I am back in Sydney after my incredible artist residency in The Arctic Circle.

I keep finding it challenging to put words to the last couple of weeks; at most times, it was beyond them.

I have a thousand stories and more I want to share, write down and hold onto. It feels like months, if not a whole year, compressed into this short period.

Time really is different up there; it’s stretched and distorted, and it’s not just because of the midnight sun. A day can feel like multiple, and then suddenly, it’s Friday, not Tuesday or maybe Wednesday, as you’d thought it was. Adding to that, the incomprehensible perspective between distance and scale makes everything feel wonderfully disorienting.

It has been a truly life-changing experience. A ship filled with the most incredible bunch of creative weirdos, some I know will be friends for life, sailing and exploring this ridiculous landscape that could be another planet. All of us getting distracted and excited by cool rocks, shifting light, icebergs that glowed this bright, brilliant blue, and fog so thick that the rest of the world disappeared, all while attempting to develop or create something that tries to capture this experience and moment.

While circumnavigating Svalbard, we explored uncharted waters and sailed up and made it to 82˚ North, where the photo below was taken surrounded by sheets of ice as far as we could see, miles from any land.

I am slowly easing myself back into reality, to buildings and streets filled with people and the existence of the internet again. I spent a few days in Oslo before the long journey back to Sydney, grounding myself by wandering the tree-filled parks – it was so strange and lovely to see trees again.
I am thankful for the time, people, connections, and experience.

I am back in the studio and am planning and preparing a couple of projects, including a solo exhibition next year at Penny Contemporary to showcase work from this residency.