Featured Artist: William Dean Ford

William Dean Ford is a performance poet who has had a long and constructive relationship with Cardiff and Vale UHB.

He was a member of the working group behind the art strategy of Hafan y Coed, our adult mental health unit; his words are permanently inscribed on the walls of the atrium in the reception and remain the mantra of the arts team.

“We grow better tomorrows when we plant good seeds today”

William works in a variety of ways, including Ekphrastic Poetry, whereby he creates a poetic reaction inspired by an existing piece of visual art such as a painting or a photograph.

Recently he collaborated with the UHB’s arts team and Cardiff Print Workshop to develop an exhibition called “Inspiring Lines” in which printmakers reacted to his work.

One of his poems, featured as part of this exhibition, particularly resonated with the printmakers and can be read below.

 

In Difficult Times

Keep flowing

Little Stream

Your destiny

Is the sea

But you

Only have

To become

Strong enough

To reach

The river

That will

Carry you

The rest

Of the way

 

Since this exhibition, William has continued working with one of the artists involved, Jenny Howell. They have recently published their collaboration between poetry and photography in an anthology of work entitled Don’t Call me Bob.

As well as writing poetry, William can often be found performing his work in and around Cardiff. You can find out more at https://www.facebook.com/willfordpoetperformer/ or https://twitter.com/WillDFord