The mentor as artist: a poetic exploration of listening,creating, and mentoring

In this article I integrate the process of the artist with the practice of mentoring. The acts of listening to inquiry into their lives and research. Particular attention is made to the context of working with graduate students in a faculty of education. I specifically draw on arts‐based educational research methods to explore a poetic way of articulating the connection between the art of mentoring, leadership and art‐making. Highlighted is the relationship between a deep listening to ourselves and to each other as integral to expanding the notion of research to one of including our own lives as art‐works. Connections are made through poetic form to the natural world and the notion of mentoring as an invitation to the art of co‐creating.