Maralyn Nash in her art studio at home.
True to the phrase ‘every cloud has a silver lining’, I have found this time of enforced isolation to be a wonderful opportunity to finally have the time again to become completely immersed in my art.
Having time to dream and reconnect with my imagination and creative ideas and retreating into my inner artist’s world has felt like going back in time, to be living again at a much slower and gentler pace of life.
I love working from my home art studio where I have created an inspirational artistic environment surrounded by Indian and African artefacts, textiles and colourful prints and paintings from my bohemian travelling days.
And being surrounded by the beauty of my garden with nature all around me and various walking trails only footsteps away, has certainly helped me to create a safe and harmonious sanctuary to live and work in during these uncertain and unprecedented times.
Although it has been a massive adjustment to adapt to a much more socially isolated lifestyle, especially being used to regular trips to Sydney and the south coast beaches, as well as frequently flying inter- state to visit my son.
As I have reduced my art therapy client work, I have been able to focus on completing the artworks to go with my book ‘The Naked Artist Journey’, which is a large project I have been working on for over five years.
It is a book about the vibrancy, energy and emotions of colour through the lens of my travel memoirs and adventures. I am currently working on a series of mandala paintings and mythical winged creatures, as well as other imagery to bring together my twin passions of art and writing.
My biggest learning so far is to go at your own pace and enjoy the ‘dance to the beat of your own drum’ as the creative process is as equally important as the finished art product.
By Maralyn Nash