Catalina (U.K.) - Reflexion

I have struggled in the academic writing world. I come from architectural design training and have visual thinking. I have been building my confidence on writing but felt overwhelmed with the rigid protocols of academic publications.

Yet poetry comes to me easily for long time and collage making became my refuge of rest during the pandemic. The creative catalyst course affirmed and gave me licence to value and link my passion for storytelling, poetry, and collage. Now I am convinced that they are an asset for enriching my academic writing. For instance, recently I published a theory-based article about decolonising storytelling in urban planning. I demonstrated that the ‘once upon a time’ wisdom of marginalised women are essential to think more just cities.

I learned that the principles of visual composition still applies to strive also for beauty. That I can frame writing as a spatial pursue that emanates from my city exploration and design ideas. I was reminded that we need to infuse with nurturing creative sources our routines. You cannot exhale the pleasure of creative writing if you don’t inhale the air of beauty constantly.