Last year, poet Jim Mackintosh reached out with an exciting opportunity and asked if I’d be free on the 29th of May this year. I said yes straight away without hesitation. What I didn’t realise at the time was just how incredible the whole experience would be. I was invited to write poems inspired by the artwork at Perth Gallery and perform them at the festival.
I’d never been to Perth Art Gallery before and didn’t know what to expect. But what I found there completely surprised me. The collection was carefully curated to display a wide range of pieces, and the atmosphere had this strange energy that made writing feel so alive. Just being surrounded by art opened me up. I felt drawn towards ideas I probably wouldn’t have found on my own.
Being part of Trending Words at Perth Festival was one of those moments that really sticks with you. I’m still taking it all in. It gave me new ways of writing, took me down unexpected paths, and offered encouragement that really stays.
It was the first time I’d written directly in response to visual art and it changed the way I write. I started noticing poetry in small things like fabric, wood, colour and texture. Flatwoven came from spending time with Debbie Lawson’s Trout Stream and thinking about my recent experience of moving to my first home. Ruido was inspired by Anne Redpath’s Úbeda, Spain. That one felt really personal. I wrote it in Spanish and it felt like coming home in a way. Being able to bring my first language into the work and share it with a Scottish audience who were open and curious meant so much. It helped me connect with familiar themes like memory, home and longing, but from a fresh perspective.
Working with the other poets — Morag Anderson, Robbie MacLeòid, Mae Diansangu and Karen Macfarlane — was really special. Everyone brought something different and thoughtful. And Jim Mackintosh curated the whole thing so beautifully. He gave us space to be ourselves and try things out while still guiding us with care and clarity. He created an environment that felt safe but creatively challenging.
The best part was the performance night. We moved around the gallery reading our poems next to the artworks that inspired them, while the incredible musicians — Ali Hutton, Patsy Reid, Owen Sinclair and Laura-Beth Salter — responded live to each piece. The way the music and the words came together felt so alive. The combination of music, words and art made the whole thing feel so alive and immediate.
This was an experience that pushed me creatively and personally, helping me reconnect with my language and be braver in my work. And that feeling is something I’m going to hold onto. It opened a new door in my practice and I’m really excited to see where it takes me next.
You can watch the performance highlights here
