Blog 3: Journey to Learn about Arts and Activism (Artist Interview)

Artist: Kathy D'Arcy

The very first time I met Kathy D’Arcy was at the Guest House here in Cork. She was walking downstairs to get some hot water and I was walking upstairs to get settled for our workshop. As we passed each other I told her that I like her sweater (it said REPEAL) and she said “Thank you, I do to.” The next time I met Kathy D’Arcy was at a small vegetarian cafe called Quay Co-op. Along with a group of 6 other classmates, I got to sit down with her as she wore her REPEAL sweater (accessorized with a red Repeal necklace) and drank a cup of tea while telling us more about her journey as an artist as well as issues that she is passionate about (spoiler alert: it has to do with REPEAL).

D’Arcy has been writing poetry since she was 8 years old. “As soon as I could write, I wrote poetry.” she says with a laugh. Her poems started out as odes to springtime, getting more and more emotional as she transitioned through adolescence. It wasn’t until she was in her 20s and 30s that she learned “controlled release”- a way to get out the emotion without being overwhelmed by it. In her younger years D’Arcy used to dabble in painting and piano, but has since fell out of practice- it’s hard to get a piano in her house- and mainly works in poetry and playwriting. When asked how her poetry differs from her plays, D’Arcy explained that poetry for her wasn’t as political as is it now. Her plays were where her political expression came out, as can be seen in her work about the Irish constitution. Today, both medias are fueled by her participation and activism (especially her work with Repeal the Eighth).

Before her journey toward becoming a published writer, D’Arcy recalled her family’s discomfort toward her passion. As a hobby, poetry was fine, but they preferred she get a job (which she did, D’Arcy graduated from UCC with a medical degree). When she made the decision to change her career path from medicine to writing, her family was slightly disapproving. Today, they seem to be okay with it, “They’ll come around [to readings] and be like, ‘That’s my daughter’”.

When asked about the structure of her artistic process, D’Arcy says that she likes to let chance lead her. She’ll wake up (ideally around 7am), meditate and then jump into free writing, keeping herself open to any inspiration that may strike. Free writing, she told us, has gotten rid of her writer’s block. “I think I can get rid of writer’s block in anyone! I could probably teach a class on it.”

While D’Arcy is an established writer today, we wanted to know her experience when getting her very first work published. After the question was asked, smiled and paused, then with a chuckle said that she couldn’t remember. Her first collection of poetry came out very early in her career, however there were some individual pieces published before that. She described her journey toward getting published a bit unconventional, recalling how hard it was for her to finish pieces of her poetry. “Finishing is a state of mind,” she tells us as she goes to take a sip of her tea. There was no initial desire to see her work published at first, she wanted to write for herself and explained that the formalities of written work weren’t her thing. However that changed when she heard about a publishing company in Belfast called Lapwing, “They didn’t give a shit, no one liked them so they didn't get funded.” She sent in excerpts of her work and was accepted for publishing. Since then, D’Arcy has added another book under her belt, along with facilitating writing workshops, and working toward a Creative Writing PhD. When asked if she had a favorite poem to perform she laughed and replied, “Probably the curse poem.” After a pause, she continued to tell us that she has considered retiring it (she feels like she is spreading bad karma), but decided against it, “I’ll retire it once it works and the man is dead.”

As we transitioned to talking more about her work as an activist, the question of how she joined the Repeal movement came up. D’Arcy told us that she was raised in a Catholic household (with a mother who was anti-choice and anti-divorce), and at the age of 18 was anti-choice, “I used to stand on the streets and hand out leaflets. It’s awful, I know.” So what changed for her? D’Arcy says she went on a journey of self-discovery which resulted in her feeling a duty to join the cause. She was enraged and infuriated that she was raised to hate her own body.

Which leads us to today. D’Arcy is a fierce advocate of the Repeal the Eighth campaign and sees this as her main goal. As far as how she sees her work evolving, D’Arcy is unsure but knows that there is always something to advocate for- especially issues that deal with women. She is hopeful that once Repeal is reached, she may feel the inspiration to write about it in her poetry.


Interview Notes:

How did you get started? → been writing since she was 8, “As soon as I could write, I wrote poetry”.
It started out as poems about the springtime and got more emotional as she transitioned through adolescence.
In her 20s and 30s she learned “control release”.

Do you do any other type of art? → not right now; poetry is nice because she can do it anywhere, all she needs is a pen and paper.
She used to paint and play piano, but fell out of practice (it’s also hard to get a piano in her house)
In addition to poetry, she also writes plays

What was your first work published? → can’t remember. Knows that she had individual pieces published before, but her first collection came out very early in her career

Where did the motivation or desire come from to get published? → “Finishing is a state of mind”. Started out not caring about the formalities of written work, then heard about a publishing company in Belfast called Lapwing; “They didn’t give a shit, no one liked them so they didn't get funded.”

How does your poetry differ from your plays? → her poetry wasn’t as political as it is now. Her plays were where her political expression came out, even having an entire work about the Irish constitution. Now both medias are fueled by her participation and activism (especially her work with Repeal the Eighth).

How does your family feel about your work? → as a hobby, poetry was fine, but they preferred she get a job. They were slightly disapproving when she first started out, but have come to be okay with it now. “They’ll come around [to readings] and be like, ‘That’s my daughter’”.
She also has a brother and sister who is a software engineer and secondary school teacher, respectively. “They have loads of kids… very traditional roles”. When asked what she thought was different about her that led her down the road she is on, she said, “Maybe it’s an oldest child kind of thing.”
Says that her family dynamic has fed into her writing.

What is your artistic process like? → usually, meditation and free-writing. She likes to let chance lead her.

How is your identity as an artist different from your identity as an activist? → the artistic expression part of her identity is the same as the activist part of her identity.
Her identity as an artistic person is different. She finds it difficult to write poetry about the 8th amendment, it feels forced.

Do you ever get writer’s block? → not anymore! Free-writing has helped a lot. “I think I can get rid of writer’s block in anyone.”

Do you have a favorite poem to perform? → Curse. Thinking about retiring it. But loves it because it is so performative. “I’ll retire it once it works and the man is dead.”

Do you ever look back and regret any pieces that have been published? → not really. None of her work is ever forced, so there is a satisfaction that comes when it is published (although, when [certain newspaper] prints her work they manage to print it wrong. Every time.) She doesn’t really like commissioned work.

How did you join the Repeal movement? → at the age of 18 she was anti-choice. She was raised in a Catholic household, her mother was anti-choice, anti-divorce. “I used to stand on the streets and hand out leaflets. It’s awful, I know.”
Because of this journey, she felt a duty. She was enraged and infuriated that she was raised to hate her own body.

How do you see your evolution as an artist (& activist)? → right now, Repeal is the goal. After that, she’s not sure what will happen, but knows that there is always something to be an activist about. More than likely issues that deal with women.

She is hopeful that once Repeal is reached, she may feel the inspiration to write about it in her poetry.

**Learn more about Kathy here: http://www.kathydarcy.com/

Picture Source: Googel Images

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