I miss my art school days, my studio space at COFA in Paddington,Sydney. The smell of turps, going to art galleries and rooftop art parties. Sometimes I regret not doing more with my BA (a lot of my year became teachers or professional artists) but I have to remind myself I wrote my dark fantasy trilogy – Circle of Nine – based on symbols that evolved during my course. David was in television production. I was at art school, working part-time cleaning hotel rooms. I rented a room in Paddington the size of a cupboard and shopped the local op shop where designer clothes were donated by affluent locals.
I’d just had a bad car accident a few months before these photos. Three operations and a pin and plate installed in my right arm. The injury was extremely painful as the radial nerve was almost severed. I was lucky to not lose my arm. I’m left handed, fortunately. David is holding my sling in one of the photos. After the accident I found it more difficult to strap canvases and paint. I had to give up my Paddington bedsit and move in with David in Glebe. I couldn’t dress or do the most mundane things one armed.
As someone who had been fiercely independent from when I left school at sixteen it was traumatic and frustrating having to rely on David for the most basic of things. My fellow art students were highly amused at some of the outfits I came to college in. One memorable day I was dressed as a cowgirl – pigtails, hat and western shirt and skirt. David tried his best but he wasn’t used to having to making fashion choices for women. And I was so sedated and exhausted from the operations and pain that I barely noticed or cared what I was wearing.
My marks suffered as a result of my injury but I attained my Bachelor of Arts and graduated. With my painting being so impacted I began painting with words inspired by my art school images. This was the origin of my Circle of Nine series based on mythology and witchcraft. I very quickly found an agent to represent the books and the series was published. I’d loved storytelling from a small child and books have always been my great passion. But there’s a part of me that will always yearn for my art school dreams.
We’re so baby faced. I’m so thin and blonde. I wanted to live in Paris or Byron Bay. Life changes in an instant. A red light. A speeding car.
