Art & Soul is a book of poetry written by Anna Springett, and illustrated with 50 original pieces of art in response to the poems by 15 year old Bethia Erin Rose.

The book is divided into three sections of poetry which in turn explore the ideas of Courage, Kindness, and Curiosity, what it means to live with (and sometimes without) these qualities, and how it feels to move towards and embrace each of them.

Anna: Writing a poem is often the only way I can fully express and capture my experience of being human. In a specific moment, or during a particular time, I notice a vague awareness of ‘this is what it’s really like, to be having this experience right now’, a just-noticeable sensation in my belly. And I grab my pen, and I put it to paper, and I start to write. I watch myself from the sidelines, putting onto the page something I was only partially able to connect with in any other way. It can be anything from a light-hearted frivolous feeling to a deep sense of loss or longing. Writing ‘into it’ feels like a relief, clarifying, or even funny. Then there it is, captured, given shape and form and words. Occasionally, the result looks like a poem.  My hope is that the words and poems shared in this book capture something of our shared experience of being human.

Bethia: I view art as a way to express myself - it is an extension of who I am. I love the diversity and freeness of it and how there is always more to create and discover. Ever since I was young I have been surrounded by art, and encouraged to create. The moment I get an idea, I am always excited to try turning it into a reality, even if I have never done anything like it before. I think the most important thing about art is to create whatever inspires you. My work is often inspired by my surroundings - particularly the outdoors; I love finding ways to incorporate nature into my work.