Creative Arts

NVC Inspired Art

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is about developing a consciousness / awareness of compassion; and therefore while the words we choose may sometimes support us, sometimes words are unnecessary. Often silence is enough to share compassion with each other. Or other means of expression portray what is in our heart. Here we share with you contributions of creative expressions of aspects of NVC.

To find out more about the creator of these contributions and view their website go to their home page by clicking on site members and then searching for their name.

If you have some art inspired by NVC that you'd like to have added to this page, pls contact tamara [dot] laporte [at] gmail [dot] com.

Wren Hughes (Sculptor)

Leo Sofer - (Storyteller)
Sweeter Than Honey
(a story by Leo - to listen; right click and choose; 'save target as'>
A boy loved eating pancakes with sugar, pancakes with jam, pancakes with honey and even with chocolate spread. But his mother had once told him that love is the sweetest things of all, so he set off to find some love to spread on his pancakes.

Tamara Laporte - Painter/ Illustrator

About her art and NVC Tam says:

"Creating art meets my need for fun, learning, expression, growth and beauty (and in the more recent years; financial security, too). Needs are a beautiful inspiration for my art. I enjoy weaving the needs energy into my creative process. Colours that usually come through when meditating on needs are pinks/ salmons/ oranges and light yellows. I love externalising met or unmet needs through my art. When I get in touch with my need (met or unmet) and then create a piece of art, it feels like I've really connected with it, really got to know it, had tea and a muffin with it, if you will. The need is almost like a little person, after that process. :-)"

Jane Wheeler - Singer/ Musician

Touch of a Butterfly's Wing.mp3 (to listen right click and choose 'save target/ link' as)

‘Sometimes situation or conflicts seem impossible to change. This song is a reminder of hope – of how change can happen sometimes when just a touch of empathy and compassion finds its way into the mix...

“Every moment holds a promise
Every heartbeat feels like proof
In my soul I still hold new solutions,
All it takes is the touch of a butterfly’s wing
The fall of a grain of sand
A drop of rain, a breath of wind,
Sighing on the land."


An alternative Empathy Buddy! By Margo Campbell
Apathy buddy.pdf



Poems written after, and inspired by, the Rainbow Mill NVC Family Camp, Norfolk 2010

Camp Poem
I have a new gesture in my hand;
Fingertips hard pushed to breast,
Probe below my skeleton cage.
Feel my heart's presence,
Its' need to convey
Life.

I have a new expression on my face;
Quizzical confusion,
Lopsided introspection.
Right cheek to eye screws itself
While the uncovering proceeds,
Eyes shut.
A moment to connect.
And slowly unthreads, relaxing
With discovery.
Releasing joy
Upon my lips
A new vision of me
Of who I am
Now.
By Sue Johnston

Moment by Moment.
A glimpse of life
Hatches on my open palm.
I am full, joyful.
I bask in the glory.
Revel in the joy
Of that moment,
For one more moment,
Just one small moment more,
Not noticing the shift,
The new life hatching,
So it slips away between my fingers
Unnoticed.

I am looking for it now,
Why did I do that?
I search for that moment,
the one with the life,
the one with the answers
the one when I knew!
For one more moment,
Just one small moment
Not noticing the shift,
the new life hatching,
so it slips away between my fingers,
and I am lost.

And I know.
I know I will look some more.
For that moment.
And that other moment.
Losing more moments as I go.
And I will wonder away
from my heart,
from my love,
from my life
without ever moving one step forward.
Because I know I had it all,
everything,
just now.
And I know it is with me still,
I just can't quite reach it
As I strive to reach it, to hold it,
In my hand, in my head.
All that I am is here and now.
Disappointment, sorrow, pain,
For the lost moment,
Begetting lost moments,
Dead dull moments.
Such joy in my mourning!
And a glimpse of life is hatching
in my open heart,
I bask in the glory,
Revel in the joy.
And I hope
To learn.
To Be.
Moment by moment.
　By Sue Johnson

" I’m a human being get me out of here! "
Come down to Des’s rainbow camp, there’s a whole lotta NVC goin’ on!
You put your jackal ears in, you put your jackal ears out,
There’s a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on!
take the spiral steps to the top of the mill,
there’s a whole lotta Empathy goin’ on,
Thursday night scrummed in the annex,
There’s a whole lotta "Invictus" rugby goin’ on,
NO room to Shake baby shake! Shake it baby shake it!
Everyday in the barn, there’s a whole lotta dinners being cooked,
afternoons and evening too, theres a whole lotta washing up going on,
Wash it' rinse it shake it baby, shake it, drain it' wipe it baby!

Down by the yurt, gettin’ native! There’s a whole lotta great spirit goin’ on!
Wednesday afternoon after falling in the pond,
There’s a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on!
cockadoodledoodledoodledoo,
there’s a whole lotta wakein’ goin, on!
mornings, afternoon, evening too, there’s a whole lotta workshops goin’ on!
come on over baby we got ping pong in the barn,
come on over really got the Red bulls by the horn!
we ain’t fakin’ whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on!
shake it baby shake it,
shake it baby shake it!
up at the house Caroline’s cookin’
and a whole lotta hippies'
the Shakin’ crew are eatin’ dinner!
in the dark of the night, half past two,
theres a howoooooooll!!!lotta "werewolves" goin’ on!
At Daren’s workshops on intimacy,
There’s a whole lotta what the F!&*s goin’ on?
shake it baby shake it!
afternoons and evenings in the barn,
There’s a whole lotta Dancefloor Daddy’s goin’ on!
Dancin’ singin’ crying, laughing too!
there’s a whole lotta rhythms goin’ on!
Shake it baby shake it,
on one spot, round you go! now fast now real slow!
in the yurt cuddling to do’
there’s a whole lotta lurvin’ goin’ on
come wild weather and tent flattening storms
there’s a whole lotta happy camping going on!
Shake baby shake it!
There were plenty in the barn at the start of the week,
There’s a whole lotta mugs somewhere out there
from the youngest trainer in the camp
there’s a whole lotta Zigga zagging going on!
Friday night in the barn
whole lotta Happy birthday bad D j’in’ goin’ on!
nothing exciting yawn yawn yawn
whole lotta BORING!!!goin’ on.
shake it baby shake it!
come on over baby sh!t! comin’ up all round,
cars stuck in mud squishing & a squelching sound,
bad moods outbrakin’
whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on
I’m feeling pissed off, don’t know what to do,
there’s a whole lotta supportin’ goin’ on!

I’M A HUMAN BEING GET ME OUT OF HERE!

There’s been a whole lotta riskin’ going on!
shake it baby shake it!
Sunday night in the barn there’s a whole lotta,
lovin’ laughin’ singin’ and dancin’ celebrating, goin’ on!
We didn’t just survive we’re happier too,
Monday mourning’ in the sun whole lotta merry meeting merry parting!
after another year of lotta shakin’s gone on!
merry meet again,!?

There’s been a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on!
By John Rankine