The presence of words in the life of a creative cannot be overstated. Words is a broad term that Cloud Gazing creatives assumes to mean the language we hear and speak (even sign), the written word in stories, poems and songs, informational language such as non-fiction books and lectures and also the oral histories that many cultures pass on their knowledge with.
We come from a wordy family. Books were ‘the’ gift we always got even if money was tight. We were surrounded by people filled with stories; grandparents who experienced a world war, a father who values history extremely highly and a mother who values early childhood education and the written word as vital in developing a problem solving mind, critical thinking skills and above all- imagination. As children Em and Jess would write poetry and present it to their willing audience of Mum and Dad. Costumes often featured as additions to the ambiance. The dog always kept disappearing though- little brother Tom never was good at ‘stay’. Our parents encouraged our pursuit of stories- those words that had deeper meaning somehow. Emily was driven all over Bath one year to develop a history of the Bath stone quarries for a school project at the age of 10. It meant something more than just a grade as she had ancestors who had worked the stone (which is world famous).
We wrote plays, and our nieces and nephews do the same thing today; even though most of us are not super theatrical, this version of words is part of social development and also that vital creative component ‘the imagination’. Our imaginations were engaged every time we took a trip. Every Sunday for most of the year our parents took us someplace. To the local ‘folly’ for walks in the woods, to nearby castles (ruined or not) where we clambered the ramparts and imagined ourselves in centuries past, and to historic homes, gardens and palaces and museums small and large that shared the histories of trains, trees, farms, miners, Saxons and Romans. Every one of these visits gave us new fodder for the imagination, as the words we heard from our parents and from the guides helped to develop vivid ability to imagine ourselves in those places and times.
Our parents read to us constantly, and Dad in particular would read longer novels complete with voices to us a bedtime. The BFG by Roald Dahl was a favourite, as was the Hobbit and Fantastic Mr. Fox and the Wind in the Willows. We always found it amazing that when a television or movie version came out over the years, the characters sounded exactly as we had imagined, thanks to Dad’s interpretation of them! This deep immersion in the quality of words, how they sound, how a description can bring to life a particular scene, has been a linchpin of Emily’s development as a writer. Her high school English teacher also helped develop her voice, and it was this experience that assisted her in creating the voices and characters for her stage play, produced in 2017. Both Em and Jess find this background in words has helped develop their social media writing ability too. Our podcast was a revelation when Emily discovered that words spoken by Jess are the ultimate in calm, authoritative delivery- putting her in mind of an artsy David Attenborough.
Even the names around us prompt creative thinking. Knowing the stories of the places around you, no matter you live, provides a window into the past, which affects your interpretation of your present. In particular are those Indigenous place names, which are invariably better than any settler given moniker. Growing up in the UK gave us exposure to thousands of weird, delightful and just plain silly place names such as Tiddleywink, old Sodbury and the amazing Lacock- which we never once considered rude until we moved to Canada and my brothers discovered a French accent could be applied to it.
Think about how words have shaped your thoughts. from the languages you speak to the songs you listen to, to the books you loved as a child and read now- all these words have a place in your creative self.