Introduction
Much of Creeping Toad’s work is embedded in communities. I spend time with groups: schools, local residents, in nature reserves, libraries, museums, the park at the end of the road. Much of this work feels very “local”: it is quiet, contained: it often doesn’t feel like activity to shout about. It is personal: what we do belongs to the participants. I do, however, also deliver training courses and workshops, speak at conferences, write for journals: but perhaps not as much as I might!
And I do go on adventures. When invited, I’ll go just about anywhere and some of examples of wider travels follow
Where have I been, in summary:
- Malaŵi: residence, teaching, illustrating books, writing
- South Africa; storytelling, conferences, workshops
- USA: artists residencies
- Ireland: workshops, conferences
- Netherlands: planning, conversations on inspiration
- Greece: storytelling, advising
- Iceland: conference
- Australia: consultation
- New Zealand: storytelling, workshops
Creeping Toad: Africa
My relationship with southern Africa began before I had even set up Creeping Toad. In 1982, my first job out of university and teacher training was teaching Biology, Chemistry and Geology at Kamuzu Academy in Malaŵi. (I’m a zoologist by training with Geology and Chemistry in my degree.)
As well as that educational life, those three years included illustrating three books (all long gone now!) on The Ecology of Kasungu National Park, The Amphibians of Malawi and The Loranths of Malawi, having my first exhibition (drawings, puppets and costumes) and generally being over-excited about landscapes, wildlife and people!
My time in Malaŵi established friendships that have continued to this day and a passion for Africa – that also continues to this day!
Since those first years, my African connections have continued with a mixture of visits and activities:
- speaking and leading workshops at Rhodes University Environmental Education courses (Makhanda, Republic of South Africa, (RSA))
- Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa conferences (RSA, Eswatini)
- World Environmental Education Congress, Durban, RSA (speaker)
- World Environmental Education Congress, Marrakesh, Morocco (coordinating arts input)
- working with street artists (Cape Town, RSA) workshops at several environmental education centres (RSA)
- delivering workshops at Durban and Pietermaritzburg Botanic Gardens (RSA)
And now, I am involved with the Realife group as a sort of critical friend: someone who watches, listens and think about and finds ways of supporting activity and with several small Malaŵian groups looking at sustainable development ideas and cultural legacy.
Creeping Toad: Ireland
My relationships with Ireland runs almost as far back as that with Malawi, starting with time in Birr, Co Offaly, in stepping out of general busy-ness to write. (1986)
In more recent, hands-on engagement, in the Republic of Ireland I have
- spoken at conferences with the BurrenBeo Trust and the Environmental Education, Ireland network
- delivered workshops for Heritage Ireland in Kilkenny and Glendalough
- written an activity manual for Heritage Ireland
- spent time talking, walking, and sharing experiences and ideas: Wicklow Mountains, Dublin, Birr
Creeping Toad: mainland Europe
…and across the North Sea, Creeping Toad has been to:
Netherlands: telling stories; participating in conversation sessions* about the relationships between art, science and faith; looking at ways of making archives engaging for visitors
Greece: telling more stories! looking at personal business development with young artists
Slovakia: teaching on environmental education camp for youth group leaders
North Sea: I am involved in the development of two groups both looking at different ways of building links between communities in countries around the North Sea: exploring the sea we share and how we relate and respond to it. one group is based in Denmark, the other in UK. Both groups are still in formative stages: will post more when they hatch/grow/spread fins and swim….
*what’s the best word for intense and intensive discussions between
artists, human geographers and spiritual leaders?
Creeping Toad: The Americas
And in Brazil, USA and Canada? Activity here feels exciting and often wanders off along unpredictable routes….
There has been:
USA
Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota: working on an environmental conference (Ina Makoce Woäpiye) organised by the Oglala Lakota and held at Little Wound School in Kyle…and telling stories to local schoolchildren
Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, Illinois: training and consultation on building creativity and learning into informal play spaces in the development of new facilities for children at the Zoo
Boston, Massachusetts: telling stories!
City of Chicago,Illinois: artist-in-residence work leading a team of local artists and young people to create a lantern procession and performance event: Luna de Sueños – the Moon of Dreams. the final event took place at about -20 on a dark February night so we have very few images!
BRAZIL
ongoing connections with Universo Online has seen an article for Textura, (journal for environmental education) and sharing new work with staff there
CANADA
continuing relationships with First Nation musicians and storytellers in Quebec and inclusion in the Forget-me-Not online journal of art and poetry for issues 4 – 7
Images from Luna de Suenos, Chicago
Creeping Toad: Australasia
Going just about as far as we can go….I’ve spent time on visits to New Zealand and Australia:
Auckland: telling stories, workshops for Forest and Bird (NZ wildlife society)
Rotorua: looking at using the immediate environmental for creativity with nursery groups, more storytelling and story-sharing with Maori ‘tellers
Wellington: more of those sharing inspiration conversations: looking at community-centred environmental and heritage interpretation
Kaimai Mountains: storytelling, writing sessions during moss, fern and forest workshop
Melbourne: telling stories! participating in discussions about creativity, culture and identity with indigenous and marginalised young people
Creeping Toad and the Creativity Conference
“The Creativity Conference is a global meeting of minds to explore the essence of creativity. We invite incredible creative speakers to share the wisdom they have gained from successful projects – and our definition for ‘Creativity’ is very particular: ‘Any intentional decision’.” Creativity Conference, website
I have spoken on their distanced digital conferences and visited Reykjavik when the conference there was postponed (so I presented digitally what I would have presented physically!). Plans are in motion for a Creeping Toad input at the June 2025 Conference in New York
My role in CC events has been to talk about
personal creativity: how do we find, nurture and respect our own creativity
community creativity: how does working on the personal creativity above affect how we may work with communities
Presentations: as a speaker and as a panel member