You’re never too young or old to step into your spotlight

I’ve said it many times, we need to redefine the spotlight and understand we all deserve to be there and share our voice with the people that matter to us.

I experienced the beauty of this last Saturday. I had my sculpture exhibition  opening and it was opened by my 6 year old nephew.

Most people would have had a local dignitary or well-known artist to open their exhibition. But no, not me.

My nephew was so excited about my exhibition – it just really struck a chord with him. He asked if he could do some paintings to be put up at the exhibition and talk about them at the opening.

Hell yes! The sweetest 6 year old-style paintings have their own section at the exhibition. And I love them.

The opening of the exhibition was an amazing opportunity for someone so young to share his voice and be in the spotlight of his choosing. And this spotlight moment was him standing on a chair in the middle of the gallery, with my arm around him and talking for 20 seconds to more than 60 people.

But do you know what? It was the best art exhibition opening I have ever been to. His little talk made everyone laugh and be filled with joy. It made them feel something (which coincidently is what my art asks of the viewer as well).

And then I said a few words, followed by some words from the photography artist, Karen Visser, I’m exhibiting with who has never done any public speaking before.

Leading up to the opening I asked her if she’d like to speak, she said no, “You’re the public speaker you can speak for both of us.”

But it was also her spotlight moment. It was her time to share her voice with so many of the people that matter to her. It was her time to talk about what she loves.

At the end of her talk she said, “Gosh, I hope that was OK, I’ve never publicly talked before” and then my nephew ran over, held my hand and said to the audience, “It’s the first time I have done public speaking too”. Which lead to much laughter and clapping. So much love.

No matter what your age, you belong in the spotlight and people want to hear what you have to say. I know this to be true.

PS. Come along and see my exhibition. Details here. Want to play and explore your creativity?  Learn Sculptural Random Weave with me this Sunday, 28 May. Learn how to create something beautiful from found plant material just using your hands and imagination. Warringah Creative Space, Sunday, 28 May. Book here.

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Tweetable: No matter what your age, you belong in the spotlight and people want to hear what you have to say @CatrionaPollard http://bit.ly/2qddLS9

 

Stunning video of my work and Karen Visser’s photography by Karen Visser and original music by Jerome Duval-Fleury.

 

Interwoven creativity: weaving natural forms

Basketry Workshop

Join me in exploring nature, weaving and creativity at the Sturt Winter School at Mittagong, 3-7 July 2017

Through the lens of nature, explore traditional basketry with a sculptural perspective. Through a series of creative exercises that will connect you with the natural world, you will uncover the secret life in natural materials.

This workshop is all about exploration and play not perfection. Starting with standing in nature we will explore ephemeral art techniques and you will learn how to connect with nature, your stories and your creativity.

You will then learn traditional basketry and weaving techniques including random weaving, twining and construction.

You will use a variety of foraged and harvested natural fibres to weave vessels and sculptural forms. These forms allow you to tell your stories in interesting ways, and help you tap into powerful creativity.

Learning at your own pace, in this hands on, practical workshop you will have the opportunity to experiment and explore basketry techniques with the opportunity to complete a series of sculptural forms.

We all have new growth ready to emerge, and this basketry workshop will help you reconnect with your imagination, nature and give you new insights and perspectives.

Suitable for all levels. Only 10 places available.

To book: http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/education/winter-school

Play isn’t just for children. Why adults need to play more.

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I’m a big believer in play and it’s certainly helped in creating more innovation, engagement and joy for me both personally and professionally.

For me, slowing down and playing more has been the key to my health and happiness. As children we play in an unstructured way, but as adults our play tends to be competitive and goal orientated. That really sucks, as unstructured play fuels your imagination, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and emotional well-being. Who doesn’t want that!

Here are four reasons why you should be slowing down and playing more:

1. Your stress levels go down

Play is fun and can trigger the release of endorphins. Having a hobby where you can sit down for a few hours and block out the constant noise of society can work wonders for your mental health and stress levels.

2. Stimulate your mind

Engaging in slow and creative activities has been proven to benefit the brain by working both hemispheres. We need to actively tap into logic and problem solving, but also the creative and imaginative side of our minds.

3. Work is more fun and innovative

Play at work encourages us to take more creative risks and think more innovatively. I know from personal experience that it increases energy and prevents burnout. It helps you see problems in new ways.

4. You form stronger connections with the world around us

Play helps with reconnecting to moments in time. We are so disconnected from nature in this digital world that we’re barely pay attention to what’s around us. Moments are missed because we are more concerned with the iPhone in our hand, than simple moments of joy.

Last Sunday I spent the morning finger painting with my nephew. That moment in time was so simple, joyful and colourful it was unforgettable. There was no construct around the perfect artwork… was all about play.

What are you going to do to create more play in your life and business?

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Tweetable: Play isn’t just for kids. Exploring play benefits you and your business bit.ly/2dYT18G

Why we cry salty tears

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Recently I watched the wondrous storyteller Auntie Julie Freeman share a creation story: Narawarn and the coming of the Sea.

A few years ago, as part of Corroboree Sydney I was lucky enough to sit and hear her tell stories of her people. She is an elder and a Traditional Owner from Wreck Bay in the Booderee region of NSW.

She holds the very special and important role of storyteller. Since the beginning of time, storytelling has played an important role in Aboriginal culture.

The stories are about the air, the land, the universe, their people, their culture and their history. They are handed down from generation to generation.

As I sat listening to Julie, I hung on her every word. I was enthralled. She made me laugh and she made me cry.

She shared stories about ‘deadly beautiful’ women and the troubles of brothers Whale, Starfish and Koala. She shared the story about how the blue-tongued lizard got its blue tongue and why the platypus looks likes two animals put together.

She said that once you start seeing the stories in the landscape, you start seeing it differently. “Everything is connected – the ocean, the wind, the trees, the landscape and the people.”

It was storytelling at its finest: true, powerful, emotional and wondrous. How could a story that started maybe 100,000 years ago not have all of those qualities?

I am truly blessed to live in a country that has stories woven into its landscape, and people like Julie telling them.

I truly believe that every person has stories to tell; stories that share who we are, what we stand for and why others should get to know us.

We are all connected through our shared experiences and the stories we should be telling. It’s time you start telling yours.

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Tweetable: Why we cry salty tears – learning from the original storytellers @CatrionaPollard http://bit.ly/2bDiWTB

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Catriona Pollard Speaker and Trainer in Social Media

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