Table for two, please...
A Creative Sanctuary for Unfolding Dreams
Dear friend and reader of Catching Shower Flowers,
My affection for gathering around the table is no secret…
for the table, she’s in the business of hearts,
Have you noticed how we all become a little more undone and beautiful around her?
ONE-ON-ONE, AT THE TABLE WITH TESS.
A place to unfold—
Have questions?Â
A specific topic of focus?Â
An idea you want to explore in a safely held space?
Magnifique!
Bring it all to the table…
Below is the generous scope of things that can be transparently explored together at the table (in person or via Zoom).—
Creativity
Publishing
Self-publishing
Manuscripts and pitching
Wholesale planning
Book endorsements and forwards
Printing and print processes
Creative direction, branding and design guidance
PR and Communications
Writing / Poetry / Prose sessions
Goal setting and project times
Creative concepts, troubleshooting and ideas generation
Creative guidance for personal projects
Product/book launch timelines
Packaging, postage and shipping strategies
Substack and Social Media
Photoshoot concept generation and direction
Collaborations
General creative guidance
The hour at the table can be used as:
A one-on-one session where I can softly answer specific questions about art, running a business, creative practices, generating income, writing, publishing, self-publishing, printing, design, Substack, releasing a product etc.
An advising session about a specific project or topic that you need guidance with—to brainstorm, plan, process, timeline, edit, or troubleshoot.Â
or a “I just need a listening ear" the hour can be used as a moment to connect at the table creatively and see where the conversation unfolds and leads. This is for the improvisational at heart.Â
What does this 'one-on-one' package at the table include:
1. A consultation email and questionnaire.Â
Upon booking an intake questionnaire will be sent to you so I can take the time to thoughtfully get to know you prior to the Zoom session. The questionnaire allows me to prepare the table in a way that makes space for intimacy and transparency. The more thorough you are with your answers the more I am able to plan the session in a way that is helpful creatively and practically—guiding the hour and a half together in a way that is curated and tailored to your specific creative needs. This is a creative and generous act of hospitality.
2. A 90 minute session at the table with me (via zoom or in person).
The hour and a half will involve a pre-planned order and flow, with plenty of space for improvisation (via zoom). My hope is to transparently and generously share my creative and practical findings, ones that have been forged and found on the floors and heights in my 25 years of industry experience working (and playing) as a multi-dimensional artist. My hope is that you would walk away from the session with personal clarity, points of reference, contacts, momentum and encouragement, carried by a sense of purpose with clear points of direction. I aim to put everything bare on the table (no gate-keeping) to share my learnings, mistakes and wins — no question is too big or impolite. This is an honest communion of creativity—a place to unfold, a place to find words, a place to allow your creative works to materialise tangibly in an intimate and safe space.
3. Table minutes
Within 24 hours after our time together, you will receive your intimate 'Table-notes'. These are a generous recap of everything shared at the table with beautiful love-notes of encouragement intertwined within the methodics of it all. This is a way to digest the largesse of what has been shared within our time together.
4. A one-month gifted subscription to my on-line publication 'Catching Shower Flowers'Â
This is a little "I love you". Catching Shower Flowers is the place my work currently lives—This gift is an invitation into my art via Substack. This will allow you to acquaint with the app and my work, whilst having access to the internal chat feature where you can be part of group inquiries, writing prompts and the beautiful work that unfolds there.Â
5. One week of WhatsApp app liaison post-session
With each session I offer a week of WhatsApp liaison after we meet. This is your space to continue our conversation in a more informal, personal way. Here’s how it works:
Unfold New Thoughts: Sometimes, after our time together, new questions or ideas may come to mind. Reach out to me on WhatsApp whenever you need to explore these thoughts further or seek a bit of extra guidance.
Seek Clarifications: If there’s something from our session that you’d like to dive deeper into or if follow-up questions pop up, I’m here to help.
Share progress: Share your wins, updates, or any bumps in the road you encounter. I’m here to listen and offer insights or adjustments to keep you moving gently towards your visions.
This week of WhatsApp support is a chance for us to keep the dialogue open and personal, ensuring you feel continuously supported.
6. 50% off any sessions required after your first meeting with Tess.
If you wish to book on-going meetings on a regular basis eg:Â a follow-up session or a series of on-going sessions over the duration of time, you will be given a discount code post your first meeting that will allow you to book with a 50% discount code, this will be emailed to you after your initial session. These calls don't require a questionnaire upon booking, they are more for the utilisation of touching base along the timeline of your creative unfolding if you feel you need some further guidance or soundboarding along the way.Â
Let’s sip a tea, or whisky or water…
r one month.
As the napkins lay witness
the ears of flowers listen eager,
sounds tumble gently
and rowdily
into open wine glasses.
It’s here,
we breathe easy—
in spaces and places where dreams fall out,
with no need to really rescue them,
because maybe, why not?
Dreams too big? too grand?
Absolutely never.
It’s easy to let the dreaming stay hidden in the darkness,
even fools, who choose the flowers over and over,
know that.
And in these spaces and places,
where dreams are held by the light,
others believe with you
(and for you)—
I’ll never not see the miracle in this…
Did you read my latest inquiry? start here…
Thank you for being here. Paid subscriptions allow me to keep writing these newsletters gifting me the opportunity to explore the art found in marrying my writing with thoughtful imagery in my growing love for film photography.
If you’re not a paid subscriber already, I’d love it if you’d consider upgrading. (And if you are, thank you, I appreciate you.)
Choosing to sow into ‘Catching Shower Flowers’ as a paid subscriber is a generous acknowledgment that you value what you read here, that you are not just an audience to the work, but a contributor to the unfolding of it. Thank you for the opportunity to push my own limits and find the words begging to be found, just beneath the words on top. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I don’t hold it lightly.
Catching Shower Flowers is a reader-supported publication.
I will never say no to anyone with financial hardship who needs a free subscription. If bills are tight and you’d like a paid subscription for a year - just send me an email to management@tessguinery.co. Download the app and you will be added within 48 hrs and will receive a welcome email. I ask that in good will if you take on a gifted subscription, you share the love by sharing your favourite post on social media or tell people about the work here and tag @catching_shower_flowers.
If you would like to connect with me further or to support my work as an artist consider the below love languages:
GIFT A FRIEND AN ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION
As a passionate tactilian, I wanted to make the digital experience of ‘Catching Shower Flowers’ as tangible as possible for my beloved community, this instalment of paper is the first paper keepsake of many things to come, so with this sentiment front of mind I thoughtfully introduce to you—PAPER ‘CATCHING SHOWER FLOWERS’ GIFT VOUCHERS!
Also for the digitally inclined…
DIGITAL ‘CATCHING SHOWER FLOWERS’ GIFT VOUCHER
PURCHASE A BOOK
To behold my previous work, visit my on-line store here.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION THREAD
To engage in conversation and an array of interesting topics and ideas as an inquiry unfolds, join me and the ‘Catching Shower Flowers’ community in the conversation thread. I am diligent in replying, dedicating a few hours a week purely to answer any questions you might have surrounding publishing, creativity, process, poetry, writing—sky is the limit really. Download the app and join here.
FOLLOW THE DAILY POETRY VIA THE NEW ‘CATCHING SHOWER FLOWERS’ INSTAGRAM
The algorithm gods are playing with our hearts, but you can still follow along at this new little place for daily poetry and excerpts from the larger pieces written here. Follow along here
REFER A FRIEND TO ‘CATCHING SHOWER FLOWERS’.
TELL THE WORLD ABOUT ‘CATCHING SHOWER FLOWERS' AND WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT IT HERE…
xo