Book of Hours: An Almanac for the Seasons of the Soul
Over the course of the pandemic, a complication with my chronic illness left me alone in a darkened room for three weeks. I drew comfort from an imagined Book of Hours. Half Almanac, half prayer book, medieval Books of Hours offered guidance for every situation and every day of the year. As I recovered I started to wonder, where was the spiritual guidebook for people like me; lost, sick, artists who watch too much reality TV? I couldn’t find one, so I made my own.
Borrowing wisdom from Anglo-Saxon hermits, contemporary artists and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Book of Hours is a collection of lyric essay and poetry exploring what it means to have faith, why we chase suffering and how to take solace in small joys.
Book of Hours started life when I was an associate artist with Disability Arts Online, when I was researching hermits and the history of solitude. I originally intended to write the book as a companion to my installation Anchorage, but the writing took on a life of it’s own. I developed the writing as part of my Developing Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England and worked with two mentors Polly Atkin and Lucy Burnett. While Working on the project I received support from Dada Fest and Attenborough Arts Centre. The self published artists book was launched at Leeds Playhouse and in 2023 won The Barbellion Prize for literature. The book has sold out three small print runs and I’m currently taking some time to figure out what the future or the project is.
Praise
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“Funny, moving and profound - this is a vital contribution to writing on illness that everyone should read”
Polly Atkin multi-award-winning poet, and academic.
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"Beautiful and evocative writing"
Lucy Wright, artist and researcher, Producer for Axis
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"A compelling, witty and honest outpouring of knowledge combined with a refreshing depth of thought"
Colin Hambrook Editor Disability Arts Online