Creativity has the power to transform our lives, connect us with others and inspire meaningful change – whether through visual art, words, performance or collaboration. Many of us engage with creativity as a vital way to explore identity, express our values and build communities. This journey of creative exploration can challenge us, heal us and empower us to see the world – and ourselves – in new ways.
It was an absolute privilege to exhibit in ‘Patana Canvases’, the inaugural Teachers as Practitioners (TAPs) exhibition at Bangkok Patana School, alongside such talented colleagues whose art and stories continue to move and inspire. Curating this exhibition felt like creating large-scale artwork in itself!
For this exhibition, I produced my own multidisciplinary work – an exploration of how words and visual art can inspire creativity, explore cultural identity, ignite activism and foster human connection. This was also the first time I showcased my illustrated poetry prints, a collection I’ve long been excited to share. Balancing curating the exhibition, leading the TAPs project, and producing this collection was incredibly fulfilling.
Some key creative decisions included sequencing the artworks to tell a narrative, positioning pieces to guide the viewer’s experience, and carefully selecting which works from my practice to include.
My installation, ‘A World of Her Own Making’, brought together illustrated and concrete poems, a handmade concertina artist’s book titled Muses in the Sun – featuring copperplate etchings of forest faeries inspired by the Cottingley fairy photographs – and explored themes of reinvention, empowerment and reimagining fairy lore as a pathway to resilience.
I also showcased several poetic collections that reflect my love of language as both art and expression, including:
- Unbound: Visual poems influenced by calligrams and ekphrasis, exploring growth, individuality and change
- The Temple Within: Linocut goddesses paired with ekphrastic poems honouring myth, inner strength and cultural heritage
- The Worlds Within Her Words: A micro collection exploring poetry’s liberating energy and self-expression
- Where I’m From: A personal exploration of cultural identity through my spoken word poem and photogram print Jigsaw Lady – part of The Heritage Collection, featuring handmade photogram prints developed in the darkroom that reflect the layered nature of identity
Creating alongside a community of artists is always inspiring—sharing perspectives, exchanging ideas and lifting each other through the creative process. This evolving illustrated poetry collection will be showcased on my website.
More Than a Performance: Why Our Art is the Start
When preparing for the ‘Patana Canvases’ exhibition launch, I wanted to empower others to recognise the power and purpose of their own creative practices—as processes that unite, challenge societal norms and ignite change. So, amidst organising the launch, I wrote ‘Our Art is the Start’ – a new spoken word poem for the occasion.
Watch the live performance of “Our Art is the Start” here:
Using metaphor and personification, I described creativity as “the electrifying pulse, the breath, the spark.” I built rhythm through anaphora (“We create…”, “It’s not…”, “Our art…”) and invited listeners to step into their creative power with direct calls like “Take the pen. Hold the brush. Grab the mic.” Imagery such as “graffiti on the walls, an uncommissioned mission” aimed to stir fearlessness in the pursuit of your dreams, while enjambment reflected the momentum and urgency of artistic expression.
One unforgettable moment was when a student approached me after my performance, sharing that the poem inspired her to pursue art as a career. Moments like these remind me why it’s essential to create spaces where young people see what’s possible in the arts – and within themselves.
As a spoken word performer, I lead by example. After my piece, I invited students from my Spoken Word Poetry Showcase ECA to perform their own work – each poem created to inspire change. This was a powerful reminder of how engaging in creative practice builds confidence and amplifies youth voices.
This is exactly what the Teachers as Practitioners project embodies: honouring the connection between personal artistic practice and professional growth, while inspiring students on their own creative journeys.
What role has your creative practice played in shaping who you are – as a teacher, leader, artist or learner?
