Belly
- A Birthing Journal
Words
from the Creator>>>Sarah Nicholson
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Belly
is an original Australian made journal for pregnant women, showcasing
contemporary literature and visual arts around the themes of pregnancy,
birth and early motherhood. We talked to Sarah Nicholson, the editor
and publisher of Belly about it's creation.
What
inspired you to create Belly? What was the intention behind it?
Belly began for me as a pregnant desire. I was lumbering pregnantly
from bookstore to bookstore looking for a creative pregnancy journal.
I had used yearly diaries like RAW Women and We'moon which have
women's artwork and creative writing and I thought that there must
be something beautiful like that designed for pregnant women. I
was really surprised that I couldn't find one. After I had given
birth to my son I decided
to start working on collating materials to create the sort of pregnancy
journal that I had been looking for.
My aim was to bring together creative visions from diverse voices
and spaces, to express ideas and experiences around birth and pregnancy
which were intimate and truthful. I wanted Belly to be beautiful,
to have works that were of a high artistic standard and which would
also appeal to diverse tastes.
Do you think our attitudes to pregnancy and birth needs to change?
if so, how?
I think pregnancy and birth are still quite taboo areas in our society
- pregnant bellies are (strangely enough) still seen by some as
offensive, the experience of birth is hidden away. I was interested
with Belly to shed light on these hidden areas. To get the pregnant
Belly out there in all its glory.
What type of people contributed?
There were about 50 contributors, mostly women from every state
in Australia, (and even a couple from overseas). Writers and poets,
sculptors, painters, illustrators and photographers : some professional,
some with beautiful works hidden away in their bottom drawer until
now.
What
experience do you hope to bring the people who buy the Belly Journal?
I hope Belly will provide them with material that is inspirational
and insightful and that will encourage them to reflect on their
own journey - to record it, to write and dream and wish, to expose
their fears and discomforts, to be creative themselves.
What
were some of the challenges you faced in it's creation?
I found that Belly wasn't something that publishers were daring
enough to take on - it's difficult enough getting poetry published
in Australia but combining poetry with artworks and in a journal
format.. not to mention the subject matter being birth and pregnancy..
finding a publisher proved quite impossible. I really believed that
this was going to be a beautiful book and that pregnant women would
appreciate, even cherish it, so I decided to self publish which
is a huge task, but I think in the end my belief in this project
will be proved correct. One of the other challenges was mothering
my gorgeous boy, now a very energetic 2 1/2 year old, while putting
Belly together. Juggling motherhood, university and self publishing
has been a bumpy and challenging ride.
If
you could say one thing to pregnant women out there what would it
be?
Cherish!
Read
A Review of 'Belly- A Birthing Journal'
Check out 'Belly-A
Birthing Journal' online at www.bellyjournal.com
To Order
a copy or for inquiries contact
Sarah
Cover Image - 'Two
Hearts Make One Love', Elk Anstey.
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