Poetry at Batemans Bay, 2-3 December 2023!

I am excited to be heading to the coast on the first weekend of December, to deliver two workshops:

• In the Moment - Poetry and Spoken Word: 1.30 - 4.30pm on Saturday and

• D - I - Y Zine! 1.00 - 4.00pm on Sunday.

And on Saturday night I will be sharing my poetry performance with projections ‘Matter of Life’, plus a poetry open mic and music from Emily and the Millers.

You can book for all of these via Humanitix (this is for the performance event, the workshops are linked in the description): https://events.humanitix.com/poetry-at-the-bay

Coming up at M16 Chutespace - Lost Lace

Next week I will be installing some new work in M16’s wonderful micro-gallery Chutespace. This converted library chute is the perfect place to get the first baby-steps of a new project into the world.

Lost Lace is the start of new work meditating on the destruction of our continents extensive flat oyster reefs during the first century post-colonisation. Learn more about the work here.

If you are in Narrabundah or surrounds, stop to have a peek and then go in to see the other great exhibitions inside: Bushranger Blue by Rory King, Sensory Bodies curated by Zev Aviv, and mutual acts: ecologies of a garden by Lani Shea-An.

Wrack and Salvage - closing weekend with workshop and artist talk

Looking forward to this drop-in workshop on Saturday 25 March - join me to make a collage protest postcard, expressing your concerns about climate change and the environment, to post to one of our elected representatives. And at 3pm I will be giving a talk about how and why I made 'Wrack and Salvage', what I learned in the process, and will be keen to hear your responses and thoughts too. Both free but please click through to register! Registration and more details here: https://www.belcoarts.com.au/wrack-and-salvage/

Examples of ‘protest postcards’ - come and make your own this Saturday!

'Wrack and Salvage' - coming up at Belco Arts

My next exhibition, ‘Wrack and Salvage’ will open at Belconnen Arts Centre at 6pm on Friday 10 February, and run until 26 March 2023. I started making this work during the ACT’s second COVID shutdown in 2021, with a sense of urgency and I am very glad to be bringing it into the world.

Wrack and Salvage provokes questions in the face of the climate crisis. What do we value? What do we stand to lose? What will we see destroyed? What are we willing to sacrifice? What are we prepared to save?

This sculptural installation resembles the flying forms of flood debris. They were made using only books and other documents that were already in my possession when I started making this work, a non-renewable resource of sorts.

Please join me for the opening, at 6pm on 10 February, alongside two other fantastic exhibitions by artists Paul Summerfield and Valerie Schönjahn, plus the open exhibition ‘Earth Unframed’.

Watch 'Spires' on Vimeo

My animated video ‘Spires’, made for Hidden Films, Rookwood 2020, is now available to watch on Vimeo. A chorus of the dead speak to the birds moving through the cemetery above them, animated by breath and spirit.

'Spires' screening at Hidden Rookwood 2022

My hand-animated poetry film ‘Spires’ is one of ten short films screening as port of Hidden Rookwood Sculpture and Film Festival. Hidden Films are screening in the All Souls Chapel Sat 10 Sept 9am-4 pm (launch) then every Sunday 9am-4 pm and Wednesday 2pm-6pm. The sculpture walk is open every day from sunrise to sunset. The films are also showing on the Hidden Rookwood website here: https://www.hiddeninrookwood.com.au/exhibiting-film-artists-2022. I encourage you to watch the full reel, but if you don’t have time, you can find ‘Spires’ at the 1.30 mark.

HIDDEN is an annual outdoor sculpture exhibition that takes place amongst the pathways and gardens in one of the oldest sections of Rookwood Cemetery. The exhibition is a unique opportunity for artists to engage with the cemetery’s contemporary relevance, and invites the public into these layered narratives while exploring the diverse cultural heritage of Australia's largest and most historic cemetery.

AUGUST IS POETRY MONTH!

August is Australia’s Poetry Month, thanks to the Red Room Company, and there is lots to do, online and IRL. I am very excited to be part of the National Poetry Month Gala at the Australian Chamber Orchestra in Sydney on Friday 12 August, and then to host the ACT Poetry Month Showcase at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra! Wheee! There are also workshops, writing prompts and more. Check it all out on the Red Room Poetry Company website.

MOTHER TONGUE #Women Speak, Friday 8 July 2022

Thrilled to feature at Mother Tongue #Women Speak in Naarm (Melbourne) tomorrow night! Here are all the details:

Mother Tongue is an intimate, warm and cozy night of Women's Spoken Word (poetry, stories, songs, etc). It is a space to sit back and listen, receive, as well as step up to your ultimate awesomeness and share a piece yourself via the open mic.Passionate, Powerful, Vulnerable, Honest.
This month's feature artist is the phenomenal *JACQUI MALINS*

It is a place to witness Woman in all of her incredible facets.
All genders are welcome in the audience, open mic slots available to those who identify as women or whose gender spectrum includes "Woman" in it. (Basically, you decide if its the stage for you, not us )

Plus our 8 open mic spots - sign up on the door
(more info on Open Mic below)

Hosted by Fleassy Malay & Brigid Morgan
Friday 8th July 2022

Venue:
The Coracle
Fairfield Uniting Church
85 Gillies Street
Fairfield, Melbourne
VIC 3078

This venue is fully accessible.
Doors open 7:30pm
Performance 8pm-11pm
All genders welcome
ENTRY: $20 // CONC: $18// $10 Digital Attendance
Pre-booking encouraged, tickets available on the door.

*We offer Free Entry for Valid Companion Cards if you are attending to support another attendee, please book your spot accordingly so we can track numbers.

Open mic performers sign up on the door and get in free.
5 minutes allowed for each open mic performer.

Chai and Vegan Yummies available for purchase from Nourished by Courtney... (SOOOO Good)- Bring your own CUP!!

Creative Resilience and Recovery Residency at Ainslie+Gorman Arts Centre

I am absolutely chuffed to be undertaking a Creative Resilience and Recovery Residency with Ainslie + Gorman Arts Centre, from now (well a few weeks ago!) until the end of May.

I am joining a wonderful cohort of artists: Established queer Bundjalung writer, poet and multimedia artist Samia Goudie, emerging Wiradjuri cultural leader and visual artist Jackson Taylor-Grant, young Gamilaroi Yularoi artist Sarah Loynes, and emerging visual artist and teacher, Yamile Tafur.

This gift of time is allowing me to develop my practice as a creative facilitator in community arts and cultural development, particularly in my work organising and producing spoken word and poetry events and activities, with a focus on youth.

'F-words' - first review

Learning that my fresh copy of Rabbit Poetry Journal contained the first review I've seen of my book F-Words, I opened it with some trepidation... And it is a delight to see my book through the eyes of a close reader. Big thanks to Alison J Barton for engaging with my book so thoughtfully and thoroughly.