ANCESTORYTHE PASSIONSFIRE |
THE UNKNOWNTHE CENTRAL AXISFRIENDSAIR |
THE ELDERSTHE PLANTSWATER |
EARTH
Of my teachers said to me once "The artist is a nexus of experiences".
In fact, each person is a nexus of experience.
And so expression is the distillation of many different threads.
Here are some of threads of this life:
As I child I was exposed to many, many different environments and cultures. People from different lifestyles and backgrounds. I was fortunate to be encouraged by my family to learn from nature and animals, and to create art, and solve problems, and care for home, country, and community.
My upbringing in and around Indigenous culture in Australia, particularly the Nukuna and Ngaatajara language groups, has left me with a deep sense of earth and place based spirituality.
I am grateful for the love and care I received from the Riverdell Emissaries of Divine Light community, at a pivotal time of change in my family.
My first artistic practice was drawing, and first physical practice was either boxing or gymnastics, I cant quite remember.
My initiation into a new conceptual paradigm began when I met my good friend Shae Matthews, a man of enormous heart and generosity. With him I was introduced to the Transformational Festival movement in Australia.
During my Fine Arts degree I was put through rigorous critical thinking and research training.
This refined an existing curiosity about the deeper truth of life that was luckily encouraged by my parents. This is now fundamental to my attitude towards learning and sharing.
I doff my cap to my teachers at the sculpture department at the Australian National University, Wendy Teakel, Paul Hay, Simon Schurle, Nick Stranks and Amanda Stewart, all of whom were generous and wise.
I was very fortunate to receive a scholarship the the Endeavour Exchange program at the Australian National University during my degree. This took me to Chiang Mai University in Thailand where I studied under Ajan Peerapong in the Sculpture department. I remain eternally grateful for my connection with the teachers and students during my 5 month stay.
I studied Art therapy at the phoenix institute in Melbourne, and I'm grateful for the compassionate souls who ran the modules and demonstrated the practices being taught.
I had the great privilege to be exposed to the western manifestation of the shamanic paradigms and practices of the the people of the Amazon and Andes, as presented by Darpan, Wenona Matthews and various other practitioners near Melbourne.
In India I trained in the 'Subbody Himalaya Butoh Technique' under Rhizome Lee in Dharamsala, (HP). I am grateful for the opportunity connect with the international creative and spiritual community in Mcleod Ganj, and witness the context of the Tibetan community in exile.
In Australia I have trained in the Vipassana tradition as taught by Goenkaji.
In my community it has been invaluable to train with various practitioners in the movement community in Melbourne and Canberra. Significant training contexts include the natural movement retreats organised Craig Mallet and Simon Thakur, enjoyed by many, and the classes held in Canberra. Also, James Skalkos of Dynamic Movement Therapy.
On the road, the alternative community know as the 'Rainbows', a movement of modern day gypsies, artists and dreamers, has been an essential connection to the wider and wilder fringes of culture in Australia.
Respect to the Bundjalung mob in the norther rivers region of NSW, and to Jingki.
Deep gratitude for Swami Prem Das of Far North Queensland and the people I met there living in connection with the land.
Another significant influence has been Jon Young and the 8shields Mind of the Mentor workshops I have been lucky enough to attend.
All of these influences have led me to understand that this work is simply a new reflection of a deeper older process...I understand my experience is just a small part of this.
Without my time in wild places, I could not have rested enough to gain my bearings in this world.
My Australian Accredited training is in fine arts, counselling and art therapy, and I hold a Bachelor of Arts, and a Dip. Trans-personal Art Therapy.
In fact, each person is a nexus of experience.
And so expression is the distillation of many different threads.
Here are some of threads of this life:
As I child I was exposed to many, many different environments and cultures. People from different lifestyles and backgrounds. I was fortunate to be encouraged by my family to learn from nature and animals, and to create art, and solve problems, and care for home, country, and community.
My upbringing in and around Indigenous culture in Australia, particularly the Nukuna and Ngaatajara language groups, has left me with a deep sense of earth and place based spirituality.
I am grateful for the love and care I received from the Riverdell Emissaries of Divine Light community, at a pivotal time of change in my family.
My first artistic practice was drawing, and first physical practice was either boxing or gymnastics, I cant quite remember.
My initiation into a new conceptual paradigm began when I met my good friend Shae Matthews, a man of enormous heart and generosity. With him I was introduced to the Transformational Festival movement in Australia.
During my Fine Arts degree I was put through rigorous critical thinking and research training.
This refined an existing curiosity about the deeper truth of life that was luckily encouraged by my parents. This is now fundamental to my attitude towards learning and sharing.
I doff my cap to my teachers at the sculpture department at the Australian National University, Wendy Teakel, Paul Hay, Simon Schurle, Nick Stranks and Amanda Stewart, all of whom were generous and wise.
I was very fortunate to receive a scholarship the the Endeavour Exchange program at the Australian National University during my degree. This took me to Chiang Mai University in Thailand where I studied under Ajan Peerapong in the Sculpture department. I remain eternally grateful for my connection with the teachers and students during my 5 month stay.
I studied Art therapy at the phoenix institute in Melbourne, and I'm grateful for the compassionate souls who ran the modules and demonstrated the practices being taught.
I had the great privilege to be exposed to the western manifestation of the shamanic paradigms and practices of the the people of the Amazon and Andes, as presented by Darpan, Wenona Matthews and various other practitioners near Melbourne.
In India I trained in the 'Subbody Himalaya Butoh Technique' under Rhizome Lee in Dharamsala, (HP). I am grateful for the opportunity connect with the international creative and spiritual community in Mcleod Ganj, and witness the context of the Tibetan community in exile.
In Australia I have trained in the Vipassana tradition as taught by Goenkaji.
In my community it has been invaluable to train with various practitioners in the movement community in Melbourne and Canberra. Significant training contexts include the natural movement retreats organised Craig Mallet and Simon Thakur, enjoyed by many, and the classes held in Canberra. Also, James Skalkos of Dynamic Movement Therapy.
On the road, the alternative community know as the 'Rainbows', a movement of modern day gypsies, artists and dreamers, has been an essential connection to the wider and wilder fringes of culture in Australia.
Respect to the Bundjalung mob in the norther rivers region of NSW, and to Jingki.
Deep gratitude for Swami Prem Das of Far North Queensland and the people I met there living in connection with the land.
Another significant influence has been Jon Young and the 8shields Mind of the Mentor workshops I have been lucky enough to attend.
All of these influences have led me to understand that this work is simply a new reflection of a deeper older process...I understand my experience is just a small part of this.
Without my time in wild places, I could not have rested enough to gain my bearings in this world.
My Australian Accredited training is in fine arts, counselling and art therapy, and I hold a Bachelor of Arts, and a Dip. Trans-personal Art Therapy.
