Members' Projects

To find out more email info@artslive.org.uk.

In Sea

John has long appreciated and been inspired by the work of internationally renowned composer Terry Riley. In 1964 Terry composed a seminal work which he titled 'In C'.

In preparation for an Arts Live performance with the theme of 'Sea Songs', John developed a grid set of 53 five-line poems
that he has styled 'poettes', inspired by the seascape and
coastline, titled 'IN SEA'.

This is performed by a number of readers using a tape loop of recorded sea sounds to set the tempo - a form that drew its structural reference point from 'In C' and Terry's pioneering ways of working.

The piece had its public debu performance by John and Arts LIve colleagues at tha St Ives Literary Feastival, Cornwall, in May 2018 and was very well received.

John is working to develop and refine the piece further, exploring its variations and possibilities. He has recorded two versions which have been released on his YouTube channel which can best be accessed via the IN SEA page on his website at www.promiselandpoetry.co.uk

North Sea To The East

John's latest collection, inspired by the landscape and language particular to his native North East of England that shaped his aesthetic as a poet and writer.

Published by Halsgrove 10 December 2020.

Defining Treescapes

For this project we are engaging with trees, considering various aspects including land histories, agro forestry, the urban forest, street trees, trees on Google Earth and making a Shinrin Yoku-inspired video.

Some of our latest work from Defining Treescapes relates to Dartmoor and will become part of a retrospective exhibition in 2020 for the Dartmoor National Park Authority celebrating 25 years of our Dartmoor inspired work.

Today with news headlines of Global warming, plastic pollution, with most people living in urban environments we are in danger of thinking of the environment as something "other" a commodity which needs protection. True we need to protect what we have but we also need to rekindle our connection to nature, to encourage our children to know we are all part of the environment. This is the heritage of our ancestors.

Sea Songs

A celebration of the sea and coastline through exhibitions and performances.

Route 66 - Open Road for Promiseland

'Route 66 - Open Road for Promiseland' (published by Halstar in 2016) is John's narrative sequence of poems inspired by his three-week drive of 'Main Street USA', that symbol of Americana, with its hinterland of iconography and imagination as vast as its geography and landscape and his experience of the great American road trip.

The book is richly illustrated by Carol Ballenger's images, created in response to John's poems, inspired by the legacy linking the American West and landscape photography and derived from Carol's virtual Route 66 journey using Google Earth and Street Vieew to replace her camera.

'Glimpses from the corner of the poet's eye woven into an odyssey - together with Carol's photographs, these contain the essence of Route 66'.
Simon Butler

For more information go to the Shop

John performs a set based on the book with Arts Live colleagues and other singers and musicians.

Journeys

Looking at the various aspects of journeys, from walks and voyages to spiritual quests and pilgrimages.

Arts Live tell the stories, through exhibition and performance, of the quest of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; a voyage on the "Grey Ghost" of the North Atlantic; labyrinths through the seasons; walking meditations; a comute to work and the iconic US Route 66.

The Dartington Project

Arts Live in association with The Dartington Hall Trust, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen and Dartington C of E Primary School planned a project to start in April 2011.

This Arts Live project celebrated through photography and writing the rich heritage of Dartington Hall and the cultural legacy of founders Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst alongside new work from contemporary artists inspired by Dartington. It also, through the work of school children, looked at issues of sustainability through students engaging both with the local natural environment and with their new eco-friendly school. There were also opportunities for parents and teachers to acquire skills in photography and digital editing techniques. These workshops were supported by a series of talks and workshops.

Three books documented the project: two internet books published by Arts Live of work produced by workshop students and a book of photographs of the Dartington Hall Estate by Carol Ballenger with historical and contemporary text published by Halsgrove Publishing in 2011.

Ashide - A Second Nature

An exhibition of photographs by Carol Ballenger with haiku by John Powls inspired by Japanese-style gardens in the UK.

This collaborative work represents an English response to the styles and traditions of Japan. Ashide is a playful style of Japanese writing developed during the Heian period (794 - 1185 CE) where calligraphic interpretations of a poem are woven into an ink illustration of the natural world. In a like manner, in the process of making work for the Ashide project, Carol and John respond to each other and the gardens through their photographs and poems.

The initial exhibition of this work took place at the Embassy of Japan, London, in early 2006. The picture shows Carol Ballenger at the opening of the exhibition at the Japanese Embasy. Other exhibitions of this work are being planned. Also the Ashide project is being further developed with the addition of music and video projection, leading to possible performance and installation presentation.

Ashide at the Embassy of Japan was listed by Tim Teeman in The Knowledge section of the "Times" newspaper as one of the top five national museum exhibitions. (March 25th, 2006)

Photographs from the exhibition can be seen in Gallery 1 of Carol's space.

Ashide - A Second Nature, a book of photographs by Carol Ballenger with haiku by John Powls (published by Halsgrove, 1995) is available from the Shop .

Kaze

This video installation by Carol Ballenger explores the effects of the wind. It was initially exhibited at the Phoenix Arts Centre in Exeter in 2003 as part of an exhibition to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Royal Photographic Society.

Stone Universe

Since prehistoric times standing stones have been raised in celebration of important occasions. Combining photography, text and music the Stone Universe Project celebrated the Dartmoor landscape, standing stones in particular. Highlighting this important region of the South West, work produced by artists and workshop participants linked the ages from the prehistoric stones to the new millennium menhir at Rundlestone Crest - The Touchstone, engraved with text by poet, John Powls.

Spectacular large-scale digitally produced landscape panoramas with accompanying text and sound panoramas celebrated the stones, the new millennium, new technologies, and the artistic visions marrying these elements. It was particularly appropriate our celebrations joined those of the 50th Anniversary of the Dartmoor National Park Authority, our main project partner.

Arts Live presented live performances and exhibitions in public spaces including within Dartmoor National Park, at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and panoramas were shown on the sides of buses. This was a Year of the Artist residency supported by The Arts Council of England and The Dartmoor National Park Authority.

Project dates: development work from January 2000 with project launch in June 2000 leading to project showcase in May 2001.

Stone Universe, a book of photographs by Carol Ballenger with poems by John Powls (published by Halsgrove) is available from the Shop.

The Touchstone

Millenium Menhir - the first standing stone raised on Dartmoor forn thousands of years, inscribed with a poem by John to mark the year 2000 milllenium.

Dartmoor Dreams

A project celebrating 25 years since Arts Live first presented Dartmoor Dreams, a multi-media performance of music, poetry and projected images including music from Baroque to Folk to Jazz.

To hear a brief extract click the play button.

Composer Alan Danson has written a five-movement string quartet based on this work which has been performed by the Rowan String Quartet and John Powls at various venues from Dartmoor to London and the Edinburgh Festival.

To hear a brief extract click the play button.

Dartmoor Dreams, a book of photographs by Carol Ballenger with poems by John Powls (published by Halsgrove 1995) is available from the Shop.

Working with Light

Photographs of High Cross House by Carol Ballenger.

High Cross House, on the Dartington Hall Estate in Devon, was built in 1932 and designed by Swiss/American Lescaze. It is a fine example of modernist architecture. Carol's photographs make new statements about the architecture and also how light and colour become expressive in their own right.

The Red Comet

A story reflecting a day in the life of a city and its people.

Available as an exhibition, performance and a book of photographs by Carol Ballenger with poems by John Powls (published by Arts Live, 2010) available from the Shop .

Music accompanies the live performance.

To hear a brief extract click the play button.

The Uses of Poetry

An album of 'poemusic' - John's poems set to music by singer/songwriter Hilary Harwood and composer/arranger Alan Danson and performed by John, Hilary, Alan and a musical ensemble under Alan's musical direction.

A Book Always Open

A booklet of narrative poems to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dartmoor being established as a National Park. Commissioned by the National Park Authority when John was Poet in Residence for the anniversary year.

'We are immensely greatful to John for creating a piece of work that will be appreciated and valued as much in fifty years time as it is today.' John Weir, Dartmoor National Park Authority.

Galerie D'Amour

A collection of poems structured around an art gallery and themed on inspiration, creativity and the relationship with the muse. Beautifully illustrated by artists Richard and Kay Spare and sympathetically designed by Alison Ford of The Em Space.

'This beautiful book'. Linda Saunders, Editor, Modern Painters.

This Time Around Love

Photographs by Carol Ballenger with poetry by John Powls.

To see this project visit This Time Around Love.