Studio Insights - January 2025
CREATE: What I’ve created/done & what I’m working on.
INSPIRE: What art has inspired me.
LEARN: What I’m learning to develop my practice.
PLAN: What I’m planning next.
“It seems to me that one of the great luxuries of life at this point is to be able to do one thing at a time, one thing to which you give yourself wholeheartedly - ‘Unitasking’ ”
My first monthly update for the year - welcome 2025! This year is gearing up to be pretty hectic and busy, but I’m quite excited about all the amazing exhibitions I have planned. If you missed it, I recently released a (lengthy) summary/reflection of my entire year of art in 2024.
January was a slow-ish start to the year as I took some time off and eased back into the full swing of things. My main highlight was a trip up to Hawera and Whanganui for a group exhibition and to experience some art, nature and relaxation.
CREATE: Quirky Fox - Resilience
I’ve been planning on exhibiting with Vicki at Quirky Fox for a while now, just missing out due to some very unfortunate setbacks with moving spaces. After soldiering through some real tests with useless contractors and landlords, the new gallery is finally open and looking stunning. I joined in the aptly named opening exhibition ‘Resilience’ which celebrated the difficulties overcome to make such a space possible.
I was incredibly impressed with the work that went into creating a professional and cohesive exhibition - it was well worth the wait. I felt honoured to have my piece alongside so many other stunning pieces and displayed so beautifully. In the small town of Hawera, it’s like stepping into an artistic oasis which would feel right at home in a big city.
Vicki is also an absolute pleasure to work with and really cares about every single artist, going out of her way to make me feel welcomed like part of a family. She was genuinely upset about forgetting to get me a gift for joining, which caught me off guard - I felt I should be the one giving thanks for showcasing my art. It’s easy to forget your value as an artist, and how much galleries rely on great artists creating meaningful work. This was refreshing after all my time at big art shows, where you aren’t much more than a numbered wall space among 100+ others.
If you’re passing through, do yourself a favour and visit this gallery. The exhibition is on until 25th February.
INSPIRE: Taranaki / Whanganui
With the exhibition in Hawera, I took a few extra days to explore the area. The scenery around Mt Taranaki is astonishing - I felt inspired and refreshed by the whole area. I had a sudden fantasy of living in a small town as an artist with the mountain on my doorstep - something I’d never considered after years of loving city life.
I spent some time in Whanganui on my way home, soaking in the sun, beaches and art scene. I was blown away by the new Sarjeant Gallery, recently re-opened after 10 years of renovation. I wasn’t expecting such a high-calibre public gallery. The building itself is an art piece, and the inside was immaculate and displayed with great care, professionalism and thought. An unexpected section stuck out to me - the Gordon H. Brown reading room. Inside were multiple rooms, with movable library walls of art books. I’m not sure if I’ve just never noticed such a resource in other galleries, or if it’s a uniquely standout collection. Either way, I wish I’d had hours to spend looking through and reading.
It felt quite bitter-sweet to return home to my dear loved Wellington, with our closed city gallery and crumbling central library.
Sarjeant Gallery
LEARN: On Solitude and the noble art of walking
Can you recall a time when you went for a walk and didn’t feel at least a little better by the end of it? I can’t.
I’ve long believed in the power of walking, and the evidence is clear. German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “Only thoughts reached by walking have value*,” a quote I came across in both Be Useful (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Digital Minimalism (Cal Newport). Nietzsche was known for walking 6-8 hours a day and believed it was essential for creative thinking. Steve Jobs was famous for utilizing long walks, using it as his preferred method for meetings. I’ve been regularly harnessing the ‘noble art of walking’ - however, last year my relationship with walks changed. Upon discovering the magic of audiobooks, I quickly turned my walks into ‘reading walks.’ I was devouring books, constantly learning, and filling every spare moment with something in my ears. Soon, music, podcasts, and audiobooks became a near-constant presence in my life—from the moment I stepped out the door to when I got home.
It wasn’t long before I noticed a shift. My mind felt busier, not clearer. I would start an audiobook only to realize I had spent the last five minutes lost in my own thoughts, barely listening. That’s when I came across Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism and his concept of solitude deprivation—the idea that in today’s world, we’ve systematically stripped away time spent truly alone with our thoughts. I initially scoffed at this. I’m an introvert, thriving in my own time, and I work alone. I spend more time in solitude than most people I know - or so I thought. But then I learnt Newport’s definition: solitude isn’t just being alone; it’s time spent without input from other minds. This means no phone, no internet, no music, no books. Just you and your thoughts. Even the availability of a phone in your pocket or bag was a distraction, he argued.
So I started making a change. I left my headphones and device behind and began integrating phone-free walks into my pre-studio routine, even when that meant less time working. At first, the idea seems daunting - all this time with just my thoughts, won’t I get bored? Soldering on, I usually find the time passes in a flash, as I get completely engrossed in sorting through my churning thoughts for the day ahead. I come back to the studio more focused and creative, the time lost quickly made back with enhanced productivity. In February, I’m challenging myself to go on a ‘solitude walk’ every day. I'll report back the results in the next update.
* I’ve found countless variations on this quote both in the books I read and online - I have no idea which is the original, but they all report the same idea.
PLAN: Punaka Exhibition
I’ve been working away on a collaborative exhibition with my studio group titled ‘Punaka’ which responds to the idea of ‘a place of refuge.’ The exhibition opens on the 17th of February at the Thistle Hall - come along to the opening if you’re in the area! I’ll be posting more details on my Instagram as we near completion.