“Magical Beings!
We invite you to join us by the dancing flame
of the flickering candle this winter solstice
for a warming and generous Christmas Coven!
We will gather together and light up the longest night
with our songs and pictures and words!
This event is designed to be a relaxed celebration
of the season where we can each bring our own
sparkle and fortify one another
with lovely creative offerings.
We will share work in an Open Mic style platform
with selected Headline acts from amazing
ND artists (you!) weaved around our headlining acts;
poets Wendy Young and Frances Norton
and wonderful soothing and nourishing
music from Natasha Oliver-Cork.
Let us make merry and pay tribute
to the first year of this journey with Magical Women,
and to the brilliant, rich and potent work
we can bring to the world in these ND Led spaces!
Join our circle from 7-9pm, 21st Dec, on Zoom.
A magical link will be sent by email
on the day of this enchanted event.
More details below! ”
21st December, 7-9pm, online on Zoom
Magical Women and all allies are invited to our special online end-of-year gathering. Pull up a hot drink and put on your festive dress (if you fancy, cameras totally optional!) to share and celebrate music, words and art from the Magical Women community and featured performers. Sign up for open mic when you book your ticket.
Music by Natasha Oliver-Cork: Natasha was singing before she could talk, and having grown up in and around theatre, her happy place is surrounded by creativity whether with others, or in her introverted moments, with her guitar.
Now a 2nd year drama student, and only recently diagnosed as neurodivergent, she is on a journey of acceptance, which she found a lot of at Magical Women when participating in their Writers’ workshop in July – where she wrote her song ‘Seed’.
Natasha Oliver-Cork, photo credit Emma Parkinson
“I always wrote songs, stories and plays – but I discovered my poetry during lockdown, which led me to participating in Magical Women’s writers’ workshop in July. In search for my authentic neurodiverse voice I write mostly in song – which seems to be my calling. So here I am.”
Wendy Young
Her fierce and striking voice, as well as generosity and breadth of talent has made her a glowing part of Magical Women workshops, events and exhibitions.
Poetry by Wendy Young, a poet/performer who cut her teeth with Survivors Poetry, performing widely in London and beyond, at festivals including Shuffle, and Liberty. She has been published in South Bank Poetry, Anomalie Magazine, I am not a Silent Poet, Poetry Express, Militant Thistles, Disability Arts Online (DAO – writes reviews, also performed and facilitated workshops as part of daisyfest). Facilitated poetry workshop at Ashford Place London. Her publications include: ‘Living with Ghosts’ (Natterjack Poetry 2015), ‘Ooetry’ (William Cornelius Harris Publishing/London Poetry 2015) and 'The Dream of Somewhere Else' Survivors Press (2016).
Introducing Frances Ann Norton. Frances is an interdisciplinary designer-maker working in the realm of decorative arts, art lecturer and PhD student at a Northern University, and writer, musician and a poet.
Drawing on an impressive array of influences; from her time as a Potter’s Apprentice in Waxhaw North Carolina, the mythology, culture and artwork of Oceania, the Bauhaus women’s weaving group, Franciscan spirituality and more, her upcoming solo exhibition with Magical Women will showcase an intense and energetic creative spirit. Frances will share some poetry for the Solstice gathering.
Work by Frances Norton
“My neuro divergence means I like to have many irons in the fire. I work cross-discipline, and give myself permission to work in a variety of methods, techniques and materials.”
Schedule:
6:50pm - Everyone in the waiting room.
7pm- Welcome and intro/Opening ritual
7.15 - A song from Natasha to kick off
7.20 - Open Mic session one
7.45 - Wendy Young
7.50 - Magical Women Christmas Mystery Surprise
8pm- Another song from Natasha
8.05- Open mic session 2
8.20 - Frances Norton
8.30 - Natasha Oliver-Cork- 15 minute set (with a drawing challenge)
8.45- Closing ritual and reflections. Setting affirmations or intentions for things to leave behind in 2020 and things to journey towards in 2021.
(We may end at 9:15pm - gives us breathing space)