A Documentation of the Natural Connections Weekend Workshop
The weekend began with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony to connect to the land through traditional ritual. This was followed by workshops in ephemeral art: transient or non-permanent artworks made to be viewed for a short time before returning them to the nature.
The gardens at the Drolkar Buddhist Centre provided the perfect venue for close attention: space to become quietly attuned to the surroundings, witnessing the natural world and stimulating ideas for artistic expression as fleeting and as beautiful as the planet’s own, whilst being immersed, wholly and quietly, in nature.
The program was interspersed with guided meditation and inspirational speakers to help cultivate connection with nature as a way to promote greater emotional wellbeing. Participants were inspired and moved by the weekend, were keen to adopt some of the strategies offered.
Caroline was overwhelmed by the depth of response to the project and is delighted that emotional wellbeing in relation to climate change is being acknowledged and discussed on the Surf Coast as a result.
Photography of the event and of each participant's work beautifully captured by Rebecca Hosking photography.
Greetings cards of Natural Connections artworks available for purchase here
The gardens at the Drolkar Buddhist Centre provided the perfect venue for close attention: space to become quietly attuned to the surroundings, witnessing the natural world and stimulating ideas for artistic expression as fleeting and as beautiful as the planet’s own, whilst being immersed, wholly and quietly, in nature.
The program was interspersed with guided meditation and inspirational speakers to help cultivate connection with nature as a way to promote greater emotional wellbeing. Participants were inspired and moved by the weekend, were keen to adopt some of the strategies offered.
Caroline was overwhelmed by the depth of response to the project and is delighted that emotional wellbeing in relation to climate change is being acknowledged and discussed on the Surf Coast as a result.
Photography of the event and of each participant's work beautifully captured by Rebecca Hosking photography.
Greetings cards of Natural Connections artworks available for purchase here
Exhibition Opening Night
Connecting to Nature through Indigenous Wisdom
Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony with Wadawurrung traditional owner Corrina Eccles .A significant and moving event for all participants, reminding us to connect with and listen to our surroundings. Corrina spoke of indigenous knowledge of plants and their uses. She taught us how to make bush bouquets, using grass tree leaves, cherry ballart, eucalyptus leaves and sheoak fronds. We learnt that each plant had multiple uses, whether it be medicinal, as food, as fibre for weaving, ceremonial, for tools or for cleansing. Grass trees for instance were known to have 13 different uses.
Cultivating a Connection with Nature
Looking after ourselves, those around us and where we live.
Inspirational speakers were invited to support us in strengthening emotional wellbeing as we face the difficult reality of climate change
Inspirational speakers were invited to support us in strengthening emotional wellbeing as we face the difficult reality of climate change
Artworks by Participants
A meditation on Self-compassion with Linda Diggins concluded each day
