November 2019 – October 2020

On the first weekend in November, I was delighted to be invited to create an installation as part of the Natimuk Frinj Festival. Natimuk is a small Wimmera town, and I made a work  titled Voices From the Land, to acknowledge and celebrate the strength of five senior women who have all lived and worked in the area for most of their life.

The installation consisted of three traditional standard lamps with handmade shades that used words of the women from two recorded discussions earlier that year. Set in a small side room at the Soldiers Memorial Hall, the space was transformed into a symbolic sitting room. Voices of the women could be heard in the space and each short looped recording gave new insights into the experiences of these women over many years. The public enjoyed it enormously, and the lamps will be returning to Natimuk in July 2020 as part of an exhibition.
I gratefully acknowledge the support of grants for this project from the City of Greater Geelong and Made in Natimuk.

March 2020. I am currently involved in the 2020 Encounters- A Lenten Journey with St Mary’s Basilica, Geelong. As part of this series of five half-hour Reflections, I have created a ‘Vessel’ that changes each week in ways that explore the symbolism of Lent. I have also been invited to read my own poetry at two of these Reflections.

In early June 2020 I will again be working at the National Celtic Festival, Portarlington. This extensive and exciting event embraces a range of arts including installations, sound and light and the ‘magic’ tree. This year’s tree will focus weaving and ropes, and there will be a special surprise for children!!

From late September to early October, I will be in Ireland to take up another residency at Cill Rialaig, near Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry, and also developing a collaborative work with composer Dr. Vivienne Olive in Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare.