Based in Wigtown in south-west Scotland, Renita Boyle combines skills in storytelling, poetry, life writing and community arts to facilitate wellbeing events and workshops. Since 2019, Renita has upcycled 100 used teabags into miniature pieces of nature-themed art. Examples of these can be seen at her Instagram page.
Along the way she has been writing haiku poems and gathering stories about the natural world. From this personal practice Renita has developed community and creative events for small groups – CommuniTEAs and CreativiTEAS.
CommuniTEAs evolved from an event she led for Earth Day in 2019. They bring people together in community to drink tea, talk about their memories of nature, and to write around this theme, and broader issues raised by Earth Day.
CreativiTEAs are similar events, but with a stronger focus on creativity. Tea-drinking is still important, but participants are provided with (or asked to bring their own) used teabags and art materials to create their own miniature work of art. There will be an opportunity to share memories in a relaxed way about experiences of the natural world, and being together in community over a cup of tea.