TOKU HAERE - MY JOURNEY

So I’m up at 3.45am - yesterday was the winter solstice, the shortest day, which I think means I’m currently in the longest night (and it kinda seems it).

Every so often, I have nights where I wake, then I toss and turn and I just can’t get back to sleep. My mind, at the best of times is a busy one - a wee factory of thoughts, humming round my head - but sometime it’s kinda filled to the brim, which gets a little overwelming.
I have creative thoughts and ideas constantly.
I try to write them in my journal - but a lot of them probably get thought, then fly off into nowhereland. Sometimes I rethink them and note them down and then every so often, I action them.

I’m not really an ‘action’ kinda person though. More of a dreamer, a thinker (sometimes an overthinker).
So I’m up out of bed and trying to use this time wisely, and get some of these thoughts out, so I can sleep!

Anyway, toku haere - my journey.
As an artist - this is the essence, what I want to share with you. The world as I see it, captured through my camera.
I try to capture a mood, I want my photos to provoke feelings. The world is so visual to me - I constantly want to record what I see and share it.

The way I’m doing this mostly these days - is through Instagram, it’s such a great platform for me to share my journey visually, and some thoughts too (in the form of hashtags!)
With my trusty little phone - I can record my daily journey, sometimes it’s just around my house, sometimes a little more adventurous and out and about in the big wide world. And in some cases, I capture it with my ‘big camera’ - allowing me to create artworks from the images.

So, right now I feel like my journey is at a bit of a crossroads. I’m feeling a little overwelmed and lost. I’m wondering where to go from here...
With my baby about to start school (!!) - I feel like I’m about to head into a new chapter of my life. And in 6 months, I’m turning 40 too, forty. Ahhhh - I remember very clearly my mum turning 40. Anyway, I’m trying to embrace it haha - a new chapter HERE WE COME!

I will stop blabbing now - but before I do, I want to share a little list of things that I want to action soon. And maybe sharing these things with you all, will make me accountable. Here goes:

exhibition - October
new print range
analogue (film) photography
set up darkroom

I have put together some of my fave Instagram images below to add a bit of visual goodness - enjoy!