Words that mean business

January 2007

Happy New Year

And it's off to a cracking start ...

Ren (one of my three writing personas) has a story accepted at The Late Late Show which will be available as a podcast in March, and an article about breaking into the wedding article business was accepted this week, so not a bad start to the New Year at all.

Last year ended with a real high - Green Futures published an interview with Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's that I conducted in the summer. Meeting Jerry was a bit of a lifetime achievement for me, and last year I was lucky enough to get to interview some really big hitters in the sustainability world: Safia Minney of People Tree, Mark Constantine of Lush, Dusty Gedge of Living Roofs and Jerry himself.

My favourite content client has commissioned a series of articles for his website about things to look out for in your garden in each month of the year, so all my environmental experience is pouring from memory to page for those, and I'm still blogging at Writing Neuroses so if you want to keep up with my literary progress, rather than my copy writing career, come and have a look!

September 2006

Green Thought in an Urban Shade – Words and Pictures on Urban Green Space

Our latest press release ...

Irish artist Fion Gunn and English writer Kay Sexton are travelling to China to present a collaborative exhibition of paintings and texts which focuses on the public gardens of four cities, Beijing, Dublin, London and Paris. Guan Donghai, a Chinese glass sculptor is collaborating with them for the Beijing show. Tsinghua University in Beijing will host Green Thought in an Urban Shade which will run from 20 September until 4 October 2006. The preview will be formally opened by His Excellency Declan Kelleher, Irish Ambassador to China on Monday 18 September at 19.30. For further information please contact Therese Healy, First Secretary, Embassy of Ireland, 3 Ritan Dong Lu, Beijing or email Therese.Healy@dfa.ie.

Overall, Sexton and Gunn have spent two years on the project, including a month in China in October 2005 as guests of the Red Gate Gallery. Sexton also spent a week at Oakmeeds Community College in Burgess Hill as part of the process, as writer in residence. The show has received critical and environmental acclaim:

‘A breath of fresh air in the capital, a brilliant exhibition,’ Frank Murphy, Editor, The Irish World.

‘This is a highly significant exhibition,’ Mme Zhang Xiaokang, Minister-Counsellor, Embassy of China, London.

‘A unique exhibition, a serious contribution to understanding the value of open space to the lives of urban dwellers,’ Aidan Hennigan, The Irish Independent.

‘Fion Gunn really understands the Chinese way of seeing landscape and our love of gardens,’ Ambassador Zhang Xinsen.

Both Sexton and Gunn are available to discuss commissions and projects.

History of the project

Green Thought in an Urban Shade was launched at the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin in February 2006; the preview was opened by His Excellency Zhang Xinsen Chinese Ambassador to Ireland. The exhibition then moved to London, at the Waterloo Gallery in May 2006 where the Preview was formally opened by His Excellency Daithi O’Ceallaigh, Ambassador of Ireland to the UK.

Endorsements from major figures

‘By 2050, it is estimated that 80% of humankind will live in cities. For hundreds of millions of people, that will entail a daily diet of noise, dirt, pollution and congestion - a physical and spiritual wasteland of staggering proportions. In that world, urban green spaces will play a critical role, literal oases in the wasteland, precious intimate life support systems for all those stripped of any other contact within the natural world. This highly innovative project speaks directly to that need in four great cities, with an extraordinary potential both to inform and inspire.’ Jonathan Porrit - Chairman, UK Sustainable Development Commission and Director, Forum For the Future.

‘I am delighted to see the way in which the "Green Thought in an Urban Shade" programme is developing. Urban green spaces are so important for the spiritual life and sanity of city dwellers and anything to encourage their use is a good thing. Kay Sexton's efforts with this initiative will help to broaden our understanding of the role of parks in improving the quality of life of city dwellers. I am particularly glad to see these spaces inspiring new works of art and really look forward to seeing the final collection. As a former botanic garden director I am so aware of the potential of green areas to improve the quality of life and anything to promote the importance of this aspect is a good thing.’ Professor Sir Ghillean Prance FRS, VMH - Former Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Scientific Director, The Eden Project.

‘As part of the 2005 season, based on the theme of environments, Oh! Art was extremely pleased to present a sampler of Green Thought in an Urban Shade; paintings by Fion Gunn and text by Kay Sexton, as the finale to the season last December. Existing as Oh! Art does, in an extremely urbanized area, our aims within this theme included highlighting the importance of discovery and contemplation of the surprisingly many green spaces within our environment. Fion’s paintings perfectly addressed these themes by using texture, tone and colour, beautifully highlighting the contrast between cityscape and nature, in a variety of cities. In addition, Kay’s text added another dimension; urban tales invited visitors to venture further into the world and visuals presented. The exhibition was extremely well received by Oxford House visitors and the private view event well attended.’ Kirsten Burrows, General Manager, Oh! Art at Oxford House.

Notes

Green Thought in an Urban Shade has been awarded a grant by Culture Ireland and a joint residency by the Red Gate Residency Programme in Beijing.

27 April 2006

Ahem. Can you guess I've been busy? Apart from working with some wonderful clients: including writing 75 articles on garden design, and developing a PR profile for a superb children's magazine, I've been busy writing. The Allicholly Tale of the Dispunged Dark Lady has been accepted for the Tell Tales 3 Anthology, and Ce n'est pas un Desert was a finalist in the St Petersbergy contest judged by Margaret Atwood. I'm really pleased by both of these successes as the the stories were both written as part of the Green Thought project.

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