Play time

Can you come out to play?

Play, such a flippant word and yet the act possesses such a powerful tool for growth. Society has forced us to view play as a childish or amateur pursuit, not for the serious minded.

With its child-like connotations adults have almost eradicated this word from their vocab let alone as an act within their own lives.

If you can free your mind to embrace play as a journey of exploration and creation that is essential for adult fulfilment, then life’s possibilities are unbounded.

 My practice had always been driven by play, I never labelled myself an artist even though technically I am trained and competent, I always believed my playful, whimsical approach to creating was considered amateurish by the ‘art world’.

By embracing frameworks of Inclusive arts practice and recently facilitating my own personal research project. My eyes were opened to the richness of non-guided, playful exploration whilst making. Observing gestures, somatic influences, embodied and tacit knowledge, creating connection between material and maker. Creating an openness to experiment and reflecting on the making process brought a greater depth to my practice and a new language was formed.

I came face to face with the learning and unlearning, the shared dialogue that is created, the gentle push and pull, the instinctive decision making, the abandonment, letting go, allowing flow, space, potential and collaboration to grow and I wholeheartedly embraced it.

Experiencing this level of awareness and respect of the process, how could any outcome from making be judged as a failure?

My practice is driven through play. When I say play, I mean allowing my imagination to unlock and using ‘play’ as an approach to creating.

My Northern Father used to ask, “what are you playing at”, this was said with a tone of mild annoyance when I was up to no good. Well whatever you are playing at whether it be art, socialising, sport, writing, or just being daft.... keep it up.