Donations to Love

We receive your donations with earnest thanks.

2 for 1 Movie Voucher

(expired) Transport Concession Card

(ready to eat, unwrapped) Mentos

(FREE) Postcard

 Peppermint Tea Bag

 BIG BOX of Tic Tac’s

2 Bandaid’s

(slightly wilted) Fresh Spinach Leaf

 (love red meat) Sticker

 (next one FREE) Gloria Jeans Coffee Card

(last piece) of Chewing Gum

(pre-loved, expired) Metcard

Post-It! note-pad (including) Love Note

Travel Pack of Kleenex Tissues (re-sealed)

Folded Program to New Babylon

 (mysterious, best left untouched) Tube of Cream…Lip-Gloss??

Jewellery Trinket made of Shell

 Business Card for (hopefully delicious) Dumpling House Restaurant

AND...

8 beautiful LOVE Letters

Each of these items will be embraced as we enter into the coming days. 

There is real threat of sorrowful downpours and hypothermic-prevention-cream is being purchased as I write. 

These are the days to throw on your entire wardrobe and journey to the edge of the earth! 

Large parts engulfed

Large parts engulfed. I am that devastated, I’m leaking.

I cried a wall of water, kilometres wide – it crashed and flooded my body.

An explosion sent flames bursting through my heart, destroying all feeling and sensation.

I consider this has the potential to generate destructive behaviour around my strict epicentre. 

I might issue a warning - death counts.

I evacuated my life, faster than a bullet speeding towards me.

The worst in history, the worst in my history.  

There were several areas affected on my body – my heart and brain, stomach, thighs and waist. The infection just kept spreading.

There is no threat of heartache today.

I want you to send me all your happy photos.

After all, I was smashed and the unstoppable carried me away.

When it struck the 78th time, I once again found myself leaking.

The heart I have learned is never closed for the day.

The aftershock was felt far away.

Here, I felt nothing.

Nothing radiated from my body, through the atmosphere, all the way to the moon.

To minimise the damage, counteract much falling over and tackle this disaster of disasters,

I pulled my strength together and did last year’s tax return.

I got help from family and friends.

Crisis management.

If you are worried about me, don’t.

If you’d like to take me out on a date, call my mobile  and I’ll let you know that I’m ok.

Please bear in mind that The Department of Foreign Affairs is trying to determine the extent of my disrepair and may recommend a holiday to China.

There use to be romance here, when I was tall and strong. When the golden sands of the beach were crowded for the ceremony.

My thoughts are still missing scattered like ashes, all the while they are encouraging survivors to heal their broken hearts.

How could I remain so untouched?

I haven’t been so forlorn since 1989.

Yet as a symbol of hope and defiance I will take a holiday and forget to pack all emotional baggage.

Blood oozes from a scratch on the trunk of my favourite tree.

At least I might establish proper support for real victims.

We must watch video feedback as evidence of the force of the disaster and continue to be rock n rolled by aftershocks, the final number of which is difficult for me to add up.

Like me, you must brace yourself for the possibility that all of this will be reduced to a minute silence.

Alas! Constructions need to be constructed and so muffle the sounds of our tragic mourning.

Until such time as blood growth and rhythm is up by 50%, the Prime Minister is expected to do nothing and the Premier will plant a tree.

We could argue that such a response is the result of an underlying weakness, but it’s really unsafe to understand it too well and so it’s best to generously gloss over the details with a neutral tone of Dulux wash n wear.

These are the days to pour concrete onto your soul and do nothing until such time as the structure is stable.

Then, we, yes you and I, will be a stable disaster accelerating toward standing together as one whoever we are, whatever place we are in    85% power, 65% water a persistent rash on everybody permanently erring on the side of caution nobody smiling anymore.

(F. Bryant & L. Farmer 2012)

Not the first - and definitely not the last, run...

We have stepped out of the rehearsal studio and have traveled to lands afar. With our runner in sight, we witnessed her momentum and contemplated her journey from the safety and comfort of our vehicle.

I know I talk a lot, but it's quality Lucy, not quantity that the masses want. I will endeavour to remember as we continue to make these journeys.

But the sights we saw! The lessons we learned! There is so much information to impart on my fellow passengers I want to share the world with them yet I don't know where to start! (The Beginning is always a good spot - wherever that is...)

We had a brief stop to get some happy tourist snaps in a new location, then our runner, faster than a bolt of lightning, sped off towards the Destination with us in her wake...

A Meeting with Friends

How exciting - and what a difference it makes - 

having friends to talk to, 'experiment' on and perform for!

Fiona and I emerged from the orange box (all the way to the footpath outside)

and indulged our visitors with a few morsels of the adventure to come: 

our journey to the edge of the earth. 

Being as one with the elements (as you can see, 

here we were contending with beautiful sunshine and generally mild, 

lovely weather) we were able to play with several parts 

of our intended expedition. 

I don't yet see a bus - our transport to carry you on this adventure, 

but it was there, in spirit. 

Tomorrow I drive the path you and I will take, 

but our runner will not be with us - she will be of course, running....

Reading material

I look at the pile of books on my desk today - a slightly odd collection, much as Hiatus is shaping up to be! A showing during rehearsals this past week (Maximised by Chunky Move), made me realise I'd quite entirely forgotten the humour that exists in this performance - a humour that has at times filled me with tearful laughter.

The reading score for a balanced experience:

For inspiration read Pat Farmer's Pole to Pole: One Man, 20 Million Steps
When Pat gets too much (accounts of puss being removed from infected toes is not so inspirational),
Read Lucy Walker's Six for Heaven and feel the LOVE.... "his arm took my arm and I felt it's strength...."
and, for a picture of reality and some food for contemplation, a flip through the Next Wave Magazine!
Repeat as required.

A Touch of Formality...

A cape will always make you feel SUPER...

and I am super warm, and ready for anything.

I've dragged myself away from the romance novels ('research') 

and am now moving in an orange box with my friend.

The first day of our third development, Fiona and I are keeping safe, 

keeping super, and re-equainting ourselves with 'art-making' and not 'admin'. 

Nothing like donning a cape to start the formal proceedings...

"every single one felt this one, it was a lot, lot stronger..."

Australia, we are a shaking too.

Red sky in the morning, sailors warning

Mother nature has a wonderful way of indicating future plans. The message was lucidly clear this morning. The old rhyme "red sky at night, sailors delight, red sky in the morning, sailors warning" is very accurate. A RED SKY AT NIGHT... means that as the sun sets in the west, if it has a red hue or color to it, then the moisture was further west of their location. Thus SAILORS DELIGHT. A beautiful sunset.RED SKY IN THE MORNING...means that as the sunlight from the rising sun passes through moisture, it too will be red. This means that with the rotation of the earth, this will bring this moisture (and possible storm) right on top of them and it is only a few hours away. SO SAILORS TAKE WARNING. 

Perhaps it's not just for the sailors. Mother nature, I do believe you are speaking to us all loud and clear. Sorry that we are often too busy to stop and notice. I'm wondering if recent floods, earthquakes and the such have been you tapping us on the shoulder? 

Really, truly happening

It's now or never, all or nothing...

get your day pass TODAY!

Getting ready

As May approaches days like today make me very nervous. Today as I ran, my legs hurt and my general energy was low. Possibly my liver is still processing alcohol from friends wedding, more likely, I have encountered a plateau in my training. Better now than later I reassure myself.
My whole body feels a weight of worry, a mild underlying anxiety about the enormity of what Hiatus is. And because dwelling in worry is so awfully uncomfortable I am considering ways in which I might effectively lessen (total alleviation seems impossible) this feeling. Essentially I am asking myself, what can I do today to prepare? What does it mean to prepare? Who else might I assist to prepare? Is it possible to prepare too much?
In thinking about preparedness, I leave you with some interesting thoughts on why it is that we don't prepare as much as we might, should or could for natural disasters...

Here comes the rain, rain, rain, again.

Rain, Rain (Cher)

Why am I here if youre there

So far away its not fair

To be without you like this

I miss you more than you know

The nights are long

The days slow

Without the warmth of your kiss

Wish you were back here with me

Cause out my window

All is see is

Rain , Rain In The Sky

Everywhere I Look My Eyes See

Rain , Rain Fallin' Down

Crying As It Hits The Ground

Rain , Rain In My Heart

Every Day That Were Apart

Rain , Rain

Falling Rain

The sun is strong when youre near

But when you're gone it disappears

Behind an ocean of blue

The telephones not good enough

It cant reach out it cant touch

Me like the way you do

Wish you would knock at my door

Cause only you can stop this pouring

Rain , Rain In The Sky

Everywhere I Look My Eyes See

Rain , Rain Fallin' Down

Crying As It Hits The Ground

Rain , Rain In My Heart

Every Day That Were Apart

Rain , Rain

Falling Rain , Rain

Rain , Rain

Only Rain , Rain

Maybe Ill go outside

And walk beneath the clouds

Pretend its you thats watching over me

This isn't the only thing that comes

Between us now

Baby soon well be together

OOOO

( Everywhere I look I see rain )

( Everywhere I look I see rain )

Rain

( Everywhere I look I see rain )

Everywhere I look I see rain

( Everywhere I look I see rain )

Rain

( Everywhere I look I see rain )

Rain

( Rain , rain in the sky )

( Everywhere I look my eyes see rain )

Rain

( Rain falling down )

Down

( Crying as it hits the ground )

Dont ,

( Rain , rain in my heart everyday that were apart )

( Rain , rain )

Rain

( Falling rain, rain )

Rain

( Rain, rain )

Everywhere I look I see rain

Everywhere I look I see the rain

But I dont see you

You're not near me

I need you

Every day that we are apart.

Rain, rain

It'll never be the same

If you dont stop the rain

Something for Valentines Day...

How can love, distance or helplessness be created for an audience to experience?

I have been reading romance novels, trying to experience and understand how others are in love. I know these stories are highly sensationalised, but I do find it interesting the formula that these novels tend to subscribe to.

Woman and man meet. There is a strong, mutual sexual attraction, yet they hate each other at first. The man has dark curly hair, blue/grey/green eyes, a strong jaw, proud nose and muscular shoulders. The woman has a fiery mane, long golden tresses or raven black curls, darker than midnights shadow. She has a twinkle in her eye, a defiant air and a heaving bosom. She is a strong woman who snares his attention and when the crowd parts, his breath catches and his heart races and she glows, throbbing with divine light. 

So they meet on several occasions, have sex to varying degrees, use the word 'possessive' a few times and at the end of the story they get married and say 'I don't want anyone else ever except for you'. Both are lacking in self-confidence in regards to each other and are prone to irrational fits of rage when jealous.

I've read Wild West romances, Highlander romances, Medical romances, Mediterranean romances, Historical romances, Viking/Navy romances, Vampire/Alien/I've-Got-Supernatural-Powers-And-I-Love-You-Babe romances - the list goes on and on.

This image is part of an unfinished painting I've done of Fiona, where I've tried to capture the the drama of romance novel book covers. If the heroine is not looking into her lovers eyes, she is gazing to the distance, thinking of someone (perhaps someones?) far far away....

Re-thinking a hiatus

The idea for Hiatus was born out of a perceived and possibly very real hiatus I was experiencing in my art making in 2010. 2010 was also a year full of natural disasters. Watching the media report these, I paused wallowing in my hole and tried to feel something for our suffering world. That's correct, I tried to feel something. You'd think I'd have been immediately overwhelmed with empathetic sadness even anger, but no.... I FELT NOTHING. You see, for me, there was an aching gap, a hiatus that I just couldn't seem to bridge in order to identify with or relate to my friends in lands afar. 

The premier of Hiatus in May 2012 is nothing less than a bold, refulgent and POSITIVE gesture toward bridging the gap. 

A hiatus is often but NOT ALWAYS, a sad thing. 

Understand your audience (and give them imaginary chocolate)

In the Sunday Magazine, Ruth Devine recently published an article entitle How to make people listen. In 6 steps she expertly described how to "speak up and make yourself (and your needs) heard."
We were certainly inspired, especially by point 1.

Understand your audience

People won't listen unless they believe there's something in it for them. "Assume they are, at best, indifferent to you, and at worst , hostile and hungry even ravenous," advises Sydney sales guru Ciaran McGuigan. "Then overcome that by understanding who they are and what they're concerned about."

We think that you, the audience of this spectacular new performance work to premier in May, may be a bunch of lovely souls concerned about the world, love and chocolate - just as we are. 

If this is so, please raise your hand and wait for a family size block of Cadbury to fall  from above. 

Lovely.

Some departing words...

Follow love and it will flee, flee love and it will follow. Gain strength, courage, and confidence by looking fear in the face and say to yourself, swim in circles in a large fantasy world but don't waste energy! Face life now! Remain faithful when nobody's looking, endure pain when the room is empty and bravely stand alone when you're misunderstood. 

Inspired

I am inspired by that which is conceivably not ‘up for grabs’ as inspiration. I am inspired by disaster. Please hear me out or rather, please hear out the following words of Rourke (The experience of Being inspired, 1984) which may help you to understand how I dare to be so quietly inappropriate.

The experience of being inspired enters one’s awareness with the recognition of a vital force or power…One feels at home, where one has been out of control, able to act, a sense of being empowered…

The power is impelling. It moves or drives the inspired person toward a certain goal. It presses for action. It incites new ideas. It urges one to embrace its cause. The power is so compelling. It demands the total attention of the inspired person. It commands absorption in the moment of its emergence. It leaves the inspired person with a “must,” a “have to,” a “pressure.”

The felt-illumination integrates in such a manner that one feels directed. The sense is that of seeing what one must do, knowing how to do it, and having the will to carry it through. One feels like a runner on a definite course who has no doubt that the race will be finished because one is running on a mysterious or spiritual inner strength.