Toys. Collaboration with Amo Downey, Body & Soul Festival)

What does the creative process teach you? That if you believe in yourself and the people that work with you, you can pretty much achieve anything. I have seen ideas in my head manifest quite literally into reality with little change from the initial vision. But in saying that, if you are not open to something changing you will get tied up in knots. I have learned to trust myself- that if you go with the flow and know that you will never walk away from a project until you are 100% happy, it will always work out.How do you get unstuck? Any secret tools? My mantra for work, especially on site, is 'there is no such thing as a problem only a solution'. It seems to have worked for me thus far. In terms of coming up with ideas, taking the pressure off and doing some enjoyable background research can usually give you inspiration. I also collaborate with very talented designers and artists so the brainstorming process and sharing of ideas is always great for getting your own creativity unstuck.Where do you find inspiration? Any hidden gems? I find inspiration everywhere; my memories; my past career (I was a building conservation consultant for 8 years); movies; internet; people; stories; art exhibitions; theatre; travel. I re-appropriate different elements from different places and experiences and merge them together.

(Photo: Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival)

How do you get through tough times? What sustains you? The people around me. We have been working in Mill Street for the last five years and I am surrounded by creative industry freelancers. We all find it hard and we all support each other. We are being moved on now due to redevelopment and we are trying to set up a creative industry hub with a shared workshop and exhibitions space surrounded by studios and offices. Negotiations just fell through with a city centre plot we were trying to get a ten year lease on. I don’t think I would survive if I worked from home or was isolated like I used to be.Getting away to quiet and shutting down all communication and hanging out with family and friends is also an essential part of keeping me going.What key lessons have your learned about doing business or being a creative practitioner along the way ? What have you learned from your 'failures'? I have learnt that sometimes it is worth paying somebody to help you with the things you are not good at- that you can’t do everything. I just got a bookkeeper to help me out this year and it has changed my life.That pitching for bigger jobs you are often dealing with very different creatures. I am passionate and creative and sometimes corporate people are scared of that and you need to contain your excitement to a point and your disappointment if they do not like every element of your idea.I am slowly learning that failure is part of the learning process and that while my high standards are great because it makes my work stand out, it also means I am very hard on myself if something is not perfect. But I am learning to be a bit kinder to myself.

(Photo: Private wedding function at Lisnavagh)

Do you have a morning routine? Or other creative habits or rituals? Well I aim to wake up at 6.30 to meditate for 20 minutes (I see such a difference to my energy when I do this) but often I roll over and get out of bed at 7. Then I shower, dress, walk my dog Lola who is a super pal over to the Iveagh Gardens or along the canal and come back and we have our breakfast before heading down to Mill Street or to some location where I will be working for the day.What books have inspired you? Or what websites do you turn to?I am really inspired by events such as OFFSET every year more than individual books. I love hearing about peoples experiences, successes and failures and how they got to do what they are doing.

(Photo: Private Party- Andy Warhol Theme)

What advice do you wish you had received as you were stepping onto your own creative path? I read a quote a while back that said ‘If you are uncertain – you are on the right path. Uncertainty fuels creativity, while certainty suppresses it’. It would have been handy if somebody had said this to me at the start because for years I was bothered by my uncertainty about what Queens of Neon exactly was and where it was going. When I read this I understood more that the continuously evolving and changing nature of the business is the essence of its creativity.And what advice would you give to your future self? Simplify things, make more room for downtime and enjoy the ride.

.......

Thank you Sharon! - Clare x

Sharon's Links: 

The Queens of NeonThe Dublin Flea Market   

(Photo: Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival)

Creative Islanders: Aoibheann McNamara

 The Creative Islanders is a new interview series showcasing some of Ireland’s brightest creative talent and enterprise. It is about people who are stepping into their dreams, purpose and possibilities and embracing their one wild life. The interviews give a rare ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into creative practice, motivations and mindsets- shining a light on what makes people tick, and how collectively Ireland is alive with creative possibility.

..........

Next up in the series we have some short, snappy and sweet responses from Aoibheann Mc Namera- mother, restauranteur, entrepreneur, art lover, and one of Ireland's treasures.No visit to Galway City is complete for me without a visit to Ard Bia Restaurant, founded by Aoibheann. Set on the harbour shore overlooking The Claddagh, Ard Bia is a hub of great food, friendship, art, connections and always a warm and vibrant welcome. More recently Aoibheann has also teamed up with Triona Lillis to bring The Tweed Project to life. Inspired the native fabrics of tweed and linen in Ireland, Aoibheann and Triona set about trying to revitalise the craft, creating contemporary handmade weaves and wears, while honouring the tradition and land from which they come.Beyond that Aoibheann has recently renovated an old warehouse in Galway city as her and her son Oni's home, and has opened it up to guests and even spoken word events.With creativity and entrepreneurship coursing through her veins, I hand over to the lovely Aoibheann...What makes you tick? What motivates you? Opening my inbox every day and seeing the opportunities I am lucky enough to be offered and exploring them, and then seeing what happens. Travel. Aesthetic life.What keeps you in Ireland? My son, my work, my love of the country.What do you do just for the love of it? Put people together and help make things happen.What does the creative process teach you? I know no other process, so it just the way I live.Where do you find inspiration? Any hidden gems? Everything- travel, publications, people- too many things.How do you get through tough times? What sustains you? A good Scary Mary party normally re aligns everything! (- note- Scary Mary is Mary Mc Nally- who is known for her wild and wonderful parties, and is a fine creative entrepreneur too- must be something in that Galway water) What key lessons have your learned about doing business or being a creative practitioner along the way? What have you learned from your 'failures'?Have a core belief and develop that, listen to it and if you are really in tune with it there is no such thing as failure.Do you have a morning routine? Or other creative habits or rituals? I jog by the sea, do emails, drink green juice and then see what happens...What books have inspired you?  Or what websites do you turn to?Its Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want To Be - Paul AstureAny Saturday edition of the Financial Times.What advice do you wish you had received as you were stepping onto your own creative path? Get a good accountant! Out source this.And what advice would you give to your future self?Have a nice sofa and sit on it from time to time! Find out more: Ard BiaThe Tweed ProjectAoibheann's home on Air BnB 

Creative Islanders: Emmet Condon

The Creative Islanders is an new interview series showcasing some of Ireland’s brightest creative talent and enterprise. It is about people who are stepping into their dreams, purpose and possibilities and embracing their one wild life. 

The interviews give a rare ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into creative practice, motivations and mindsets- shining a light on what makes people tick, and how, collectively Ireland is alive with creative possibility.

..................

Next up is Emmet Condon- DJ, Founder of Homebeats, Another Love Story and Fading Light festival organiser, avid tea drinker, surfer and dog lover.

Having jumped ship on a career path in physiotherapy, for the last number of years Emmet has been popping up in people's homes and quirky spaces, bringing beats to unlikely venues. He has also collaborated to bring Another Love Story boutique festival to life, initiated the Fading Light Festival in West Kerry and most recently had a dream come true when he hosted his own stage Tree Haus at Body & Soul Festival.  But beyond the music, it is the way Emmet operates which has been part of the appeal and growth of his ventures- with an open heart, a collaborative spirit and a sense of adventure, bringing community together in meaningful, musical ways. He can certainly get a crowd dancing too.

Now over to Emmet...

What makes you tick? What motivates you? In terms of motivation, to be honest, a sense of lost time. It took me a long time to find the courage to go after what was in my heart, so I’m still keenly aware of making up for a lot of time spent not persuing the right thing.What makes me tick? Attention to detail and commitment to a small but perfect vision. That, and the want to present music and spaces in a way that opens them up to the audience and the artists. Following on from that the incredible buzz of seeing it all come together and people being happy.Last week’s adventure on our Tree Haus stage at Body & Soul Festival was perhaps the ultimate experience of this so far - Avril Stanley & co’s dedication to making Ballinlough a wonderland sets the bar high for anyone producing something there, especially for the first time. I can honestly say that the Homebeat team that worked on every facet of it put their hearts and souls into it. To see the stage in full flight at the woods at 3am in the morning was something that might never leave me. There are many difficult parts to being involved in the events industry, but the ability to truly create magic with friends in a place like that is just an incredible buzz- and that’s the feeling that you keep looking for and that keeps driving you to do it the right way.What does the creative process teach you? I think mostly it has thought me the hard won value of patience. When I was younger I was sure that people created art without any effort; that great artists, no matter the medium, simply exhaled a piece of art in one perfect, concise breath. Learning that everyone has and needs exactly that - a process, was a very profound thing for me.What keeps you in Ireland? I’m really glad to say, so many things. First and foremost the incredible bunch of creative people I’m blessed to know here, and especially so in Dublin. It’s a community that seems to be growing closer and denser over the past number of years and the genuine inspirational innovation and support amongst that group is something that would take years to encounter and foster somewhere larger and less connected like London or New York or even the hallowed ground of Berlin.Secondly, I suppose it’s the feeling of growing something with Homebeat. It took me a long time to find my way in terms of a career, and though I would be hard pressed to legitimise the adventures I’m having at the moment as a “career”, I’m certainly invested in it enough to feel like it’s the vehicle for my dreams here and I suppose a lot of work has gone into even getting it to this lowly level. I would hate to leave that behind right now.Beyond those two things, obviously friends and family, but also the incredible little island that we live on itself. Dublin town, my adopted home, is nestled twixt mountains and sea, and if one manages to escape the heady attractions of incredible music, art, pubs and clubs of a Friday night, not to mention the incredible burgeoning coffee and food culture every day of the week here, you can be walking next to a giant red lighthouse, or flying down a mountain bike trail in under a half hour from your kitchen. And that only begins to explain the wonder of getting up even a little bit earlier on that Saturday morning, jumping in a van and finding yourself surfing in Sligo, Clare or Kerry by mid-morning, amongst friends in uncrowded waves, and in the most beautiful setting possible.Festivals, music, Guinness, our natural humility- I could go on and on. I travelled for a long time to find the day that I decided this was undoubtably the place for me on this planet, and I’ve never looked back since.

Photo: Chequerboard at Fading Light (Ruthless Imagery)

How do you get unstuck? Any secret tools? I don’t know if I feel I get necessarily stuck, more fatigued from having a few projects on the go all at once. If you are working in the field that you are most interested in, it’s hard not to be inspired. Certainly I’m someone who feels like he’s completely making it up as he goes along so talking to peers helps a lot in terms of advice and reassurance. But if genuinely stuck for want of headspace, it’s time to pack the van, head west and jump in the sea for a few days.What do you do just for the love of it? I’d say DJ but there’s definitely an element of ambition in that, so purely for the love of it -  surf, snowboard, read the sports pages, golf, drink tea, make it my business to talk to most dogs I meet on the street. Where do you find inspiration? Any hidden gems? Most certainly in what’s happening here at the moment. I truly believe we are living through a golden age of Irish music and culture, not only this, but my generation has been paradoxically empowered by the recession I think - the drop in commercial rent prices during the recession meant places like The Fumbally Café, and our beloved Mabos sprung up. These spaces are real hubs of incubation and inspiration - at the end of the day it’s all about the realisation that people and their interactions is what make it all happen - and most of all it’s people who are true to their voice and their passion (stand up Donal Dineen & co.) who inspire me continuously.But outside of people:  good design – be it a pair of runners or a café, nature, and a gazillion websites / instagram accounts / blogs / magazines. I actually find Instagram a really handy source of visual inspiration.Great music obviously is something that brings me to a different place, though that might be more emotional inspiration rather than a creative one (usually it makes me feel creatively stupid!!)How do you get through tough times? What sustains you? Sitting myself down and breaking things into small bits. Lists. Lots of lists. Once I do that I feel like I’m in control of the situation and the panic tends to subside a little. This and tea. Gallons of tea (this is probably the substance that sustains me also). I’ve learned the hard way that I’m not someone who can leave their troubles behind readily, so I’ve got to face them and break them down or I end up driving around the country trying to run away from them but not being able to escape!

Photo: Ruthless Imagery at Another Love Story

What key lessons have your learned about doing business or being a creative practitioner along the way? What have you learned from your 'failures'? Trust your own artistic vision – it’s the only thing you have that makes you stand out.Trust if you do it well, more work will follow, if not immediately, then soon after.Always over deliver and follow through to the very end – the extra attention to detail is what people remember.Say yes often, say no sometimes.Always go!In terms of failures, often (as in most things in life) you already know in your heart if it’s not going to work.Do you have a morning routine? Or other creative habits or rituals? Wake, tea, check mails / facebook for anything new that has been announced or popped up. MORE TEA. Generally I need a space to be pretty tidy to think, so there’s a lot of straightening magazine / notebook edges involved.What books have inspired you? Or what websites do you turn to?One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez.Crossings – Michel Kew (the best travel book I have ever read)Grapes of Wrath – John StienbeckVernon God Little – DBC Pierre.Websites – Monsters Children | Resident Advisor (brilliant podcast series on djs and promoters) | SoundcouldWhat advice do you wish you had received as you were stepping onto your own creative path? As I said earlier, that I had realised very few get it 100% right immediately, and that the confidence you get from the very simple act of just trying is huge.And what advice would you give to your future self? Try to stay patient. If you do it right, trust that the work will come. Always be grateful! Trust yourself!  Emmet's links: HomebeatsAnother Love Story (in collaboration with Happenings)Fading Light

Thank you Emmet- see you on a dance floor soon! 

Creative Islanders: Superfolk

The Creative Islanders is an new interview series showcasing some of Ireland’s brightest creative talent and enterprise. It is about people who are stepping into their dreams, purpose and possibilities and embracing their one wild life. 

The interviews give a rare ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into creative practice, motivations and mindsets- shining a light on what makes people tick, and how, collectively Ireland is alive with creative possibility.

....................

Next up in the series is Superfolk founded by partners in life and business Jo Anne Bulter and Gearóid Muldowney. Based in Westport, in the wild west of Ireland, Superfolk design and craft exquisite homewares. Inspired by the outdoors and with respect to the raw and rugged landscape and materials which surround them, both Jo Anne and Gearóid's work exude craftsmanship with comes with much patience, practice and a deeply rooted passion for elegance and beauty. I greatly admire their decision to move out west, working to create a business in tune with the landscape while generating employment and opportunities for the region.

Jo Anne also inspired me recently to take up lino cutting again, and gave me some very useful tips and hints (thank you!) I also love popping into their Instagram feed to have a visual dose of the west... they take some stunning images.

Now over to some words from Jo Anne & Gearóid..

Photo Credit:Henrietta Williams

What makes you tick? What motivates you?Jo Anne: I love to understand the relationships and connections between things and am curious about simple things in nature, animals, our weather and our environment. In designing I always want to try to understand the core or the essence of a material, a process or a problem. I want to always be proud of the work that we do and I love sharing that with others. Some people connect in a very emotional way to the sensibility of what we make and really get it and that’s very rewarding. We want to build a business where we will be creating employment in the west of Ireland.Gearoid: I like to identify problems and rectifying them. I enjoy fixing things. But at some point its best to start afresh and thats why I design new things. Being able to understand your built/designed/made environment helps orientate a person. Being able to tell a story through our products is normal; materials have a history, objects are created in a context, keeping that context part of the product is an integral part of what we do.What keeps you in Ireland?Jo Anne: Our families – My father passed away in 2006 and Gearoid’s father died in 2012. The sense of sadness and loss is profound, but, bereavement also brought a deepening appreciation for our family, our friends and the feeling of ‘at home’ we have with living in the west of Ireland.Gearoid: I love Ireland. My upbringing and my education has given me a wonderful appreciation for this island. My parents and my primary school teachers introduced me to the rich cultural heritage that is ours to discover. Ireland's geography, natural history and culture fascinates me. With Superfolk, we are trying our best to use all of these elements to our advantage. We don’t want to leave.

What do you do just for the love of it?Jo Anne: I love learning about what I am seeing around me and anything that involves fresh air and being outside – walking, hiking, climbing, kayking, snorkelling, camping. I love trying to identify wild flowers and plants. I want to understand how a single plant can tell the story of its habitat - the relationship between the climate, topography and geology of a place. I want to know not just the name of everything that grows in the wild but why it chooses to grow where and when it grows – the wider inter-connected story of habitat. And I love watching Homeland. And Vikings.Gearoid: I like being outside. I use fly fishing as a legitimate excuse to roam the countryside, study maps jump fences and talk to strangers. Fly fishing gives me the license to stand in rivers in silence, whilst water rushes all around you. I can stand motionless in a ditch listening for a plop of a trouts lip as it sips in flies trapped in the water surface film. I like the silence of big open spaces. Hiking in the hills of Mayo energises me. We have a large dog, ‘Woody’, a Wiemaraner and he demands plenty of exercise, so he’s another excuse to be in forests and hills and beaches.What does the creative process teach you?Jo Anne: Good work will not be forced. We might push really long and hard trying to make something work and eventually have to admit defeat. Good work is more instinctive, more fluid and truer to ourselves. When we are slogging at something it can be hard to stop and accept that what is more easy, free and simple is the better work. The slog is an important part of the creative process but its not the work. I think this is described best in the phrase ‘the simplicity on the other side of complexity’.Gearoid. How to be honest. Well made things are honest. There are no tricks, if you want to make something that will last, and function well there are no short cuts. Use good materials and do them justice.How do you get unstuck? Any secret tools?Jo Anne: Turn it upside down. In my foundation art course my tutor Robin Jones would tell us to frequently turn the page of a drawing upside down to make us look at the drawing with fresh eyes. So I try to find similar ways to keep fresh eyes and perspective on whatever I am working on. Turn the page upside down, take a step back, take a break, go for a walk. Learn to change your position relative to your work and learn to see with fresh eyes.Gearoid: I don't get stuck much these days. When I was younger I might have been more precious about my  ideas and less willing to give up on something that wasn't working. I've gotten better at scrapping something that isn't working, ideas are two a penny.Where do you find inspiration? Any hidden gems?Jo Anne: We are designers but it is really important to us that we are always looking outside of ‘design’. When Gearoid and I travel to new places we always look out for the folk museum, the natural history museum, the odd strange decorative arts museum.  I really love any outdoor folk museums even really touristy ones. I love ‘Den Gamle By’, the outdoor folk life museum in Arhus in Denmark.Gearoid: Humans have been designing and problem solving for thousands of years. Its only in the last few hundred years that we have begun to document some of these results. My interest in vernacualr life tools is endless. I love folk museums especially if they have an outdoor element and archaeology, you cant beat digging in the ground and speculating.How do you get through tough times? What sustains you?Jo Anne: The memory of that first feeling of Spring in the air – at any time of year. And anything William Wegman ever made. Walking and listening to podcasts.Gearoid: I used to smoke, rolling tobacco and I really enjoyed the peaceful time it gave. It allowed me time to meditate on things. It turns out smoking kills you, so I walk the dog now or go fishing.What key lessons have your learned about doing business or being a creative practitioner along the way?Jo Anne: Don’t take criticism personally. Listen and understand criticism as subjective insight.Gearoid: Play the long game. Make good work. Don’t rush things. Give yourself time to do a good job. Be nice to people and don’t waste time on negative thoughts.What have you learned from your 'failures'?Jo Anne: Never be afraid to cut your losses. Don’t keep going with something that in your gut doesn't feel right because you are too afraid of losing what you have already invested.Gearoid: Not to give up. Move on quickly and regroup. Moving forward and not dwelling in the past is important. Keep moving forward.

Do you have a morning routine?Jo Anne: Roughly along the lines of ...Feed the dog, go for a walk, come back have porridge and coffee and have a short meeting about what work is needed to be done that day.Gearoid: Porridge. Clean and tidy, start work as soon as possible. Morning is the best time to have clear thoughts and energy.Or other creative habits or rituals?Jo Anne: Walking meetings – when we are figuring something out together rather than a sit-down brainstorm we take walking meetings where we walk and talk through our ideas. For some reason when we are more active, walking, you can be more insightful and make big decisions more confidently.Gearoid: I like to have a place for everything so I’m constantly trying to put my life in order or de clutter my life. It is a struggle, the world wants me to have so much stuff.What books have inspired you? Or what websites do you turn to? Jo Anne: The Wild Flowers of Ireland by Carsten Krieger and Declan Doogue – It tells the story of wildflowers and wild plant life from the point of view of habitat – I love to think about the inter-relationship of factors that create an amenable habitat for plantlife– in a funny way it is really quite relevant to home-wares designing. Also ‘The Way That I Went’ by the naturalist Robert Lloyd Preager. When I’m drawing I listen to podcasts like 'On Being' and podcasts about slow food movement and plant life on 'Heritage Radio Network'.Gearoid: I have referred to the SAS survival handbook since I was a child. Its a guide to doing everything a human needs to do to stay alive, it has nothing superfluous of luxurious in it its a stripped back guide to living. Its not a bad place to begin if you are designing lifestyle or homeware goods.What advice do you wish you had received as you were stepping onto your own creative path?Jo Anne: Trust your gut. Don't wait to be perfect (because there's no such thing)Gearoid: Be brave.   Find out more over on their website Superfolk Follow them on Instagram here. 

Thank you so much Superfolk. You are, indeed, super folk. Clare x 

Creative Islanders: Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh

........................

The Creative Islanders is an new interview series showcasing some of Ireland's brightest creative talent and enterprise. It is about people who are stepping into their dreams, purpose and possibilities and embracing their one wild life.

The interviews give a rare 'behind the scenes' glimpse into creative practice, motivations and mindsets- shining a light on what makes people tick, and how, collectively Ireland is alive with creative possibility.

.............................

First up is Caoimhín Ó'Raghallaigh- a masterful musician and I am very happy to say, a very dear friend and someone who I draw consistant inspiration from. Caoimhín makes his music on a 10 string fiddle called the hardanger d'amore, exploring the region where traditional music begins to disintegrate. He is a member of The Gloaming and This is How we Fly, touring internationally to some of the most beautiful stages in the world, including The Sydney Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall and the Lincoln Centre.Over to the wonderful words and insights from Caoimhín...What makes you tick? What motivates you? Creating something new makes my brain light up like the fireworks on New Year's Eve - every time I make something new, something that didn't exist before that moment, however humble it might be, I actually feel my brain rewarding me, telling me "Yes! This is it! This is the right stuff! Yes! Yes!". Making new things makes me insanely happy, like a little kid.What keeps you in Ireland? It's my home, it's where I'm from, and on account of that it's where I feel I belong, it's where I understand people the best, it's where I find the richest level of communication with others by dint of our shared background, culture and history.What does the creative process teach you? That we're built to evolve, and that any effort to create new information by us, in any field, is hugely appreciated and rewarded by our deep selves, the part that is invested in the million year outlook for humanity. Access to that point at which information comes into existence is possible for anyone. Stepping off a cliff into the unknown darkness is immensely productive and rewarding.How do you get unstuck? Any secret tools? Mostly I wait, and trust that there's no reason to panic. Two secret tools: one, a blank sheet, or two, a deadline! I've found that if you force yourself to make a mark on a blank sheet, be it ink on paper or sound on time, that something WILL come out. The hardest thing is actually taking out that blank sheet, making the time for it when it's the last thing in the world you feel like doing.What do you do just for the love of it? Hurling in the park, walking in the mountains, hanging out with friends and family.Where do you find inspiration? Any hidden gems? Visual art often enriches me, and will sink deep into the marrow of my bones and inform some fundamental change in what I want to create. Space and texture are two things that I love to learn about in this way. In creating, I try to embrace a lack of control. The unknown and uncontrolled gives rise to far more interesting results than anything I could come up with myself.How do you get through tough times? What sustains you? I feel pretty fortunate to be able to keep the light at the end of the tunnel in sight, extraordinarily lucky that no matter how dark the day, I retain the knowledge that what goes down must come up. The philosophy, too, that things that happen to us aren't 'good' or 'bad': there's no knowing what a specific happening will lead to in the future, what horror or joy was missed on account of its occurence.What key lessons have your learned about being a creative practitioner along the way? What have you learned from your 'failures'? Trust yourself and your feelings. Be brave. Focus on the positives and put your energy into those, rather than fretting about the negatives: prune off the rotten branches - you are doing nobody a favour by persevering with something that you know is fundamentally doomed. Find balance. You are the only person who can prioritise other things in life: family, friends, your own wellbeing.Do you have a morning routine? Or other creative habits or rituals? I tend to write in big clumps, I'll go away for a week or a month or longer, and write a whole load of material, rather than a regular daily approach, and then figure out a routine for that particular spell of time. On days where I have a performance, I'll generally try to keep it as empty as possible, and do my best to ensure my head is clear and worry-free when performance time comes. A little nap right before the concert, or a nice lazy bath in the middle of the day, for instance. I'll try to find a great place for coffee in the morning, and a wonderful place to eat a few hours before the gig. The aim is to have a totally calm and clear mind when I walk out and begin to play.What advice do you wish you had received as you were stepping onto your own creative path? Believe in yourself and don't take any shit from anybody, don't let anyone walk all over you. What you have is worthwhile, special and beautiful, go out there, shine, feed love and passion and enthusiasm into what you do. Trust that such things will be returned a hundred-fold to you, and be glad and happy: you are immensely fortunate and ridiculously lucky. You lead a charmed existence that you are obliged to delight in to the absolute limit of your being.What books have inspired you? The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, all of Samuel Beckett's work, Wabi-Sabi by Leonard Koren, Andy Goldsworthy's books, those by Oliver Sacks.And what advice would you give to your future self? Be curious, learn, be open. Be kind. Take a holiday!..................................................................Thank you so much Caoimhín- so grateful for your music, you insights, your humour and your friendship!  xx Find our more about Caoimhín on his website here,Some of his collaborations include: The Gloaming. This is How We Fly. Dan Truman- listen in below for a performance.Photo Credits: Con Kelleher Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh & Dan Trueman -:-:- Laghdú from IrishMusic on Vimeo.