Sagittarius New Moon: Fresh Starts and Big Dreams
This New Moon, landing on December 1st, is in the expansive sign of Sagittarius. As the second last New Moon of the year, it’s a perfect time to reflect on how far we’ve come and dream big for what’s next. Sagittarius energy invites us to explore, take risks, and aim high, reminding us to trust in the journey even when the destination is unclear.
For me, this New Moon feels like a moment to set intentions around personal growth and creative exploration. What are the big dreams you’ve been holding back on? Now’s the time to plant those seeds and let them take root as we move toward the new year.
Studio Update
This cycle in Make, Create, Express, I’ve been working through Vanessa Oliver-Lloyd’s incredible workshops on the Soul Path Archetype. I discovered that my Soul Path Tarot Card is the Emperor, which represents structure, stability, and leadership. In balance, the Emperor is a grounded protector and builder. In its shadow, it can manifest as rigidity or an overemphasis on control. Exploring these aspects through Vanessa’s lessons has been a fascinating deep dive into light and shadow, both in art and life.
In the studio, I’ve been playing with watercolours, especially during the recent heatwave here in Melbourne. Acrylics have been tricky to work with in this weather, but watercolours have provided a meditative and rewarding alternative.
Collage Lab’s Treasure Trovember: November has also been a whirlwind of creativity thanks to Collage Lab's daily collage prompts. Each day introduced a new element to add to a collage, and I loved the challenge of weaving these elements into a cohesive piece. Check out the reel on my socials where I assemble the final collage—it’s been so much fun!
One of the biggest shifts in my practice recently has been with a large painting I’ve been working on for months. After sitting with her for a while, I decided to gesso over the background, giving myself permission to start fresh. It’s a reminder that art is ever evolving, and we’re allowed to change direction, even mid-project. I will now see what her story will become.
This month’s Studio Tunes playlist is all about keeping it calm and steady. It’s a mix of gentle indie, soft pop, and chill vibes. Perfect for slowing down and finding your flow in the studio.
The Business of Art: Launching My Redbubble Shop
I’ve taken a big step into the world of online art sales with the launch of my Redbubble shop! Currently, you’ll find The Crow Series, featuring my original artwork, available on a range of products. This has been a huge learning curve for me—navigating the business side of art and venturing into e-commerce—but it’s also an exciting adventure.
I’m working on a Christmas collection, which I have started releasing. The shop is a work in progress, and I’ll be adding more collections as I go. It feels like stepping into a whole new phase of my creative journey, and I can’t wait to see where it leads.
#CyclesOfCraft: Embracing Moon Phases and Seasonal Shifts
In case you haven’t caught it on socials, my #CyclesOfCraft campaign has been exploring how the moon phases and seasonal changes influence my creative practice. The moon’s cycles provide a natural rhythm that aligns with how I approach art:
New Moon: A time for fresh starts and setting intentions.
Waxing Moon: Building momentum and taking action on those goals.
Full Moon: A period of culmination, celebration, and release.
Waning Moon: A chance to slow down, reflect, and prepare for the next cycle.
The recent heatwave has also reminded me how much the seasons shape my practice. The intense heat and humidity have zapped my energy, triggering fatigue and pain, but they’ve also pushed me toward more adaptable and slower art forms like collage and watercolours. This season is teaching me to flow with these cycles instead of resisting them.
Artist of the Season: Marina Abramović
Born November 30, 1946, Marina Abramović is a legendary figure in performance art, fearlessly exploring the extremes of the human condition. Over her five-decade career, she has delved into themes of love, war, ritual, and spirituality, redefining the relationship between artist and audience.
One of her most haunting and courageous performances, Rhythm 0 (1974), lasted six hours and involved Abramović standing passively in a gallery while the audience was invited to interact with her using 72 objects placed on a table. These objects ranged from innocuous items like a feather, a rose, and honey to more sinister ones such as scissors, a scalpel, and a loaded gun. The instructions were simple: the audience could use the objects on her however they pleased, with Abramović relinquishing all control over her body.
Initially, the interactions were harmless and playful. But as the hours passed, the performance revealed a disturbing side of humanity. Encouraged by her passivity, some participants—primarily men—escalated their actions, cutting her clothes, writing on her body, and even holding the loaded gun to her head. Abramović described the experience as showing how quickly people could be dehumanized and dehumanize others when given unchecked power. By the end, she was bleeding, bruised, and emotionally drained, but her unwavering commitment to the performance held a mirror to the darkest impulses of society. Tragically, the themes of this performance remain painfully relevant, as women worldwide continue to face objectification and violence.
Rhythm 0 was part of a broader series exploring the physical and psychological limits of the human body. In Rhythm 5 (1974), Abramović created a star-shaped fire on the floor, laying within its flames until she lost consciousness due to oxygen deprivation. This near-death experience led her to realize that the purpose of her art was to push the boundaries of her body and mind.
In her later career, Abramović has continued to innovate, moving beyond the limits of her own endurance to guide others. The Serpentine Performance led her to develop the Abramović Method, a practice designed to help audiences enter the focused, meditative state required to fully engage with performance art. This method bridges the gap between artist and viewer, inviting participants into a space of shared vulnerability and transformation.
Marina Abramović’s work is a testament to bravery and resilience, consistently challenging societal norms and forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths. Her performances remain as powerful and thought-provoking today as when they were first conceived, solidifying her legacy as a pioneer in contemporary art. You can find out more about Marina here.
Images References:
Marina Abramović, Rhythm 0, Rhythm 0 Collage, Rhythm 5, Balkan Baroque
Looking Ahead
I’m so excited about the launch of my new Redbubble shop —keep an eye on the socials for updates!
This month, I’m also looking forward to attending the RMIT Advanced Diploma Graduate Show and celebrating the successes of my LCAD classmates at their Graduate Show. Even though I’ve deferred my studies due to my disability, I’m thrilled to see their hard work come to life.
Finally, don’t forget that my work, The Unseen Woman, is still on display at the Merri Bek Summer Show at the Counihan Gallery until December 14th. There is still time to vote in the People’s Choice Awards too, I would be really grateful if you could take a few minutes to vote for piece. You can use this link to vote.
Here’s to embracing the adventurous, expansive energy of Sagittarius as we close out the year.
