In the Quiet Season: May, June, July

Kia Ora folks! It’s been a while, I’ve definitely been letting the season rule my activity this year. The sub zero mornings, early frosts and occasional snow have been keeping me company as I’ve spent a little time doing a few admin tasks and a few other unexpected adventures.

I’ve spent more time in emergency rooms in the past three months than I wanted to in the next ten years, but alas. You just can’t predict when this stuff happens. I have, instead, spent much of winter watching and being present for loved ones after accidents left them a little worse for wear - including an impromptu trip back over to Australia. And while, none of these events were exacty happy incidents, I have spent a significant amount of time with them and subsequently a lot of time in my own thoughts.

At some point during this time, I got it in my head that it was time to return to being a student.

There’s something about the direction and the routine, the challenge of research and being in that environment that really boosts my energy and motivation in general.

It’s a little addictive… as you can probably tell, given this is my… fourth (fifth?) stint. So… I spent much of my alone time in the last while putting together an application for a Masters degree.

I’m utterly stoked to let y’all know that my proposal and application for a Masters in Fine Arts was accepted and I start in September! Should be an interesting experience learning how a different university in a different country works - not to mention that it’s almost entirely self directed research ahead!

Part of this process had me trawling through old photos of my graduate artworks and my honours exhibition works and that particular stroll down memory lane has me all kinds of excited to get back to it, however it may show up this time around.

Each of the artworks I created during my graduating year of Bachelors and then later my Honours year holds a special place in my heart. Those two final years at Flinders Uni showed me that I am capable of creating cohesive bodies of work and that I do… actually have my own style, steeped in honesty and personal narrative.

In this new season, this new direction, I’m hoping to have exciting things to share with you all real soon. My research themes and topics for Masters are ideas that I’ve been buzzing around for a few years now. An exciting mix and crossover between Hopepunk/Solarpunk, home and ideas around rot, fungi and decay. You can expect to see works in progress, notes, poems, writing and little experiments ahead! Here’s a little snippet of my proposal essay as a taste:

“Mould does not destroy in entirety. It moves, slowly, transforming all it touches, and leaves something changed, rather than gone. A home is not fixed either: neglected, it decays, but tended, it can grow again.”

Until next time,
nearlytuna.

- Follow that Whimsy!