Basket: 
As my time as Reader in Residence for Redcar & Cleveland Libraries draws to a close, I’ve been looking back on the events I’ve run as part of the Crossing the Tees Festival.
Hidden Gems
We started with a dive into Redcar Library’s archive files. Each photograph we discovered was a look into the past sparking people’s imagination.
Using the photographs as a jumping off point, people researched their image and chose how they would like to respond to it.
Zainab Aboharoon wrote a poem that she would like to share with you inspired by vintage wedding photographs from the collection.
Far from fears, near night nourish moon light.
Here in Redcar, there in Saltburn a bit far in Middlesbrough town.
Rain took many clouds away to invite us to new seasons.
Me and you, we both knew, this rain wouldn’t stop.
Until we pray, we vow, we promise to never betray our words.
We should never forget our words, never forget our attitudes manners.
Next day, dusk was full of suns, fully sparkling, nightingales were chirping.
The dew was kissing the flowers, grass was dancing with winds.
I came, I gave you the ring for our wedding day, next night.
Zainab Aboharoon
Listen and Draw
This was the most relaxing and quietest workshop I’ve ever led! People selected a channel from our headphones and listened to an audiobook while creating artwork guided by creative prompts.
They could choose between:
The Life of Birds by David Attenborough
The Women by Kristin Hannah
The Moonlight Market by Joanna Harris
We had a break halfway through for a bit of chat and discussion then it was back to it. A very chilled way to spend an evening.
Imagined Islands & Lost Lands
We started off the session studying maps from popular literature and fantasy maps created by illustrators. I was blown away by the beautiful, meaningful maps that people created. They were all very personal to the individual and covered topics like early motherhood, ecology, memories and hobbies.
Character Design
I spent an amazing day with the SEN students at Endeavour, Prior Pursglove College. The students were children’s illustrators for the day.
We read books, worked out the character’s motivations, practiced drawing emotions using shape language, printed textures with a gelli plate and designed brilliant characters!
The students dived into it and used their incredible imaginations to create brilliant characters with rich backstories. The characters then populated a large island artwork, created on canvas using the textures printed by the students.
The artwork will be installed in the new Guisborough Library.
Thank you to Crossing the Tees Festival, the staff of Redcar & Cleveland Libraries, particularly Terry Murphy and Diane Lonsdale, the staff and students of Endeavour and the brilliant people who came along to get creative. It’s been a blast!
