In September 2024 I was fortunate to participate in the Prendendo Tempo artist residency at The Museum of Loss and Renewal in Collemacchia, Italy which offered me a wonderful opportunity to go deeper into my practice and to be open to developing my artistic expression and voice. Immersing myself fully in this residency allowed me time and space to take risks, to experiment with compositional elements, to innovate and to learn, which as an emerging artist was an extraordinary gift.
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For the Prendendo Tempo residency I created a series of experimental works based on the theme Solvitur Ambulando (It is solved by walking). Strongly inspired by Tracy Mackenna’s video “Jo, Josephine,Giuseppina and Tracy” and the concept of Walking Towards Myself I explored the Abruzzo National Park environment through contemplative walking each day and expanded my art practice by remaining open to possibilities. Responding to and physically working with the landscape I recorded my Collemacchia experience through drawing, printing, photography and painting. Focusing on the landscape as a central motif I fully embraced the chance to explore and experiment creating works free of expectation and constraints. I produced a wide range of experimental pieces, often working directly on the ground to capture an essence of place or using foraged items such as burnt olive trees to create drawing materials. The freedom to work in this way has had a profound impact on my practice and I am really excited to see what will eventuate over the next year or two. Having now returned to my Beechworth studio the Walking Towards Myself works I created while at Collemacchia are providing rich and exciting starting points for a new body of work.