Waterford artist cuts words with nursing home launch of latest creation

Artist Corina Duyn celebrated the launch of the paperback version of her latest publication, 'In Bed I Cut Words', as part of Arts In Nursing Homes Day, which took place on Friday, May 16.

Corina has been living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) for 26 years, and 'In Bed I Cut Words' is her latest artistic response to having to surrender her independent life and move to full-time care at the relatively young age of 59, in 2021.

The book is a beautiful collection that showcases the artist's collages along with poems, prose and thoughts from fellow artists, poets and health professionals. 

Copies of the book will be distributed free of charge to a variety of arts and health practitioners, arts offices and public libraries, thanks to the generous support of Waterford City and County Council and the Irish Hospice Foundation. 

An artist, writer and puppet designer/maker, Corina Duyn has been making puppets since she was 10, when she created her first rag doll. However, when she was 36 she became ill with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

The increasing limitations imposed by her illness took an increasing toll on her daily life and her creative endeavours and having finally accepted that she could no longer live independently, Corina moved to Signacare Nursing Home in Waterford.

Realising that she needed to take action to somehow maintain her creative spirit and following the ethos of, 'there is always a way', Corina issued a plea to her friends and contacts to help her to continue her art practice. 

That resulted in Waterford Healing Arts introducing her to artist, Caroline Schofield and so began a remarkable collaboration which culminated in the ground-breaking exhibition, 'I brought the dream of flying', at GOMA Gallery of Modern Art in Waterford, in 2023. The exhibition was supported by Waterford Healing Arts and Creative Waterford. 

The exhibition later moved to Creative Brain Week at the Naughton Institute, Trinity College Dublin.

As Corina’s ME continued to restrict her physical ability, collage became an essential means for her to continue making art and expressing herself creatively. 

A collection of collages on the theme of Home, which began as part of the 'I brought the dream of flying', exhibition, continued to grow, resulting in the self-published hardback edition of 'In Bed I Cut Words'. 

Such was the demand for this stunning publication, designed by David Murphy in Red Heaven Design, the decision was made to publish a paperback version. 

A spokesperson for Waterford City & County Council said: "'In Bed I Cut Words', is a visual and literary treat, but one which also poses important questions, challenging the concept of ‘Home’, and illustrating the impact of home being a place where someone must live when they cannot live where they wish."

"Waterford City and County Council, along with the Irish Hospice Foundation and Waterford Healing Arts, have been delighted to continue to support this important work by this extraordinary artist," she added.

Katherine Collins, Creative Waterford Coordinator said: “‘In Bed I Cut Words’ is a challenging work exploring the realities of being a creator in a care home setting, exploring what ‘home’ means to the creative spirit and body amongst other considerations."

"It challenges us, the audience, to consider what it is to be a younger person living in a space that cannot necessarily meet all her needs; to be able to create, to collaborate, to communicate," said Ms Collins.

Waterford City and County Council’s Creative Ireland Programme supported Corina's exhibition, 'I brought the dream of flying', in 2023 and the local authority spokesperson said: "We are delighted to continue this relationship by providing funding for the paperback print of her latest title." 

"The Creative Communities pillar of Creative Ireland strives to ensure that participation in and access to creativity and culture is equal in all aspects of life; by supporting Corina’s work and bringing it to a wider audience we hope that a wider conversation can take place about how to support people’s creative expression in whatever settings they find themselves," she added.

Meanwhile, Claire Meaney, Director of Réalta, which manages the Waterford Healing Arts programme, said: “It has been our absolute privilege to support Corina’s work over many years, in particular since she moved into full-time care and developed the unique collaboration with artist Caroline Schofield."

"The strength and clarity of Corina’s artistic voice is inspiring on its own, but when we consider this determination in the context of her many challenges, it is abundantly clear that Corina is a true artist: she quite simply must make art in order to survive," she said.

Further information about Corina and her work go online to www.corinaduyn.com