Meet Gunpowder Gertie AKA Emily Green

Gee Gee gives us the lowdown on how she became a powder keg of creative energy in this beautiful part-blog, part poem. Enjoy, Waiting-Room-ers!

Words…I grew up on a council estate with my Mum in Heybridge, full outside street play, dirt ditches, eating with friends, blond hair, racing down the hill. Sweet. 7 years of joyful living. The next few years were pretty hard.

Rescued, living in shared accommodation as a teen with Ma. Maldon. Limited schooling through a children’s centre. The arts were always an unobtainable passion, focus was on survival. I did however come out with a B in Art GCSE.

16: left home, lived in the Isle of Wight as a community service volunteer for three years.

Continue life trauma…

19: had a baby. My saviour. Keller. The only thing I ever felt I could do. Without choice.

Became a Youth Worker and developed a passion and dedication for nurturing teens/children creatively and individuality.
8 years working for Essex County Council, qualified as a Youth Worker. RED TAPE RED TAPE RED TAPE.

More babies - Eli Wolf and Magnus Wren. Volunteered for Colchester Free Festival while pregnant with Magnus. Developed “can do” attitude and did more and more.

I met Jonny Buffalo of the Hythe Buffalo Tank at Colchester Free Festival (there’s a trend here) and on my first visit to “The Tank” I felt I’d come home. Being surrounded by accomplished international artists, visual/audio engineers and past installations, with a Hythe 140-year-old 3-story warehouse as a backdrop, has spurred me onward over the last 3 years. I feel grateful and privileged to have had the opportunity to work with, alongside and know such inspired individuals, Jonny Buffalo, Dan Peppiatt, SamBear, Dan Monahan, Martin Willis, Joanna Peacock, Rachel Darq, Marc De’ath, Eyesaw and Sara Heard, who not only create/make amazing work but actually live it.

All of these people provide me not only with a visual treat for my peepers but support me by just being and cracking on whatever the weather. Literally. VIVA la Buffalo Tanque!

Worked with Angel Gardens (Festival areas for children) for the last 5 years, who helped me to grow and dream as an artist. Co-ordinating childrens creative spaces at festivals, working with festival folks, living in a caravan and working with recycled materials inspiring “free imagination through crafting”.
Make mess, enjoy, create, experience, feel the process, creating and expressing oneself through the arts and performance.

Alternative education….an education otherwise. Children’s voices should be heard, encouraged to develop and feel empowered not only academically but artistically, to grow from within and believe anything is possible.
I am not inspired to work with children but feel inspired by children who are our future, the next generation. Such a precious beautiful thing. I have worked alongside many adults, children and young people over the years and have always positively advocated that anything is possible, irrelevant of your background.

Work hard, be motivated, inspire, create, be happy.

Gunpowder Kids, I hope, will crossover and connect with people. Drink, eat, connect. Everyone’s invited, no judgement, zero clique, maximum goodness.

There you have it, laid bare, hope to see you at our regular session the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of the month. See the Waiting Room events calendar for specific details

Love

Gunpowder Gertie…aka Emily Green.

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