Episode 070 - Wajid Hussain, Creative in The Lake District National Park

We are so exited to bring you a special mini series of podcast episodes created in collaboration with identity on tyne and their Black Nature in Residence Programme. 

Created and project coordinated by your host Dr Sheree Mack, the Black Nature in Residence Programmed (BNIR) aims to offer creative opportunities within nature for the global majority.  Started in 2019, the Black Nature in Residence Programme not only offers time and space in nature for creatives, focusing on the creative process and practices rather than putting the pressure on to produce produce and produce. The process is the focus rather than the outputs and outcomes. identity on tyne believes that when you give creatives the time and space to {BE},  something magical happens in the way they see themselves and their practice. The creatives have permission to play, experiment and create on their own terms. And nature is the guide in this process.

In this episode Sheree talks to Wajid Hussain about his residency in the Lake District. They talk about:

* Where Wajid is situated

* Who he be?

* How he has developed from BNIR to BNIR 2:0

* How he has been rehabilitating after covid

* What he's focusing on within his residency

* Being present in nature and observing

* Demystifying the creative 

* Self-care as a creative practitioner

 

Bio:

Wajid Hussain’s deepest passion is the ability of words, both spoken and visual, to connect with people from all walks of life. What makes his creative journey unique is how he’s blended his engineering background and cultural heritage into art. It's a blend of the sensory and the intellectual, where stories come to life through multiple senses. Wajid often combines poetry, word streams, and abstract illustrations to stir emotions and thoughts. Live poetry performances,
commissioned projects, and visual creations are all part of his artistic toolkit. His fervour for artistic expression propels his mission: to inspire and empower others to embrace their creativity while providing safe spaces that amplify their voices. Dear Deddy-ji (Waterloo Press, 2012), Wajid’s first published collection of prose poems is dedicated to his late Father, covers themes fatherhood, legacy and identity.