NOTES FROM THE MOUNTAIN
This page is a glimpse into the life here on our Ozzie Retreat.
November 1st 2008
"The Case Presentation" catalogues Barbara Pritchard's
feelings towards her husband's seven year journey through work injury to outcome.
Using expressionist and surrealist imagery these works are packed with whimsy
and allegory. Using the metaphor of the suitcase and a deconstructed piano the
work explores the destruction and reconstruction of relationships under pressure.
Barbara Pritchard is a professional multi media artist who has exhibited widely
over the last 30 years. She works from her studio/gallery in the town of Walwa
on the Murray River near Australia's Snowy Mountains.
The Atrium " Incinerator Arts Complex"180 Holmes Rd. Moonee Ponds.
November 5th to 23rd . Opening talks: 5th/6th 2pm
Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun 11am to 4pm Ph: 8325 1752
June 18th 2008
Winter is now upon us although it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the seasons these days, particularly as the rains seem to be staying away. Our memories of torrents of rain beating against the windows are far away.At the start of June I travelled to central Australia again, this time to confer with Bob Randall at Uluru. He is one of the traditional owners of the indigenous lands and a tribal elder.I met Bob back in 1994 at a Healing Touch Conference where we were both presenting work. In 1996 I travelled with Bob and other amazing healers and indigenous leaders on a tour of the USA, called 'Sacred Wisdom Healing', organized by Mary Joe Bulbrook and Healing Touch International. Now Bob has written a series of children's stories and has asked me to illustrate them. While in central Australia Bob and his partner Tara showed me some exciting desert sacred places while we camped out under the stars for 2 nights. Red dirt and sparkling skies, an absolute treat. He is keen to share his country with travellers and is planning tours there. His recent film Kanyini won some prestigious awards. You can find out more at www.kanyini.com
In July I am opening up an Art and Healing space called Alchemy of Colour in the small town, near where we live ,Walwa. We are feeling joyful about being once more in the public view. I have been coordinating community programs in the arts under the name Women's Creative Connections so the space will fit perfectly. So much research has been undertaken showing that exploring one's own creativity is beneficial to our physical and mental health.
Our garden is in the winter slow mood but I have established what I laughingly call my "brocolli hedge". Plants that are 2 years old I have pruned back and in their desperate attempt to flower provide us with flower heads every 3 days. The spinach is doing well too. Jack our hound is getting old (12 years) but still manages to bounce around. She sleeps inside the house these days.
There has been ongoing international interest in my work with the Colourtherapy Academy of Australia and the courses I provide. A trip to USA in 2009 is a possibility so keep an eye on the website for more news there.
January 9th 2008
Two years here on our Retreat has been such a luxury.Since The time here without travel has been quite wonderful. My days are full of gardening, painting [I am loving being able to explore oil painting again].Felting wool onto silk is also a new passion and I have been delighted with the new and innovative teckniques that I can achieve. There have been scarves, jackets, capes and drapes, some of which you can see on my 'felted wool' page.Recently I have been creating divine necklaces with all the dazzling stones and gems that I have collected throughout my travels, I'll be posting a page with them on soon.The Alchemy of Colour Book is still coming along thanks to the encouragement from Rosemary, my sister who keeps me on the job.I did make some excursions, to Byron Bay, where I caught up with Healing Touch practitioners from USA and Australia, at the Gathering in November 06 and Sacred Rainbow Healing workshops in Geelong during May 07.
Neil and I travelled to Uluru and Kings Canyon for 3 weeks in July. The desert was as exquisite and colourful as always and I did quite a lot of sketching in acrylics and watercolours to work on later in the studio. Our friends Joyce and Gordon travelled with us in convoy and we shared many an evening playing folk music in camping grounds as well as scoring a half hour on stage at Kings Canyon.
The year has started wonderfully with inches and inches of rain which has ensured that this summer we will be fairly safe from bushfire....we had a huge scare this time last year with flames at our door for 3 days . We could see them on the hill near us and hear the firefighters talking. Way too close.
My new range of painted silk incudes dresses and jackets in silk chiffon and silk georgette have proved to be very popular. New range about to be posted on 'Silk garments page'.
September 21st 2006
I can hardly believe that it has been 7 months since my last entry. Well winter was beautiful here in the mountains with fog and frost in the mornings and brilliant sunny days. The cold was almost a treat for me since I have been travelling each winter to the USA and missed most of it in other years.Neil and I were lured into being part of the travelling Craft Alive project and spent a month driving to various venues with our skills and materials.Before we knew it Spring was here with its flurry of blossom around the cottage and all the tulips out or about to bloom.
I have just returned from Perth and Sacred Rainbow Healing 1& 2 there. It is 10 years since I had been to Perth and it really is a beautiful city.
I was the lucky one who got to stay near the coast with my dear friend and workshop co/ordinator Barbara Rogers and her husband Manny,in their wonderful home.
Our octagon/healing space is coming along still and we have hosted some wonderful people with great skills. More excitement is ahead with Neils workshop scheduled for the end of November and other guests arriving before that.
The local echidnas[anteaters] are on the move too. We have spotted a few.
February 5th 2006
Summer in the mountains of the Upper Murray has been extraordinarily hot this year, in fact we are experiencing what they are calling a Monsoon . It sounds rather romantic but only in theory actually as it brings really hot days ..100 degrees F with it.There has been quite a bit of rain so everything here is also thriving .Our neighbours say we have a Micro climate around our cottage as we water heaps and have fruit trees in abundance drooping their limbs everywhere.
The New Year brought with it a flurry of wonderful visitors and friends so just like true ozzies we have had rather a slow start to the year.
A rather unwelome visitor was a brown snake the other day. Although they are very beautiful and sacred having one attempting to enter the front door is tooooo familiar. Neil had to despatch the poor creature.
It was great to have the bobcat up for the work inside the octagon and even a bit scary seeing it backing in and out of the pole uprights .I couldn't watch!
As a lot of you already know I am working on the writing up of my work on Colourtherapy for publication and consequently will only be travelling within Australia for the next 2 years. Somehow the trees and land have been talking to me strongly and I sense that they love it that I am staying home for this extended time. I am sure I will miss all my USA friends though. Being in the mountains for a whole winter after 9 years will be amazing.
Neil and I have been lured back into some community projects in our local town. We both have a 2 hour radio program at our local F.M Community Radio station ...Radio Upper Murray. Neil and I both helped to set it up 10 years back. It is great to be back on the air and we get to play our favorite music .My show is called 'Folk & Blues' on Fridays 6pm /8pm.
The colour backdrop on this page is as close to Angel Blue that I can find.......I will keep up with The Mountain Musings with their help.
March 20th 2007
Good heavens over the last 12 months so much has happened. I spent most of the year here at Redbank and it was a delight to enjoy the bushland and soak up the energy of solitude that we have the joy of experiencing here.
I flew over to Perth for a Sacred Rainbow 1&2 workshop and stayed with Barbara Rogers and her husband Mannie.
The class was a lively group and we had a ball.
In November I flew to Byron Bay to attend the Healing Touch Gathering.What a buzz to reunite with the healers from all over the globe, some I had last seen 8 years ago. Each time there is a conference or gathering I feel so enlivened by the energy of all the participants. I picture them now as so many bobbing lights all over the planet, all of us doing our healing work for the raising of the vibrational patterning of the Earth.
An extra bonus for me was a visit to my friends Jenna and Jamie near Byron, for an extended stay. there is nothing quite as wonderful as sand, surf, sun and friendship.
Our octagonal building here at home has progressed so amazingly and has been a retreat for many visitors already.We have power and water connected and the composting toilet is built and functioning. I loved painting the interior walls, they are a pale pimk which gives the space an ethereal effect.
My sister Rosemary visited in November and we set about doing some watercolour lessons. She had a ball with a new medium and I will have further painting classes there as it was such fun.
I have claimed a corner of the octagon as my painting space until our next project is up and running....my studio. So far I have painted 6 or so oil paintings and I love having my hand back into painting on canvas once more. In February I was part of a group exhibition with my silk and oils in Sunbury, Melbourne.Circles of Healing.
We are recovering from an extaordinary summer which was as hot aand dry as it seems possible.
The land has suffered with many trees withering to brown in the drought.Our water has been eaked out over the last 6 months and somehow the vegetable garden has survived with tender care and minimal water.We have just purchased 52 trees and will plant them over the next few weeks.
Over the last 2 days we have had soaking rain. What a relief it is. Perhaps we can leave the plug out of the bathtub and not bucket water onto plants and trees, for a while.
For now we are happy to watch the grass grow.
Barbara