When I was young and in art school, many of my peers pursued poetry and visual arts in the form of journaling which was not, I suppose, taken seriously as an art form. Many a time, commencing at the age of about ten, did I keep a visual and verbal diary only to dispose of it when others would find it and discover my innermost thoughts. If only I could find a copy of one of my diaries, but I discarded them for fear they were too personal. I did find one, however, that inspired me to pursue these works further.

 I encourage my children to be expressive and not fear what others think of their work because artists working in all genres need to experiement with free-flowing ideas. As I told my daughter the other day, those works she considers inferior will undoubtedly be appreciated by others. Therefore, she should release her imagination on paper fully without limitations.

Many of the poems that I have written have been based purely upon my imagination whilst others are based upon real experiences, the two realities blending into one another. I am trying to add a third element, that of drawing and design combined in my work as a clarification of multi-sensory visions. These are works, not of an intellectual, but of a purely intuitive and feeling nature having nothing to do with research if not reasearch of one's own visions.

I began this journey after having discovered I had an incessant desire to create in many mediums, to be heard by others as well as to listen to those around me. I completed doctoral studies merely because I wished to write and be active in addition to gaining new ideas. Then I enrolled in an M.F.A. in Creative Writing programme as I needed to express myself liberally and creatively. My undergraduate degree in fine arts provided me with the perfect pedestal for these works, much like Yeats profitted from his studies of drawing and painting before becoming a poet. I have been inspired by seeing specific others writing poetry around me, not only in my youth but most presently. I recommend finding mentors and poetry coaches who are both peers and professionals, free or for a fee. Journaling and reading is recommended to anyone who desires to improve his or her writing skills. There are groups such as The Wellness and Writing Conference group and The Association of Journal Writing (linked below) that stimulate the productivity of lone writers whilst encouraging them to open up.

Laura (February 2010)