Reader, I have something I understand to be āhealth anxietyā: the moment a physical symptom appears, my mind jumps to a catastrophic illness, convinced the world will end imminently, or that Iāll be plunged into managing a lifetime of uncertainty. It sounds dramatic, and in my head, it can be! On Sunday, I felt mentally unwell. I was tired, and then my stomach gurgledā¦ Panic stations. I could feel myself spiralling, my mind racing through the next steps, the rest of the week, wondering if Iād...
19 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read
Wrapping up March A simple procrastination play piece that got me through a work afternoon of admin. Play to the rescue! Last week, I shared an Instagram story while I was at the mechanicās having my car serviced. I had created a little something in my sketchbook while I was waiting. It was in response to the weekly prompt we had for the Permission to Play group about visualising the flow of our month of March, and I discovered that, as I followed the ups and downs of the month, it eventually...
about 2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
And other tall tales... "They probably got the wrong person." That's what I told myself when I didn't hear back. I was approached about my work being in a local exhibition late last year, and when I didn't hear back from the person, my initial assumption was confirmed: of course, I wasn't the person they **meant** to ask. Obviously, it wasn't me who they wanted in the exhibition, and when they realised, they just contacted the person they wanted. Simple. Then, out of the blue, I get an email,...
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read
Looking back, moving forward. This is me. 1998. My friend Luke took this photo; he was the kid with the photography skills and the equipment, rarely in front of the camera but always capturing the incredible moments of teen life in a regional town in the 90sā¦ Black and white was his jam; he was, and is, such a genuine person. Capturing our youth in ways for which I will be forever grateful. When these photos appear on Facebook memories, or I flick through an old album and see them, I am...
3 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read
Morning Musings... A selection of recent works where I have been exploring the use of oil pastels more freely. Have you seen the movie The Greatest Showman? I hadnāt until late last year, but the song āThis is Meā had been a go-to in my music library for a few years, to bang out when I was feeling especially vulnerable. I would play this song, with my own out-of-pitch vocals, obviously, when I felt I was too much for people, too loud, too angry, too opinionated. It worked like a balm,...
4 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
A gentle welcome... This was my first play piece for 2026. "Ordinary?" Mixed Media on Dodgy Paper - Handmade. Available. Hello Reader, How are you? Honestly? I was going to wish you a Happy New Year, but I am aware we are already in February. If you are like me, Reader, you may be only just now getting through the things you had on the go in 2025! I believe it is important to honour the time it takes some of us to kick into gear with the turning of the calendar, and I hope your year is...
4 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
Brain health is so 2025! Stay curious... not just a teeshirt design but a protective factor for brain health! Me matching with my niece last week! CUUUTTEE! Hi Reader, This week I handed in my second last assignment for my postgraduate certificate, only one to go now! It's a big one too, so wish me luck! Between uni and travelling back from interstate, itās been a whirlwind few weeks. This most recent assignment was on the ageing brain, and what Iāve learnt has really amplified what I knew...
8 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
The truth is in the data, and the art... My hectic vibe from this weeks Free Play Friday session. Apparently, my smartwatch thinks Iām failing at life. Reader, Iāve been doing all the things to reduce stress and sleep better, but every day my body battery shows up depleted, my stress levels stay high, and my sleep score hovers stubbornly between poor and fair. The hard part is, there isnāt much I can actually shift to lighten the load. This isnāt a sob story about how busy I am. Whatās most...
8 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read
What if we cared for our minds like our bodies? Hi Reader, This week has been a big one. Honestly, itās been like that for a while now. Hovering on the edge of burnout and just holding on. Maybe youāve felt that too? Many of us, especially creative folk, take on far more than we can manage. We push through until something gives. If this were physical health, weād notice the signs and feel justified in resting. But with mental health, society tells us to keep going, to stay busy, to āmanage...
9 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Follow the sun... Reader, do you ever notice how, when a new month begins on the same day a season changes, thereās a different energy in the air? Perhaps itās the nature of newness, the possibility of beginning again, or simply the gentle reminder that this is an opportunity to finally do one thing youāve been putting off. Here in Australia, weāre moving into spring. I have a love/hate relationship with spring: I love the blooms, the sun warming the back of my neck, the way flowers pop up...
9 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read