This week, we turn our attention to Zainab Hudha, the creator of ‘self-muse,’ which marks a unique first for Sri Lanka.
- How would you introduce yourself to an audience completely unfamiliar with your work?
Three things. I am a visual poet and mixed-media artist. I believe we were created to create, in whatever it is that we do. I pride myself on being born on our beautiful little island.
My work, all of it, really, centres on creative problem-solving; I like the idea of fusing my educational background and my passion for the creative arts. What I have done (and will do in the future) is to celebrate the wholeness of life – the good, the bad, and everything in between. I want to do this in a way that allows us to have fun creating things while using our hands and along the way bring us closer to ourselves and other like-minded people.
- You frequently host various workshops. Could you share the types of workshops you do and the purposes you have for conducting them?
A quick breakdown. @from.zainab is my personal Instagram account. Being an artist can be a bit lonesome and that wasn’t for me; I am a people person. Initially, all my effort was in the online space and I created Muse Collective, a then nameless community, in early 2021. Now, I try to keep Muse Collective and the workshops separate from my personal work because it helps me manage the two better.
Muse Collective is an initiative to make the world a place that lets us be kids, where we can create because we want to and for no bigger reason than that, which is why I often use the term ‘casual artists’.
What we do is currently segmented into workshops and events. Workshops use a teaching-learning setup and combine applied psychology and the creative arts to encourage self-expression, emotional exploration, and personal growth. Workshops are usually on poetry writing or art journalling. Events include picnics and open mics where we give ourselves a day out to meet new people or catch up with friends and try out a creative hobby.
- Muse Collective, could you share more about this community?
In mid-2022, when we had our first offline session, I was surprised at how needed the break was amidst the fuel crisis and other hardships in the country. This year, I decided to prioritise Muse Collective.
We are a collective of casual artists coming together to heal through creative expression and friendships. My role here is to curate the right kind of workshops, events, and collaborations and then host them. Manodya, my team member, joined this year to support me on this journey. We have a growing community of 85 members. I think it’s fair to hear directly from them:
“Safe space to speak, listen and grow, together with some of the most articulate and dream-driven individuals”
“A place for like-minded creators, no matter where you are in your (writing) journey”
“A welcoming space that values the ties between vulnerability and creative expression”
- Let’s talk about ‘self-muse’ – ‘an interactive and self-help journal, the first of its kind to come out of Sri Lanka,’ as you’ve mentioned. What does ‘self-muse’ have to offer to whoever owns it?
A space that is yours to hold. A tool to start, continue, or develop journalling practices. A little memory in the making for your future self.
We spend all our lives with ourselves and whether it is to make better decisions, enjoy life deeply, or if you want to try something out, I believe ‘self-muse’ can be this opportunity that carves out time for you to sit with yourself and get to know yourself a bit better.
The description of the book says that ‘self-muse is a prompt journal with vivid, clear prompts that guide you to create an honest dialogue with yourself. Using the science of well-being, the guided journal encourages you to turn inwards – towards light and dark. Explore themes on self-identity, growing up, interpersonal relationships, and purpose as you go through the four sections’.
- I was at the ‘self-muse’ launch, and it was a lovely event. How does it feel to spend time creating a book and then launching it?
Rewarding. I feel lucky. This is what I wanted – to take my time in crafting something that is healing, and then give it to the world as a Sri Lankan living in Sri Lanka. I have consciously enjoyed the entire process, even the challenging parts. For that, I am proud of myself and grateful to my loved ones.
- Both your community and your book revolve around the term ‘muse’. What’s your personal connection to this word, and what’s ‘muse’ to you?
I expected this topic to come up but this is the first time I’ve been asked [laughs]. There is no real connection. Having said that, names are very important to me so I like being decisive about them. I came up with ‘Muse Collective’ and the initial members of the community liked it too so we decided to stick with it because we are a ‘collective’ of ‘musers musing’. ‘self-muse’ is just that. The book makes the ‘self,’ the user, the ‘muse’ because it is all about you, after all.
To me, ‘muse’ is all of life in its fullness, everything that happens to me and around me.
- As someone who majored in psychology, how does your understanding of psychology influence your creative process?
Towards the last year of my university, I realised I was less interested in clinical psychology. What that also meant was that there were specific aspects I liked and wanted to focus on. Positive psychology, in particular, stood out to me because of the idea of improving the overall quality of life so I started looking into it and applied psychology a bit more.
Now, my creative practice involves concepts such as flow, parallel play, somatic grounding, and the science of well-being.
- The monthly poetry prompts on @muse__collective are a hit. Could you share a prompt here that readers could respond to?
“Describe how you’d want to be loved”
This is also a prompt from ‘self-muse’ which is now available for purchase worldwide.