New Year- New Beginnings

Almost a new year. 

New beginnings.

New look website.

New work to be created.

Out with the old.

So selling some of my sculptures

to make room in my studio

- and in my head.

Funds raised will support

the creation of new work

M.E. support links

M.E. - WHAT IS IT? 

 M.E. is an acquired complex neurological disorder affecting multiple systems of the body. The body’s ability to generate and produce energy at a cellular level is seriously impaired meaning systems and organs cannot function properly causing progressive systemic deterioration.

Here a few snapshots from the internet:

Blogs:

I am one of the founding member of M.E. Advocates Ireland - see our blog for lots of information about ME in Ireland, personal stories as well as our advocasy efforts.

• A comprehensive leaflet created in aid of the M.E. Advocates Ireland
• Moira Dillon's Article about ME, published in Irish health.com
• Offerings from the Wellspring A creative blog by Theresa Doherty
• ME related posts on my blog,  for example living with ME is like having to re-invent myself every day , We need to tell our story 
• Blog about writing aids and tools

M.E. Explained on Youtube:

• The Golden Girls 'sick and tired'
• Fit to Fly DVD/Documentary was the brainchild of Irish artist David Begley. "In this documentary the artist Corina Duyn talks openly about her growth over the past years and how her journey (through M.E.) has informed her art making":  part 1  & part 2 The first video starts with a black screen, please be patient, the video proper starts in a few seconds)
• Radio interview with Sean O'Rourke (and my co-interviewee Sarah Meehan) from 10th June 2015 Youtube with images of my work
• Podcast about the This Ability exhibition which tells a lot about my life with M.E

Support for learning to live well: 

• Living Well with Pain and Illness. A hugely supportive book by Vidyamala Burch i
• IMET Relaxation Tape on 'youtube'. Working at relaxation skills is an important part of management
• Empower within guided meditations on for example: pain management and helping with sleeping empowered
• Yoga for ME / Chronic Fatigue: The Practice of Yoga
• My own books, especially Hatched a creative journey through M.E. and 'Into the Light'
• Dear Stranger by Anastasia Palmer, amazing wisdom from a very young girl.

Patient Support Groups:

• M.E. Support   A clear site with a huge amount of practical information  (my story )
• Ireland: Irish ME Trust or Irish me cfs. org
• Group for severely effected: 25 % me group

moving on

A new year is almost upon us. For me that seems to be more than just the start of 2016. After finishing working on my Into the Light project I am ready for my new year...
As I see it, any creative project is just a moment in time, and time has moved on.

The pages and artworks which I created over the past three years or more, all have their story to tell. They helped me to 'figure things out', to bring me further along my path. Most needs to stay in my company for a while so I can fully take in their message.
Now, most are ready to move on, and live with someone who might need their presence more than I do, at this point in time.

I feel I have entered a new phase of my healing, a new departure in my adventure through illness- through life. I am ready to move on. Making room for the new...
Therefor, most of the remaining sculptures are available for any reasonable offer. Preferable offers of about 50% of the original price (to cover material and some of my time), but if money really is an issue and you can tell me why any particular sculpture needs to be in your life, please DO let me know, and maybe we can come to some arrangement that is acceptable to us both.
I do however would like to have any cost of postage covered.
Contact me

Some of the sculptures:
See more on my web page  or here where the available works are noted in bold text.

Wishing you all a wonderful year ahead, and thank you so much for being with me throughout these past years.

Corina

Into the Light

Rejuvenate

Dancer

Self Hug

Cabbages

Into the Light on Black Friday

For - Black Friday  - only! If you happen to come to this page after Black Friday, see my SHOP for today's offers Thank you!! Wishing you Light on this Black Day

 

Earth's Wisdom

Self Hug © Corina Duyn 2012

Self Hug © Corina Duyn 2012

... I have missed writing blogs, just writing to share and reflect.

For 2 or 3 years I have been actively working on Into the Light. Reading, writing, editing, sourcing my images, and loved every minute of it. The hardest part of bringing out a book is not the writing of it but all the energy required to promote it.

That all started with it the very generous offer from John to start the funding campaign to pay for the printing. I had completely underestimated the demand for my energy that was required to do that, as most of the work was done by Brendan. Thank you both.

This mad busy, nerve wrecking time was followed by finishing the book and organising the book launches.  

However, Every step along the way brought it's own beauty too.  Especially meeting wonderful people along the way!

Rejuvenate © Corina Duyn 2012

Since the busy times are over I needed time to reflect, to the re-evaluate where I am at.  

To rest,  to rejuvenate. 

Recently, a friend forwarded a link to the Women Wellness Circle. What perfect timing to meet these wonderful young women, who themselves lived with chronic illness and found ways to bring wellness into their lives and share their wisdom with other women around the world. They speak to my heart. They talk about meditation, nature, self care, wisdom we have in our own bodies, if we are brave enough to listen. They take their wisdom from many sources, many resonate with me having read a lot of books over the past few years about illness, wellness, the wisdom of nature, the need for stillness and mediation. Thank you Sophie and Frances, and to Heike who shared the link to their website. I have followed the free sessions, and am now part of the one month long Radical Self Care Circle.

Metamorphosis © Corina Duyn 2012

Every time I listen to this meditation which very much brings us deep into the earth's strength and knowledge, I think how my own journey into wellness has progressed.
As followers of my work will know, my earlier sculptures and writing very much had the bird as theme. Flying into Freedom.
Three years or so ago, I suddenly started to use roots in my sculptures. This, I realized later was no coincidence, as I had become more firmly rooted in my thoughts.
Maybe flying was also a way to fly away from reality... 

Metapmorphosis was the first sculpture. Followed by several other pieces, which are feature in this blog, and on my website.


My last root-sculpture, Wisdom, created about a year ago, I feel is balancing those early birds, who brough me through a very touch time, and the being rooted in reality. Taking the wisdom from the earth and from the sky.

In my recently re-organised living room, this sculpture is now taking pride of place and is accompanying me on this journey into further self-care and gaining of more knowledge.

Thank you all who are on this journey with me.

Wisdom © Corina Duyn 2015

Gratitude

I would like to THANK YOU for all the kindness I have received throughout my 'Into the Light' adventure. It has been, and continues to be a heartwarming experience.

I am deeply humbled.

I am receiving some truly inspiring, mind blowing emails from readers who either consciously bought my book, or whom came across it by pure chance. People whom I most likely will never meet in person, but whom have become a part of my life. The stories I have had the privilege to read made every challenge along my way, worth it.

Into the Light readers have asked me to hold copies aside for them to give as Christmas presents to their friends, family, and care-organisations. In response to this requests I have created some packages with free postage (to one address) to anywhere in the world, throughout the month of November.

See my  SHOP for more information. Where of course all my books are also available as individual orders.

In terms of my SCULPTURES... I am open to offers.

My deepest gratitude
Corina

Lismore launch of Into the Light

The Lismore launch of Into the Light was almost three weeks ago and I simply did not have the energy to write about it. The Exhibition comes to an end tomorrow. 

A few days before the launch Padraig Naughton, Director of Arts and Disability Ireland (ADI), who was to launch the book and exhibition fell ill and was unable to attend. I wish him well.

The ADI organised to have Mary Grehan, Director of Waterford Healing Arts Trust (WHAT) to take his place. I was deeply honoured that Ramona from ADI organised this, and equally honoured that Mary was able to come at such short notice. Especially, as she said in her speech, she had been stuck in her 'cave'... the cave that represents the filling in of the huge application to gain the next year's funding for WHAT. 

Thank you!

The ADI forwarded this letter from Padraig:

Good evening, everyone.

It is with regret, and due to health reasons that I am not in attendance tonight, having been honoured by Corina several months ago when she asked me to launch ‘Into the Light’ in Lismore this evening.

Having watched this project since its inception, I am delighted to have spent time with this wondrous ‘book in a box’, which so beautifully reflects Corina’s path and patience in maintaining an arts practice whilst dealing with chronic illness.

Her transition from working in sculpture to new mediums as a result of her ME is illustrative of how many artists with disabilities need to respond to degenerative illness, and her willingness to share these experiences is something that I am happy to champion.

I was delighted to interview Corina for my radio show ‘Arts & Disability Radio’ on Near FM three months ago, in the middle of her hugely successful Fund It campaign, which saw ‘Into the Light’ manifest into the finished work that we are launching here tonight. Her interview was one of the most well-received in the history of the show, which I think shows how heartening and uplifting her work and response to her illness is.

I wish you great success with this exhibition, Corina, and with ‘Into the Light’ in the coming weeks and months. I will finish by reading one of my favourite ‘pages’ from the book, the appropriately titled ‘It Will Pass’.

Accepting

that we might not be able

to do things

the way we did them

yesterday

Taking responsibility

not trying to do

what well people do

today

Knowing

that we only have to go

through this very

moment

Trusting

that the longing

 will pass

It was lovely to see so many people at the launch. Locals, friends from Cork, people I had met months ago at Dzogchen Beara whom travelled from Limerick. A dear friend and my sister both travelled from Holland to be with me for this, (what I started to understand) big occasion.
It truly is. The writing of the book is one thing, the publicity is another, but the sharing... That is the most beautiful of this whole  into the light adventure.

Artist and Mindfulness teacher Pascale De Coninck welcoming us all,
and introducing Mary Grehan.

Mary Grehan WHAT giving an amazing speech

Mary told us about her experiences of arts in hospitals - art created during sickness - recalling one patient's question: "Is that what sick people do? paint?" Another patient, a writer, asked during illness, "is there life with this life?"

"Corina shows us a life that is close to nature, that is filled with imagination, and thought, and reflection, with a clear sense of who she is, and the course that she is travelling through this world, and yes there is a life - and art has a big part to play in it"

"... Imagination is not diminishes by serious illness, but expanded..."

"If you didn't know Corina had a serious illness- a very challenging one- if you had only met her through emails etc- you get a sense of a woman with an extraordinary spirit, extraordinary energy, extraordinary determination, ... it comes through in everything - in the care in which she has created this very special treasure box...

The achievement is huge"

My turn to face the audience and say my bit!

Well, I had to follow the very powerful words that Mary mesmerized us with.
I told about my 'cave', how the book came about, the initial seed and the growing of this project ready to be 'harvested' at the launch.  Read a few of the pages.
There were questions from the audience. Biscuits eaten, books signed, photos takes.
Thank you all!

One of my requests was that my guests would write a few words in my copy, which is now a beautiful memory of thoughts, reflections, and well wishes by many, many people. Beautiful!

A photo opportunity with the members of the IWA groups I am a member of
and work with every Monday. More about this soon!

Two versions of my Into the Light book

Article by Christy Parker in the Dungarvan Observer

Since the launch I had two groups coming for talks. The IWA, and the Lismore "No Limits" group.
Both occasions I look back on with great fondness.
I hope to be able to do more talks in time to come, in other locations. Who knows! Please contact me, if you have any suggestions!

The books are continuing to find their way around the world, and I am receiving some truly inspiring emails from complete strangers. Strangers whom have become traveling companions.
What a journey!

If you like your own copy, please visit my shop Into the Light is a limited edition book...

Lismore Book Launch and Exhibition

The second launch of Into the Light will be at Lismore Library 

on the 24th September, 7 pm

All Welcome

The exhibition runs until the 15th October

Groups are invited to come in for a talk about the work 

and the subject of life with chronic illness/disability and the power of creativity.

please contact Corina to arrange this 

se HERE for an account of the first launch

Book launch of Into the Light with Michael Harding as guest speaker

Corina Duyn & Michael Harding at Dzogchen Beara Care Centre-
Book launch of Into the Light

Well, What can I say...
The first book launch was really a week long event. Everybody who was there was in some way involved in the preparation of the book launch.  Guests and staff alike. It was truly extraordinary.  Boxes were assembled, dinners were cooked,  layout for the launch were discussed and planned, breakfast was made, books were admired and purchased days before the actual launch.My deepest gratitude to everybody involved.I could not have done this launch without this support.

We had a private 'ceremony' in the conservatory of room 4 of the Care Centre, where the book in its present format came into being, just over a year ago. I had the honour to share this with John,  the spiritual care staff I have shared many hours talking with over the past year. With Mary and Karin of the Care Centre, and with Peter Cornish who was the brains behind Dzogchen Beara all those years ago. See here for his story 

The day of the launch started with the most amazing light flooding the ocean. It seemed the sunniest day of the year.  During the morning meditation I was thinking how I decided on the title Into the Light at least 2 years ago, as if I knew that when I would launch the book, there would be this extraordinary light. Mother Nature- so much present in my book, was doing her bit on launch day!

"prayer flags" book pages

Book Launch  at Dzogchen Beara Care Centre

Juliana and Tony at Dzogchen Beara Care Centre

Corina Duyn and Peter Cornish at Dzogchen Beara Care Centre-

Juliana played the violin when people came into the Centre for the launch.  Malcolm from Dzogchen beara opened the event with an informative talk about the Care Centre and introduced Michael Harding, the guest speaker for the event.

 Michael Harding at Dzogchen Beara Care Centre

Michael said it was a real honour to be here. He told some stories about meditation -  looking cross eyed -  having a tendency to not succeed at anything but is very good at being himself.Looking at the book pages pages hanging like prayer flag in the hallway –  he said how I used my art to enter into those spaces of unease, to enter into those spaces where you feel isolated in yourself, to feel all those terrible things illness brings forth. Quoting Susan Sontag he reminded us that we are all human, we are all going to be ill and going to die... 

"The words in this book - Into the Light- are from the heart. They are realisations- rather than ideas.They are a beautiful kind of resource. It is beautiful and extraordinary… The artist used her illness - something that happened to her - to go deeper, querying the joys of being alive. The words and images tell us not to be afraid. It is beautiful here too. And that is an amazing thing. So thank you for that.”


I had to follow this wonderful talk which provoked laughter and contemplation.Thank goodness Michael suggested for Juliana to play a little more music. It gave me the chance to compose myself. I told a little about how Dzogchen Beara and the care centre were an important factor in how the book became a book in a box. Inspired by the prayer flags, the people I met, the reality of my challenging health at the time.  "The final presentation of a creative project about the people would in time. Influenced by circumstance, people, media, and location. Change these elements and the outcome is different." I thanked all the people who were involved in bringing this project to its completion, including the generous funding from Rehab and read a few of my pages, with a little explanation of the thoughts behind the words.

Corina Duyn and Michael Harding at Dzogchen Beara Care Centre- Into the Light Book Launch

small exhibition during book launch at Dzogchen Beara Care Centre-
with few sculptures and tapestries

See and hear a little of the launch at youtube

It was a truly memorable event. 

One filled with beauty and kindness.

THANK YOU ALL!

The next launch is scheduled for Thursday 24 September at Lismore Library, West Street, Lismore, Co Waterford at 7 PM with the guest speaker Padraig Naughton, Director of Arts and Disability Ireland.
All Welcome!!

I will also be selling my book during Culture Night, 18th September in Waterford City, upstairs at Greyfriars.

What makes 'Into the Light' into a book...

A book in a box, with loose sheets requires a bit of assembling...

One of the boxes full of Boxes

Boxes full of book pages

all the other bits:
bookmark-invites; bookmarks, sleeves for the boxes, stickers for inside the box...

A room full of boxes...
Heike helping me! Thank goodness!

My job: Signing and labeling the boxes

Box- with sleeve

Back of sleeve

Into the Light- fully assembled

Opening the Box

Loose pages in the box

Into the Light Book Pages and box with sleeve

Me and Mary Quinn, who was the first person
to pick up her copy of Into the Light

All done.

Ready for the Book launches!!

can't come to the launch? Book also available from my shop

and a little  Story about book-babies

Book-babies

Book-Baby, sculpture in 'Into the Light' box

Bringing a creative project to a conclusion is almost as if you're about to give birth. On this occasion, giving birth to a "book-baby".

Last year August my friend Dolores and I talked about our book-ideas. Both were in the planning for years, but that day we both made a firm commitment to bring our ideas into life.
To really get "pregnant". To grow that seed of thought into reality.

You can say that writing a book comes with all the uncertainties of a pregnancy; will it grow full-term, what will it look like, will it be healthy, what do other people think, where will it be delivered, will it have a good life, will I be a good 'mother'...
(Deciding on design, paper, looks, size, who will publish it, who will print)

Into the Light - Corina Duyn & In the Veins - Dolores Ronayne

One year, and a lot of hard work later, we met to share the proofs of our labours.
We had a "Book-Baby-Shower" as it were. A celebration in anticipation of the real birth.
Twins!

I know, it sounds far fetched, this baby-thing. but trust me, I have had this conversation with other self-published authors and artists. Being creative IS like bringing a child into the world. It has the essence of our very being. Our DNA.




Into the Light is now a reality.
500 'babies' have been born.
It will be officially launched in a week's time at Dzogchen Beara

In the Veins will be launched in Dungarvan on the 10th September.

Both 'book-babies' are embarking on a new adventure, a new life.

All my 'Book-Babies'

Book launch of 'Into the Light' at Dzogchen Beara

Sample pages and Box of 'Into the Light' by Corina Duyn

Into the Light is an Artist Book-in-a-wooden-box. Each loose sheet has a short reflection on life with chronic illness/disability, although its wisdoms are also applicable to many of life’s challenges. Fear, hope, acceptance, society's attitudes, the power of creativity and moments of gratitude are all explored. Supported by quotes from a great variety of authors, each sheet is illustrated with Corina’s stunning nature photographs and her imaginative art. The reader becomes part of the project by deciding the sequence of the pages, to take one out, hang them up like prayer flags, or post them off to friends or family. The project has received much praise, and received funding from the Rehab Visual and Performing Arts Fund and Waterford Council Publising Fund. Corina has a great capacity to help others with your work.   Tobi Zausner, PhD, LCSW, Writer and Therapist. USA It is wonderful the way Corina has brought this book into being for the benefit of others. Vidyamala Burch, Author of Mindfulness for Health, UK  ‘Living our lives fully, completely, without rejecting anything’, that is what Into to Light has shown me. Pascale De Coninck, Artist & Mindfulness Teacher, Ireland The first book launch will be on Sunday 6th September at 3pm, at the Dechen Shying Care Centre, Dzogchen Beara, Allihies, West Cork. Guest speaker is author Michael Harding, author of the multi award winning book Staring at Lakes, and his more recent publication Hanging with the Elephant .

All Welcome. Dechen Shying is wheelchair accessible. For further details see website or Facebook  or Dzogchen Beara Facebook  The second launch is on Thursday 24th September at Lismore Library. Guest speaker is Padraig Naughton from Arts and Disability Ireland. More about this later.

If you can't come to the launch, but like to own a copy of Into the Light, please visit my shop

Michael Harding

Corina Duyn

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Corina Duyn studied and worked as a palliative care nurse and as care worker in her native Holland. It was after moving to Ireland in 1990 that her creative life took off.  Her Fantasy Folk Artist Dolls are in private and corporate collections in Ireland, Europe and USA. From 1998 she unintentionally embarked on a new creative journey, mapping her experiences of living with the chronic illness ME. Living life in the slow lane, she became a great observer of her immediate surroundings, which made  their presence known in her art and subsequently in her writing.  This resulted in several solo exhibitions and publication of three books: Hatched, a creative journey through ME. (2006); Cirrus Chronicles - Landing in Ballynelligan (2009); Flying on Little Wings (2011). Published by Little Wings. During the first fourteen years of illness, the focus of her art was that of the life-cycle of a bird. Starting life afresh as the embryo in an egg - growing into an adult bird. After reaching a new level of acceptance with her circumstances, her artwork changed to exploring the experience of being more grounded and rooted. Perhaps her desire to fly was also a flying away from the reality of pain and isolation?  This acceptance was also the seed for Corina to attend a year of Disability Studies at UCC in 2012/13. This course greatly influenced her focus in life and art, and was the start of the Into the Light project.

Book Launches of Into the Light by Artist and writer Corina Duyn

Please join us for the Book Launches of Into the Light

 by Artist and writer Corina Duyn

 Sunday 6 September, 3 pm

Dechen Shying Care Centre Dzogchen Beara Allihies, West Cork

Guest speaker: Michael Harding

Author Staring at Lakes / Hanging with the Elephant, playwright & Irish Times columnist

Directions: Dzogchen Beara , (027) 73032

RSVP Corina

AND

Thursday 24 September 7pm

Lismore Library Lismore, Co. Waterford

including an exhibition of Corina's Artworks 

Guest speaker: Pádraig Naughton

Director Arts and Disability Ireland

Exhibition runs till 15th October

Contact Corina  if you’d like to book a group-talk at the library during the exhibition

Directions:  Lismore Library, (058) 21377

RSVP Corina

 Into the Light is also available from shop page

If you would like to purchase one of the artworks or, ahead of the exhibition in September, please see the relevant pages.

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