THE PATMOS PROJECT

I am sometimes asked about my 'creative process' - the process of designing and then working on my pieces and I never really know how to respond. I have been thinking about this issue again as I work on my Patmos project. It still remains a mystery!

My starting point is people. As I often say - People Matter. All people, not just - as in the line in the song 'Colours of the Wind' - those "who look and think like you". I have then found further inspiration from what I know of the person or people I am making the piece for - or, as in 'Guantanamo', the people working on behalf of those being held in such inhuman conditions, such as Clive Stafford Smith of Reprieve.

.'Guantanamo' by Louise Donovan (2014)

From those points of inspiration there then comes the graph paper, pens, rulers

PATMOS PRELUDE

The small island of Patmos is one of the most sacred places in the Christian world. A place of bewitching power where people come for a brief summer visit and end up returning year after year - as we have. We've travelled there by various routes. The first time via Kos and Kalymnos on small ferry boats. Then during the 90s via Samos, again on small ferry boats that looked ready for retirement. There was one memorable trip when we met a group of young troubadours and jugglers on the quayside who continued to entertain with song, dance and juggling on the boat.

Now a swift modern ferry takes us direct from Piraeus, the port of Athens. But whichever way we