Catch Your Breath Exhibition Consultant

March 2020

Whirlwind of activities to end Life of Breath. A last research meeting followed by a wondrous celebration evening, followed by morning project breakfast. I love my paperweight, thank you Life of Breath. I will use it to remind me of how much I’ve learned and gained whilst being involved. So glad I’ve been able to contribute to such an important project. Am very moved… Professor Havi Carel said some lovely things, including, ‘Elspeth, you and Catherine have gone beyond my wildest dreams for the exhibition (and events).’ Got to say that being involved in the project has gone beyond all my expectations….

Corridor photos at the last Life of Breath meeting, with Jordan and Catherine

End of project present

Still reflecting on the fantastic evening at Bristol Museum which we held on Thursday to celebrate Life of Breath project. The gathering, the exhibits, the choir… beautiful. Feel very proud of all our work.

January 2020

Here’s my January blog post, featuring all the latest for Catch Your Breath Bristol:

Thank you Catherine

I am eternally grateful to my co-consultant Dr Catherine Lamont for her unerring positivity and feedback. Here are a few of her words keeping me afloat….

“You have such an unerring eye for unique creators Elspeth!”

“Belated thanks for the delightful below Elspeth – you are such a power-house of energy – and fab your talents (not just your appreciation of others’ talents!.).. continue to be recognised”

“Unsurprising the suspended letters were a big hit with the Liberal Arts students on their tour at Southmead yesterday – as was the Letters to My Breath intervention when shared on Tuesday in the workshop after talk”

“Thanks all for such a thought-provoking evening. As I mentioned to Elspeth – I feel the range of the ‘audience’ was perfect to gently unpick your invitations from so many perspectives. Also a welcome reminder to me about how much role-play can energise the data – wonderful embodied re-framing! – and loved the balance of mime, writing, dialogue – not forgetting the web – nor the chocolates… I am still mulling over much… and appreciate the (anticipated) food for thought, opportunity to absorb your insights”

December 2019

It’s such fun being a consultant and curator on the Wellcome Trust funded Life of Breath Project’s Catch Your Breath Bristol exhibition and workshop programme. Working alongside Philosophy Professor Havi Carel, fellow consultant Catherine Lamont, and our administrators Jordan and Nancy is a total pleasure. Creating events which bring together the interdisciplinary team, at Life of Breath Project, and the public, is a joy.

All about our exhibition –some lovely events if you happen to be near Bristol.

September 2019

Some feedback from our launch.

‘A brilliant range of events, inventive and intelligent’

‘You were a great speaker – audible, succinct, interesting and measured (steady presence).’

There have been many wonderful workshops we’ve been able to provide so far, for example a workshop about breath in puppetry with the inspired Chris Pirie (Green Ginger).

‘What a rich, diverse and interesting array of exhibits and stories! Dr Nina Couzin, Institute Manager, Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research.

Louise Jenkins’ Breath Capsules, inspired by the Letter to the Breath project, developed by Elspeth Penny and Dr Alice Malpass

Rap to the breath workshop

Also, light-touch, attentive, playful, fully embodied, inspired… we’re so pleased to have brought Mandeep Singh @MandeepTheMC into our programme. He held an awesome workshop at the cosy funky venue ⁦@southbank_club, Bristol. Mandeep, who is a year 6 medical student at Kings, came over to Bristol for us, and got all participants rapping about the breath: we even made our own rap too, soon to be released (perhaps) !