In 2020, amongst COVID restrictions, I found myself immersed in a much needed reprieve and inspiring art course 'Breath the Land' at my local Community College. The focus was 'art from contemplation of the land', whereby we would walk in silence through bushland in the mornings taking photos, sketching and meditating; before returning to the studio for an afternoon's art practice including mono printing, plant dyed papers (from locally gathered bush flora) and collage.
At the time I was homeless and very much seeking a permanent home. With all the uncertainty of COVID I was more than ever aware of a need for stability and a secure roof over my head for at least a couple of years. I was also feeling a call to return to the land, as though I wanted to sink into it, dive deep into it, and rest.
From my daily contemplations and this calling I created a small series of background mono prints, to which I added collage using plant dyed paper and cotton thread, and found objects. I titled the work - Penitusque Terram - which in latin means - deep within land.
I also found myself inspired to write this prose from my contemplation and experience of sitting in the bushland of the Simpson Creek at Brunswick Heads in Northern NSW, Australia, near where I live.
Deep within Land
Bright green cottonwoods
Tall white lanky gums
Popping yellow wattle sits on the bank
Whilst fringed large ferns look on
Blackedned Banksias tumble in
To the slow dark quiet water
Only a distant rumble of surf
Ovelaid by a copious variety of bird song
reaches out
The wind casually breezes through
Fluttering wind chimes of gum leaves
That seem effortlessly chilled and in tune
as if to say
Just stay, hang, let the mind wander,
Feel the earth beneath your feet
Burrow into the warm sand
Lay back, and let it have you
Let the earth and sky have you
Let the birds and trees have you
Let the dark quiet water have you
And rest - deep within land.
(September 2020)
All works are on vintage paper, mixed media of mono printing, collage, found objects and plant dyed paper and cotton thread, 21x28cms.
A limited number of this series are now available online through Bluethumb Art Gallery.
At the time I was homeless and very much seeking a permanent home. With all the uncertainty of COVID I was more than ever aware of a need for stability and a secure roof over my head for at least a couple of years. I was also feeling a call to return to the land, as though I wanted to sink into it, dive deep into it, and rest.
From my daily contemplations and this calling I created a small series of background mono prints, to which I added collage using plant dyed paper and cotton thread, and found objects. I titled the work - Penitusque Terram - which in latin means - deep within land.
I also found myself inspired to write this prose from my contemplation and experience of sitting in the bushland of the Simpson Creek at Brunswick Heads in Northern NSW, Australia, near where I live.
Deep within Land
Bright green cottonwoods
Tall white lanky gums
Popping yellow wattle sits on the bank
Whilst fringed large ferns look on
Blackedned Banksias tumble in
To the slow dark quiet water
Only a distant rumble of surf
Ovelaid by a copious variety of bird song
reaches out
The wind casually breezes through
Fluttering wind chimes of gum leaves
That seem effortlessly chilled and in tune
as if to say
Just stay, hang, let the mind wander,
Feel the earth beneath your feet
Burrow into the warm sand
Lay back, and let it have you
Let the earth and sky have you
Let the birds and trees have you
Let the dark quiet water have you
And rest - deep within land.
(September 2020)
All works are on vintage paper, mixed media of mono printing, collage, found objects and plant dyed paper and cotton thread, 21x28cms.
A limited number of this series are now available online through Bluethumb Art Gallery.