A Widening Field Journeys in Body and Imagination

by Crickmay, Chris; Tufnell, Miranda

• ISBN13: 9781913743734
• ISBN10: 191374373X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2023-06-14
• Publisher: Triarchy Press Ltd

Summary

This is an inspirational handbook for working in the creative arts. It emphasizes the imagination, creativity and being receptive to our bodies, surroundings, materials, and what we create. The authors draw attention to the sensing, feeling, moving body as a basis for any imaginative activity. But while A Widening Field does draw on the authors’ dance and movement background, it elaborates and extends their work by drawing in creative writing and all kinds of creative work with materials. The book stresses the importance of intuitive, instinctive ways of knowing, perceiving and creating and describes sources and strategies for working in and between various forms of expression, including: moving, making things with materials, and writing. It is designed to provoke and inspire rather than as an instruction manual. Tufnell and Crickmay's previous book, Body Space Image, addressed improvised movement, experimental performance and how to create performance settings. A Widening Field looks at the role of imagination in our lives and how it is awakened and nourished through attention to the present, the feeling world of the body, and whatever appears as we make art.

Author Biography

Chris Crickmay trained as an architect, but has worked mainly in visual art with a strong interest in the links between art, dance and creativity. In his teaching career, he was one of the initiators of the Open University’ s course, ‘ Art and Environment’ . As head of Art and Design at Dartington College of Arts, he helped create and run the ‘ Art and Social Context’ course. He now works as an independent writer and artist, continuing to participate in collaborations across the arts. Miranda Tufnell is a dancer, Alexander teacher and craniosacral therapist. She has been showing performance work in galleries and theatres since 1976, often making site-specific events and collaborating with visual artists. She has taught widely, including at Dartington College of Arts and at Fellside Alexander School. Her work both as a dancer/choreographer and body therapist has been to make visible the invisible world of the sensing body.

Table of Contents

About this Book Autobiographical Notes Sources Acknowledgements 1 Arriving Part 1 Creating as Conversation Introduction to part 1 2 Moving and writing 3 Making 4 Getting to know what you have made Notes on timing and getting stuck Part 2 The Unfolding Image Introduction to part 2 5 Skin 6 Materials 7 Stories 8 Bone 9 Places 10 Heart Glossary of Terms Selected Bibliography Permissions