‘All children are born artists
and then they grow out of it.’
Pablo Picasso

Our creativity is birthed the moment we’re conceived in our mother’s womb. As we start playing, everything we touch, we see, we hear, and we smell is driven by an adventurous curiosity that takes us on a journey of discovery that lasts throughout our lives. Have you ever watched a three year old play? I have and am as I write. What a blast! It’s one hell of a ride! Of course, how ‘the creative you’ evolves and is applied is quite another matter.  My own childhood was not a happy one, and playful artistic expression was my way of escaping my life situation.

While my career has been to document and to share more of what I saw than what I felt as time passed I would look at my images and think to myself, ‘Okay that looks nice, but it doesn’t truly express my emotions. I know when I took that shot, my mind was racing. I could feel the sun warming my cold skin, the sweet scent of eucalyptus filling my lungs, and I had an underlying urge to scream out loud, way out in a place where not a single soul would hear.’  In this, the digital age, as a photographer I now have tools that better enable me to express my emotions with unfettered freedom.  And, it is not just the tools that make it possible, it is also a recognition and acceptance that free artistic expression has nothing whatever to do with pleasing others.  Learning to be one’s own artistic director is one of the most liberating experiences simply because a primary roadblock a fear of the opinions of others.

Above: Another Stairway

In 2013, days after leaving the Tasman Peninsula through Dunalley, the region burst into flames with one of Tasmania’s worst bushfires in history. Locals experienced significant loss and subsequent emotional strains. Having experienced a substantial loss due to the 2011 floods in Brisbane, I felt their pain deeply.

While my recovery is ongoing – as it is for most – I found some solace in the Eckhardt Tolle philosophy that ‘You can lose something you have, but never something you are.’ Over time I managed to pick myself re-engage with life with added creative vigour. Initially, I found change intimidating. However, there is always another stairway that leads to another episode in life’s adventure. Loss and the challenge of recovery is something that confronts all humans at some time in their lives. For me, my life purpose has been encouraged, particularly through a more emboldened passion for artistic expression.

Through this expression, I wanted to instil something of the tears and fears of loss and the hope that all who experience it find another stairway towards healing.

What I mean by ‘Awakening the Artist Within’, is more about reclaiming your playful inner child. Remember that little boy/girl you once were, how you played with paint and pencils for nothing more than pleasure? Okay, maybe you showed mummy and daddy your pictures, but recall that the true joy came from the process of playing. That is what I’m speaking of in this section: playing while ‘not thinking’. Not thinking about acceptance, picture frame selections, how many likes you’ll get for this image, or what folks will write in the visitor’s book at your first exhibition. I recall my first fine art exhibition was full of abstracts. Someone wrote, ‘Love his work, but I think he’s now gone quite mad!’ While clearly not meant as a compliment, I chose to accept it as the best I’d received in 50 years! As we’ve discussed, art is about a reaction. In awakening your inner child, letting go, and revealing the real you, you’re bound to raise eyebrows.

Above: Uluru and Bloodwood

A montage inspired by the graphic nature of the bloodwood trees set against the shape and form of Uluru. The walking track around the Uluru, especially during the golden hours of mornings and afternoons is one of the most inspirational walking experiences anywhere in Australia.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory.

Above: Malkumba-Coongie Lakes I

An abstract watercolour inspired by the vast wetland area at Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park. As I flew in the late afternoon light over the lakes the colours reflected appeared as a canvas of incredible beauty.  Creating this and a series of works to this theme reminded me of the sheer joy of playing with paint as a child.

Above: My Beating Heart

These artful contortions of fig tree roots wrapping around a sandstone boulder inspired me to reflect on the fragility of my beating heart. A decade on in 2020, I would have a significant open-heart surgery operation a reminder that one’s life is fragile, and I must fill mine with the joy of creative expression.
King George River region coastal Kimberley Western Australia.

This Masterclass helps you overcome the life challenges that face us all. I will connect you with strategies to help you navigate through the many pathways available to fully realise your creative life purpose.

After fifty-six years photographing and sharing Australia’s unique wonders, I wanted to share how, where and when you can connect with the essence of this spectacular country. Join me and plan your journey..