What do you love?

I have so many answers for this, but essentially, I love words, art and connection. I also love cooking for other people and food gardening, which is also strongly related to connection and relationships. I love performing and theatre. I was at Malanda Theatre tonight helping with Front of House and I was envious of the actors!!

Lately I have really been grateful for the conversations I've been having with other artists. I don't just like them, I LOVE them. I NEED them. Despite some of these conversations inevitably being a bit whingey - talking about funding, grant writing, hating marketing and talking about yourself etc. - there is still a strong sense of shared experience and understanding. The joy that comes from doing what you love. This is what it feels like to find your people. It's kind of weird for me to say that because I never thought I really fitted in and it was a cliche that made me cringe, but thinking about it now, I do fit in, I fit in with other artists and creative types. It's like I always knew this, but I just admitted it to myself! I love talking to other artists. Revelatory!!

What do you love?

This isn't about what you like. I like going to bed early, and iced coffee without the icecream. But what do you LOVE? Put it in the comments! I want to know!

I wonder now about people who don't call themselves artists. Do they enjoy being creative? Do they like to play? Everyone loved playing when they were a child, didn't they? So is it important to make space for it? I think so because I believe all humans are creative, given the chance, and it will save us from capitalism and grey houses. But now, I find many people say they don't have time. They are usually right I suppose. But all the same, this seems a bit sad...! Growing up, getting a job, working full time, getting married (or not), having children of your own. All these things take up your precious time. Where is the time to play and reflect? I'm not a mother, and I see that parenting takes up a lot of time and energy. Maybe play doesn't seem important enough to add to the jobs of the day, but then again, maybe it is.

This is one of my most precious possessions right now: time to play and reflect. Time to process events and pour these insights into Art making. I realise in a deeper sense now, compared to when I was twenty four, how important it is to spend time processing, reflecting, playing. I love it. Please tell me what you love.

Thanks for coming.