Thrive on Arts at Empire Theatre is still one of my absolute favourite events. This year's theme was Ocean and I said YES let's make some sea creatures. 

Coral Tapestry 
Coral Tapestry is a living artwork, shaped by the hands and imaginations of the community. Over four days, participants wove fabric, objects, and personal contributions into large panels, collectively simulating the growth and complexity of a coral reef. As each person added their piece, the tapestry evolved—layer by layer, thread by thread—mirroring the vibrant, interconnected life of underwater ecosystems.
Sea creature sculptures were interspersed throughout the panels, creating moments of discovery and inviting further interaction. Their presence encouraged participants to continue contributing, sparking curiosity and play as the reef grew in richness and scale. This work celebrates both the creativity of individuals and the power of collective action, reflecting how communities, like coral reefs, thrive through connection, collaboration, and care.

If you haven't read the book My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald I encourage you to do so. It is a meaningful tale about displacement, otherness and ultimately kindness and friendship. The amazing team at The Lighthouse Toowoomba wove together a stunning community project that illuminated the pages of the story throughout the gallery and featured key installations of reponsive pieces. 

They also held readings from the author and asked me to support two community kids sessions in the creation of their panel for a community blanket. 

I love these kinds of projects, I find my role is to simply listen, encourage and support technical artistic advice, but really champion the individual as the narrator. We also have a creative voice, but sometimes it is intimidating to share. Especially in a public forum. Paired with the unknown of materials and what to do with them, something that feels natural for me, becomes an incredible hurdle for others. And it is in this space I find my roll is to be the quiet pillar one can lean on when they need a little support.

The wonderful team at the Esk Garden Fair asked, 'are you interested in a painting a live grass mural for the festival this year?'

My initial response was, 'yes', quickly followed by 'how does one paint grass?' Never to back down from an interesting challege I started investigating. Findly quickly this wasn't a medium artists were regularly engaging with, so I went to my next best option and started exploring the world of sport...in particular field painting. 

WOW let's actually give a round of applause for the field painting industry, this was certainly not easy, even though it was fun. 

The next step was to practice, and thankfully my parents were happy to donate a patch on their farm for me to do so. It was all about learning the materials. How far to spray from the grass, what ratios of the paint worked best? Playing with angles and designs. Learning the movements of my body, tranisitioning the smaller wrist flicks into whole arm swings. It was a problem-solving adventure. Let alone thinking what I would physically look like in the process, because this was in itself a performance as much as an artwork. Im sorry for those that caught me stretched out or hunched over sometimes making the best design took precident over creating an aesthetic photo opportunity for people. 

The result was a growing design starting from the centre and expanding outwards. The day was beautiful, the conversations were rich and by the end I had aches and pains in parts of my body I had yet to experience. 

But would I do it all over again....for sure!

Science Nature Art invites you to explore the intersectionality of scientific inquiry and artistic expression. By visually interpreting data from nature—plants, animals, and ecosystems, you’ll learn to see the natural world in a whole new way. Transforming these observations into layered compositions that blend organic textures with abstract forms. Participants are encouraged to create their own collages using the provided data and imagery, fostering a hands-on exploration of how art can reveal hidden patterns and connections in nature. This interactive experience inspires creativity while deepening our understanding of the natural environment.

Well that was the write-up, but wow, what an experience. I love a good provocation, and Queensland Museum Cobb & Co Provided. Put simply, they asked, what does Science, Nature, Art Mean to you? And how can you invite others to play within that space creativity? 

The outcome was a series of inspiration collages based of flora and fauna and an open invitation for the public to come and create their own verison to take home. 

When formulating the grand idea I had a few musts (for myself, obviously, as I was the one doing the project).

• The project needed to be accessible, I wanted people of all ages and experiences to feel safe to have a go
  
• The space needed to be accessible to everyone, with tables and chairs at different heights and space to accommodate wheelchairs and other needs
• The materials needed to be readily available, encouraging people to replicate the concepts outside of the museum

And of course I wanted to be personally happy with the works I produced as the installation (so no pressure).

The installation ended up being on display for a little over 6 months and was well attended with me hosting children's and adult workshops where we looked at my process in a little more depth. 

I honestly loved this opportunity and would love to explore this space more.