Nan Pickering

Nestled amongst our floating market, you will find The Contemplation Boat – or our own Stream of Consciousness – where we invite you to step on to the water and go with the flow of your thoughts.

Nan Pickering, whose practice includes self expression for wellbeing, has been supporting people in local communities to explore their thoughts around nature, place and belonging. Part of Nan’s self expression practice is freewriting, or stream of consciousness writing, where the writer is encouraged to write or explore their thoughts in any form, on the blank page, to a prompt.

You will be invited on board and encouraged to be still and mindful for seven minutes, to close your eyes and to see where your mind can take you whilst on board, cradled by the water beneath you and suspended in time.

‘Contemplation Boat’ has unfolded over the last six months working on The Bridge That Connects. Nan took part in The Bridge that Connects’ green prescribing day in summer 2024 and has more recently been working to develop a number of creative sessions aimed at supporting people who are based locally, who wanted to explore mental wellbeing through creative writing. The people she has worked with have used free writing and storytelling techniques to explore their own thoughts, particularly connected to a sense of place, and bring them to the page. These sessions took place at the Pontcysyllte Chapel Tea Room in Trevor, where starting points included nature-based oracle cards, inspirational quotes about trees, water and other elements of the natural world, and a range of objects, all selected to stimulate thoughts and introduce themes to write towards. One such theme was the hawthorn tree, a species present in the local area, and symbolic of shelter, love and protection.

Nan reflects that the writing produced “is stunning and from the heart”. She underlines the importance of each person feeling in control over their writing and in control of the sharing of this with others. The work created has included poetry and prose on themes connecting nature and the changing of the seasons, to the changes we experience throughout our lives (both good and bad); and the paths we take, both literally and metaphorically. Nan is working alongside artist Cathy Wade, another artist in residence for The Bridge that Connects. They are developing ways to sensitively and impactfully share elements of this writing with others, to give a platform to the voices of local residents, who live close to this beauty spot and all it represents, and to profile the merits of creative responses to life experiences, including those that are traumatic and challenging.

With a background in journalism and a Masters in storytelling, Nan Pickering has a clear love of the written and spoken word. Nan, who has specialist knowledge and interest in the areas of recovery, belonging and vulnerability, works with Community Wellness, including at their Cefn Mawr sessions. This organisation works to support people to live healthier and more meaningful lives, through root cause recovery, their ethos being invested in “Co-creating inclusive, therapeutic communities, one community at a time.” She also freelances for Mold-based organisation Outside Lives who focus all of their activity on the wellbeing of people and the planet, including through access to nature.