If someone had told me a few years ago I had been accepted into an Artist Residency in Melbourne Australia for Winter/Spring 2021, I would have jumped for joy. A few months to stay still, no distractions, experience the season change, and you get paid - I actually probably wouldn't have believed it. Yesterday I chose this narrative.
For the last month I have been at home, stood down from work, in a strict lockdown in Melbourne, but of course that story has been ongoing for a while now. I could tell the tale of not being allowed to travel overseas to see family and friends, meet my nephew and other babies that have come into my world. I could tell of the frustration and hopelessness I have felt, how clean my skirting boards are and the Frogmouth now sitting on a nest in my local park that has become my world. All the ups and downs of this collective experience are a story to tell for sure, but yesterday I chose a different narrative.
For the last X years I have been trying to make money whilst making art, building my calendar like a 1000 piece jigsaw, looking for the equilibrium, and always harping on about how "in France, Artists get paid, kind of like the dole, to make art - wouldn't that be great" Suddenly I realised, I could see my current situation like that. I have been stood down from work again, but this time (for the first time as I am a temporary resident) I am being paid to be at home and I have time, so much time, with no promises or obligations to anyone or anything...hasn't that been the dream I have been chasing?
So today is Day 1 of my Artist Residency. For the first 7 days I will be using words to stimulate some writing and see where that takes me. I have chosen 7 words to start me off, they might change along the way but here they are as of Day 1....
Nature
Oceans
Home
Migration
Treading Lightly
Stories
Time
And so it begins...
