The Monthly interviews New Zealand musician and poet, Caitlin Smith – Part 3 – Working on my own projects

What ideas do you investigate with your own work?

For 22+ years now, I’ve used the tool from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, called ‘morning pages’ (writing 3 pages of longhand as soon as you wake each morning. I tend to write therapeutically, organically, automatically, in response to my loved experience. Themes present themselves. If more is happening in my life, ‘morning pages’ will increase, especially during times of difficulty. Deliberately writing, transcribing and editing a poem a day is also very useful. I did that for several years.

I don’t write much about being blind. That is something that really doesn’t come up. I did for a while compartmentalise my work – not writing about politics. I’d actually convinced myself that it wasn’t possible to combine political ideas within my writing. I finally decided that I could fuse the two. My albums of originals (and an album called ‘Stories to Tell’) is political, especially is you consider the personal as political (as feminism and identity politics do).

I’ve tended to focus on helping my students develop their voices and writing and haven’t prioritized my own output. I think I’m quite fearful-avoidant about my creativity and really need to deliberately carve out time dedicated to my creative development.

Where to now?

There was a documentary being made made about my life which had to be abandoned due to the director’s health issues. I’m hoping the project can be restarted with friends in Portland, Oregon.

I also want to establish a Blind Pride movement based around lived experience/peer support. There needs to be a clearer definition, representation and understanding of the blind experience. I’ve been part of a lobby group to introduce accessibility legislation in Aotearoa/NZ which could enforce compliance with universal design and consideration for those living with access needs.

I’m also just about to record a double album of 20 songs called The Long Game. As with my last CD You Have Reached Your Destination (by Brave Caitlin Smith’s Imaginary Band) there will be sound-art between songs, a book of poetry, as well as Braille and tactile elements on the cover.