I tend to get hooked into one author or genre for ages. In the interest of broadening my horizons a bit I have gone of the beaten track to test two very different styles out recently. Well, different for me that is!
I've mentioned before that working for a theatre company has some fairly serious perks. Last year we premiered Tim Wintons first penned play (all his previous plays have been adapted from novels and done so by other playwrights) I met Mr Winton with very little star glaze. Dont get me wrong, I adore the play
Cloudstreet, but have as yet not got round to reading the novel. So, as Im sitting at my desk in the office, with Tim Winton hanging out having a chat, I am struck by, not only how lovely and down to earth the man is, but also how, well, ordinary he is.
Which is what makes his writing so endearing. He finds detail in the most ordinary everyday moments and helps his readers slow down long enough to notice the little things and find a new appreciation in something that had never stood out before.
Watching a doco recently about 'how the brain works' I now realise that this is the brains way of stopping us overloading each day. If we noticed every little detail as we move through the world we simply wouldn't be able to function, we would simply get nothing done. We'd all be like hippy's, stopping to smell the roses and appreciate the way the light filters through the trees at a particular time of the day and the colours produced give you warm fuzzies. (Ok maybe that last bit is more to do with me being a lighting nerd and missing creating immensly....)
So, I've had this 'insight' recently. Artists, whether they be the visual/ textile/ sculpture kind, photographers, designers, performers, writers, musicians etc - they see the world differently to those that are artsy challenged. They see what everyone else is too busy to see.
When my employer produces a theatrical production, they are discecting moments in time and amplifying the effect as they project their sound and images to their audience. For example; a lighting design manipulates and controls what the audience should focus on at any given time. The colours they use may be naturalistc to convince us of a particular time of day or temperature. They may also use non naturlistic colours to symbolise an idea at a basic level. Wash the stage in red as someone is murderred. Green backlight as the wicked witch gets her evil on. This is similar across all the designers, with costumes that symbolise their character etc. Every single choice made by a production team is specifically to point out to the audience that 'you should be noticing this, this is important'
Again, I have diverted!
So, Ive been reading Tim Winton. First was "The Turning" followed by "Dirt Music." Both left me with a profound need to travel and desire to notice more. Reading Tim's stuff is such a breath of fresh air and a lovely break from my usual paranormal 20 book long series'.
I've also finally started reading a recent purchase that was in itself long overdue. "Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum - A Parent's guide to the Cognitive, Social, Physical, and Transitional Needs of Teenagers with Autism Spectruim Disorders", by Chantal Sicile-Kira.
It is a broad rangeing overview of a broad spectrum disorder. There is plenty that doesn't relate directly to Z, my youngest, who is on the spectrum. But there have also be plenty of 'A-Ha!" moments to give me food for thought too. Only a small way into in so far so will report back when I've progressed further into it.
This post took me three sessions to finish over as many weeks. I've had a terribly sore back with a pinched nerve, so sitting down makes it worse! Made it really hard to keep on top of the shop or blog. Onwards and upwards - to better health and clearer understanding!
