There’s this amazing tree in the space beside the lake where I am working at the moment. It’s like this totem pole in amongst all these other trees which are also like totem poles. I took photos of it today and it is very feminine as Ilka said and to me it looks like a woman wearing a korowai contemplating life, strong, centred and focused. She is being nurtured by this korowai, it’s like a cloak of her ancestors, supporting her as she looks to the distance across the lake and out to the sea…

I loved painting this rock today as I’ve loved painting all the rocks I’ve painted in this space. I feel like I don’t have to be perfect, to have straight lines… When I paint in this way, with the ochre onto big rocks that are embedded in the landscape I feel my message is so much more important than what the art looks like. I”m enjoying these moments of painting – earth on earth…
I’ve taken two photos of the rock today as I wanted to show you Ilka’s installation piece that is next door to me…Ilka has an important message too and her Deep Ecology work can be found here http://thelastree.net
Arohanui,
Jo x
I’m posting this rock from yesterday. I’m staying at an end of the hotel where the internet is very slow but it is probably the most beautiful part right next to the lake with trees outside my door…so I’m happy to compromise with a frustrating connection!