Cat Holman, Writer in Residence, July 2009

Visit Portscatho writer Cat Holman’s thoughtful blog here> ‘write under canvas’ for a personal and detailed account of her residency and working processes. During her short time in residence she accomplished loads…as well as developing new pieces of writing she instigated participatory interventions such as blank canvas – a washing line and also encouraged people to write ‘postcards to Treloan‘ by leaving cards and post boxes at certain areas of the campsite.

 

I wanted writing to have a visual presence around the campsite during my residency, and to create an activity that any visitor to the campsite could join in with, regardless of how much time they had available. I loved the creative connotations of the word canvas, and the links it made between the rows of tents in the campsite and the sails on the boats visible on the sea’s horizon beyond.

Cat also ran a workshop where Debs was inspired to write her poem “Words”  read at the Fireside Session on Wednesday July 15th. At the same event Cat recited a lovely short poem she’d written in Spanish, called ‘Caravanserai’ –  on her blog she talks about how it emerged and its meaning.

Amongst the writings that Cat developed during her stay is the story of the fortune teller and the vicar that was inspired by the word ‘dukkerer’ in ‘Beneath the Blue Sky‘ a book in the project van about Romany life by Dominic Reeve… “thinking about fortunes and the paths we take in life..these two characters appeared, who are both dissatisfied with life but too steeped in family tradition to change.”