Creator Spotlight: Catherine Morley - Textile Artist, Filmmaker

Photo courtesy of Catherine Morley

Meet Textile Artist, Filmmaker and Registered Dietitian, Catherine Morley

Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

I create for: knowledge mobilization of research findings

Creative Avenues:

• Textiles

• Theatre

• Film/Videography

Background:

I’m a registered dietitian, but became bored with the journal publishing routes to share research findings; and sometimes people who work for these publications aren't nice. Studied textile arts and documentary film and have used these media in knowledge mobilization and as a professor in dietetics.

Share your philosophy or inspiration:

Social justice; feminism; earth-connected; compassion; being with another (withnessing)

GALLERY

(Click each image to expand)

Fragmented 2010 Hospital bed sheet, pigment, appliqué ‘Fragmented’ was created through a community collaborative of five dietitians to convey the dissonance between what they wanted to do in their work and the restraints of the workplace.	Dietary Cacophony 2001 Mixed media wall hanging A stimulus for conversations about feeding oneself or feeding a loved one who is sick and visual representation of conflicting health and nutrition messages in print media.
Not at the Table 2010 Vintage linen tablecloth, pigment, silk insert ‘Not At The Table’ is about eating dynamics that change in a family when someone is being nourished by a tube feeding.	Dietary Cacophony - Detail 2001 Mixed media wall hanging

Photos courtesy of Catherine Morley

Creative Journey:

As above, I was bored and fed up with standard routes to share research findings. Recognized arts as a way to extend the reach of research findings (I work in textiles and documentary film). Found others also keen on this; very few dietitians.

I have presented on the arts/health connection and integrated into courses as a professor.

Traumatized Pancreas in Nutrition Ed Lab Student Project This 4 panel comic depicts the trauma experienced when a person receives impersonal nutritional care.	Feeding Premature Infants Student Project This booklet-style piece depicts a swaddled baby and opens up to reveal the baby lying in a bassinette in a hospital care unit. The text describes the details of providing tubefeeding for premature infants.

Photos courtesy of Catherine Morley

Curated Dietitian As Artist shows at Dietitians of Canada and World Critical Dietetics conferences. These were always a hit! Good starters for important conversations. Now I work in these media as well as creative non-fiction (script writing), poetry.

The very first Dietitian As Artist show was held in my front garden and living room. Dietitian As Artist events served as backdrops to nourish thoughtful conversation, to share ideas about creativity generally, about creativity in dietetic practice to address issues affecting the profession, about the importance of creative outlets as ways to cope with the emotionally challenging nature of our work. Photo courtesy of Catherine Morley

I have a book coming out Summer 2024; part memoir, part research reporting, part creative writing entitled, "No Love Like It: Feeding Someone Who is Sick". The book is written for the public/caregivers and those in their circle of care and incorporates research findings from ~30 years of researching this topic.

Currently, I’m working with Caregivers Nova Scotia to create a documentary and podcasts for their website. I’m also working on a Readers' Theatre script on caregiving and feeding for use in the education of students in health and human services, and for caregiver support groups. A possible documentary film is in the works too.

Achievements:

Have received Excellence in Nutrition education awards, Leadership in Dietetics awards; I’m a Fellow of Dietitians of Canada.

I find when I attend Dietitians of Canada conferences that colleagues know my name; from that, I surmise they have either read my work or have heard others talk about it.

I am a founding member of World Critical Dietetics. In this group, I raised awareness of the arts in dietetics.

Presented and published a piece entitled, "Why A Doc with a Dip Doc?" meaning, why would a PhD RD go to film school to learn documentary? 

"Bound to Biology" 2010 Tapestry in wool on linen warp ‘Bound to Biology’ was inspired by observations as a textile arts student that my classmates would get so focused on their weaving that they resented having to leave their looms to visit the bathroom. We would talk about the irritation of having to deal with being a biological entity that needed to be taken care of. Photo courtesy of Catherine Morley

How do you do what you do? Give us some insights into your tools, techniques, and creative process. 

I keep a notebook where I write or sketch out ideas. When I am ready to create, I make a mind map of the ideas.

In working through that, I usually develop a vision of what the hook will be and how to create around that.

What advice or tips can you offer someone interested in doing what you do?

Read expansively.

Talk with lots of people.

If people don't 'get you', move on. There are a lot of naysayers around.

Any upcoming events, projects, shows, appearances, or collaborations?

International Congress of Dietetics and Nutrition, June 2024 in Toronto.

Dietitian As Artist show held in Victoria, BC. Photo courtesy of Catherine Morley

Book publication in Summer 2024. 

Connect with and Support Catherine

https://cathmorley.com

cath@cathmorley.com

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