A valid question where the unpredictability of the times could just as easily pull the chair from under you as the 'rona, as I just read it being referred to today, gate crashes the party. I hope not. I am happily expecting to finally spend time with my son, as a year has gone by with no sighting. Interstate never seemed as unavailable as now. I look forward to walking, chatting and exploring this gorgeous part of the world, unmasked and free. Head with Mask, oil on paper, 42 x 30cm I have managed to tie off a few loose ends this year. I finished a novel that I have been writing for many years. It is based on two years of my life, in my early twenties that probably etched itself more deeply in my psyche than any other time, until the more recent disclosure. At the time, 1986, I was daring to try my hand as a painter, so unsure yet surer of nothing more. I had one encounter that could have derailed my ambition to be an artist for good, but as was to become a 'response' of mine, I painted the experience. A man, a poor stand in for a partner, ridiculed my efforts at drawing and tore up my sketches. I was probably twenty and living in the desert alone. This episode is described in the story and in the recalling of it, I wanted to create a painting that spoke to that time from a place of reflection, wisdom and experience. I had continued to paint, I wanted to say to the younger, frightened young woman. The paper that is in A Ripping Scene is used instead as a letter, written to the 'love' that is lost. That time cannot be held by anyone, it ticks by regardless. We are tethered to the cycle of life, as the pencil draws the circle that constrains everyone of us. There is much in this painting, Acting with In Tent. The difference being, although the first incident took place after being dragged out of a tent, now I know there is nothing more important to being true to yourself, than acting with intent. A Ripping Scene, oil on canvas, 80 x 100cm, 1996 Acting With Intent, oil on canvas, 91 x 91cm 2020

Thank you for making this such a successful Noosa Open Studio in 2020. Out of the disarray that was COVID, we still managed to create a fabulous event and all the more so because you made the time to visit our studios. Over the two weekends, I had the pleasure of meeting over 120 people. It was a great opportunity to talk about the art and life in general really. The weather was perfect, so there was no need to talk about that. This would have been a different scenario if I was still in Melbourne. A few pieces made their way to new homes and I am most appreciative. Of course, this makes it all the more satisfying for the artists, and I am no exception. My studio is always open for any future enquires or visits. If you would like to revisit any of the works that caught your attention, please stay in touch. You are most welcome to drop in. To ensure that I am here, send an email or call.

A special event has been created by the Noosa Open Studio Art Trail and you are invited to participate this coming Saturday 3rd Oct. An opportunity to bid on a unique piece of art and take home a deck chair that is truly special. Each deck chair has been lovingly hand crafted by local craftsmen from local hardwood and each canvas has been painted by an artist on the Noosa Open Studio trail. I have a piece called 'Pelican on Main Beach'. Where do I go to bid on this I hear you say!! Location: Noosa Botanic Gardens Amphitheatre Address: Lake MacDonald Dr, Lake MacDonald QLD 4563 Wet Weather Alternate: Cooroy Memorial Hall, Maple St, Cooroy QLD 4563 Admission Cost: Free Preview will run from 12.00pm - 2.30pm and the auction will start at 2.30pm. Bring a BYO picnic and enjoy some music by Lee Hardisty⁣. To find out more visit noosaopenstudios.com.au/deckchairs-on-the-green/

A Case of Commoner Salt. Oil on Canvas, 120 x 100cm. 2020 This speaks to the growing protests around the world against entrenched power and privilege enjoyed by the few. Paintings hung in hallowed halls are pulled to the ground by a common man who rails against the decadence that excess wealth affords them. Salt, a currency once mined in unbearable conditions has been replaced by moneybags. Equally sordid working conditions exist today, his becoming barefoot shows this poverty. The waving of flags, an impotent symbol of protest won’t change a law, but the turnout of thousands on the street just might, and so he marches. He has toppled a suited man, a symbol of modern excessive consumption. The protesting man moves towards the removing of another figure of power. Based on the portrait of George Washington, “El Presi Dente,” represents the apex of power currently held by a man of questionable integrity. The sold sticker shows he has Sold Out. I've been selected for the QLD Regional Art Award 2020 which is an amazing opportunity and I'm so excited to have been selected. There is an opportunity for people to chose their favourite and if you like this work I'd love for you to select it. It will put me in the running for a small cash prize. Vote for the People's Choice Award

Every now and then, a painting appears that takes me by surprise. I had a drawing, that arrived out of the blue one night. It was in the back of my mind when I began to paint this canvas, and I was really pleased with the outcome. The figures are so intertwined that they have merged and yet remain distinct. Who Is I, 76 x 100cm oil on canvas 2020 Good news on the bread baking side, and on working out how to fix the internet. Two weeks with no internet. Took a bit of ingenuity at the end, but desperate times call for out of the box solutions. All this rigidity and paranoia, is not going to help us jumpstart into a new way of solving problems if the so called conditions have changed.

Here we are, half way though the year. In six months time we'll be able to look back with 20/20 vision and maybe then we can make more sense of what the hell just happened! It was like the Big Bang. A new universe was instantly created out of nothing. From a microscopic atom with deadly potential to protests on a world scale. From enforced isolation that brought economies to their knees to gathering of crowds to protest injustice, that brought people to their knees. This is what I was thinking about when I was painting this work. I painted "An Upside Down Year," to express my response to that rippling effect because so much changed in such a short period of time. This has been a year of great turmoil. So many are vulnerable, succumbing to a disease that ravages by deleting our breath. His chest lies exposed. In trying to protect us, we were enforced into isolation, leaving many feeling lonely. The woman gazes towards an uncertain future. I am indebted to the dedication of medical practitioners, who despite extraordinary odds, showed great leadership. The powerful bird reminds us that we must be vigilant. The boy, plants a seed of hope, surrounded by poppies. We remember those who have died and the life that will be ongoing. I am very honoured to have had this work accepted as a Finalist into the Du Rietz Art Award which will be held at the Gympie Regional Art Awards from 5th August. My exhibition, "Up In Smoke", was postponed, now it will open in August but the momentum was lost. I was home alone, and I really felt the effects of the social distancing and all the 'life' of the community; shops, events, cafes, beaches, cinema sucked up and packed away. "A Wrapped Playground". Looking suspiciously like a sculpture that would look perfect in a high end gallery. No children allowed.

Painting is such a fluid practice. The experience of allowing the hand and the eye and then the imagination to follow the gesture until form appears and in the recognition of the form, a story evolves.  The Swimming Lesson, was one such unfolding. Unlike many works, this one suggests a calmness, a containment in the way the figures are connected. Floating in a place of trust. The approach to the landscape is quite abstracted, a sea and sky that is atmospheric more than actual. The child's face is the only 'real' reference, and in her face we see an expression that suggests the mood of the painting. It is a fine line to juggle the 'abstraction' or expression of the form inclusive of a 'body'. De Kooning is a passing reference where gestural marks and the body are part of the painting. His woman are grotesque in a way that I turn away from, as I chose to include persons to act as a reference to what is essentially 'good' in us. My bodies are 'flat' yet tonal. The tones evokes light, more than attempting to place bodies in space. I do not shy away from the fact that I am placing my images on a two dimensional plane. They are 'comfortable' in this space and I don't pretend otherwise. There is no depth in a canvas, only colour creates that illusion. My bodies are not tied to the colour of our skins. I am not interested in attaching labels to the people who occupy the stories I paint. I speak to the stories that pertains to all human kind. Regardless of the economic barriers that creates so much tension and inequality in this world, our internal lives, the one's no one else sees yet are universal. The stories of who we are when no one is looking.

Setting goals, and achieving them can be the icing on the cake. Riding my bicycle to Hastings Street from my studio had been one such goal. I finally got my butt on seat, peddled and made it there, on Sunday. It’s not that far, but that’s where goals can be so deceptive. They can look impossible until you take the first step. I was pleased with myself anyway and the motivation? Why, it was to watch the Dog Surfing Competition of course! It was a gorgeous day, and the Noosa Main Beach was buzzing. The number of people just sitting back, or wading in the lapping waves, watching the surfboards with dogs and their paddlers, riding the gentle waves was so great! It was the final event in the Noosa Festival of Surfing. I'm sorry I didn’t see any of the other surfing events, a bit slow on the uptake there. Next year! Meanwhile, I am on track, I’m happy to say of achieving another long held goal. To mount a solo exhibition, entitled “Where There’s Smoke” at the Butter Factory Art Centre in Cooroy. I very gratefully received a RADF grant from the Noosa Council, which has been a very welcome support towards my creating a series of around 20 paintings. They are an evocative interpretation of the recent bushfires as an analogy of our response to unexpected and life changing events. The bushfires were a significant and potent reminder of our fragility where the forces of Nature are concerned. The opening will be on the 8th May 2020. I hope you can join us. The openings are always such a good experience at the Butter Factory. I’ll post more details to follow. Equally exciting is the train is leaving the station as far as the Noosa Open Studio event is concerned. I am on the committee too, which is exciting. We had the AGM on Saturday and it’s official! This band of enthusiastic and dedicated artists will be working towards creating an event that is open over a couple of weekends from 14th – 23rd August. Last year nearly 70 artists opened their studios to the public and we intend to make this year even better for everyone to enjoy. Book your holiday in Noosa soon so you don’t miss out! A Smokey Afternoon 30 x 40cm oil on canvas 2020

I had one of those dreams again. The one where I'm looking for a map, as I wander around a strange city, winding streets, climb hills and poke around corners, looking for a map that will show me where I am or how to get to somewhere else. I never seem to find the map, or I wake up just before I do. Sometimes I also wonder, how do I know I'm not dreaming even though it seems I am awake. Here, now, writing this, I must be awake. The same sensation is there. I am lost. There definitely isn't a map, not as symbolic as it appears in the dreams, one that sits perched in a convenient wire stand, all graphically designed to be easy to read and navigate, icons, a legend to tell you where the bridges are or the points of interest. No, there's no map in the awake world. Just an intention, to walk towards a place where I think, I'll feel, integrated I guess. Because, what's lost is an essential part that's missing. Or so I think. I really don't know. But I don't know what's missing, how can you identify what's not there? It's a puzzle. But this jigsaw, doesn't come with a cover with the picture printed for you to match it to. The pieces are everywhere, every moment. I paint pictures, trying to create a jigsaw piece, that maybe looking back, when seen together will show me the map. But it will be in retrospect. I'd have traveled that journey. I am here now, because of where I've been. Asking for Directions, oil on canvas, 1997 Immersion, oil on canvas, 2019. Immersion, is the step towards integration. A feeling of wholeness. Those moments, which with awareness, extend to being awake to the understanding that we are not lost, or separate or alone. It's a trick of the psyche, and as uncomfortable as it feels, these feelings pass.

As I work towards the upcoming exhibition in May 2020, (details to follow so stay tuned), it occurred to me that I had a couple of paintings that I did many years ago. They were in response to an equally devastating fire and I felt they should be included in this exhibition too. In a way, to show that my concern about how humans have impacted on the natural world has been an enduring thread of my work. That's because I genuinely feel this way. So the hunt began, to track down these two paintings that I realised I had not set eyes on for nearly 15 years. Since then I had moved perhaps four or five times. I called these works, they belong together, Parallel Universe I and Parallel Universe II. The scene is time based, as a man drops a live match into the forest, the animal spirits look on, unable to stop him. The other painting shows the same scene, scorched. The match, is burnt and is all that remains of that shortsighted action. So, after some clever sleuthing, they were found safely stored in a cellar in a house in North Adelaide. A friend, who happened to be driving up to Rainbow Beach, kindly offered to collect them and will drop them off at my studio in Tewantin. In time for the exhibition. Meanwhile, in the studio I have been painting works that are a response to our current upheaval. The fires are like a potent expression of the consequences of our situation. That they were so catastrophic, widespread and unrelenting has shaken people to the core. It was as if we were experiencing a war, but never having been in a war, I can only imagine this was similar. But my works are exploring this impact on us, on me. I chose not to just describe fire, paint the fires but to express the 'journey' of the event on how it affected our relationships, our sense of power and loss, our connection to land, our hope and joy when it rains again and how people responded to each other. I'll share some of the works I have done so far. The show will have about 20 new paintings and it is so great that I can include the older works as well. I am interested to hear from anyone who was also impacted by the fires and how you are feeling now about it. It's important for us to remember.

As the end of the year rushes up to greet us, wish us lots of cheers and then do a swift right turn and we're on highway 2020, I just want to say a big thank you to all of my dear friends who have been on this journey with me so far. I thought it would be time for an end of year review, after all it's been a big one. Moving to a new place, building a beautiful studio, being on the Noosa Open Studio Art trail, exhibited at the University of Queensland Art Museum, a unique solo show at Mister Bianco, bushfires and becoming acquainted with all that this amazing part of the world has to offer. Meeting new people who are so generous, thoughtful and helpful has made this all the more possible. So much was going on, but I'm certainly looking forward to an even more exciting year. I'll be launching a business, Mind this Moment where I'll use my experience as a creative thinker in combination with offering pathways through deep coaching to unlock your confidence so that you can reach your goals and be inspired. In March, I'll be exhibiting several new works in a solo show called, I Am Here. I will be referencing the bushfires, the effect of these events as a backdrop that mirrors my own journey from devastation to renewal. This will be showing at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre. These are a few of the works that show the experience of listening to my inner voice. My daughter travelled overseas, attuning oneself to what is unfamiliar yet draws you forward, hope and peace. What more can we ask for. I paint my dreams, my visions and my intentions. Also my sorrows. Doing this on my own, away from my kids, has been really hard. But, if I can keep those balls in the air, I'll be able to travel and visit them, meet new people and finally finish my novel. Merry Christmas Everyone and a Happy New Year. P.S Small works, or big ones! as original gifts are an excellent idea, so jump on board and let me now if you would like to give a painting to someone special. Email me here.

When the police came to the door and said, Leave Now, I was as prepared as I thought I could be. I had noticed the smoke, billowing and filling the skies earlier that afternoon and avidly following the news updates it became apparent that evacuation was a possibility. So what to take? when all I really cared about was my paintings and in the end all I could fit in the back of my small car were four large artworks. Left behind were probably over 30. Fortunately, after two days we were allowed back home and those extraordinary firemen/women who had tirelessly fought the flames, had ensured my home and studio were intact. But it was an emotional experience because my world is made up of so many 'paper' memories. Photographs, sketch books, canvases, diaries, art books and novels. All combustable in seconds. I took comfort strangely, in knowing that in Melbourne, there were some paintings still hanging safe and sound. The exhibition at Mister Bianco is coming to a close. If you were interested in taking a look, before they are all shipped back up north, I invite you to check them out. I know it's a bit awkward going to a restaurant just to look at art, but the staff there are very friendly and it's really okay. Checking in with Philippa at Art to Art, is a great alternative too. Click here for more information or send me an email. Being here and experiencing a community bringing it's resources, compassion, energy and grit while facing the fires, made a huge impact on me. I translate my experiences, and my paintings are spontaneous and responsive, such as the one in response to this. I see there are so many impacts, choices, hurdles and issues that in the end, people seem to be stuck. And for that there are consequences too. We can react to the crisis, fight the seen threat, the 'fires' or the floods which is evident and commendable, but to do something as profound and dramatic to mitigate a potential disaster is really difficult. But, 'The Consequences of Doing Nothing' because we don't know who we should trust, leaves us suspended. And in the meantime, the situation deteriorates.