Notes on Creative Process Panel from Sylvia Plath 2012 Symposium

Notes on Catherine Bowman and David Trinidad, Suzie Hannah and Tom Simmons panel on archival-based poetic and research process, animated film and sound design, 24 October 2012, 1:30-2:50 Poetic based research, animated film, and sound design.

By Susan McMichael

What makes us Plathofiles? Is it a line? Is it a book (eg reading The Bell Jar, or a teacher? What happens when you are lucky enough to be in the Lilly Library with Sylvia Plath's works, boxes, things, and to examine the dresses she made as a child in the 1940s, the paper dolls, the ephemera, her paintings?

What is text? Is it the poem? No, not at all. These people cry, it is this, and this, look and listen, see. All four of the presenters in this panel showed is how with colour and sound, what influenced Plath in creating her poetry.

As someone fascinated by Sylvia Plath's work and life for more than 30 years, I found the works, separate from the archive, but clearly related to the poetry, more interesting.

The work, colours and art related to Plath's archive was fascinating.

Was she a poet, a painter, a great cook? There was a debate on these questions and aspect of Plathafter the presenter's conversation that was fascinating.

Just like Sylvia Plath.