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Dave Robertson's avatar

a delight of quiet crumbs to follow.

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Kirstie McKinnon's avatar

Thank you Dave, hopefully out of the woods (though into the woods is also part of the story). 🌳

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Toni Giselle Stuart's avatar

I have this ritual when I see you've published a new post, Kirstie. I open it in a tab and wait until I can feel that I am present and open enough to receive what you've written. I don't read it in a rush or skim through it on the go -never. Over the past few days, I kept coming to this tab seeing I could read it yet, and I wasn't ready. This evening I finally was, and I am so glad that I listened to my body, and waited until it said yes.

These words, moved me to tears:

"Every time I watch Transforming — I understand on some cellular-response level, that this film is about process; the intersection ideas; the beauty of the human spirit; and trees as beings/companions/teachers/collaborators. I don’t see the many hours this film has taken Steve to make: layering images and sound together to create an overall understanding."

I am on that edge of transformation that my book project has been asking of me, for years. I feel all the old parts of me I have to let go of, and I let the tears come. I also feel the deep unknown of who I am becoming and so much fear comes... I am slowly learning to breathe through that fear.

Thank you for honouring the slow invisible work of creating. I'm going to return to this on those days when there is more fear than excitement at my desk.

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Carolyn McCurdie's avatar

Thanks so much for this Kirstie, all of it, drawing, film, dancing, poetry, music combining so sensitively to transform my perception of each part. I especially love Steve's line 'film wraps time inside time'. So true. And it made me think that maybe the drawing and the dance are unwrapping time, making visible the slow tree dancing, the muscularity and grace. The life force indeed. Stunning. Thanks to everyone involved.

And how exciting - your butterflies out in the world. Congratulations. Life force. Life force. Life force.

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Kirstie McKinnon's avatar

Wonderful response. Thank you so much Carolyn. Yes, Steve’s line is so good. ✨

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Toni Giselle Stuart's avatar

And congratulations on your exhibition! I so wish I could be there to attend in person and meet your butterflies up close and personal!!

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Liz Abbott's avatar

Oh KIrstie I am so excited to have a chance to see your butterflies flying around the walls of the Marinoto café! And thank you so much for introducing me to the work of Tansy Lee Moir - I can definitely relate to her practice and tree foraging! Lots of love to you as you prepare to show your work xx

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Kirstie McKinnon's avatar

Thank you so much Liz. Yes Tansy’s work is wonderful, I’m sure there will be quite a lot of synergy between your two art practices. Yes, still somewhat astounded that my work will be on a wall in a public place, it still seems only a few days ago that I was gawping at your incredible trees in your studio, with not even the tiniest thought to start painting myself. 🌳

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Cynthia Greensill's avatar

It's great to see your butterflies again. Long may you fly. Cynthia

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Kirstie McKinnon's avatar

Thank you Cynthia. So appreciate your comment and connection.

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neil mckinnon's avatar

Awesome stuff

Might get to see it 😍

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Kirstie McKinnon's avatar

Thank you Neil. So appreciate your support. 💛

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Kirstie McKinnon's avatar

Toni, your comment is like water to my roots. I’m with the attention and honouring of your reading-practice, and I am honoured and humbled like good compost nourishing the soil. Thank you. Thank you.

I know that place of fear-at-the-desk my way through it has been to paint it, then channel it into the writing like fast-running water. Hydro-power? Sometimes. Other times I just walk.

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