THE JOURNEYS

The journey to where you are now is never without drama, sidetracks, detours, misadventures. Never dull, even if it might seem that way initially. Dig deeper, and there is always a story.

The older I get the more I have realised that everyone has many many stories, that people are endlessly fascinating. I love hearing how people got to where they are now, it totally enthrals me.

A few weeks ago I went to a large gathering in Sydney at the Casula Powerhouse. It was a symposium, called "Regional Futures" gathering together artists who were part of an exhibition there called 'Artists in Volatile Landscapes', and movers and shakers in the regional arts sector ( it was presented by NSW Regional Arts Network). One of my dear friends, Jo Stead was exhibiting, and I really wanted to just celebrate her achievement and her work, as well as be part of the conversation that is happening around the arts in Regional NSW.

All the immense talent, creativity, experience, knowledge and sheer personality that was contained within the Powerhouse meant it was BUZZING with vibes.

In the spaces between workshops, round table discussions, presentations etc, there was the connecting with these people, the accidental, unintended, the unplanned spontaneous interactions.

These moments resulted in talking with and having deep and intense discussions around art practice and life journeys, through to more light hearted totally brilliant kooky moments of humour and frivolity. I met many artists who previously I had only known online, that I had oohed and ahhhhhed at ( total fangirl...) met curators and CEO's who were generous in their sharing of wisdom and knowledge, and got to see work that was staggering with its depth and variety. I was fizzy with the positivity.

I drove away from it with my brain aching but pleasantly so, at the amount of complex, interesting, unique, amazing stories that people had shared with me personally and in the public forums, about their journeys to where they were now, and where they wanted to go to. I felt immersed in the complexity and richness of these humans.

Totally inspired, and totally realising that there is no one way to do this thing called life, called art, called creating. The journeys of others are amazing.

( And then when I got home - 20, 0000 things that needed washing, cleaning, putting away, groceries to be bought, emails to answer, breadtags to sort, pets and people to feed...ah, reality...maybe not so amazing? )

These images are of two trees, the same trees, that I pass all the time on the way to and from, on journeys, but just different times of day, year, season and weather. Same same, yet how the same thing can be seen entirely differently...

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