For me, the ocean is a fundamental part of my life. Through my practice, I reflect on memories of my childhood and stories of my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents, so often intertwined with experiences of the Dharawal and Yuin coastlines. Over time we have collected and observed the shells and their creators with great admiration. I am interested in the process and cycle of shells and their relation to glass as a medium. Through their degradation by the ocean to the point of sand, and then the key role sand plays in the creation of glass. Through repetitive mark making, I envision the inevitable break down of the shell - a home, a protective exoskeleton and amour, symbolising the breakdown of known colonial histories, to begin to acknowledge the impacts my white convict and settler ancestors have made, as well as the impacts of our society which I continue to benefit from.

While in this time dedicated space of repetitive crafting, the recurring circle is revealed through hot glass murrine practices. I consider the materials’ return to fluidity, a mimicking of the movements of the ocean, these nonlinear cycles and the growth that comes from experiencing them. This work is an offering back to Country. An appreciation of the life I have lived within it, thanking its spirit for all that it provides and promising to continue to learn from, respect and cherish place.