All in Australia
Stones, trees and falling water; a winning combination. An interlude in Springbrook National Park had me pondering on the sensory experience of immersion in nature. It took an effort to get there, a road less travelled moment that rewarded me with peace. A balm for the soul.
When a visit to a famous Australian art museum inspires childish art play, you know that it was worth the effort to visit. Bundanon was gifted to the Australian people by artist Arthur Boyd and his wife Yvonne in 1993. When I finally got to visit it, I experienced how the Australian landscape continues to inspire artists to capture the spirit of the bush, even in fuzzy felt.
Rain puddles, upside down trees and floating bits of bark. These have started a mapping process for me of the Boorum Wetland, adjacent to where I live. Making maps is an exciting direction for my next art project. It’s time to reclaim the beauty of swamps and wetlands.
After seven months away from home, I realise that I have taken where I live somewhat for granted. Yet is is one of the few remaining habitats for the endangered Buruwagan (bush curlew) whose distinctive night call is becoming my own call to action.
What this week has shown us is - Never take democracy for granted. In this momentous week I remember the 11th of November, the Whitlam dismissal, NAIDOC week and the struggle for independence when the Timorese voted for independence from Indonesia. Democracy hard won.
International Women’s Day is a good day to reflect on fear, both as an artist and a woman. What if I fail is such an overriding fear it infiltrates all spheres of life. How do we address this, what do we do to care for ourselves and others?
Make art with repurposed materials. This art exhibition at the NGV Australia reinforces community values and shared methods of creating. It is a reminder that art can be made from anything and can be used to retell stories to keep them alive for a new generation .
This Australia Day I reflect on how art and artists can change people’s thinking. That small ideas, small gestures of hope contribute to the greater collective consciousness. Like The Vigil, which as artistic director of the Sydney Festival, Wesley Enoch says is an event “to reflect on the state of our nation in a way that’s not divisive or argumentative.”
