One of the most beautiful places around is Palm Beach in Sydney. I often take Rocky (pictured) and his brothers Rexy and Groucho there just to hang out and look at the ocean. We put down the back seats of the station wagon, throw in a little mattress and just watch the waves and the sky. It’s bliss.
So it’s no surprise that I painted the vista looking north towards Barrenjoey Headland at Palm Beach in Sydney. It’s called Looking North and is available online through Bluethumb Gallery with free shipping.
This was painted during a time when I realised that I just needed to trust my gut on whether or not to follow my creative curiosity. It’s about finding your guiding light, putting away your doubts and insecurities, while just focusing on the way forward and feeding your creative soul.
Give yourself permission to be creative
It can sometimes be tough to give yourself permission to do just that. We think it’s indulgent. Or selfish. And we tell ourselves that we should be spending our time on something more sensible. Hey I’ve been there.
But nurturing your creativity – and allowing yourself to explore what piques your interest – is a vital part of your own self-care. Diminishing or suppressing it doesn’t do you any good at all.
How will you allow yourself to be creative this week?
Also now available …
In my writing life …
Many of you know that I am equally immersed in the world of writing as I am in the world of art. This week I’ve been Zooming with Australian National Living Treasure Tom Keneally. His latest book is “A Bloody Good Rant” and he is, of course, internationally famous for penning the book which eventually became the Oscar-winning movie Schindler’s List.
I loved it when he told me that he wrote the whole book while in Avalon, just up the road from the makers’ studio where I work. I’ve been commissioned to write a profile on Tom for a national media outlet and he has also kindly allowed me to post the recording of our conversation on the podcast I co-host, So you want to be a writer. Can’t wait to share this conversation with you. It will be out soon.
In other news … here’s what I’ve been doing:
Reading: Home Truths by David Williamson. (Until recently, I’ve had an annual ritual of heading to the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney to see his latest play. The last two were cancelled thanks to lockdown!)
Loving: That I finally have a hair appointment now that NSW has a roadmap out of you know what :)
Can’t wait for: Succession Season 3, coming to Foxtel 18 October. I LOVE this show.
Listening to: The audiobook of The Wealthy Creative: 24 Successful Artists and Writers Share Their Winning Habits (although I’m finding it very disconcerting that the female narrator switches to a deep voice whenever she’s quoting a man!)
Working out to: The online classes on the Les Mills+ app. (I find the Kiwi accents telling me to do lunges and kicks strangely comforting and quirky!)