What’s in a name?
I’ve been wanting to write about the name of Slough Studios for a while. Naming is an important decision as it stays with the place or being for a long time. It is part of what gives anything life as it immediately starts a story that likely began long before the naming. The place of Slough Studios is unique to its surroundings of mountain, forest, and wetlands. As the creative space overlooks the Columbia River Wetlands, this becomes extra special. A slough is a part of any wetlands. Many people I have met aren’t sure how to pronounce this word which says something about how language evolves based on the frequency and need to communicate the idea that pertains to any given word. A slough is an integral part of a wetland environment and I wonder, as our lives retreat from exterior landscapes, do we lose the vocabulary that had been assigned to these places?When deciding on the name for this residency and retreat, the word slough came up. At first the word brought to mind muck and mire, stagnation and backwaters. It seemed the antithesis of generative, creative flow. Yet as Logan, Nathan and myself, simmered with the word, it became clear that slough was perfect. The naming of our residency retreat as Slough Studios, honours the very landscape where it is located.
Thus a slough ( pronounced slu or sloo), is a backwater, a pausing water, something that contributes to a larger flowing body of water. This idea of pausing and slowing down is integral to Slough Studios. By reversing the speed at which we are living, we are able to focus on our exterior and interior landscapes. This condition of pausing is a beautiful place to synthesize and then create. A slough contains enormous biologic diversity and serves many functions in a wetland ecosystem. It creates habitat for birds, insects, plants and animals of all sizes and shapes. We are coming to understand that a monoculture of anything is not healthy whether that be of thought, microbiome, or macro-biome. Diversity means multiplicity of possibility which is the foundation of nimbly solving problems as they arise. Where all have a place, instead of only some, stronger communities exist.
Finally, the word slough is a cameleon as it can be pronounced an entirely different way ( sluff), and mean something quite different. In this case it is a verb and refers to the shedding of the unwanted or unused. This action is something which unconsciously occurs all the time. But what if this act of shedding the unwanted or no longer useful became a conscious choice. This is critical as we evolve into better humans. Can we let go of a fear of “not having enough” or “not being good enough”? Can we let go of shame and guilt? Can we let go of anger? To make room for the beauty in life, we surely must let go of the ugliness. Here at Slough Studios, I am hopeful that the land and my more-than-human neighbours, can show us a better way. By pausing and then noticing what happens, I think this is possible.
Looking forward to seeing you here at Slough Studios.
-posted by Kathryn Cooke
