Intertidal Walking and Writing with J.R. Carpenter & Sylak Ravenspine
About this Event
Sunday 14 June
- 8AM - 1PM
- £25 per person
- SPACES LIMITED!
- Free transport to and from Chalkwell Hall.
- Meeting/end point: Chalkwell Hall, Southend
- Light lunch provided - For any dietary needs, please contact us at [email protected]
Join artist, writer, fossil hunter, and Port of London Authority (PLA) licensed mudlark J. R. Carpenter with local Essex based artist Sylak Ravenspine for an intertidal walking and writing workshop in the Thames Estuary. As we move between high and low tide, mud flats and marshland, fresh and salt water, we will navigate the creative space between noticing and noting, where writing happens.
During this walking and writing workshop we will encounter a range of terrains including: beach, mudflats, and marshland. Writing prompts will be offered in response to each of these environments, with time for reflection and discussion between prompts. No prior writing experience is necessary.
Workshop Disclaimer:
By booking a place on this event, Intertidal Walking and Writing workshop with J.R. Carpenter and Sylak Ravenspine, you acknowledge and accept the following:
- Physical Activity: The event includes walking on uneven, slippery, and muddy terrain, as well as a short boat trip.
- Inherent Risks: Participation involves natural risks such as changing tides, weather conditions, and wildlife encounters – If the weather is not suitable, the structure of the day will change.
- Footwear: Please wear suitable footwear, such as wellington boots, to navigate the muddy estuary safely and keep your feet dry.
- Personal Responsibility: You confirm that you are physically capable of participating and accept full responsibility for any injury, loss, or damage incurred during the event.
- Liability Waiver: Metal and its partners are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage sustained during these activities, except in cases of proven negligence.
- Dietary Requirements: For any dietary needs, please contact us at [email protected]
We will be joined by experienced practitioners and have conducted and facilitated many people on such adventures along the Estuary.
By proceeding with the booking, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to the terms outlined above.
About the Artists:
J. R. Carpenter is an artist, writer, and researcher working across performance, print, and digital media. The Gathering Cloud won the New Media Writing Prize 2016. An Ocean of Static was highly commended by the Forward Prizes 2018. This is a Picture of Wind was listed in The Guardian’s best poetry books of 2020 and featured in the Digital Storytelling exhibition at the British Library 2023. Measures of Weather was The Observer’s poetry book of the month and a finalist for the Laurel Prize 2025. Carpenter is a Lecturer in Performance Writing at University of Leeds.
JR's recent books include shore thing, a poetry pamphlet about mudlarking on the River Thames; p a u s e., a poetry collection about walking, writing, and attention on the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton. JR is also well-known for digital projects which explore questions of place, displacement, climate, and deep time.
Find J.R. Carpenter's website HERE
Instagram: @jrcarpenter
Sylak Ravenspine is an Essex-based eco-artist whose practice is rooted in the local landscape. Drawing deep inspiration from the tidal marshes and eroding coastlines of Essex, Sylak forages material from the area, imparting a sense of fragility, ecological stewardship, and renewal into everything he creates. His ‘Inks of Essex’ provide a fluid representation of the environment, while his work on recording soil structures redefines field data as an artform. Sylak’s work responds to the land with an intentional surrender to natural cycles that challenges traditional notions of permanence and control in art.
Essex Inks Company HERE
Instagram: @sylak_ravenspine
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 25.00
