Winter Warmer Workshops 2021

These workshops, which I ran for the first time in 2020, were the best thing I did last year. I got to know and work with some lovely people, who joined in with the writing exercises, discussion of the readings and artists we looked at each week. We got to know each other over the eight weeks, and it was great fun, so I’m doing it again, once more via Zoom.

Designed to see us through the dark nights of November and December, each week there will be a different theme. We’ll explore different genres of writing, writing exercises, discussion, opportunities for reading and feedback of each other’s work and more.

Even though we are a year on, and society has opened up, many of us will still be staying inside, socially distancing and looking for community, as we move through the last quarter of another challenging year. I know I will be, which is partly why I thought this might appeal to people who would normally get together around a table in a cafe or pub, to share ideas about writing and try things out.

I can’t run workshops like this at the moment, which is how I normally do it – and how I would prefer to meet everyone. The joy of offering workshops online is that we can still meet up and do the writing and have the fun, and we can do it from wherever we are in the world – which is amazing.

The idea behind the ‘Winter Warmer’ aspect is to take us through these dark, damp nights, with reading, writing and discussion to keep us going. Creative prompts and thinking to inspire us to write. All of which will take place around our own virtual fire, where we can share stories and have a laugh together.

Each week is a 90 minute workshop, with a presentation, writing exercises, time for feedback and discussion. All in a friendly virtual space on Zoom.

Designed for keen writers working at all levels, we will try out all kinds of writing in a constructive and supportive atmosphere. You will also have a chance to send me a piece of your work, generated from the workshop each week, for written feedback, if you would like to do so.

Early bird booking price of 90 Euro / £80 until 10^th October

Full price after that is 140 Euro / £120

8 weekly sessions via Zoom on Monday evenings from 7.30pm – 9pm

1^st / 8^th / 15^th / 22^nd / 29^th November

6^th / 13^th / 20^th December

Email me to book or for further information:

words@lucyfurlong.com

Winter Warmer Workshop 2020 Testimonials

“Absolutely breath-taking journey into a world of places and people that I’d never heard of before.” Maggie

“I loved the source materials and how they all linked in, they really resonated with me. So much there to consider.” Danielle

“After doing your course I want to focus more on poetry, as you have really encouraged me to take my poetry further. Thank you.” Louise

“I enjoyed meeting other writers and hearing the work they read out as well as their comments and thoughts.” Janet

Walk with Jane on the Cambridge Estate

Ecologist, bat expert and walking artist Alison Fure

Alison Fure is leading a Soundwalk as part of her Walks with Jane project, in conjunction with The Museum of Walking, through the Cambridge Estate in Kingston Upon Thames, this Saturday evening, 7th September, 2019.

From the Museum of Walking website event page:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Soundwalk will explore the wildlife and human ecology on this large estate with 230 trees.

We will listen to the web of life from replayed recordings of bird song, talking heads and listen to bats in real time (bat detection equipment provided).

This event is free but booking is essential – Call +44 (0) 7867507086

• 19.00 start – meeting place will be revealed on booking 
• Walk with Jane listening to the sounds of a local community
• 20.00 listen to bats in real time (bat detection equipment provided)
• 20.30 finish

Me and the Witness Tree, Museum of Futures, 2018. Pic by Madeleine Elliott

I am currently writing elegies / eulogies for the trees on the estate and will be reading these brand new, site specific poems on the night. Please join us…

The Moon Over Tolworth

Harvest Moon by Samuel Palmer (1905-1881)

In the mundane modern

semi-detached suburbs

slippers, gravel, teatime tables

GCSE revision

the Moon guides me home

welcomes me to this season

with its golden corona

moonflower harvest sky

 

The Moon ~O~

 

I speed down the A3 toward

Tolworth

Tower

follow the curve of the road

there it is again on the right

above the cleared MAFF site

behind the bowling alley

 

The Moon ~O~

 

The Moon is over the fields

Giving it the full Samuel Palmer

Richard Jefferies is walking out

late to see the moonlit silver

gold of the harvest under this

crystal studded Prussian blue sky

almost cold and glowing

 

The Moon ~O~

 

I want to stop the car and see the fields

in this Autumn moonlight

but life like a kite pulls me on

a different journey

I hope darkness prevails in the fields

so I can see them like this next year

 

Daddy Long Legs #NationalPoetryDay

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Harvesting A Map, Over the Fields

A small band of friends and family took a walk Over the Fields yesterday, to help me harvest the new poetry map. A glorious late September afternoon, close to the Autumn Equinox, traditionally associated with the second harvest…perfect timing.
We met at the church and were greeted by the vicar, Kevin, who was very generous in allowing us to wander around the beautiful church that is in his care, even letting Techno the Great Dane have a nose inside, and letting the children have a go on the church organ.

We rambled down the hill into the valley; along paths, over and under bridges, by the river and through fields, stopping at various points to read poems. Thank you to Dad’s friend Roger White, who grew up and played in the fields too. He read us two pieces of writing he had published back in 1960, which was a great addition to the occasion. One about the Hogsmill River, published in his school magazine, and the other, a small clipping from the Surrey Comet, a news story about a local ‘incident’, which took place in 1959…

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Thank you to the family and friends who have helped me to make this new map, and who have been so kind and generous with their time, skills and support. Thanks to Bill Mudge, who recently took photos of me over the fields as I was finishing the map and taking a last walk there before signing off the final proof at my friend Mel’s studio. (Mega thanks to Mel- the map wouldn’t exist without her) Bill has kindly allowed me to use his photos, and a couple of them are on my web site. You can find more of Bill’s work here – the photos of me and Mel are part of his project 20 in 15.
The map is officially ready to find its way into the world, and with a bit of luck will help people wend their way around this patch of ‘green’…maybe you will be one of them…?
You can buy the Over the Fields map HERE, right now, and the first 25 people to order one will also get a FREE limited edition postcard (1 of 50) with a brand new poem which is also connected to this area, but not on the map… Your journey begins here!
There may be other walks – please ‘like’ my Facebook page for updates.

Pictures from Nature-ish Workshop at Kingston Environment Centre

Some pictures from the Nature-ish workshop at Kingston Environment Centre on Saturday. Thanks to Tariq Shabbeer from Kingston Environment Centre and Danielle O’Shaughnessy from New Malden Arts Festival for their help and support.

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‘Nature-ish’ Family Poetry Workshop at Kingston Environment Centre

I’m really excited about this workshop and have been designing new writing exercises and ideas for families to try out. The title came about yesterday, when I was at the park with my son, looking for the first conkers of the season (see below!). We were talking about Autumn, and what it meant to my son who said: “It’s the most Nature-ish season, Mum.” As this workshop is all about the words we use to describe our experience of nature I thought I would borrow this lovely thought…and lo and behold…Nature-ish it is! I hope to see you there…

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Facebook event here

This event is part of New Malden Arts Festival which takes place from 7th – 20th September and promises a wide range of events and activities for people to get involved in. More info here.

“Paradise haunts gardens…” Derek Jarman

I have no idea how long I have been thinking about going to see Derek Jarman’s garden- but it’s probably more than the twenty years since he died. I finally made it last Wednesday; drove from Rye, where we were staying for half term, on a persistently drizzly and grey day, through the marshes and strange flatness of Camber and Lydd. Across the pylon-plotted horizon with the odd caravan park nestling by their giant electric feet. And then without knowing until I saw it, there, a yellow framed, black stained timber building loomed into view through the mist and rain-spattered windscreen of my car.

There!

With the BBC film crew van tucked into the side of the narrow road between the stretch of shingle and few houses, there on the right hand side, the garden. Here are some grey rainy shots of Jarman’s garden as it is now, twenty years after he died. As far as I know the house is owned by someone new but obviously aware and respectful of the legacy, and the garden remains. Below is a short film made by BBC Gardeners’ World in the first few years after Jarman passed on, where his partner is interviewed and talks about the garden, and which includes quotes from Jarman’s book…. now I have to go back when the weather is better in the Spring. Dungeness is magickal and it is easy to understand why he settled there.

100 Poets. 50 Pairs. One Day. This Saturday #Camaradefest

Steven Fowler’s Camaradefest is this Saturday, 25th October, at the Rich Mix in Bethnal Green Road, London.

50 pairs of poets will present brand new, specially written for the occasion, collaborative works. It starts at midday, and I am reading with Jonah Wilberg. Jonah and I met on Steven Fowler’s Poetry School course in January this year, and we have been writing a piece for Camaradefest, mainly via email, over the last couple of months.

For more information and a squizz at the immense line up, have a look at the We Are Enemies web site. The event is completely free and runs all day and long into the evening, so please come, dip a toe in or bellyflop onto a sofa and stay for the whole day. It’s going to be fantastic!

Exit lol city?

Just over a month after the end of university and the submission of my dissertation.

I am excited, really excited, gleeful even, about the new possibilities for…writing.