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Wolf new album EP by Alison Newman Alison Newman, hailing from Mount Gambier, South Australia, is a singer and songwriter creating deeply personal music. Her journey in music has been a dynamic one, marked by a diverse range of opportunities, from small vocal ensembles to large choirs and duos, all of which have contributed to her growth and the evolution of her unique musicality. Alison's musical journey has been punctuated by significant milestones. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, she was nominated for the South Australian Music Awards Folk Artist Peoples Choice Award. She clinched the South Australian State Final of Listen Up Music's 'The Songwriting Prize' in 2021 with her original song 'Pieces of My Pain', which was performed live in Sydney in January 2022 for the national prize. Alison's musical journey began in childhood when she started singing and continued to do so throughout her life. She attributes her eclectic music taste to exposure to various music genres from her family. Her earliest formal singing lessons focused on correct diaphragmatic breathing techniques, and she often performed for her family with her sister Emma during her childhood. Noteworthy is her debut album, "Heart Songs," which was released in late July 2019. Following that, she has released three standalone singles; "Sunshine Sundays" in November 2019, "It's Not Christmas Without You" in December 2019, and "For the Rest of My Life" on Valentine's Day 2020. During the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020, Alison shared her love of creating covers in her project "Circa Aurora," where she covered well-known songs in her unique style. Looking ahead, Alison is currently immersed in creating her next album, an EP titled 'Wolf '. This project, set to be released in June 2024, delves into her personal experience with postnatal depression, promising a deeply introspective and emotive musical journey. “The Wolf plays the role of the PND, and I am akin to Little Red Riding Hood.” Three tracks from "Wolf" have been critically acclaimed; Things Are About To Get Dark won the Australian Songwriters Association. 2021 Exceptional Merit Award in the Rock/Indie Category. Pieces of My Pain won the 2021 South Australian State Final of the Listen Up Music Songwriters Prize and recently Free Me was featured in the Top 100 Listen Up Music Songwriters Prize 2024. Alison is also a podcaster, producing The Art of Being A Mum, a weekly podcast where Alison enjoys honest and lively chats with artists + creators about the joys + issues they've encountered while trying to be a mum + continue to create. Themes like the mental juggle, identity, how their work is influenced by motherhood, "mum guilt", cultural norms, how they give themselves time to create within the role of mothering + the value that society gives the artistic mother. You can find out more here Things Are About To Get Dark Re told from the moment I experience my first PND symptoms, it is a forboding moment of realisation, it is going to happen all over again. This track won the Australian Songwriters Association 2021 Exceptional Merit Award in the Rock/Indie Category "What a song! It stops you in your tracks!" Nigel Loveday Radio Eastern Melbourne THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET DARK 00:00 / 03:33 Free Me My cry, in vain, to the Wolf to let me go, to free me, to free my soul and leave me. And I am left to wonder just how did this happen again, and realising that no one is in full control of themselves. FREE ME 00:00 / 03:08 Pieces of My Pain I am feeling cautiously ready to get my life back together, I am starting to feel well and I am literally picking up the pieces and beginning the steps recovering my life. Winner of the 2021 South Australian State Final of the Listen Up Music Songwriters Prize PIECES OF MY PAIN 00:00 / 03:30 Ready for Up I am ready to celebrate the coming out of the fog, I am feeling more like myself, adjusting to life as a new mum. "This music has helped people." Bronte Ellard - 5gtrFm READY FOR UP 00:00 / 02:58 Feel into You The final track, a song to celebrate the people that helped me through Top 100 in the 2024 Listen Up Music Songwriters Prize FEEL INTO YOU 00:00 / 04:01 "I feel like Alison is one of those artists that give pieces of herself in each song that she releases." RAG MAG radio interviews 18 June ABC Sth East 00:00 / 30:15 30 June 5gtr FM 00:00 / 15:08 1 July 88.3 Southern FM 00:00 / 10:32 9 July Bayside FM 00:00 / 25:46 10 September 5gtr FM 00:00 / 12:13 8 October 5gtr FM 00:00 / 16:52 29 October 5gtr FM 00:00 / 16:10 media The Border Watch - 28/6/24 Limestone Coast Community News - 31/7/24 The Border Watch - 2/8/24 The Alternative Gig Guide - 14/8/24 Media Net - 30/8/24 RAG MAG - 27/10/24 podcasts The Adelaide Show podcast - ep 395 - 23/6/24 The Adelaide Show podcast - ep 405 - 8/11/24 Enquiries to Elena Di Fiore - Maestro Media PR/Publicist contactus@maestromedia.com.au +61 420 221 773 Photos by Renae Lowe Photography Cover designs by Alison

Alex McLaughlin Canadian acrylic and watercolour artist, S2 Ep36 Listen and Subscribe on itunes , spotify and google podcasts Today I welcome Alex McLaughlin to the podcast, Canadian acrylic and watercolour artist and mum of 2 boys from Midland Ontario. Raised in Honey Harbour on Georgian Bay , Alex was fortunate enough to have a childhood full of love and opportunity. Her summers can be best characterized by exploration, swimming, boating, and working for the family business. Having the opportunity to be on the water nearly every day since she was born has never been something she has never taken for granted. After working as a paramedic on the streets of Toronto for many years, Alex felt the pull to return to her childhood home, and now lives there with her husband and 2 boys. She now focuses solely on her art, working out of her home studio which allows her to to maximize precious painting time and be the present mother she has always wanted to be. Put simply, Alex feels like she is now doing what she was always meant to be doing. Ever since Alex was little, her grandmother encouraged her to practice and appreciate the arts as a way to document her life. Alex is a predominately self taught artist, but after taking a watercolour course by local Canadian artist John Hartman everything seemed to make sense for her and allowed her to explore her local area with a new set of eyes. Recently, Alex created her first-ever painting series that is very close to her heart: Georgian Bay Reflections . Using vibrant colour and layered brush strokes, Alex feels her way through each piece until its depth and composition are reminiscent of this special place that was, is and always will be home. Through the power of her expressionism artform, Alex's hope for us is to be reminded of how the simple and natural things in life are the most beautiful. In a world that seems to be evolving faster than ever before, Most of all her wish is to have us stop and experience, even just for a moment, the beauty of life translated through art. **This episode contains discussion around anxiety, OCD and depression** Visit Alex's website The Massasauga Rattler Snake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGW3MSt8nJI Beam Paints https://www.beampaints.com/ is the paint company Alex mentioned who she found making water colour paints locally. Podcast - instagram / website Music used with permission from Alemjo https://open.spotify.com/artist/4dZXIybyIhDog7c6Oahoc3?si=aEJ8a3qJREifAqhYyeRoow Podcast transcript at the bottom of the page Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of The Art of Being A Mum Podcast. I'm beyond honoured that you're here and would be grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave me a 5-star review in iTunes or wherever you are listening. It really helps! This way together we can inspire, connect and bring in to the light even more stories from creative mums. Want to connect? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram tagging me in with @art_of_being_a_mum_podcast I can't wait to connect. And remember if you or somebody you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, get in touch ! I love meeting and chatting to mammas from all creative backgrounds, from all around the world! Thank you! Alison acknowledges this Land of the Berrin (Mount Gambier) Region as the Traditional Lands of the Bungandidj People and acknowledge these First Nations people as the custodians of the Region. Ch eck out more episodes ..... Welcome to the Art of Being a mum, the podcast where we hear from mothers who are artists and creators sharing their joys and issues around trying to be a mother and continue to make art. Regular topics include mum guilt, identity, the day to day juggle mental health, and how children manifest in their art. My name is Alison Newman. I'm a singer songwriter, and a mum of two boys from regional South Australia. I have a passion for mental wellness, and a background in early childhood education. You can find links to my guests and topics they discuss in the show notes, along with music played a link to follow the podcast on Instagram, and how to get in touch. All music used on the podcast is done so with permission. The art of being a mom acknowledges the bone tech people as the traditional custodians of the land and water which this podcast is recorded on and pays respects to the relationship the traditional owners have with the land and water, as well as acknowledging past present and emerging elders. Thanks so much for joining me. Today I welcome Alex McLaughlin to the podcast. Alex is a Canadian acrylic and watercolor artist and a mum of two boys from Midland Ontario. Raised in honey Harbor on Georgian Bay, Alex was fortunate enough to have a childhood full of love and opportunity. His summers can be best described by exploration, swimming, boating, and working for the family business. Having the opportunity to be on the water nearly every day since she was born has never been something she's taken for granted. After working as a paramedic on the streets of Toronto for many years, Alex felt the pull to return to her childhood home and now lives there with her husband and two boys. She focuses solely on her art working out of her home studio, which allows her to maximize precious painting time and be the present mother she's always wanted to be. Put simply, Alex feels like she's now doing what she was always meant to be doing. Ever since Alex was little, her grandmother encouraged her to practice and appreciate the arts as a way to document her life. Alex is a predominantly self taught artist. But after taking a watercolor course by local Canadian artists, John Hartman, everything seemed to make sense for her and allowed her to explore her local area with a new set of eyes. Recently, Alex created her first ever painting series that is very close to her heart, entitled Georgian Bay reflections. Using vibrant color and layered brushstrokes. Alex feels her way through each piece until its depth and composition are reminiscent of the special place that was is and always will be her home through the power of her expressionist art form. Alex's hope for us is to be reminded of how the simple and natural things in life are the most beautiful in a world that seems to be evolving faster than ever before. Most of all, her wish is to have a stop and experience even for just a moment. The beauty of life translated through art. This episode contains discussion around anxiety, OCD, and depression. Thanks so much for coming on today. Alex. It's such a pleasure to meet you all the way from Canada today. Yeah, thank you so much for having me. I'm excited. Absolutely. It's such a pleasure. So tell us whereabouts you are in Canada. So I live in Midland, Ontario on Georgian Bay. It's a it's a massive Bay off of Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes. And we're about an hour and a half an hour and a half north of Toronto. People call it cottage country, cottage country, what's the meaning behind that? Um, most people from the city that own cottages will head north pretty much every weekend. I know that people call it something different in many parts of the world. But yeah, it's called a cottage here. And most of them in my area are not tiny little cabins, a lot of them are are very extravagant. They're not exactly cottages they like made quite a bit of money has moved up here in the past, like 20 years so and then we're pretty close to Muskoka right next to us as well, which is can be kind of fancy, like major wakeboarding culture. And, ah, yeah, it's a pretty amazing place to have grown up and to live now. I left her about 12 years with school and my previous career and then moved back up here five years ago, so we're nice and settled in again. Yeah, yeah. So what's the weather like there? Now I have this real obsession with finding out temperatures and weather around the world, people I chat to were pretty extreme. Which I like So it's it's warming up a little bit now like today was gray and cloudy and and it was still cold it was I think minus seven or minus six Celsius. Yeah. Because you're in your Celsius so today was like warm compared to what it's been. It's been minus 20 to minus 30. Recently. Yeah, we were ice fishing this morning. Oh, my parents this and there was 20 inches of ice. Oh, wow. We don't seem to say you get that much ice. It's it's a good winter for ice and like people snowmobile all over the lake. Yeah, nice. Good. So, yeah, we have a very extreme weather we have like the lake effect. So we get tons and tons of snow. You have to. Some people don't have one, but it's very helpful to have a snowblower here. Like your full time job would be shoveling throughout the winter if you didn't have a snowblower so well, yeah, it's very extreme in the winter. And then we have pretty awesome warm, humid summers, so Oh, well. Yeah, the best of both worlds. So what's your sort of average champion Summer? Summer, like we we truly do have spring we have all all the seasons. So the spring can seem very, very long when we're anxious for the summer to come. But pretty reliably June, like through September now, anywhere from, like 18 degrees to it can be extreme heat warnings of you know, 40 degrees, sometimes, well, for about two months, we get between, I guess 25 And like 32, something like that. So that is amazing. It is that is truly amazing that you can have like zero like monastery up to like 40. That is incredible. Yeah. And we don't always have like a cold winter like this. I prefer it because then you can do stuff on the ice. And you can go skiing and snowboarding and all of that stuff. Like we are only 20 minutes from a hill. Not a big hill. It's not I wouldn't call it a mountain. But we have a few options here. And and then we have an ice rink in our backyard as well. We started that last year because of the pandemic and not being able to really go out right so yeah, yeah, no, I absolutely love it. The winters can be tough for sure. And most people will fly south during the winter for at least one trip. And and we're making the best of all the winter activities now. So yeah, that sounds amazing. I haven't I didn't realize places like that existed where you could have like a normal summer basically, and then have massive, massive winter. Yeah, it's really, for a lot of people. It's all about the summer here because the summers are really incredible. I've actually traveled in Australia and quite a few places. And the one thing I really missed while traveling was having my own boat because I don't live on an ocean and I'm so used to being able to boat like there's actually 30,000 islands in my area. All you kidding. It's the largest freshwater are archipelago. I think I said that right. archipelago, sorry. Which means just like the largest cluster of islands in freshwater in the world. It's yeah, so very interesting boating culture here. Yeah, right. Actually, that reminds me is it like, this is like a real left of field but the Ozarks TV show where they take boats everywhere. Is that kind of like? Totally. I would I would call the Ozarks a little bit more like Muskoka because there's a whole bunch of, they call them Muskoka lakes. So there's great lakes, where it's a lot more sheltered. Georgian Bay has much more open water in certain areas. So you can have all those, like nooks where it's protected if you stay in, like honey harbor is where I grew up. It's just a small drag from here. But then you can go to open water where you can't see anything and you feel like you're on the ocean. So yeah, we actually traveled to an island and a lighthouse on an island called the Western islands. And it takes about two to two and a half hours of driving fast, like straight in one direction not being able to see any thing, and then the island emerges out of nowhere. You post stuff like that with friends and get just like for safety but pretty wild. That sounds like an incredible place to leave. That's just wow. Yeah, I'm really happy to be here. That's lovely I was reading on your website, you talked about honey Harbor, how you were so deeply connected to that Georgian Bay Area. And I love that your quote with the way that you describe things, its life translated through art in love that I'm primarily a self taught painter. I have been mostly doing acrylic paintings and, and mostly large scale, I really like to paint large, starting to mix in some smaller stuff, because painting large all the time is difficult with time management. But yeah, so that's mostly what I've focused on. And I've and I've recently been mixing in using watercolors as well, as more of like a daily paint. I was always super creative as a kid. Like I really took every project to the creative extreme in high school, stuff like that. But I didn't really sorry. And I was also very involved in the arts, just not fine art. So I was a competitive dancer for many years. And I played classical guitar until the end of high school. It's like I was always very involved in something that was really creative, but didn't really stumble upon painting until university actually. I had taken one elective course throughout my psychology degree, and got to do art. And we did two weeks of painting. So I just learned the basics. And I honestly didn't really I wasn't very proud of any any of the projects that we had in that class. But then beyond that year of taking that class, it stuck with me and I did a lot of paintings like for gifts for family and did a few commission jobs. And throughout the years, I kept coming back to it so and then I didn't get really serious about it until 2018 When I moved back here to Midland I was living closer to the city to Toronto, for my husband, because I was actually a paramedic in Toronto for eight years before diving into the art full time. You said that the painting you first like you discovered that at uni? Was there anyone else like in your family like growing up was painting ever exposed to earlier than that? So not necessarily painting. But I was gonna mention my grandmother I called her only because she she was German. She's passed now but so my mother's mother took care of us a lot. She helped out a lot with babysitting. A lot of my memories are with her. And she was super interested in art. She painted herself as well. But mainly she was a photographer. Yeah, right. Yeah, she didn't consider herself professional by any means. She struggled financially a lot of the time. But yeah, she was the one that really encouraged me would sit me down with all the materials for drawing. I remember her teaching me sort of like a just the way to draw certain things like a barn and she had a way to instruct me how to do that. And then it also remember doing a lot of like still life like vases with flowers in them and stuff with very special markers that she would get me. Yeah, somehow I never really got into painting with like professional paints. It's funny that I don't remember touching that until university. Yeah, she was the early influence. My parents were always super supportive. But they. And my mom is very creative herself with like interior design. And my dad is a builder. And so yeah, like, it's in the family. But yeah, she was my push for sure. And like she is one of the reasons. I do it today. And I sort of had the confidence to go for it. And I know, even though she's not here physically, yeah, I know. I hope that she knows what I'm doing. Yeah. Be proud. So yeah, that's really special. Oh, that's lovely. Growing up, so. Oh, so she didn't she wasn't alive, to see change careers and come back to Oh, yeah, she met my first son, who he's seven now. But she found out she was sick, like within that first year that he was born. So yeah, it's really kind of tragic, but but she clearly lives on through a lot of us. My aunt who's like her other daughter, is also an artist, and like, has been pursuing it more seriously as well. So yeah. Oh, that's lovely. It's like the legacy that's carried on through the family. Yeah, that's beautiful. I love the quote that you've got on your website, when you said I'm finally doing what I was meant to do. Yes, like you had to go through all this other stuff and maybe discover what you didn't want to do before you went? Actually I want to do was that was that an easy decision? Or hard in some ways to just give up, I want to say a nine to five like, solid job. I had worked really hard to be a paramedic. You so yeah, that was the part that was really hard for me was I've always been very introspective. And trying to balance what was going to make me the happiest I was, I was so lucky to have like an upbringing with all these opportunities, right. So I was trying to figure out a path that would make me super happy, but also seemed like a smart, logical path. Which led me to do this, like psychology degree, and I was considering business and all these other things. But I guess deep down inside, like, I was always very creative. And then, and I loved my career as a paramedic, super competitive, to get into school to get hired right out of school. And then it takes about five years of doing that job to start to feel settled and comfortable and not just freaked out and in a few of the situations, right. Yeah, it takes a long time to build that confidence. And then when we started having a family, it's like I knew we were going to have to make some tough decisions. Financially, you know, mortgage was going to become difficult. My husband is also a paramedic in Toronto, and he's he's still doing it there. And I just couldn't imagine doing the double shiftworker family with children, you basically have to hire a live in nanny to make it work. And then I just be working to pay for somebody else to take care of my children. And yeah, so I was starting to feel like a little bit. I was frustrated for sure, like knowing that these big changes were coming. But it's funny because now I'm happier than ever. And I really do think that just trusting the process not only like in my art but in life is super important. I have always been when not to make too many strict plans. I know that things can change. I especially learned that as a paramedic, right and just to really not take anything for granted and and try and appreciate every day as it comes and then know that they're the changes will come and I just tried to roll with it the best I can. So that's what we did. And I knew I needed to have something of my own. Like something really exciting to look forward to. As I was approaching that moment of officially quitting my paramedic career and moving on so yeah, I, I took a year leave of absence when we moved up north, away from the city, which it also that provided some major financial relief, by the way. So like all these changes were to set us up so that I could be at home with the kids and not worry as much about money, because leaving that Job was was a big paycheck as well. Yeah. So yeah, we moved north, and we're actually mortgage free because of the move, because we moved really like from very close to the city to two hours north where most people wouldn't, wouldn't go that far, right. And it was, it was tough. Like it was, even though I had grown up here, it didn't have too many strong friendships remaining like in that immediate area. So I really had to start over. Build those new connections and, and it eventually happened. But yeah, for a few years, it was tough. And so yeah, when we moved up, I took the year leave of absence. And then for about four months, I just was trying to, I was stressing over what to paint, I knew I was going to try and pursue painting. I just didn't know what I should paint because I wanted it to be successful. So I put a lot of pressure on that. But I just started painting all kinds of different things, different themes. You and and then enough work to sort of build a cohesive series, because A, in my research, I realized that was very important to make it as an artist or to get, you know, just to be successful, like to sell work and be represented or whatever. So yeah, just worked really hard to build a cohesive body of work. And then I launched my website, as soon as I had officially quit the paramedic job. And the response was amazing. I sold two original pieces, I think within the first two weeks, which is a nice boost of confidence. Yeah. And then yeah, it was a bit of a whirlwind, like lots, lots of cool opportunities. But then I got into the the fun, like figuring out the balance of trying to run my own business and be the full time mom and having a shiftworker husband, who's gone a week at a time kind of thing. So yeah, that was like a new area that you were like trying to work out the balance. Yeah. Well, you know, thankfully, it was busy and I wasn't bored. And I think that keeps you happier. Right. Especially when you're in a new place and and away from your, you know, the friendships I had established in the city and stuff, huh? Yeah. Yeah, just just an interesting, a lot of changes. But we we believed that that was the best thing to do for our family. And I feel like it all worked out. Really did. And I do feel like I am exactly where I should be because being back home has informed my art greatly. Like when I was saying I didn't know what to paint. Eventually, I figured it out because I just started painting what I know best. Yeah. Yeah, that was the water that I had grown up on. And it's just mean like the response I've had from people. They really love that series. Oh, yeah. Now I'm at a point where I've done I don't know how many of them I've done. It's it's around 25 of them. And I'm ready to I'm ready to mix it up a bit. So yeah, it's kind of cool to be successful in something like that and then know that I sort of have that as my fallback but and then but I'm always wanting to try new things. So yeah, and I'm at right now yeah. So is that where the water colors start to come in a bit like you're just sort of testing out what else he can do and yes, so I'm trying to figure wrote that does have a lot to do with just like incorporating my practice into my life and trying to be more efficient. Because I've never really been able to involve my kids in the studio too much. I have two really active boys. I tried I really did try to to just be casual about it and set them up and but yeah, my oldest was could not sit still he'd get into the the worst things, you know, like climbing the walls. So and I didn't want to say no, I didn't want to say no all the time, right. So we kind of avoided being in the studio too much. earlier on. Now I am learning what they prefer. I have to set my my oldest seven year old he has to be set up with an easel and he takes my light and he sets it up. But he's he's very short lived though. Like he'll pay it for about maybe 10 minutes and then that's it. And then he's gone and he hasn't cleaned up and and then my five year old is on the floor like still like rubbing the paint into the broken paper. Like he gets really into it. Yeah. And then everyone's gone. And it just gets busy. So yeah. Lots of having boys Hey, yeah. The the watercolor like that medium. It was sort of a magical thing. I took a water color course, online during the pandemic from John Hartman, who is a huge artists here in Canada. And luckily, he's local. Yeah, I actually know his his niece's here, I played volleyball with them growing up. And so there's like a bit of a connection there. He had never met me though. And I took this class online, and I've taken many, like several art classes, this one was just different. And it something clicked. And he, I think grew up similar to me, has like, a very special appreciation for the land, and just just this unique corner of the world, right. And he's he's obviously very into nature and all of the animals and all of the patterns and and he's been very, very successful here. So the local gallery got him to teach this class. I took it from him. And it just seemed to make sense for me as well, the way that he was taking his watercolor kit out to the islands if he would go like by canoe or kayak or whatever. And so I decided to prepare like a waterproof backpack, prep all of the paper and, and then I discovered these incredible, this incredible paint company where the paints made on Manitoulin Island. It's actually five hours north of us. Yeah, but it just felt so right because they're very focused on producing plastic free. Like the pigments are almost a lot of them are sourced locally on Manitoulin Island, and then they use tree sap, local honey, all of these things as like their binders, and it's just completely natural paints. So I feel good about going out and like washing my brush in the lake. Yes, water and then using the natural paints that she's made, and it's just amazing. So that's such an incredible connection isn't a lot. That's just amazing. Beautiful. Yeah, because they really do care about that as well. Like I am painting about my connection with the bay and then using things that are made here to create the work is yeah, it just feels really right. So I was really excited about that. And I'm getting better at being more consistent and remembering that backpack it was just always ready to go. Yeah, I'm not the most organized person so it's taken a few years for me to get myself sorted like that and know that I have to prep a few things to sit to enable myself to create in those busy situations and our children are old enough now that it's not so crazy to have my husband watch them while I take half an hour to paint so yeah, yeah. Good day The pandemic really pushed me to want to explore locally more, as it I'm sure has for many people, I love traveling, my husband loves traveling, we really miss it. And so this island hopping culture that exists here, I didn't do that growing up, my parents were always working. And I was always boating and working at marinas and like very familiar on a boat, but not really exploring. There's a lot of public islands that you can, that you can go and have a picnic for the day and, and they're really amazing and really rugged and picturesque and challenging. A lot of people don't do it because there's you could hit rocks everywhere where your boat here, like, just beneath the surface. So for some people, it's a bit too risky, or expensive to be hitting rocks with your boat. Oh, yeah, I have this level of comfort with the bay and boating. I used to to live and work on the water for many years. So yeah, it's a really. Yeah. That's incredible. Oh, just hearing your story. It just I don't want to say it sounds perfect, because nothing's perfect. But just the way things have come together for you just sounds just ideal to so. Yeah. And I, I knew that there was just something about this place when I traveled because when I, when I first traveled after university, I went on my own, I did a solo backpacking trip in Australia. And that led to many other trips to different countries until I went back to college for paramedics, and then it kind of halted the traveling and the art and everything. But now yeah, I'm coming back to it. And I didn't know how much I missed it here until I returned with my kids. And I felt like I could almost breathe easier just being surrounded by nature and the trees and I honestly didn't know how much I missed it though. Because I'm pretty happy wherever I go. I truly appreciate the city. I loved living downtown Toronto. The excitement of being a paramedic downtown was amazing. You know, I was happy I thought but I think I am much happier here. So but yeah, we also don't know, I guess we never really think in forever. My husband and I are adventurous. And he's from the east coast of Canada. So we we go there often and that's pretty amazing out there too. But when he talks about it, I I don't know if I could move there. Right. It's mostly just leaving Georgia and bay that would stress me out. So yeah. Anyway, I'm really enjoying being here right now. And it's yeah, it's inspired me so much. And gotten me on a pretty amazing foot with my art career so far. I wanted to mention, I'll put a link for people to have a look at the way that you paint the water. Right. It's just It looks like a photo. Like it looks so real. And I actually paint properly. I just mess around with painting. So I'm really interested in painting because I can't do it. I love like zooming in like how do you do that? Like it just looks real? Just beautiful. And yeah, that series that you mentioned before. Just all those pieces that just like you feel like you could literally dive into the paintings. They're just so real. So yeah, I just love them. Yeah, all right. First of all, I think that anybody can paint. It's, it is a practice, right? You just, you get better as you do it more or not necessarily even better, because I'm trying to get back to like a loose lit a looseness actually, that I had before I did these water pieces, and they have progressively gotten more realistic. Which wasn't really my intention. It's just I seem to be getting pickier with it right. And I, I can't leave it alone, like I just go further and further and further with them as I do more of those pieces. So yeah, I get very intense about them. So I honestly just think it's the amount of layers. And I will just keep painting until I'm happy with it right. And, and I do paint from a photo for the water pieces, because they wanted, it's just something I always wanted to try. I had tried painting several things. And it's interesting, because when I look back at my early paintings, like way before I knew I would pursue this as a career, the water element was there. And a lot of a lot of my pieces not not in exactly the same style, but it was there. And yeah, there's just something about it that feels like home to me and nostalgic. And I feel like the water here is very unique to other places in the world I've been. It's beautiful in all of these different places, too. But there's something very special to me about it here. And I think just with the response I've had, it seems like people that are cottagers here really identify with it too. Yeah, they're really drawn to it. Yeah, there's something about when you walk down on the dock, because we have a floating dock. And which is different from a lot of places in the world. We don't have tides. So yeah, when you go down to the dock, you feel like you're so surrounded by water in a in a really unique way to it's different from working on a beach, or Yeah. I don't know, you know, all the different ways that you can be next to the water. There's something very unique about floating on air. Like you're connected to it straight away, like you're already part of it. You can feel the move, all that kind of stuff. Yeah, and I don't get that feeling all the time. It's usually when I've been away for a while and then I go down. You're standing there and it's kind of overwhelming. I remember coming back after being away for almost a year, right. So yeah, it's pretty cool. I'm very lucky. You've mentioned the children a little bit in passing. Tell us a little bit more a bit about your boys. Yeah, they're loved them. Um, so my oldest is Charlie, he's seven. And then my younger boy is five and his name is Van. And I also have a Newfoundland puppy as well. Oh. He, we had we had another one before him and unfortunately lost him through the pandemic. So this is a COVID puppy. Do it again. And yeah, very, very active household. It always has been. But it suits it suits myself and my husband. We are not good at sitting at home. We're extremely adventurous. So and now we're taking our kids along with us on those adventures. They are learning to drive the boat. They are there in Forest School as well once a week, which I love. So they're just they're super resilient kids like they go out in that minus 20 degree weather the entire day at school. And then I'll pick them up and I was so you know, I'm always a little worried about their hands and feet. And then they'll tell me that they were too hot. So because I put a sweater on them very particular layering system Man, you, you know, the types of clothes you have to put on the kids to do that sort of thing but love it. And yeah, we're outdoors, hours and hours a day like, we don't stay indoors very much. And that was I always wanted to raise them like that. But then the pandemic pushed me to turn to nature even more way to deal with the anxieties and stuff that would come up with all of this. My oldest son got very anxious with like the first sort of flip flopping locked down back to school, that kind of stuff. It was really hard on him, but at the time, he was five years old. So yeah, I find five is a really interesting age to be dealing with complicated things like that. So yeah, it's like the brains not quite developed enough to make sense of it, but they can understand quite a lot. So it's really hard for them to, you know, comprehend things and deal with them. Yeah. So he definitely has some OCD. Which, you know, we we haven't taken them to get diagnosed, because we were a little bit worried about that, at that age to like, what the effect of actually going and getting a diagnosis. Just, we just wanted to see if we could deal with it on our own first, and it did get a bit scary, for sure. But he's doing amazing now and we've figured out some coping strategies. We're lucky with the internet, right? You can do so much research on your own. Yeah, we were open to if we felt like we couldn't handle it, I had the name and number of someone to call, but got through it. And you just never know when it's when things like that are gonna creep up on you with the kids. Challenging, challenging time. Yeah, that's for sure. You're listening to the art of being a mom was my mom, I was naming. Ellie, you mentioned that being a paramedic was good at sort of allowing you just to go with the flow and things are unexpected things change? Do you think that's sort of helped you being a parent in the way that things are always changing unexpected things? And for sure, yeah, absolutely. I think that was sort of in my personality anyway, and, and why I enjoyed being a paramedic so much. And, but yeah, like that experience, I knew that I would never regret becoming a paramedic, even if it was not the be all end all of what I was going to do, you know, having those skills, I would never regret it. It's pretty cool. And I my style, honestly, was to not worry about the call details. Because you get when you get a call, you get a bunch of details. And most of the time, it's completely different. When Yeah, when you arrive. Yeah. Somebody on the phone? Yeah, people in emergencies can't describe. Can't describe what's going on accurately most of the time. Yeah. So you'd like to discard that. Basically, when you get there you make your own assessments and work from that sort of thing. Yeah, I just tried to always have a really open mind. Honestly, though, my husband is an incredible paramedic, and he has a completely different approach. He actually goes through all of the possibilities, and all of the protocol protocols for all of those possibilities. So he's the one practicing it all in his mind before he walks in. So he knows the dosage and everything medications, whereas I I was different in that. Yeah, I would more roll with it. Because it's it's dangerous to get tunnel visioned. Especially in that job, right. Yeah. So yeah. And I think that has reflected In my life as a parent, for sure, you learn pretty quickly that as soon as you get the routine going, it changes. Prizes and, and your, your children usually turn out very, very to be very different personalities. So yeah, it's it's pretty cool. Something really neat about my oldest son, the one that had all of that anxiety. He's I think it's because he's such an empath we've learned, he picks up on everything right, no matter how much we were trying to keep our cool at the beginning of all of it. Everybody was holding their breath and watching the news too much. And yeah, it was. It was terrifying. So And I honestly just snapped back into paramedic mode. I was not thinking about art at all. Yeah, yeah. And I was almost feeling guilty that I got out of that profession. Like before this happened. Yeah, right. Yeah. Because this is just so huge. It's like something that you prepare for, and you hope never happens. But yeah, it was happening. And my son, yeah, he just picks up on everything. Even when you don't know that. It's like that you're stressed out or you're depressed, or whatever it is. So yeah, things kind of fall apart when I get when mom gets super stressed or overwhelmed. And then I start seeing issues in my kids with their anxiety. So he keeps me in check. I have to take care of myself and keep a balance and not forget to get back to exercising when I can and all of those things. Or yeah, I find we have issues. So huh. That's it if mom's not happy. It's challenging, but I really appreciate that about him. So I'm super lucky, right? I'm at home with him. I don't have to leave the house to go to work. We made some tough decisions to put me in this position. But so I know I'm very very lucky. Some people aren't as fortunate right. And life is tough. It's sometimes impossible to get out of debt for a lot of people now so that's easy. Yeah, so I really just appreciate Yeah, I'm able to do and be at home with them and be super in tune with my kids absolutely YEAH. I just wanted to ask just on that when you're talking about the, the pandemic Did you ever consider thinking I need to go back and help like, did you ever think or I'm I'm a paramedic? I can I can help with it's yeah, um, um, I think it crossed my mind. But so yeah, I was feeling guilty, but I know I didn't have the urge to walk away from the art that I had yet into and protecting my family. I sure applied it in all of my conversations with friends. You know, like talking through it with people. Then like new connections that I made helping friends with anxiety The stuff like that. And just like explaining things in like a medical way was really helpful. Like we we obviously could grasp what was going on in a different way from a lot of other people, which was scary actually. It's like you knew you knew exactly what was happening. And that was a little bit too much. Honestly sitting there thinking, why aren't we doing what New Zealand is doing? Like, why are we not locking everything down right away? Like what is taking so long? And there were real repercussions because of that, but but nobody really knows. Right? So. Yeah, it's yeah, that's the thing. They're all making decisions. On the fly. Basically, there's no book about how to deal with this. It's never really happened. Before your best. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But on that, New Zealand's done amazing. They're still not letting Australians back in. Like, that's how good they're going. They're awesome. I know. It's a different way. And yeah, it's hard to say what's best. But yeah, that's the thing. And every country is like, obviously, geographically different challenges, whatever. But yeah, I do have a lot of respect for New Zealand and the wonderful Prime Minister, she's pretty cool. changing tack slightly, in terms of there's a topic that I love to talk about two mums about mum guilt. And I'm not sure if that's a term that. I mean, I find the Australians know what I'm talking about. Is that something that you're familiar with over there in Canada, the mum guilt? Yeah. I definitely believe that it exists for sure. And, as I've explained the way, the changes we've made in our life, and the fact that I can work from home and pivot whenever needed to put my children first. That sort of like mitigates that a lot, right? I think I've experienced mom guilt in small doses, and then almost used it to help guide my decisions with my life. Because I want to avoid feeling like that, of course. And I'm lucky that I was able to find a way to avoid it a lot, right? Yeah. Yeah, the first time I think I felt it was honestly when I was pregnant. I was nesting and working on the house, and I fell off of a ladder when I was seven months pregnant, I think, yeah. I just remember sitting in the bathtub after feeling like horrible. I had a very hard time adjusting while being pregnant, to not being able to do certain things. Just because I really independent I pride myself on being a very strong woman that way, you know, yeah, ask for help. to a fault. Yeah, so that was the first time I felt really horrible. Like, that was a dumb decision to be doing that in the first place. And then, and then I'm trying to think, oh, so I had my first child. And then we did have a plan. Like, I didn't think I was going to continue doing the shift work. We sort of knew there was going to be an end eventually. But I did go back to work when my son was one year old, but I went back pregnant because they're only they're 19 months apart. Yep. So I went back wasn't going back to the road. I luckily got to go back to modify duties. So much safer, safer environment. A little more mundane and not the type of stuff I like to do. But yeah, so it was like an eight hour day instead of the 12 to 15 hour days that I would normally work. And that was really tough. I finding a nanny that I felt comfortable with, and then leaving my child with the nanny, even though I had put a lot of effort in had, I think I fired two before we settled on the one that we kept. Yeah. And yeah, it was really tough to leave him with her. But eventually, we got used to it. And I knew there was an end in sight. And then I went off the road again, you know, when I was, I can't remember how many weeks. But I just didn't want to go back to that. I didn't like that feeling. I personally didn't see the point of having kids if I couldn't be with them all the time. Right. So. But, yeah, I'm so fortunate that we could make it work that way. Right? It's not that way for everybody. So sometimes there, those opportunities don't exist. And my husband, I was able to really lean on him for a couple years to support us while I was not making any money as an artist. So I just started making more financial goals and wanting to relieve him a little bit. But we made it a good couple of years without too much pressure on it. Yeah, pretty hard to create meaningful art. If you're worried about the money. Yeah, that's the thing, isn't it? You just, you'd be really constrained and like, I've got to, I've got to do this. So I can sell it. And I've got to, you know, you'd have all this pressure on yourself. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know how I would do that. Yeah, it would be such a distraction. Right. Hmm. Let's see. Yeah, it's almost like it wouldn't feel like a creative space. It just feel like a job like you had you just have to. Yeah, produce stuff. You know what I mean? Like, yeah. Yeah, no good. The other thing I love to chat to moms about is identity, like how you how you see yourself shifts in as you become a mother and from what you just mentioned, is that like, you're started when you were pregnant. You know, you're the challenge of having to adjust how you do things. So then when you actually had your children, did that change? Did the shift keep? Was the shift already made sort of thing, like we able then to adjust into motherhood? Because you've already sort of started to change. Does that make sense? Yeah, yeah. I think the shift so I physically, like I was always very athletic and doing kind of adventurous things like that, you know, like when I traveled a, I did the skydiving in the bungee, and the the only thing I I was too nervous to do is hang gliding and Brazil. myself with run off a cliff like that. So yeah, I've always been a bit of an adrenaline junkie, and I've had a lot of injuries, or my last major injury was while I was in paramedic College, and that scared me because it threatened my career. So I I I've shifted big time just being more careful with my body. And then yes, as as I was pregnant that was really difficult. Adjusting just asking for help with anything lifting wise was I left the hardware store falling once because I lifted a how many gallons is that? I think it's like 18 liters. Yeah, like the big thing of primer I lifted into into the cart and then felt obviously some major pain. And then I had to ask somebody to put that into my vehicle at the end. And and they were like, how did you get it in the car? So just stuff like that was so hard on me. But yeah, I'm so obviously I adjusted and it's okay, and I realized I needed to be careful. And just not taking as many risks right like you have kids to protect you Yeah, I find her a lot more careful like that. I'm always wanting to do the adventurous stuff and my husband. It makes him a little more nervous with kids around water and things like that. So we're good balance. Yeah, yeah. Yep. But I feel like I really worked on like figuring out who I was. Before kids, I was really lucky to do the traveling and several jobs, right. I really played around and tried to figure it out. And I thought I had figured it out with the paramedic thing and. And then, yeah, leaving that behind was a huge, felt like a sacrifice. Being a mother, it felt like I was giving up something that I had worked so hard for. And I didn't really see that coming. I did, but it didn't, you know, it didn't actually happen yet. So I was a little upset for sure. But, ya know, like, I think when things get tough like that, I think just thinking about what will be best for your kids always helps make the decision a little easier, like what direction to go. That's the way that we approach it. And I have never regretted making a decision based on that. Yeah, that's really well said, yeah. Yeah. I don't know. You always have to think about yourself, too. But I'm personally happier when I put my kids first. So. And I'm getting better at balancing those things. But when they're really, really young, yeah, I was. All over it all, I was pretty crazy with all the homemade food and schedule and trying to mix it up enough that when we do mess with their schedule, they're not devastated. And, you know, trying to just do everything as responsibly as possible. Give him a sort of taste of life, I suppose that things don't always go to plan. And, you know, you can be adaptable. And mean, you can you can, you're allowed to get annoyed if things don't work out. But it's not like the end of the world. Like he can give back things. And that's really important. Sorry, sorry, I think kids in general have just proven how much they can handle and how resilient they are through this pandemic, right? It's just crazy. Yeah, depends on what country you're in, I think but we have done the online schooling I think four times. It has gotten easier, but which is amazing. That the last time it was kind of knew the routine and I wasn't as upset, right? Like I was really hard on myself with the online school. First, or Yeah, the first time it was very stressful. And I felt very down on myself. That's I guess that could be slotted in as mom guilt, right? Like not I eventually learned that I had to decide when we just had to call it quits for the day and to not allow myself to feel guilty that it wasn't working on the computer and we're just going outside and blowing it off because it was easier because they're in kindergarten at the time. So junior and senior kindergarten so like, I don't I didn't believe they should be on the computer anyway, but I also didn't want them to fall too far behind. So yeah, yeah. Yeah. More reasonable commitments. In my mind, I was like if we do it three days a week out of the five then I'm happy or if it's a bad day just just stopped right so yeah. hoping it's over, gosh, I know. In terms if you're making and I know your children, age wise, this might not apply but is it important for you, for them to see what you're doing and how you contribute? doing? Absolutely, it's important to me that they see what I'm doing and my process. Actually, just recently, I've had a lot of really awesome opportunities landed in my lap. And and I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to do it all, because I think they're gonna stay in school. And I think we can plan for this right. So I've actually just turned my dining room wall into my new studio, so that I cannot get away from the project that I'm working on. Because when I'm walking by it constantly, I'm just subconsciously like working on it in my head. Right? Yeah. And I think it's really cool and exciting for them to go to school and come home and then see what it has changed. Yeah, it's, and it does inspire them. And I am seeing them try to copy things that I paint, it took, it took a while, like, you have to know that you have to be patient with some kids, like they're not going to just show interest in. And Charlie, my oldest showed so much resistance at first, so I just didn't push it. And then all of a sudden, in the last year, he is a big drawer, like an amazing drawer. And like his composition is on point. It's crazy. And he would draw his emotions through the panoramic. That's kind of home with these drawings. And with very, like, all different emotions on all of the people's faces, and it was a little bit sad. Of course. Yeah. His anxiety. But yeah, so his drawing skills have are just amazing. And then he has recently been trying to like copy certain pieces that he sees of mine. Yeah. And then they're both really giving their opinions on, on art. Like, yeah, on like, which paintings they like, and my little one van will always he's really into the water paintings and Hill. Yeah, he just offers his opinion on his favorites. And, and I have two really great friends I met online in the last year as well. And we're always sharing our work and critiquing each other and pushing each other along. Yeah. And sometimes, like, they'll see the little video clip and, and, you know, chime in on what they think of their work as well. It's really well, that's lovely. I love I love involving them in the process. Yeah. So even though we are just starting to do some collaborative, like paint, paint days and stuff and trying to do like Saturday mornings, there's a little online class that I'm trying to get all of us set up and I set them up exactly with all the things that I have. And I think that's really cool. But mostly, I think that they are part of my process. Not in the physical art making but like the inspiration side. Because reliving my childhood with my kids has been amazing. And definitely coming home and the nostalgia of like this place was sort of the initial inspiration and it's and yeah, now experiencing it alongside my kids and having all these adventures it's really special. So I'm trying to capture that in some of my future paintings. Yes, yeah, I really like to to give them that freedom in nature like as long as they're safe to explore and like I find they're just so confident because of it. You know? Yeah, it's really cool to see Yeah, absolutely. I love the way you describe though you really reliving your childhood three children. That's just Yeah. Thanks. Yeah, it reminds me when you say reminds me of my oh me when I when I describe that because I actually think I'm trying to provide them with sort of the same experience that that she provided with me. I purposely avoid driving anywhere I make them walk incredible distances. You know, we're like always picking flowers and, and just really getting into things like that. And that's that's what she did with me. And I remember sometimes finding it annoying, you know, when I was an older child care thing, stopping at the side of the road to pick flowers and stuff and she's taking like photos of my brother sister and I and I And now we appreciate it so much and, and all of those flowers and stuff remind me of her. So yeah, I'm just hoping that they remember that when they're an adult as well, right? I just, yeah. That's just beautiful. I'll go tingly now. Lovely. Similarly, like I had my, my Nana was real, it was very, very close to her. And she wasn't musical, but she was the one that bought us. My sister and I are first like organ like the double keyboard organ is fun to sort of encourage us to play and she passed away when I was 10. So and she's never met, obviously never met my children, but she inspires so much of my music and decisions that I make. And, you know, it's just incredible that someone who's not here has just informed our lives so much. It's just lovely. And yeah, it's the people that are really present with you. Not just going through the motions there. They put in sort of the hard work and, and, and the tough love. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's really interesting. You say that. I interviewed a lady from she's Hungarian. But she now she lives in Austria. And it's, this is really funny. I have these runs of people that I talk about the same things with like, it goes through phases. And so the last thing I spoke to, and you have talked about the same thing about a significant grandmother, who had such an impact on them, and the same thing that that tough love like this, this grandma would be like, you're not playing that right. Like she's a flute played, played again. Not like that, play it again, play it again. And at the time, she's like, Oh, come on, like this is, you know, you felt like she was she was punishing her. But she's like, now I understand why she was doing it. And it's made me who I am and all this sort of stuff. And yeah, she passed away early as well. So all these people that is mighty Yeah. You talked about your watercolor that you you sort of adventuring into and including your children in your work. What sort of other thoughts have you got about the future for your art practice? Was it sort of hinting? Yeah, I have a lot of really exciting projects that I can't even really, they're not, you know, developed enough that I can talk about them yet. Yes, you're sort of man, it's only February. And the year is planned. Well for commissions, and it's just amazing. But there is one really big exciting thing that I'm starting, that I haven't talked about yet, but I do feel ready. And it is about everything in my life. It's just all making sense and coming together. And I guess I've always been waiting for the right idea like business, I always consider different business ideas. And so yeah, the last two years, we did a lot of the adventure, boating, checking out all these islands that I didn't even know existed. It's just crazy that it was like a 20 minute boat ride away and I had never discovered that. And we ended up purchasing a new boat in November. That would be suitable for this idea that I have. I'm going to start what's going to be called compete with me excursions. And I'm going to invite small groups of artists to go out with me on the boat, and I'm going to take them to paint plein air, meaning outdoor painting I'm just because a lot of people that live in this area actually don't have access to the water and the islands, and it's right there. But they've either never been on a boat or never really been on a tour in the area. Because there aren't a lot of there's just no businesses that enable that. Like there was one cruise boat from Midland that takes you on a couple hour cruise or whatever. But yeah, so this is going to be more of a, like a private tour, and we're going to select a destination based on the weather just like I always do, we really have to pay attention to weather. Yeah, because it can, if there's any chance of a major storm, I don't want to risk it. Even though I, I enjoy it. But yeah, so I have to upgrade my certification to be able to take this boats gonna be able to take 10 people. But for now, I'll be limited to a group of six people, which will be really nice. Yeah, I'm just trying to get the business end of all of that organized so that I can start advertising and start booking some dates. Trying to involve that in my my summer schedule with my, you know, my husband's schedule, the kids being home, all of that stuff. But I what I wanted is just to be on the water more, as much as possible, because for many years, I worked for my dad doing marine contracting. So like a lot of barging and doing the building of those cottages on these Rock Islands. And I just loved working on the water, you know, boating to work. And then it was very physical work. But it was amazing to be outside all day on the water. And then when you're on the water every day like that, like you experience, the different weather and kind of like magical things in nature, the wildlife that you see, sometimes it's just amazing. And you don't, you don't get as many opportunities like that if you're not consistently out there. So I feel like it's going to really support my own art practice. Yeah, I'm gonna get to do my little daily painting, even if I'm trying to instruct others and not really doing my own work. I'm just out there and fired. i It's like my favorite place to be. So I'm trying to position myself there. You know, while supporting myself financially, it'll support. it'll inspire my work, I'm sure. And we need a little more like community with the there's a lot of artists in the area. But it's a small town. Yep. You know, and so these kinds of things are needed. And I did one test run with a group of friends. Yeah. And it just, it was amazing. And like, just listening to everyone the ideas that were flowing and the chatter it was a group of women and they were just loving it right. It was very cool. And I've actually seen sort of the inspiration from that day in a in most of them like a lot of them started these new projects and stuff and I think I think a day like that can just give somebody an extra nudge something new so yeah, just and then my, my paramedic background makes me feel confident to like take care of people. Yeah, in you know, a wild terrain. There's going I actually did a photo shoot on one of the islands I'm going to use and we pulled up with the photographer and there was a bear on the island to eating berries. And I was like are you serious? The time is right we need to do this photo shoot and there was a bear there and we just sort of paused for a couple of minutes and I checked with sorry there's major stomping upstairs Yeah, I just checked in with my friend and the photographer like are you guys still into this because I definitely was and the bear took off to the other end of the island is very small island and they were they were game and we went on the island we we obviously didn't go to the other end where the bear went. But we still did it because I don't know I know there's no for sure but there you could just tell we weren't bothering the bear. The bear didn't want anything to do with us. Yeah, it just eaten some berries. He was full. We didn't need to eat some kind of crazy so yeah, I would never, I, you know, if I see the group, I'm not going to go on the island. But personally, I take some more risks I think than other people would be willing to take. Just when I have those kinds of experiences, I feel I feel like it's like, a good omen or it's like good luck. It's like a sign from the universe. Right? So Oh, yeah. And it really made it memorable. Yeah. You couldn't like try and position the bear in the background? So a couple of shots of it, I'll definitely post them at some point. Oh, that's so cool. I love that. It was neat. Excited to start that, a lot of organization, obviously, but yeah, like, you know, paperwork, kind of, yeah. booking system, all of those things, but I'm just going to try and take it easy for the first year and, and just see the interest and stuff. I'm feel very confident about it, because there aren't many things available like this here. But yeah. And then, and then I've offered to be like a volunteer steward to keep an eye on some of these islands for conservation purposes. And oh, cool. Because they get a lot of people to just do that people that are cottagers to keep an eye on a particular island. And yeah, make sure people aren't leaving garbage behind and things like that. And, and it can extend into a major educational opportunity. Yeah, just to educate people how to enjoy it, but like in a zero footprint way. And yeah, be respectful of the Yeah, because yeah, that's the thing you said, there's like 3000 islands, like there'd be so many where no one would be able to actually, like people can't be everywhere. So that's a great thing to do. Yeah, so I just feel like tourism is going to become more of a thing up here. We're seeing some major booming with housing and stuff like that, right, as there is everywhere. But I yeah, I feel good about doing it in a responsible way. And I have a ton of experience here. And I just, I want people to respect it the same way that we do. We're out there all the time. But yeah. I would probably, you know, report to whoever is whoever owns the island or is responsible for the wildlife conservation. Like if we ever noticed an issue or something like that. So yeah, that's wonderful. And it's like you're you're you're passing on like you've got such a connection such a love the area and you're sort of ensuring that it's cared for and looked after for for the next generations. You know, yeah, it's, it's super important, right? Because I have been in those places in the world that the water is just almost and swimmable, it's so polluted. The microplastics in our lakes are actually are at a very high level. If you're paying attention to that kind of stuff, yeah, it's, it's already really bad. So hopefully, we can find a way to reverse some of that stuff. When you're talking about the wildlife before? What sort of other animals do you get up there? Yeah, so it's super unique here because of all of the rocks like the landscape and all of the islands. So there are I think there's a lot of I don't know enough about birds, but there are a lot of unique birds. There's a lot of marshland as well. And then we have very unique reptile aisles and master set a Massasauga rattler snake that is poisonous. So, like I grew up watching where you're walking for snakes just like in Australia. Oh, yeah, well, either that one. Yeah. So that's just normal to us it Yeah, it's hard for someone to get used to if that if they haven't grown up that way. But that's just part of it and you learn about them and they're not. They're not out like looking for you. They're very frightened of humans have. Absolutely yes. It's just something to be really careful of. And I think if you're educated on like, how to coexist with wildlife, then that's, that's the best way to be the rattlesnakes. Something super interesting is they actually protect the blueberry bushes. Oh, yeah. From being over picked and stuff. Like a lot of people won't go to the areas where there are all the wild blueberries because there are so many rattlesnakes there. I think originally it was to protect the berries from being over eaten by animals. But yeah, yeah. So um, but there are so many other types of snakes as well. Just that that is our only poisonous snake. Lots of birds of prey. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Like, you don't want to mess with an angry owl or something. Right. end We have pretty bad mosquitoes and things like that. But But yeah, it's it's pretty beautiful. I love very into nature. I that's what I focused on when I was a kid. Yeah. Sounds wonderful. I have a lot of fun with the kids with that stuff. We raised butterflies last summer. Yeah, right. Yeah, just stuff like that. So gosh, you're making me jealous. I want to go then. You'll have to come visit. I honestly have been inviting people to come visit my whole life. Right. And I have hosted a couple of friends like I drove to Toronto and, and brought them up for the day and took them on a boat ride just to show them. And I just Yeah, I love that. I'm actually going to start a business like this. And can invite especially I've made a lot of artists friends. I'm a part of a few communities online now. Yeah, took me a while I was too shy to like officially join any of them for many years. And then I felt ready and it's been amazing. Yeah, the connections I've made and I know some of them will come visit eventually. Paint together. Oh, that's awesome. Geez. I love that. Yeah, that's that's wonderful I was gonna ask you whereabouts Did you like do a big lap of Australia? Like where did you go to when you're over here? I started in Melbourne. I didn't I didn't go to where you live yet, but I Yeah, Melbourne. I went all the way up the coast, the East Coast. I was really lucky when I started. I stayed for two weeks with a friend. So we have friends here. She's Australian. He's Canadian. They ended up living here. And they are the ones that pushed me when I was considering it. I think I was thinking maybe three weeks. No. You need to go at least for three months. Yeah. It's turned into I think I booked an open ended ticket. Right. And it lasted eight months. Yeah. All the way up the East Coast. I did Fraser Island, you know through Whitsundays. I went all the way up to Cape Tribulation. Yeah. I never did the like the interior. Yeah, I didn't get to do that trip. But I flew over to Darwin, just there was just a layover. I didn't actually spend much time there. Although I really wish I could have and then I even did some of the West Coast. I stayed in Perth for a little while. And then I did more of a an organised tour of the West Coast, southwest coast. And in between there I also went to New Zealand and Southeast Asia and I did tomato planting. Do you know where Boeing is? Boeing? Which was typesetting? Um, it is. I'm trying to think if it's north of New South, I think it's near North. Oh boy. It's near Airlie Beach. Oh, yeah, yeah, Queensland. Yeah. It's where the film Australia was filmed. Yeah, right. Yeah. Here and they were looking for extras. Ah, yeah. And I it was, oh boy. It was a, I guess a bit of a risky situation. Like, somebody asked me if I'd ever Oh no, the guy that picked me up for the farm. asked me if I had ever seen Wolf Creek. Oh, God. That's a great that's a great stuff. Uh, he ended up being Canadian, which was great. Oh, and they had bought this hostile to ours. inland. I'm trying to think of Bowen was. I think Bowens coastal. Right. And then, yeah, so yeah, it is. It's right on the coast. Yeah. So two hours into the Outback, Bowen, and I worked on a tomato farm for five weeks. And it was called the bogey river Busch house. And such an amazing group of people that I met there. together first, most people were very broke. I spent every night at the bonfire on the like, dry riverbed. It was amazing. And I'm sure I will connect with some of those people. Eventually. They're all over the world. But yeah, it was a really cool experience. And we were all dreaming of going to Thailand because it was cheaper and, like, blew up into this massive trip. But yeah, that was one of the coolest experiences. And I got to see, like a true Aboriginal ceremony as well. Like, I didn't pay for it. We had a barbecue and oh, man, it was really amazing. Oh, that's so cool. You've seen more of Australia than what I have. I I haven't traveled enough of Canada, to be honest. So yeah. It's funny how that happens. Yeah, yeah, it was, it was the best place to start. Like traveling alone. It was it was awesome. Yeah. Did you sort of feel comfortable because we all spoke English. You know, English is our language. And we're in a court. We're a Commonwealth country. So you know, yeah. sort of feels really familiar. Pretty easy. That way, you know, not overly dangerous. Yeah. And you use the snake, so that's okay. Yeah. And I Yeah, exactly. If the watch for the spiders on the farms especially. Yes, that stuff didn't freak me out. Maybe because of where I'm from. Yeah. But oh, it was so beautiful. And I met the best people. And I was very lucky to have I don't know if they finished explaining that I stayed with the friend for two weeks initially, just outside of Melbourne. And then I just remember being ready to go on my own and the city and stayed in a hostel for the first time and, and I very quickly met a friend from Ottawa, Canadian. And he ended up being my travel partner through Thailand and stuff too. So yeah, I just made incredible friends. I was really lucky. I had a great time. And I don't know it's always timing, right? Oh, yeah. That's it, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Has my cat. Oh, good on. Yeah. Thanks again. It's been great. Yeah, I had so much fun. And thanks, sir. I'm just glad you found me. Thanks for your company today. If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd love you to consider leaving us a review, following or subscribing to the podcast, or even sharing it with a friend who you think might be interested. If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast. Please get in touch with us via the link in the show notes. I'll catch you again next week for another chat with an artistic mum.

Aleathia Holland Australian entrepreneur and business owner S2 Ep67 Listen and subscribe on Spotify and Apple podcasts (itunes) I am delighted to welcome Aleathia Holland to the podcast, Aleathia is an entrepreneur and business owner from Mount Gambier SA, and a mum of 3. Aleathia grew up in what she would describe as an entrepreneurial family. She was always encouraged to follow her ideas and try new things. She would make and sell potpourri as a child. She opened a clothing store in the late 1990s with a passion for selling one off, exclusive designs in a world that hadn't quite evolved to online shopping, in a town 500kms from a capital city. Her earliest memory of tea is of her Grandma using her very cold very black tea to add to the Christmas pudding, once she added a cup of tea all the grandchildren would get to have a stir and make a wish. Aleathia thinks it was this magical tradition that started her love of tea, although she didn’t realise this at the time. Aleathia's husband's work has taken her family around the globe. In Singapore and discovered TWG tea, luxurious tea tins, decadent high teas and divine blends. It gave her new appreciation for quality tea blends. From there she moved to South Korea and discovered traditional tea ceremonies, and green tea - the plantations were lush and green and filled the country side. That’s where she really discovered the difference between a top grade and low grade of tea, steamed, fermented or pan. It was amazing how much went into creating teas that we drink everyday, not really thinking about how they came to be in our homes. In 2020 when Covid struck, Aleathia's family needed to move with a weeks notice to Western Australia for her husbands work. Suddenly with extra time on her hands, Aleathia had the opportunity to start up her tea obsession! Aleathia opened her tea company Athella, driven by her passion for providing high quality, organic and ethically sourced tea, and she takes pride that she is able to run her business from a regional centre, and mix the tea herself. She entrusts the help of a Naturopath to ensure her teas aid wellness and are full of health benefits. When her family moved back to Mount Gambier, her business was embraced by the supportive people in her regional home. She is passionate about educating her tea drinkers. and has hopes to provide an accessible employment environment for working mothers in her home town. Connect with Aleathia - website / instagram / shop tea Podcast - instagram / website Music used with permission from Alemjo my new age and ambient music trio. When chatting to my guests I greatly appreciate their openness and honestly in sharing their stories. If at any stage their information is found to be incorrect, the podcast bears no responsibility for guests' inaccuracies. Podcast transcript at the bottom of the page Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of The Art of Being A Mum Podcast. I'm beyond honoured that you're here and would be grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave me a 5-star review in iTunes or wherever you are listening. It really helps! This way together we can inspire, connect and bring in to the light even more stories from creative mums. Want to connect? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram tagging me in with @art_of_being_a_mum_podcast I can't wait to connect. And remember if you or somebody you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, get in touch ! I love meeting and chatting to mammas from all creative backgrounds, from all around the world! Thank you! Alison acknowledges this Land of the Berrin (Mount Gambier) Region as the Traditional Lands of the Bungandidj People and acknowledge these First Nations people as the custodians of the Region. Ch eck out more episodes ..... Welcome to the Art of Being a mum, the podcast that's a platform for mothers who are artists and creatives to share the joys and issues they've encountered. While continuing to make art. Regular themes we explore include the day to day juggler, how mothers work is influenced by their children. Mum guilt, how moms give themselves time to create within the role of mothering and the value that mothers and others placed on their artistic selves. My name's Alison Newman. I'm a singer, songwriter, and a mom of two boys from regional South Australia. You can find links to my guests and topics we discuss in the show notes. Together with music played, how to gain touch, and a link to join our lively and supportive community on Instagram. The art of being a mum acknowledges the Bondic people as the traditional owners of the land, which his podcast is recorded on. Thank you so much for listening to my podcasts today. It's really a pleasure to welcome you. My guest today is Alethia Holland. Alethia is a mom of three from Mount Gambier South Australia, and is an entrepreneur and business owner. Lithia grew up in what she would describe as an entrepreneurial family. She was always encouraged to follow her ideas and try new things. She would make and sell potpourri as a child and she opened a clothing store in the late 90s. Called a Linus with a passion for selling one off exclusive designs in a world that hadn't quite evolved to online shopping. And in a town that was 500 kilometers away from a capital city. Her earliest memory of tea is her grandma using her very cold and very black tea to add to the Christmas pudding. Once she added a cup of tea, all the grandchildren would get to have a stir and make a wish. Alethia thinks this was the magical tradition that started her love of tea. Although she probably didn't realize it at the time. A lady's husband's work has taken her family around the globe. In Singapore, she discovered TWG tea, luxurious tea tins, decadent high teas and divine blends. It gave her a new appreciation for quality tea blends. From there she moved to South Korea and discovered traditional tea ceremonies and green tea. The plantations were lush and green and filled the countryside. That's where she really discovered the difference between a top grade and low grade of tea. It was amazing how much went into creating teas that we drink every day, not really thinking about how they came to be in our homes. In 2020, when COVID struck a lathe his family needed to move within a week's notice to Western Australia for her husband's work. Suddenly, with extra time on her hands. Alethia had the opportunity to start up her tea obsession. She opened her tea company, a fella driven by her passion for providing high quality, organic and ethically sourced teas, and she takes pride that she's able to run her business from a regional center and mix the tea herself. She interests the help of a naturopath to ensure her teas aid wellness and a full of health benefits. When her family moved back to mount Gambia, her business was embraced by the supportive people in her regional home. Alicia is passionate about educating her tea drinkers and has hopes to provide an accessible employment environment for working mothers in her hometown in the future. The music you'll hear on today's podcast is from my ambient music trio called LM Joe made up of myself, my sister Emma Anderson and her husband John. And that's your cue to pop the kettle on and get cozy as a luthier spills the tea on what it's like for her to be a creative mum. I really hope you enjoy this episode. We had a lot of fun recording it. Thank you, Alicia. It is a pleasure to have you here. But I'm here in your space today. So thank you for welcoming me. I know I love it. I'm so excited that we've got our tea. Can you tell us what teas we've got today? We've actually got your favorite tea, which is our organic peppermint teas and Gyptian mint tea, and it's beautiful and smooth. And while even though I have put some of these sweet levels out he is meant to help with sweet cravings. See how we go it doesn't help me. Do you? So take How did you first become to love tea so much? What was the draw for you? The draw for me really is tea has been around my whole life from my sitting down with my grandma and having a cup of black tea with all those lovely tea leaves in it because we didn't have strainers and that's how she drank it. Yeah, I used to think but I didn't mind you used to let me put milk and sugar in it. You know it was it Get a treat. And then from there really, tea has just been a staple lot. When my mom and her sisters would get together, the cattle would go on, everyone have a cup of tea. So it's just become such a familiar part of our lives. When something's happened, we're all you know, something's happened up at Mom's, we're all up there, the candles on, everyone's having a cup of tea when my friends come to my house, the tea pot goes on. If we've had a party, and it's 2am we end with a cup of tea. That is my like, you don't realize what a staple it is apart from the every day. It has just become one of those things. That's when I started doing this business, I realized what a big part of was of my life. And then I think to what have massive parties for for a lot of people. And then you could share in that too. Which is really lovely. Because I know a lot of people don't drink coffee. So you know, sometimes you can, you know, get a bit stuck. You go to someone's house, and let's say your tea or coffee and you say I'll have a tea and they're like, Oh, I've just got this old lectins or some generic brand. And you get on. I'll take that. But you know what I mean? Like, especially when you you enjoy good quality tea, then you're stuck with something that's not quite the same where you go. Do well and truly, it's just created and did you like a lot of people actually because coffee is everywhere, right? And you know, getting this type of coffee, a lot of people will have a coffee, but they don't tea the rest of the day. Because I've never drank coffee, but tea is actually the most consumed hot drink in the world. Yeah, so even Trump's the coffee absolutely well and truly Trump's coffee and being able to get good quality tea and and look, I didn't grow up on good coffee tea, supermarket tea, because that's you just didn't you didn't know you had access to I was gonna say I don't think there really was that stuff around back then. No, especially make him here like, no, no, there wasn't, there wasn't specialty cheese. And it was yeah, it was quite generic. And that was great for a first experience. But that's really what started me on my tea journey because I do love my herbal teas. And I've always struggled with quality tea. But I do love my stable black tea. And I sort of got a couple of years ago, I got to the stage where I could no longer stomach black tea. And that's what really started me on that quest as I didn't want to give up that luxury. And I actually after investigating and researching, I found out that I'm actually allergic to the chemicals they used to map when they do mass production of tea. Ah, so I can drink organic clean black tea, which is what our Ceylon is made of. Yeah, no problem. But I cannot drink the mass produced tea. So in that, and I think that comes down. And that's what I'm a firm believer in is educating our little tea community because people drink numerous teas a day. Yeah. And you know, sometimes they're at those that don't have great stuff, you know? So that's really true, isn't it? Is that education process as well? For me that's important to me. Is that what I've learned? I'm able to pass on to someone else. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, cuz yeah. I don't know. I don't know how many years ago it was when it started to become quite mainstream, that everyone was talking about, oh, what's in our food, you know, all of a sudden, it just was like, bang. Nutritionists. And, you know, people from the eastern side of medicine been saying for decades. Yeah. But all of a sudden, like, mainstream caught up. And yeah, all the things like what goes into making a tea bag and the chemicals that are in that paper, eat whatever it is. Yeah. It's actually lung plastic. Yeah, right, and the stream. And then sometimes, if you're not careful, you you label fuzziness. Well, you know, goodness knows what you end up actually steeping in your water. It's a whole host. And you could be all drinking that every day, maybe up to three or four cups. Yeah, unless you're drinking looseleaf. And then, you know, as long as it's organic and clean, you're fine. And that's another big part of education is educating towards looseleaf even though I do do the clean teabags, you can't get better. Yeah. And I think too. Now, a lot of the companies now making an effort to put the little taste drainers in the top of drink bottles, because it's so popular, and they're catching on that people want to drink clean, and they don't want to have all that mess. Yeah, yeah, it's just the little extras. And I think, look, I'm the later into 40. And you do start to as women, we do start to have things that come up in our bodies that we need to clean up. And we start having reactions to things Yeah, it does put us on a pathway of finding a better way to eat healthy, I guess, as well. Yeah. And that's the thing like you say you might have, you know, myself, maybe, you know, five or six cups of tea a day. And if you're doing that every single time, yeah. So you are consuming a lot of plastics and your tea bags and things like that. If they're not, you know, biodegradable or native plant based product. Yeah, so it does it does make a difference Yeah. Now I remember back in the, I want to say 90s, late 90s, you had a clothing store in the main street or not all just off the main street, which I used to come to because I loved it. He was called Elena's my saying that right? Yeah, for a long time. Yeah. So you've you've always been like an entrepreneur and doing your own thing you like to sort of create, you know, business ideas. Look, I grew up in what I would call an entrepreneurial family, you know, from the age of 12. I was probably younger, actually. But my family had coffee shop with a couple during my growing up years. And the first one I used to make rose petals and sell them and this little guy had in the Hi Fi arcade as on my boat. Okay, I think it was, I can't remember what Okay, that was it's not it's not existent now. But there was a guy that sold badges. And he used to let me sell my little bags and pop furious probably 10 or 11. I did that with a friend. And you know, made myself some pocket money. Because, you know, that wasn't, there wasn't disposable income for lots of things back then. And so, you know, I always watched my parents work very hard. Like they both had great work ethic and had multiple jobs at times. And, you know, I think all of our schools work, I grew up in a family where anything was achievable. So that was that was something my dad was a real ideas person. And, you know, if we wanted to do he's the one that encouraged me I was living in, in Adelaide at the time. Yeah, running a store for witchery. And he's like, you've got to come down and doing this, and he's gonna do a hairdressers. You can do the clothes. And I'm like, why not? Go? Yeah, that was always I had the backing of my parents. So always and I think that's really important. Yeah. It's it's harder to achieve without some backing off support. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. I found is everything. Oh, absolutely. That's it, isn't it? And, yeah, I got some really good here from your show. Because it was different. And there wasn't many of each size. So it wasn't going to be heaps people wearing them, which I found really good. Because I went to check it once somebody's 21st or eight, I can't remember it was about three, the girls all had the same dresses. Because you know, you may Gambia and this was before the internet, you know. 1999. Yeah. We were a little bit. So I appreciate it that the point of difference that your clothing heard so nice. That was again, that was a lot to not be the same. Yeah. So that was really important to me that while I could have sold 10 of the same thing, I didn't want to do that. I wanted my clients to feel special. You know, I think that was really important. It wasn't about making x amount of dollars. It was me it was making, you know, building that community and making people feel special in their clothing. Yeah, absolutely. It doesn't matter what I do. That's what is the most important factor. That's what drives you. That's yeah, is that happiness that you get from seeing someone loving how they feel? And I noticed too, I hope I'm guessing this right, when you create the names of your business using your own name along for time. Is that too much? I don't know. I love that though. I mean, names have to have a connection for me personally. And yes, I'm proud of my heritage. I'm proud of the names that you know, my parents gave to me and that connection and I, I love having that connection to my name. I think that's important. So when I was coming up with this business, a thriller, it really was a struggle because you know, I had all these other different names that relate to tea, but I didn't feel connected to those names. Botanical Tea Company and things like that, which were great. But I didn't feel connected and this is a family business, my son's coming down here at 14. As much as he doesn't love it works on Tuesdays and Thursdays with mom. You know, he does the deliveries, oh, my delivery man much is doing you know, he's 14 comes and cuts up the boxes. He doesn't love it. But he has to understand the value of the dollar and family and then we help each other out, he gets paid to do it. I think it's really important that if it's outside, do jobs at home, I don't use my kids pocket money. That's part of their being part of family. And I get paid to do their washing, that when they come and work, that's a really good point. I don't get paid. Yeah, that's it, isn't it? You know, you never thought of it like that this house, we work as a family routine, you help out. I mean, not to say I didn't try the pocket money thing. I've tried everything, charts. You name it bribery. And we've all tried it. But it's just got to the point now where I'm like, the jobs at home, when you come to work with money, you get paid for the hour. And that's yourself by like, you know, that's his satisfaction on the jungle. So that's his first job. So yeah, and that's great. Because he loves that work ethic, because he's coming through, you know, you said about your mom and dad, to you to him, it's like, you're training him so well for the world, you know, you're giving them all those amazing skills that you've had. That's awesome. Can I make you know, to raise well adjusted children, is all we can hope for in, in this in the world we live in, it's really can be a struggle at times. This world of, of always outside influences that. I mean, I certainly didn't have any probably the same growing up, there was no, you know, social media, or carry on on YouTube. And you just think my God, it's like we're competing against all these other forces to try and keep our children, you know, and to influence our children are very vulnerable to what information goes in and who their influence five. Yeah. So it's really important that that we are still their biggest influences. You know, they'll have mentors and teachers and sports coaches, and, you know, people outside of us as well, uncles and artists. But social media can be a really good or really dangerous influences. We have to learn a way you can't limit it. You always have to learn. I mean, I'm not adults, but we have to learn how to embrace it. And help our children to navigate it. Yeah, exactly. That's really easy. You can't just go that can't have switch it off. Yeah, learning how and often that's learning together about what what your child is capable of. Because I know, at one point I, I sort of, I don't know, I might have underestimated Alex will be he's 14. And he's like, Oh, no, no, I, I know what he sees when I have to do it. And I was like, Oh, my God, it was and I thought, okay, you're actually more sensible than I thought you were. So yeah, that's okay. Sometimes it's nice. Isn't it? Surprised? Okay, job done. I out there, doesn't it? It is really hard. I really feel like when my kids were young, and social media was around, it wasn't really a thing. Because my oldest was born in 2002. The first time they got iPads is when we moved to America. So they were allowed to have those iPads on the plane if we traveled. And then they went away. There was no nothing during the week. I didn't have that because just wasn't done. But this next generation that's coming up, I didn't have a phone that I was on all the time either. Yeah, you know, very different so and it seems it's happening so quickly, like it's just the speed of technology inside for whelming. So you mentioned America so you've done a little bit of living overseas with your husband's work. So I guess that's why like when we were talking about aligners and the clothes store like I loved I've always loved working in what I do, but I met I hate that I always knew my mum was very much there for us like even though we had coffee shops and that my mom was the sort of person get off the bus, we had a massive long driveway that felt like forever, because we lived on a farm, you raining, we get inside and mum and have a hot Marlo and something hot out the oven for us. So I knew that if I was able to, I wanted to have that for my children. And it just happened that we had to move away when I got pregnant with Dagon. And so it sort of I wasn't able to do it, I was able to have a life where I was home for the kids, which was really great. So you know, not for everyone. But it was 100% something that I really wanted to do so so and moving countries to Yukon, we we've lived in three other different countries. We as a as as part of my husband's work, we weren't able to get work visas. So we weren't actually because we were in each country for about 18 months to us. So we couldn't get work visas, which is fine that I you know, had money blogs or something. I've always tried to keep a little part of the 100% there for my children, but also keep a little part of myself. It's very important. Yes, yes, yeah. Especially if you're over in a country, and you don't really know many people, and it's a foreign place. You know, yeah, it'd be challenging, challenging to set up to find yourself, I guess, you keep the sexism container myself, right being to look at, you know, us as sisters, who had all of our kids at the same time, I was able to stay home, and she wasn't, and it hasn't made a difference to our children. And I think that's because we learned the values from our mom. And one of those values was, was being the keys to the present and listening in the moment when your children need you. So that that's really important. My mom was always there for us when we need to. She was having a coffee running a coffee shop or not. And I feel like you can't have it all, like I think women it's been really hard for women is that we feel that we have to work, we have to be an amazing mom, we have to go to all the school functions have to be there for our partner still have a friend group. We have to do all these juggle all these boxes. And it's really a tough gig. And staying home is a tough gig and going to work as a tough gig. And I think there's been this mentality mentality, which is changing now. But I feel like it was like, yes, you're a woman, you can have it all, you can do it all. You're amazing. And I've really, I thought when I first had babies that I would be able to do it all. And I soon realized that wasn't a possibility. Not for my mental health, not for anything. I've realized that I can have it all, but just not right now. So I had the stay at home when I had the kids younger. And now I'm having the career. Yeah, even though I'm probably more tired to have a career. I love what I do. So do you know, I feel like I'm changing as women? Do we understand that? We don't have to do it all right now. Yeah. I the way I say it, I feel like we can have it all, just not at the same time. You know, like you said, yeah, that period with your children that was really important to you. And, and now they're sort of growing up. And now it's your time to have a little bit more time, you know, to do what you want to do. One of the ladies ahead on podcast. In Season One, Rachel Power said an amazing quote about, you know, post, the post feminist movement made us feel like we could have it all. No, all these worlds have been opened up towards this all these opportunities, but then as soon as you become a mother that just goes out the window. It's not it's almost like it's not relevant to you if you're a mother, because this notion of having always just completed neath, you know, yeah, so I think a lot of it is just, you know, being kind to ourselves and knowing that, you know, life does change, you know, I know that can be a lot of sort of an order use the word resentment, but it's like, you know, that this time is not your own. When you've got little children. It's like, okay, I'm gonna give everything to my children. And then knowing down the track, life's gonna change, you know, there's always this constant cycle of change. Yeah, I don't know where it's going. But I 100% agree with you. I love that. I love that if you're able to give that time to your children, if that's what you know, is like I said, it's not for everyone. Not everyone has. Every you know, some people need their time away, and they thrive better as a mother if they're working. So everyone thrives in different ways. But if You have the ability to give that press especially from those one to five, know from baby to five. If you can do that, then it's a great benefit. To be able to. Yeah, I think the important thing is is that we all do what suits us and, and neither side devalues one another females doing I feel like I felt it a lot when you know, obviously this is early 2000s. It was like, oh, no, I always remember this guy. We read it. I went to a hairdressing conference or something. container at the time was doing. And I said, I'm just a mom or something like that. girlfriend. Don't ever put the word just in front of you know, stay at home mom. And I like, Yeah, okay. Yeah, I was like, Nope, just to stay at home mom. Like that. It's how I felt at the time that what I was doing wasn't valued by society. Yeah, I don't feel like that now. Yeah. But at the time, because I'd had a career before. And I chosen to be and it's not very glamorous. stay at home mom. Yeah, I mean, going to it's and routine based. And it's a bit monotonous. And you know, it's the same day in and day out. But this is just those beautiful little moments that I got to have you with my children that, you know, I cherish. Yeah. And that time that you never get back again, which I've learned very quickly as they grow so fast, and they don't think their mother anymore. You think, oh my gosh. Well, then they turn into what I like to say, toddler adults. Because, yes, it changes you go, Okay, do everything for a toddler, and you have to do everything for little ones, right? Like go into primary school, and then start to become the independent, or the last at the table or the laundry, the dishwasher and help you clean up and this is all lovely. And you know, you know where they are. And it's, you're in control of everything, you know, you're it's all your influence, really. And then you come teenagers, and there's a real, you know, back and forth. And a lot of that goes on. And there's social media involved. And it's a whole different world where they're pushing back on your beliefs, because they want to explore their own beliefs, which is great. And I love that about, you know, kids in general. And then they become they turn 18 still living at home, which is I love it. But suddenly, there's clothes everywhere, and there's a cup left and it just packets of food everywhere. No one knows how to put a dish in the dishwasher. I don't know how they think that happens. They forgotten how to do that. Yeah. And then they do need you all the time because they're out in the workforce and then navigating how to communicate with other people and clients and adults. And it's like mom is a person that they revert back to so even though I'm busy at work, I'll sometimes get 100 phone calls a day, which you know, I'm like, okay, so it's like yeah, I like to say toddler adults because they're not that they revert back to needing mom for a whole range of things. That's really interesting. So unless they go off to uni or something like that, because my two oldest are still at home. Yeah, I do feel like I love them dearly, but they just picked up off themselves to be better. So when you kids, can you share with us how old they are, or Dagon will be 20 next month, and Ariella is a team and thing exporting. They're all beautiful ages. And yeah, they're, it's, it's so interesting having added, like your kids become adults, it's such a transition. And it's another beautiful different way in which you communicate and bond with them really enjoying, essentially living really Mowgli and just to see them grow, and I guess, you know, try and help them guide them to the right path, and then just seeing them make the right, you know, their own independent decisions that you've helped guide it. And I think to really notice, a lot of like mine and my husband's influence coming out in the way that they speak their beliefs and, and actually feel proud that of that as well, that they've got these beautiful mindsets in a way that I mean, they've moved on from it from us, and then just tighten because you want your children like you want your children to what I you know, I feel like I want my children to achieve and be better than what I've done, like last year, so I want them to improve, there's a lot of things that I fall over on, there's a lot of things that haven't, you know, I've had to change the way that I think, or my beliefs and things. And it's great, you know, you have to grow continuously as a person, you can't get stuck in, in certain ways. So it's really good to see this, the kids and they've challenged me on things. You which I love. I'm like, okay, all right. Yep. That's actually a great example. You know, so it's been really good, the way that they think about the world is very different to how we have thought about the world. Yeah. And I love their perspective on it. Yeah, that's, that's interesting, isn't it? It'd be it'd be, you'd have some really interesting conversations, you know, as they grow up, yeah. How they, how they think about things and how they see things. And because the world they're in now, like, obviously didn't exist when, you know, we were there, OSH is a completely different place in so many ways. Like, like, for example, Australia days, such a big difference to you know, what, how we grew up. Yeah. And my kids have just such a different thing. It's my gift to change it for them, it's just an instant just change. It's a no brainer, it's a no brainer for this next generation, like they are so worth the vault evolved than what way we are and have such a deeper understanding of hurt and pain. And I just when we talked about it, so I love that isn't that that's the next generations way of thinking about things because they're not stuck in the past and not know, not like, oh, just because it's always been done this way. We'll keep doing it that way. It's that's very encouraging to hear, isn't it? You know, not to and that they're not threatened by change. Yeah, right. They're not they don't feel that it's anything to do with them. You know, part lucky even though it's it's generational stuff that's happened there that I've seen how past generations have seen. So this is really a Yeah, I love that. And I hope as we move forward, this generation is going to make big changes. It sounds very promising. And that comes through the education system, and schools as they evolve more and everything. Yeah, absolutely. Yep. Yes, yes. When you were overseas, I think it was in your in Korea or Japan, South Korea, South Korea. You found some tea over there that you really like, is that the rice tea? I love all the green teas and the rice teas and everything. But I actually fell in love with tea in a more organic way when I moved to Singapore. Ah, right. Yeah, there was some beautiful teas that I got to try while we were living in Singapore. And from then in South Korea, I've seen they had all the green tea fields and plantations and to see how beautiful they were and, and, you know, falling in love with all the different kinds of the magic team. All these beautiful center. There's just so many beautiful green teams that because for me creative, yeah, like, oh, you vine, it's like, I just can't drink this. But I know that I shouldn't because it's full of health benefits. And it's like, and I just didn't like it. But then it just completely opened my eyes to a whole new world. So I really got into all the different teas and the tea ceremonies, the history. It's really just such a beautiful culture when you get into, you know, the ceremonies and rituals of tea and where it truly comes from. And that beautiful calmness about tea. And you're preparing a tea like it's just, it's all of that that can be really soothing. See, I think a lot of people would sort of be familiar with the way Japan sort of honors tea and uses that they use that the same South Korea is quite Yes. teas, teas everywhere. Yeah. Right tea is is very similar in the way that they create their tea rituals and teas very big for health benefits. Again, it's you know, it's used in all herbal medicine and everything, it comes back from all of that that needs. It was used in the original medicine, that was all the beautiful herbs and teas. It's just we've forgotten along the way as Western medicine has taken over. And everything has been packaged down. Convenience, that it all that all those pills are packed, they all have an ingredient of hers. So it's all that beautiful that we can actually get by off the shelf. As long as it's organic and clean. Then you're getting health benefits from it. So is that where you sort of sparked for you that you want to create this business? How when did that sort of come up that you thought, right, I'm going to do a team business we did that. That was when we had to move to we've moved back to negative you been here for three years and then COVID strock. And we had to move to my husband's job. So I spent 2020 in Perth. And I sort of like Perth, there was another drop of COVID there was no restrictions there were no mas, it was just the polar opposite of Victoria really was really different. And that's when I was really having the bad side effects from the black tea. And I had time to play around I had all these beautiful herbal and organic stores, I was living in the city again. So you know, I had this lovely chance to score. And I've been looking at, I really feel like I want to do something again for myself. That coal to business was really pulling at me and I was looking for opportunities of what I can do. And so then I sort of started playing around with things that I originally started with mixing collagen protein because it's really into collagen. So that's sort of where it started. The collagen tea was a whole nother whole thing. I am releasing that this year. But I had to get food technologists on board and I've had to learn so much into it. I'm luckier that Santi business is so much bigger, anyone that's listening knows, it's not so easy just to start a business from scratch. Like, you know, just the packaging alone is a massive thing to design and produce and you know, all the things that go with it. So, but back to Starling T, I started playing around with herbs. I was looking for clean organic teas. I looked into plantations, I knew that I wanted to work with single state plantations. I'd like to work with one that does Ceylon tea she doesn't like to enjoy. And they also do sustainable farming. So they don't DeForest, right? They just replant among so you'll see their plantation and I'm very transparent with where my tea comes from. And the So that was sent out newsletters with little videos of the farmers talking about the tea. And third, I work with third generation farmers. So they've really honed their skills over the years. And so they work around the forest, they work around the trees and everything. And I love that water gets reproduced in, you know, they're really conscious of their environment. And so that was really important. I didn't want to buy where I didn't know what was being produced. So they go, they show you the whole process of how they don't use pesticides, they don't use artificial fertilizers, and all these things that are now used in mass production teams. So I you know, connected with some really great people, I was working with a friend at the time, we also talked to a naturopath and got some naturopathic teas on board because I'm not skilled in those areas. But I knew that I wanted to create a sleep team. And I knew that I wanted something for mental clarity. Because, again, brain fog is afternoon is something that I really struggled with. So I knew that those two teams were really important. And I and I wanted to make sure that I had them right. So we went we started off by going to Fremantle market, which is really clean, organic, sustainable, and thought, let's see, let's see if we get anyone coming back. And of course, I was doing tea tasting, I was talking to people, I've done more research. I've also studied tea as well. That's ongoing golf course. And my next video is going to go on to finish my course. So I wanted to make sure that I was educated as well. Because I'm not trying to the naturopath or herbalist or anything like that. So we wanted to have my own background besides my tastebuds. Yeah. And what feel good in my body. So we found that people kept coming back and they would buy the whole range. So they weren't coming back for just their favor. They were trying and coming back for the whole range. So once that happened, I felt like Yeah, I suppose. So the workout the packaging, and I knew that I already wanted to do wholesale so I'm one of these people that go okay, let's do global domination. Make it small think big, right from the start thinking big, right? I just didn't realize how much it would take to get to global like thinking big, but it's it's been quite a few setbacks along the way. But we are definitely getting there and moving back to South Australian having such a beautiful local community throw their support behind me has been amazing. Yeah, it's been really amazing. So so that's sort of been my journey, we've had a name change along the way and, and a move into feeling more like it was part of me and my background and aims and values and, and it is like my husband works when he's home from work. He works away. So we, you know, we were the TeamMachine together, my daughter's coming to work with me next year after 12 She's having a gap year. So it's really very family oriented, which is wonderful. He's wonderful. Yes. And I've got to say I'm a big supporter of your team because I love it so much. I love it so much and it's so nice to be able to buy proper good tea that's made like from a person in my own town like I think that's so awesome. You can just get it right I can go did did it on the computer and the next day I get a nice little person I'm just actually speaking to I'm gonna fill your cup up here a bit more of this tea and you're right that is my phone. Well I knew that it was gonna like should I get something different today beautiful all throughout the time when you're building your business and you've got the kids Are you saying you need some coffee? So? Did you ever feel like, you know, this little horrible thing? The mom guilt was that ever in your mind that on I've got to focus on the kids and can't do this, you know, it was ever conflict. I love to talk to all my guests about this. Because I just find it's the most interesting concept in the world. I know that mom, you friend, your family guilt, parents, I mean, I think guilt is something that I'm not sure it happens as much with men as it does for women, I know my husband gets up, go, if he has to go away, that's all he has to do, to pack his bag and walk out the door. Whereas I'm like, Okay, our kids, what else needs to be done Washington down the house clean, like, our mom, your doesn't stop. And even though this is the thing that I've really noticed with having older children, is that that mom guilt doesn't stop. Yeah, it really doesn't stop. But some nights I do work, you know, six to seven days a week in my business and I at the start, and I really had to find a work life balance, because I love what I do so much. It does consume me at times, and I get so excited about what I'm doing that I just want to work 24/7. And I've found that, you know, there was that sense of everyone wanted me home, regardless of whether they were sitting in their room watching TV or off riding their bike, there's a sense of the kids do want you to be there in the moment they get home. And so I really had to battle and we've had lots of discussions around this. And just everyone you know, helping out taking interns to cook tea and things like so that we everyone understands that you know, what's going on at the moment that mums working for your band together, you know, it makes my job easier, it makes them feel more involved in the house, if you might their cooking. You know, like my oldest son cook a meal. My youngest is he does Taco Tuesday, you know, he will cook that up, you know, the taco meats and everything. That's his thing. So it just, it helps with the monkey. I mean, I try not to work on weekends now at all, unless the kids are all gone, which a lot of the time they are off doing their own things. And I tried to hold try to finish up by like, five 530. So that I'm home, you know, at home with the kids, but school holidays is hard. Because even though my youngest is 14, it's just like, they still like you at home. So I do feel good, because I've always been available for my kids. But I'm I'm at the stage right him being a little bit. I'm gonna take this time for myself as well, because I love what I'm doing. And it does build resilience and independence and your children to like, I'm I've always felt you that. I do think they need to be independent, and resilient. So that helps with the McGill. Because I feel like at least I'm teaching them some valuable lessons that they need to also aspire to do. Yeah. So when you're saying about cooking the meals, there's no reason why they can't cook like children can't cook meals for adults. Like I think we've got this thing in our head that because we're the grown ups or whether the mom we have to do everything is like why can't the kids cook, you know, they're old enough. They're capable, they know what they want to make, you know, and like you said before about contributing to the family contribute to the home. I feel like that's a really sort of previous generation thing that we're carrying down that we don't have to know. And they feel proud. I mean, yeah, I have been my youngest loves to cook. Well. He did a lot more. Say when we moved back to Australia one of the days I think he would have been about nine. Anyway, were mum and I were both building so we're all living in a house together. And we had a big glass door and glass window at the front and I've been down the street for whatever and came home. And Phoenix informs me that a lady had knocked at the door while he was standing on a stool cooking bacon and eggs with no top on over a gas stove. And she said he answered the door sales report. And she said Do you think you should be doing that with no telephone? How mortified Sweeney on the worst mom in the world. I'm like you cannot cook my monster mine because I was hungry. Like myself and bacon and eggs. Oh my god, that was devastating. But yeah, that because they are independent and that's something he would do with me in the kitchen. Not a problem because I'm around but you know we talked about don't cook a monster here but he was just extra hungry that day. Pretty good. And it's just yeah. So there are those things and they do take it on board and, and Pete most people go, Well, you know, that's not okay because he's too young. But I find value and I'm excited that he's able to do that for himself. Like I said, the pride that you take in that library makes it everyone team. Yeah, it may be just meant to the taco. You know, there might not be any salad with it is that he's made? Yeah, that's amazing. And that takes so much from me as well. He's doing that. And then someone else cleans up. It's just as little thing, and you're teaching him valuable skills that he's going to take on, you know, men need. Hopefully his partner this is I grew up an old girl family. My mom was pretty so like, she did everything for us. You know, so I, and I've got boys. So I really want my boys to know how to look up to be able to do their own washing clean a bathroom. Yeah, that's a big one. clean a bathroom? And you know, be able to make a meal. Yeah, it's all learning because it makes it look, because you know, how is it makes their relationships better, as well, because they're able to shoulder a lot of the load. Yeah, that's it isn't. And, and I think it just shows it's a, it's a sign of the times, you know, that life is changing, and that, that men, the traditional roles are changing. And I think if you can be a part of that, you know, by the actions that you do yourself, but also the skills that you give your sons, it's like, you're sending them out into that new world, you know, ready to roll? It's, it's wonderful. I feel the same that my boys Yeah, I just yeah, I'll say my head. I mean, my sister. Yeah, I've got two boys. Yeah, it's a different way, is a different world is so different. Some of the stuff they come out with, I just say to my sister, we never spoke like that, like just some of the ridiculous jokes and are and they are honestly the amount of things I've had broken inside my house. Yeah, the ball. Yeah. It's just like, there's a football that's been juggled around my poor indoor little garden that I've been cultivating. It's got stems missing, and I'm like, who's kicked the ball in my pants again, now? The dog the fairies? So yeah, sounds good. And look, you know, Chad's really good with helping as well. So I think if you're a partnership that the kids can see mom and dad work here. So that helps with a lot of you know, going back to that mom guilt, you know, when he says that travels away a lot when he's home, it makes a difference, because he will call me also the kids like dad's cooking meal when he steps up in those roles. So yeah, that's so important, isn't it those role models and seeing it in action Yeah. When you're talking before about when you when you had you by your first child, and you have this idea because of society's conditioning, that we can have it all we can do anything, whatever. And that then perhaps didn't turn out the way the expectation that you had were leading to ease. Was there a identity shift for you? Because you've been, you know, basically, an entrepreneur working almost a full time, probably more than full time because you're in business. And then you become a mother. And that all stops even though you did want to be there at home with them. Did you have that change in identity case or yourself and how Alethia sort of changed or has been changed by becoming a mum? No, we've I recognized it as being an identity shift because I wanted it. Yeah. You know, so I loved what I was doing to an extent. I knew that that. Yeah, that's a really hard question for me, because I know a lot of the women now really are aware of that going on with it, you know, there's so much talk about it. Whereas I don't really feel like I knew that I certainly had times that were harder, especially between babies. And that were harder at times, and that I struggled with, and I also moved to a town where, you know, one, yeah, so I had two kids 19 months apart. Where, you know, I was pregnant with Ariella had Deegan, who was, wasn't too. And with my support system, or so there was certainly difficult times, but that sort of became my whole world. And I didn't really, I still organized skills, weekends and things, I did make a huge effort to keep in contact with my friends. And I was always the one organizing events or trips away. So I still did all of that. Those things, but just probably not on a regular basis. And I didn't, at the time, I didn't want to Yeah, I didn't have that. I didn't want to remember my husband organizing a 10 year trip to Queensland, Phoenix was like two and I'm like, no. But I mean, I did everyone was like, he goes off organized, everyone, you know, Mom's gonna be here, and, you know, your sisters and all of that. But at the time that I just didn't want to be away from that's just how I feel personally. Yeah, that's how I felt really connected to my family in that way. Yeah. Yeah. Cuz I was gonna talk about like support because you you come from a family where you're very close, or grown up, they gave you three deals together. And then when you're in a completely different place with your own children, that would be really challenging. Like you said, you didn't have your family there. Yeah, yeah, definitely, like, willing to fill a pylon for three or four years. And that was definitely my hardest time. Because I didn't have and my parents were amazing. They came over all the time to support me then, because they, they're very good like that. And but yeah, I really, they were definitely hard times. And they were a real struggle. And it would have probably been great if I certainly made friends and I made connections. But nothing's like your family. But that's how it is for me. Not everyone has it. So we've got to go out make a real effort to make those connections. So yeah, we did all of that. But I was in a bubble. It wasn't a real bubble back then. I think. And it just Yeah. Was there anything you were doing for yourself as like a creative outlet doing you talk about your blogging? Were you doing that back then? Does it I wasn't, but I did that that's when eBay was really big. Ah, yeah, I would be like, I was always doing something. Yeah. So I'd be like selling like kids clothes and everything on eBay. Like just having a secondhand store. And it was really crazy about some stuff you sell for more than probably had children shopping addiction anyway. But you find something I remember having like a wiggles jumper and from Kmart, and it sold for more on eBay than one affordable. Secondhand. It's crazy. It's crazy. But yeah, so things to keep you're always done something. Yeah. There's never really been a time where I haven't been a motivation. Yeah, exactly. That's it, isn't it? If you grew up with parents that are hardworking, and show you the value, you know, how you earn your money by working hard, you know, it's instilled in you and, you know, stuff but yeah, and it just is just is how you feel like it's hard to sit idly you know? Yeah. And even now, I'm not you can easily go down the social media rabbit hole, and I am on social media a lot for work. Yeah, you know, I have to build these rules and everything now that you've got to keep updated. I'm definitely not a dancer. You're gonna see me do that. But it does take up a lot of time. So you know, and it's really hard. That's another thing For women with their family, and they're running a business, and then you go to social media, talk to so many women that feel at breaking point, because of all these extra things now that we have to do just to have a business, I love creativity. I don't even get to do all the team lens that I've got in my head that I want to get out. Because there's so many other aspects of running a business, besides just being creative. Yeah. So it's, it's, yeah, that sign of that. And social media and everything else is really hard. Yeah, there's was you were saying that Ronnie for post I saw about the follower artists, painters, and they were saying something like, become a painter so that you can spend half of time making rules for tick tock, can you the secret? Yeah, yeah, it's so true. It's so true. It's so and you know, it, it would be really hard even to be like a mom, and have that downtime, with social media and everything else, you can just go, oh, wow, two hours ago, oh, there's so many distractions for us these days, it's hard to be focused. That's very true. Yeah, I'm glad that I had my kids, I feel I really feel for the moms today. Because it would be really hard to be able to have time for yourself, time for your family time for your work. Time for your partner. It's really hard. What I feel for the people nowadays, like getting married these days, or having any sort of event like, everything's got to be Insta worthy, you know what I mean? Everything's got to look a certain way. I think God that when I get married 2003, or something like that, that obviously that didn't exist, but you just did what you wanted to do and what you could afford or what, you know, whatever was trending at the time. If you can't about trends, you know what I mean? Like, you just did whatever. But now it's like, you know, I've heard a particular people stories where they've got all of these chairs, like a white chair, and the bride's husband said to her, but no one will see it because they're sitting, I'm just like, that doesn't matter what could in the photo, just everyone's consumed by this, what things are going to look like? And and I feel like with little babies, like, everyone's got to have the best little clothes for the best photos. And I don't know, it's like, I'm glad that I'd I do you care about things looking good, but I'm not consumed by that. Because I think if you were, you would have a difficult time, you know, with comparison and judgment and that sort of stuff. I think, absolutely, it'd be so hard to step away from the bubble. And the whole Keeping Up with the Joneses thing, yes, escalated tenfold because of social media, and it's really kind of a really strong mindset to be able to take a step back from that. And just be who you need to be for you and your family, your authentic self and, and try and ignore. And that's sitting off by feel sorry, for mums. At any stage of life, I was gonna say new mums, but you know, can be at any stage about people say, Oh, you shouldn't do this, and you shouldn't do that. And, you know, all these experts are putting in air quotes, you know, don't rock your bed, you sleep and make sure you sleep with you, right? Like all these conflicting stuff is all over us from every angle. Yeah. So how are you supposed to just get back to your own? Like what's in your, your heart and your intuition to parent your child? You know? Yes, that's so true, especially about intuition, because I think we did that gets blocked, somewhere along the line. And I know with my first son who had colic, terrible, I don't think we slept for the first eight weeks. It was just like, the girls saying that I just was walking away, you know, asleep. And I was like, Yeah, but I remember someone saying just trying on his tummy. You know, and that was like a massive nono. And I remember putting him on there and just sitting watching him the whole time. And then I think he moved into his head to the side. So it was like, Okay, I feel okay about that. But the judgment and he stopped screaming after like, we just had screaming. He stopped screaming and was able to sleep I was able to sleep, but even in his pram, he's just like, when his belly, but the judgment I received from that was horrendous, because, you know, you know, and then I'd hear all the statistics and, and, you know, it was not a fun time. But at the same time, I was his mom. Yeah. And I was making that call. And like you said you'd sat there and watched him because it didn't feel right to you because you know, everyone says don't want your baby on the belly. Just leave always the seats, rolls, commendations and it's like, you didn't just chuck you in there and leave them and off you went like, yeah, you know Like people down the street to be like, but it was our people from our high levels of my family all the support system I had, it was, it was people I didn't know, you know, seeing him use pram and things like that it was, it was more of that. And I always found that judgment. It taught me that lesson anyway, you know, not to just judge a book by its cover, I guess he didn't come from, you know, in smoke and come from a smoke filled room that was not in conditions with him. So, but it's just a real, yeah, we really get a lot of judgment at home in from other women. Yes, he's actually from our PDS isn't that moving forward? If we can just support each other, and not judging each other? We might have a beautiful world, like you were saying earlier about, you know, some mums stay at home, some moms go to work, some mums work from home, some mums work, you know, like, and not throwing judgment on each other, because it wants you to actually so different and nobody knows what's going on in that family? Or, you know, in that height, no one knows. And but we're also quick to get oh, she don't know, you know, she's always on social, even the social media or she's always on social media. What if that makes her happy on social media? You know, she might have done an hour of footage, and she's just paid for their kid the rest of the day? Yeah, we actually don't know. But everyone is so quick to judge about what people need to sustain a healthy life for themselves. And I think that's where that stuff needs to take a step back. Yeah, we just need to be happy for someone because we don't know the full picture. Exactly. Yep. No, I love that? Having your children involved here. Do you hope that they see you? As an I'm going to say more than just monkeys? Like when you're just man? No, I don't either. Like just but you know, they recognize that you, as this person who has involved mothering in their life also does other things and can do amazing everything. Yes, absolutely. And I think one of the reasons why one of my thought processes was when I started this business, is I guess, my children, I wanted them to know that you could raise a family. And then you could still have a career. Like I said before, not everything at once, but they were stepping stones to life, that you can have different achievements through. And definitely having a business and, and showing them hard work. Creates reward, too. I think a work ethic is very important. Like, you know, you can be the smartest kid in the room. But if you don't have work ethic, or some passion along with it doesn't matter. Because that's the driving force that drives you to greatness is having a work ethic UCS, you know, the sports stars, this kids can be so talented, but they don't want to put in the training. They're not going to be a superstar. So I wanted my kids also to see, you know what comes out of hard work, because that's really the really important foundation and building block to having a better life. Because nothing comes easy. Life is hard, and it's there's going to be lots of stumbling blocks. So yeah, that was part of it. And also if they helped me out, like we just went to Melbourne and did the boho Luxe market over there, which was huge. And Ariella came and worked with three days and travels out a little Lackey and he built the stand and refilled and ran around did all that sort of stuff for us. But we literally Didn't, by the time we got there in the morning to the afternoon, we didn't eat, we didn't have a break. We just talked to people the whole time. Yeah. So she understood what it takes and how much work you've got to put in, to sell the product. And she also seen how passionate I was with talking about TV, you know, so that was a big thing as well. So I definitely think the curve, the kids don't resent what I'm doing, and that they also enjoy it. They don't necessarily want to take it on their own. No one's gonna, you know, take this business on and 09 and one that I want for them to create their own businesses and create their own life paths. Absolutely. With this awesome, sort of I can't think what the word you know, what we actually should have had folks, we should have focused, that was I was going to make our brains would have been on fire. Oh, man, I often have a focus team. When I'm doing this, I do that. What was it golden was a goal was a goal. Is that having that clarity? And you do get to afternoon and it's like, something happens now? Yeah. And you get tired? Yeah. And it's just like you just need that spark? has been influenced the way that you work, or the way that you do business or the way you think about your business? Yeah, I mean, being a mom has changed. So many thought process, processes, beliefs, you know, how I go about things and, and compassion. You know, one of the big another thing that I wanted to create coming back to my hometown, I knew that as I grew, so something like T is a really great person business that you can source actually create your blends, and then you can get a code that factor on who they then you send all your blends to they package, they do everything. But a really important aspect of my business I'm invested in is buying attention, because I want to be able to create jobs for females here and our local mums in particular, that have a school aged children. Because I think that's the hardest hours to come by. And not enough people show compassion around your children being sick, having school, certainly sports days, all of that. So if if I'm able to, my aim will be to grow my business, and be able to hire women, that we have a compassionate workforce more. And along those lines, where if there is a school assembly, or you need to take sick days, I get that I still run a business. But I want to be able to run one that work for women who also want to be there for their children. And then they don't have to make those hard choices. Yeah, between earning $1 and being there for their kids. Yeah, that's, that's if I'm able to do that. So we've already started the investment by buying the team machine. And then yeah, so being able to grow, I'm about to move into another space where I'll be able to do a bigger wholesale operation and hopefully be able to keep manufacturing to our local area. And you know, like it obviously costs a lot more being regional. Yeah, anything that gets sent here gets so much hammered with postage and everything. But yeah, I think in business and at the age, I've been very fortunate that if I can be able to create something for my community, then while running a business, yeah. So sort of want to wanted to have a charitable aspect to it. Yeah, I guess if if, you know, in that way that we're able to run it in that way. Well, that's so awesome. That is so good. That's my passion. Yeah, that's really what I want to create. It's hard work to try to get there. But that's that is my motivation and aim for growing up years your year. I would love to be able to run a business as compassionate to women who just find so many women are torn by on nine to go on your school excursion. And one of the other influences from that is because when I've always been involved in the parents committee of schools, and when my kids were at school, you had to fight to go on, you know, a school excursion. There's so many moms, where's now? Oh, no one. Yeah. There's no one to go on the school excursions, and it's so cute to go with the kids. I even get to go on one. Yeah, but there's one. And I really feel for all the mums just aren't able to do it. Yeah, yeah, they're able to do it. Yeah. And so yeah, and look, it's only gonna be, you know, a couple of people that might be able to help or whatever, whatever it grows, do you think too, it's, it's, it's that mentality, and then that, that sort of run on effect of having that mentality? Other businesses will see that and go, Oh, that's what we that's what people expect now that this is what Yes, you know, to get good people. This is what we have to give, you know, absolutely. And I think if COVID has taught us anything, it is that we can still be productive, and not work in a three by three office space. So I can't see why people can't work unconventional hours, if that happens, or, you know, work around different times and enable people to still have a family life. There's really no argument against that now, is that, like, it's literally been proven now. That things can still happen. Yeah, if not every single person goes into an office. And you can get stuff done between eight and 330. Yeah, 830 3 million, like, yep. There, there should be a way that women are able to have a bit of both worlds. Because a lot of women don't have the choice. And they have to go to work. Yeah, that's it, isn't it? It's just too expensive for everything. So yeah, so that that is part of my business plan. Yes. In my business plan. Yeah. Love that. She used to love that mentality. That's like, you're just talking about stuff. are you actually doing something about it? You know, actually changing the system? Yeah. Well, if we can look it, wouldn't it be amazing if one business tear and then another another business, when you know what we can have two days a year, you can choose to go with your child's function that you're allowed to take time off, to go to your charity event, sports day or whatever, like, take them to the show, which they're all going to go to soon. Yeah, I got that form the other night, and I looked at and if you weren't going on a Wednesday, I'd be able to go, you know, just those little for, ya know. So it's just, it's just little things that we can't like, you know, we can't do it all. But if it's one or two events a year, that's not a law that we're at, because somebody would never get to go to anything. Yeah. They just don't get to go to anything. And say, you know, they make up the hours by working through that lunch break, one of the weeks or whatever it is, it works for at least flexibility, the flexibility to have the opportunity to ask to have it written in there. To have that. Yeah, just have it have it has, because that's the thing. People are always too scared to ask because it's just someone will say no. So you don't even bother asking. Yeah, you know, and it's hard to ask. Because you don't because you may value having time off to go to a school assembly, this little Johnny's getting an award. But you don't feel that anyone else values that but we wouldn't be surprised a lot of people value that. Yeah. And it is important and you should ask for that. Yeah. Yeah, that's really good. I'm very impressed by that. still chasing me. I like it. I mean, I'm looking forward to trying it is rasberries, medleys line, the whole whatever fruit I've got flying on, I put in that. Orange is beautiful. I hope love orange on the weekend. Because it's just really refreshing people to them, I said, I would just like you put it if you do want to get bags, I said, I have a leader in there for the week. And just use it whenever you want. So you can get your tipsy. I'd like you to tell us what's coming up. For this amazing why haven't we got counting? My brain is exploding because there are so many things coming up that are just like was there was a first obviously we had a name change, because I went to a fella because there's so many different things coming in. And I wanted a name that really recognized all those things. It also gives us the opportunity to branch out to different countries as well, having a name that is unique to us. So the big thing that will first be coming under the umbrella, as I like to say will be Yeah, the college and T which was been my baby from the start, this is something that I've been very passionate about. There's so many, there are a lot of colors of collagen products out there. But there's no a lot of education around. So I just see collagen all the time and what they're telling people. And what they're putting out there is is not always correct. So we're really hoping that we can educate along those lines. But it has been a long process because I want to make sure it's right before I put out a product there. So the collagen t will be coming out. And that will be available in the teabags and the loose as well. So very excited, we've got a new packaging. So how to work on new packaging, I've got a lovely Kate Sutton who wears me on all that she's amazing. I've I couldn't do it without a group of women behind me helping me with this business. So that's been a really huge part of being able to move forward. We've got like I'm working on a Christmas plan, which I'm very excited about. As well as a Syrah that is used to make mocktails or cocktails, whatever you'd like. So we tried it last year, and I'm just refining that. So that will hopefully come out in the summertime. I'm also moving to a subscription based business, because I really want to reward people that buy on a monthly basis, so that they get an ongoing discount. So and I really want to create, like we do do a newsletter, but I want to make it more interactive as well. So really create that exclusive little community where we bring on collaborators, naturopaths, wellness, holistic coaches, and people that you can get information without having to buy a whole package together, or do a masterclass or anything like that, like you're getting that information when you need that, you know, community. So, education and information is super important with what we're putting in our bodies. And you know, all that information around plant based and everything like that. So getting back to the subscription. I know we get sidetracked all the time, don't we? So that we'll have quite a few of our I've got 14 wins now. So there's quite a few and there's more being released all the time. So it's something that I want to keep going as you know, some might be more popular than others and things like that, but I always want to bring something new. And you know, we've got the purity and things like that they're really different and ancient base Chinese teas and things like that. So you're always gonna get something That's you won't find in the supermarket. You know from me, you're always going to get a different tea or a different combination. So hopefully this Christmas tea comes together. I'm very excited about it again, it's going to be able to be iced and everything like that will have a subscription base. And yeah, there's a few good a whole new website changes photoshoots and everything I'm really coming, I just don't know how to fit them all in. Yeah, that is my biggest thing is I just, it's trying to fit everything in that we want to do. So I just got to tailor my ideas back. So I'm like, oh, let's do this. Oh, let's do that. And it's like, Okay, stop. Me and do it. Very difficult for me. I'm hitting all the trade shows next year as well. Yeah, we're hoping to do one in Singapore. So there's a lot a lot on the To Do lists. where it all happens. Somebody list good on Yeah. Love it. So what's the website so people know where to go. So if you go to WW dot, Leland t co.com. And you we asked you under the Lila Tico banner. So Lila Tico. Sue has its own Instagram and everything we've got, it's the basically sister companies, more about sisters, you know, love a little sisterhood. You know, my we've got my sisters and our friends and family. And yeah, I think that's really important to me. So that's why I created the sister companies. So because we do wholesale around Australia, people will just still be able to wholesale, the Leela Tico. And because the other thing, the big thing about that was, I still had a lot of packaging, because I've got new packaging for Lila Tico. And then just had this brain boss thing that when I have to change my name, so And sustainability is really important. So that's why we've still kept Lila Tico as a wholesale branch. So when the website changes that will be all a filler. So it doesn't matter what name you type in, whether it's a fella with an A, all in a Tico it will direct you to the same site, because it's all streamlined. But eventually a fella will be the number one was what you'll be seeing everywhere. Fantastic. And I'll put the links to the to all the things you've mentioned in the show notes so people can thank you click away Thank you so much for having me here today. It's been such a pleasure chatting with you. It's an honor for you to ask me to have a conversation and I think thank you for having me eautiful taste thanks for your company today. If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd love you to consider leaving us a review, following or subscribing to the podcast, or even sharing it with a friend who you think might be interested. If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast. Please get in touch with us via the link in the show notes. I'll catch you again next week for another chat with an artistic mum.

Elise Addlem Australian philosopher + feminist S2 Ep75 Listen and subscribe on Spotify and itunes/Apple podcasts Today I am very pleased to welcome Elise Addlem to the podcast, a philosopher and feminist based in Europe, and a mum of 1. Elise is an Australian philosophy educator with a background in academic philosophy (MA) and Early Childhood Education. After teaching philosophy at an academic level and to the public, and working with kids, Elise became passionate about public philosophy. In particular, she is developing resources and courses on feminism, neoliberalism and general philosophy for parents. She believes that philosophical and intersectional feminism connects directly to our everyday, lived experience. Elise is passionate about sharing her ideas and encouraging others to challenge norms and think critically, and putting ideas into practise in realistic and achievable ways ... and bring to the public the academic ideas without the condescension and jargon. Connect with Elise Instagram / YouTube / Website Podcast - instagram / website If today’s episode is triggering for you in any way I encourage you to seek help from those around you, medical professionals or from resources on line. I have compiled a list of great international resources here Music used with permission from Alemjo my new age and ambient music trio. When chatting to my guests I greatly appreciate their openness and honestly in sharing their stories. If at any stage their information is found to be incorrect, the podcast bears no responsibility for guests' inaccuracies. Podcast transcript at the bottom of the page Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of The Art of Being A Mum Podcast. I'm beyond honoured that you're here and would be grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave me a 5-star review in iTunes or wherever you are listening. It really helps! This way together we can inspire, connect and bring in to the light even more stories from creative mums. Want to connect? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram tagging me in with @art_of_being_a_mum_podcast I can't wait to connect. And remember if you or somebody you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, get in touch ! I love meeting and chatting to mammas from all creative backgrounds, from all around the world! Thank you! Alison acknowledges this Land of the Berrin (Mount Gambier) Region as the Traditional Lands of the Bungandidj People and acknowledge these First Nations people as the custodians of the Region. Ch eck out more episodes ..... Welcome to the Art of Being a mum, the podcast. It's a platform for mothers who are artists and creatives to share the joys and issues they've encountered. While continuing to make art. Regular themes we explore include the day to day juggler, how mothers work is influenced by their children. Mum guilt, how moms give themselves time to create within the role of mothering, and the value that mothers and others place on their artistic selves. My name's Alison Newman. I'm a singer, songwriter, and a mom of two boys from regional South Australia. You can find links to my guests and topics we discussed in the show notes. Together with music played, how to get in touch, and a link to join our lively and supportive community on Instagram. The art of being a mum acknowledges the Bondic people as the traditional owners of the land, which his podcast is recorded on. Thanks so much for tuning in. It's a pleasure to have you back if you're a regular listener. And if this is your first time, welcome. It is such a pleasure to have you here. Today I'm pleased to welcome Elise Adlam to the podcast. Elise is a philosopher, and a feminist based in Europe, and she's a mom of one. Elise is an Australian philosophy educator with a background in academic philosophy, and early childhood education. After teaching philosophy at an academic level, and to the public, and working with kids, Elise became passionate about public philosophy. In particular, she's developing resources and courses on feminism, neoliberalism, and general philosophy, parents, she believes that philosophical and intersectional feminism connects directly to our everyday lived experiences. Elise is passionate about sharing her ideas, and encouraging others to challenge the norms and to think critically. And to put those ideas into practice in realistic and achievable ways. And to bring to the public the academic ideas. Without the condescension and jargon. I discovered Elise by Instagram. And I really resonate with her thoughts, and her opinions and also the ways that she shares these. And I really hope you enjoy hearing from her today. And I encourage you to check her out on Instagram, her YouTube and her website. The music used on today's podcast is from LM Joe, which is my new age ambient music trio comprised of myself, my sister, M Anderson, and her husband, John, thanks so much for tuning in. I really hope you enjoy today's chat. Thanks so much for coming on. At least it's a real pleasure to meet you and to welcome you today. You're welcome. Thank you so much for having me on your Instagram. I'm sure you might be on other platforms. But I've come across you on Instagram. Yeah, what you're doing is awesome. And I just had to have you on the show. We're not going to spin it that you're an artist of any kind. Yeah, because you do creative to get your point across. But I just wanted to have you on because you're one of those people I really resonate with. I really love what you're sharing. And the way you share it too. It's very concise and straightforward. So without me blabbing on can you tell us what your sort of pedagogy and childcare? Your your? Yeah, like your one on one? Yeah. Yeah. So basically, my background is in childcare, I worked with kids for quite a long time. I studied it a little bit. And then I worked as a nanny for a long time. And that was at the same time as studying for a lot of years, I was studying philosophy. So I did my undergrad degree, that took me a long time, then I did my honours that we have in Australia. And then I did my masters overseas. And so yes, I was really interested in academia. But as I went on, I really came to become more interested in what I like to call public philosophy. So basically bringing philosophical ideas to the public. And I thought it was really important to do that in a way that's digestible in a way that people can understand. Because often it seems like philosophy is something that's really removed from society and people will purposely or not be talking about things in a way that's really hard for people to understand. I think that it doesn't need to be that way. And I really wanted to try and communicate things to people in a way that makes sense. Because why do we have all these big ideas, these ideas about society if we can't communicate them, as well as that? When I worked with kids, and then when I became a mother, I really got focused on this idea of how we can communicate these ideas to children and to parents because I think the children have these amazing minds where they're so so open minded. They don't have these constructs in their minds yet, like we come to Have which societally given to us, and which we are given through certain binary ideas through the schooling system, and just through the progression of, I guess how our, how our minds grow. So, yeah, that came to be really interesting to me. As well as that, obviously, the as well as that political philosophy and ethics is really important to me. And, obviously, so many problems with the capitalist system with patriarchy, and things like that affects parents, particularly mothers. And so all of that I kind of try and bring together in this way that I can, yeah, I can share with people on social media. What sort of got you first got, and it's interesting. I didn't realize you're in childcare before. That's my I was in childcare for nine years. Now, I'm in the kindy system. So I'm sort of switched into. Yeah, it's very interesting. But what got you interested in philosophy? Do you remember sort of what was the Yeah, I do. I do. So yeah, the childcare thing. I mean, to be honest, that was a way for me, because I always love kids. That was a way for me to work while studying because I mean, to be honest, I just didn't want to do retail or something like that. For years. I loved working with kids. And I thought, why not do that at the same time. And it's such meaningful work. It's really difficult work. But it's so meaningful, and impactful with the philosophy, so I grew up in a working class background, and I didn't even know philosophy existed until I went to uni. I was the first one to go to uni, my family. I'm the oldest of my siblings, my sister also ended up going. But yeah, I discovered it before that I was really interested in literature and writing. And they're really linked, I think, because it's both to do with ideas. So yeah, I took that first philosophy class in first year, and I kind of had my mind blown. I thought, well, you can talk about all these ideas and think about things. And then it took me a few years to sort of realize, yeah, this is something I'm really interested in and want to do. But it is quite a, it's quite a tough area to be in, in the, in the sense that I mean, you probably know, within neoliberalization of education, all levels of education, higher education, really, the number of positions in the humanities departments is very, very low. And like, the grind for academics is really, really hard. And so yeah, so actually, I'm completely obsessed with it. But I'm still wondering, Am I going to go on and do my PhD? I think I have this pardon me, you know, this academic part of me that really wants that, because that's like, you know, like to have that recognition from academia that I was trying so hard in. On the other hand, after I had my daughter, I really, you know, I thought, I don't want that life. I don't want the life where I'm just grinding away, barely seeing my daughter. And if we have more kids having to move everywhere, just for these jobs where you barely get paid anything. You don't have job security. So yeah. I think that I kind of had to work through my ideas of what it means to do philosophy. And and yeah, and I think this idea of public philosophy is kind of a white assault that I like that it's like, yeah, you're not completely consumed by that. Academia world where at night, it's almost like the outside world doesn't exist. You go to high school, you go to in you go to uni, and you stay in this system forever. You've come. Like, honestly, I had a few years out of it anyway. Because I, I went, I went straight from school to uni. And then I kind of had, I realized that because I initially thought I wanted to the journalism then I kind of dropped out ahead a few years and then I went back. And I kind of did it a slow way. Just because I had to work and things like this as well, you know, like, and then yeah, I, but what I've observed and experience with people, there's this there's a really insular quality to academia. I don't know about other departments, but particularly in philosophy, maybe because it's to do with ideas. It can become really abstract. And sometimes the things you hear are just not related to people's real lives, you know, like, there will be people should do this, or people should behave this way. It's just not recognizing the real nature of life, the real struggles people go through, you know, like, because there is a elitist quality to university, and there are still a lot of privileged people there. Mostly, of course, white men, especially philosophy has mostly white men. And I mean, I'm a white woman, you know, I'm not, I'm not a black or brown woman, I'm, I live in a smaller body. So I also don't experience I'm able bodied. So you know, even having said all of that, I feel like I experienced a lot of I don't know whether I would call, I wouldn't call it discrimination, but just little microaggressions and things like that, you know, you feel it, you feel that you're not the main type of person. So, yeah, so that's another one of the reasons why I think I maybe don't suit that, huh. Yeah. And like you said before, there can be this sort of particular way of speaking, like you said, whether it's deliberate or not, it's almost like a condescending way that like, you don't know this. So I'm going to say, I really, really dislike this. And I admit that I drank the Kool Aid as an undergrad. Because I think because when you're learning and you're thinking, wow, this is so exciting, I need to be, I need to be that person that I admire you who can talk in this way. So using all these neologisms, all the all these new words that have been made up? And, yes, sometimes, for sure, that can be helpful for the theory. But if you've made up a term, you can also then explain what that term means. And yeah, I just think, I guess that some, some people are, you know, really made for theorizing, and some people are made for teaching. And I feel like maybe teaching is my, my thing. You've got a very sort of down to earth approach with that, like, you can see that it's an important thing. And we've all got to, you know, challenge these, the norms, and this critical thinking is really important. But then you actually have to be able to put into practicing in your life in a realistic way. You can't just be barking theories and ideas at people. To be honest, yeah, I mean, some people do do that. And it frustrates me a lot. This is one gripe I have, of course, it's not everyone. There are some fantastic people there. And, you know, some just amazing people that are so down to earth, and that really are fantastic teachers and are able to communicate things in a really clear way. But there are also a lot of people that just aren't interested in doing that, to be honest. They're not interested in the real world in there. Yeah, exactly. Well, to be honest, the all the ones you know that the other ones they've never been in the real world things you hear from people, you know, these older men who their father was in academia, then they were in academia, and they literally maybe have never caught public transport. Or they've never, you know, they've never done a job, they've never had to, you know, serve someone at a takeaway plate, or MCAS or something, or they've never had to, you know, get yelled at by a boss in retail, or you know, just those everyday things that are part of life for most people. And so then to then theorize what a good life is, or what we need to fix in the world. Wanted to ask you about you mentioned Neo liberalism, and that's something that you do know about a lot on your Instagram. Can you explain to people who might not be familiar with what it's about? Of course, yeah. So I think it's important first to talk about what liberalism liberalism is, and then neoliberalism came after. So liberalism, generally came from the enlightenment. So this was a movement in France, in Germany in the UK, in the 17th century, that focused on the liberation of people from a kind of, I guess, cloud of closed thinking now. The idea was that we should be free to To govern our own lives. So, thinkers like Immanuel Kant, John Jacques Rousseau, who some people might have heard of, they had these ideas that people should be able to govern their own lives, they should be able to choose what they do insofar as it doesn't hurt, but as long as it doesn't hurt other people. And importantly, they should be free to think, in a free way, not restrained by outside ideas. Importantly, at this time, their context was a religious society. So it's important to mention that we're still religious men. And this is the interesting thing, perhaps because of the times, but they, they believe that these rules shouldn't govern all of society. So that was super important to be. So to have your thoughts led by reasoning, by thinking does this make sense? Instead of buy doctrine from the church. So this was an enormous moment, because really, at the time, you know, people still couldn't read. So a lot of people still couldn't read, only the elite could read. So that means that if you were told something by a religious leader, that is the truth, you didn't come to truth, by some sort of scientific process or some process of reasoning, it was just what you were told. So this was a huge, huge moment. Then we also have lived in come to have liberalism as a political system. So this is a system in which in which people should be free to do what, sorry, people should be free to do what they want. Or sorry, I'll say it again, people should be free to do what they want, insofar as it doesn't hurt other people. And people should have their rights protected to be free. Now, neoliberalism then, is a political system that began in the 1980s. So in America, you had Ronald Reagan in the UK had Margaret Thatcher, who people probably might have heard of these people's names, because they're pretty important. Australia, I don't remember who we had. So basically, they were really pushing for everything to be privatized. The idea of near liberalisation is that anything that is owned by the government, any sort of welfare state, so a welfare state is like, where the where the government will give people a pension, where they'll give people disability payment, they'll give people payment, if they are without a job, they will give and all these other things like they will fund the schooling system fund, hospitals, even some things we don't even think about, like the Postal Service, ambulances, everything that is public. The neoliberal process, made all of these things private. So that means that companies, some, some rich person bought it. And then that is now owned by a private person. That means that there's no longer this sort of idea that it's a public good, or it's something that everyone should be able to use just because they live in this society. Rather, it will be something that you have to pay for, and that will be based on whatever the company decides. So this process was a really ideological one. And it meant that so many things were privatized, to varying extents. So we've seen the we see in the UK, and particularly in America that so so many things have been privatized, that society comes to disintegrate. So in Australia as well, we had it. But America is really kind of the hallmark of this because in America, even things like the Postal Service has started to be privatized, we see that the schooling system has just been absolutely gutted. And you know, teachers even have to pay for their own resources and things like this sometimes. The other important thing that I do talk about a lot. I hope I'm not explaining in too much detail. No, this is great. Okay, so the other thing that's really central to this that I love talking about is the idea of the neoliberal individual. So going back to the enlightenment, the idea of individualism is really invented, at least in Western thought. So like I said before, enlightenment thinking and liberalism was based on this idea that we should be able to be free as individuals. So then we start to have this idea of an individual, I think that now we probably don't even think about it because, you know, we just think we're all people. We're all separated. But this is actually a really cultural thing and a really I really within our historical context, some societies today don't have this idea, you know, they're more collective societies they don't think always i. So this was brought to light through this enlightenment process. And this kind of shows how these ideas do affect real life, because first of all these thinkers came up with them, then they come to be proliferated, or, or they reach the world, through governments and through leaders through schooling. And eventually, it becomes common sense thinking that we are just all these individuals who are separated from one another. And the most important thing is that I get to choose what I do, and I am in competition with you. In neoliberalism, this becomes even harsher. So like, like I said, before, under neoliberalism, there's really this idea that the government should not infringe upon our rights. Because if the government is doing anything to it, if the government is telling us anything to do, then that is immediately an infringement upon our rights. And it's interesting, because in philosophy, we have these two ideas. They're called positive and negative freedom. So positive freedom is my ability to act. So I am free to do, I'm free to do something. Negative freedom is something that was completely forgotten in neoliberalism. But it's something that's also really important, it's when you are given some restrictions that allow you to be more free. So for example, they protect you. So for example, you can really think about it, I think, a really easy way is when you think about a toddler, right? With a toddler we're always trying to do, we were always having to protect them from doing certain things, or we're always having to sort of given the conditions in which they can flourish. Because if that if they are just if they're just allowed to do anything ever actually, they can't develop and they can't become self governing people. Because they can't become people that can look after themselves as human beings that you need these restrictions on yourself. So other ways. Other things that would be examples of negative freedoms are like a schooling system, you have to, you have to learn this in this, these in these things, mathematics, reading, and things like that. So that you will actually be able to be more free in the world, because you have then have this logical understanding of how things work. You can read and write, and so you can manage yourself in the world. Neoliberalism kind of completely did away with this idea. And I think that that's a real detriment. So everything is rather just seen as a intervening on an individual who, who really needs to be deciding 100% for themselves all the time, what they should do. Yeah, I think it's, I think it's also Yeah, it's also a huge mistake, because of course, we are still living in a society and we, everyone has roads, right? There's still a push for good. There's still a social thing, we still always have stuff that is part of society that actually taxes and the government has given us. So I think it's kind of misunderstanding the world. But yeah, this is so important to me, because I just think that this really impacts every everything we do, really every part of our lives. It seems to me, sorry, that's not a way to start a sentence that sounds like I'm gonna say something really profound, but I'm not. I've never really learned about this in like a steady kind of way like I'm aware of. But I sort of find it so interesting that it seemed to start out as a good idea that you question things and you learn things, but then at some point, it's just gone to the extreme kind of like, when did it become a good idea not to support people in our society that need help, like, yeah, it just and that's, I think worth, like Thatcher has got such a poor reputation in a lot of cultures. Yeah, in a lot of circles, because she just, it was like, I don't know if I enjoyed watching her portrayal on the crown on that series. Yeah, it was fantastic. Ryan, I really liked it. If anyone wants to learn about Aaron in an accessible way, that's a really good introduction. It's not all true, obviously. But I also I also really enjoyed that because I think they did portray really well. How Yeah, kind of the her really special nature because she was a very special person, I think an interesting political figure, not one that I agree with a lot. Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely an interesting path for now. And it was interesting to see the conflict between, you know, two women I'm taking this in a different direction now. But in the term feminism, something that I'm really all over I love the other day, it seems like the other day because I happen so quickly. But when, when Liz truss became prime minister in the Yeah. And everyone was like, Oh, it's so it's a woman, we should all be so happy. And I felt like saying, but will we all happy with, you know, Thatcher? And she was yeah, you know, this this? I don't know. Absolutely universal. I mean, just because it's a woman. You know, it's really a simplification, I think. And yeah, I really agree with you. I'm exactly the same. I think just because it's a woman, it doesn't mean it's suddenly going to be fantastic. And I we still have, and this is the importance of I think when when feminists are being intersectional, which has, you know, this idea that we look at all these different ways that people are disempowered, different power structures. So yeah, she's a woman. But she's already within this power system. You know, so she and she already has these values. So, you know, she just because she's a woman, doesn't mean that she's immediately going to stand up for women stand up for black and brown women stand up for trans women, you know, urge poor women? Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And I thought, yeah, there was a lot of that. That was funny. That was a funny, funny few weeks in the UK, wasn't it? My gosh, I listen to BBC Radio, like at night. Overnight, I have an EN. And gee whiz, even they were just, you know, for country that everything's meant to be proper and seem to be right from the Yeah, I? Yeah. Gosh, I mean, I think my husband and I were talking about a lot. And we, I don't know, I kind of have an idea that it's like a bit of a falling empire. Like in the, in the past, you know, it was this world empire that really, obviously colonized everywhere, you know, an empire and in a terrible sense, usually empires a lack of that they do a lot of colonizing and all these terrible things. But yeah, it was an empire. And you know, they thought, the leader of progression and it's not that anymore, and it's interesting. Yeah, it's not in a very good situation. So nearly realism, bad putting it? We don't like it. We don't like it. Yeah. What, what's the opposite to that? Is there a term that Yeah, yeah, tell me all about that. Look, I never, I never like to just prescribe and say, Look, this is 100%, what we should do, we always say, to look at the individual conditions of a particular society. So every society is different. But in general, I argue that a social welfare system would be much better for a system of government where there are these basic protections for everyone. So all these things we talked about. So you know, childcare would be affordable, the minimum wage would be really high so that everyone can afford to live. Health care would be really accessible to everyone, there'll be a universal health care system. They wouldn't schooling wouldn't have public and private schooling, you would just have a schooling system that was accessible to everyone. There would be less of a gap between rich and poor. And at the level of decide ideology, or the idea of the individual, there would be less of a sense that we all need to be completely separate from one another, and more of a sense that we do live in a collective and that we are as human beings, in our very nature. We are collective beings and that we do flourish, we live better lives when we're more connected to one another. So there would also be these grassroots and bigger level structures that really facilitate us always connecting with people. I think that then people would also be flourishing, they'd be leading better lives, but they would also hopefully be less lonely and less isolated. Hmm, yeah. Yeah, this sort of it's such a weird Student thing, isn't it that we've all got to be in tune, we've lost this sense of, you know, it takes a village, you know, that still rings dry. So many countries, it literally does take a village because you've got everyone around you look at even in even my husband's culture, he's not Australian. I just see how people behave. And it's so different. You know, like in Australia, we kind of have this idea that we'll all help each other. And it's kind of true. But when I see it in these small collective cultures, it's just a totally different thing. Like you don't even I don't know you, you don't people don't even think about it. It's just part of life, you know, that you everyone's always helping one another. You never really feel alone. Sometimes it's the opposite, you know, you feel feel smothered by people. But I don't know, even things like, look, I think when it comes to being a mother, which is obviously something that both you and I are really interested in being a mother, you know, mothers are so isolated. In Australia, America, Canada, these so called Western countries, because we've been told we have to do it all alone, it doesn't make any sense. Even. You know, we have that these ideas that grandparents, you know, they shouldn't be around the family all the time. And I'm not I'm not saying that they have to have to be some slave to their grandchild or something. You know, everyone has their individual circumstances. But but you know, that other cultures do have a different idea of family where, where you're just always together and you're, you're coming popping in and out. It's not the scheduled thing where you know, you're like, Okay, well, Grandma will look after you on set at Saturday from two to four. And then I don't know, it's more just like, more of a floor. Yeah. So yeah, I think we've kind of gone wrong in that way. It's really, it's really sad thing. Yeah, I can, I mean, people are becoming more aware. And I think it's something we can change, you know, you know, if we, if we recognize a problem, I think we can start to change it. Absolutely. And that's what I love about this, like, you know, so many people on social media, and through podcasts, and all sorts of things that are saying how they feel about things, and questioning, you know, just because we've always done this a certain way. Why do we have to keep doing it this way, is really important. The really important thing is we haven't always done it this way. And this is something that is really, really what happens with ideology, you know, an idea becomes the main idea about something. And then the best the way it works, the best is that everyone thinks, well, we've always done this, you know, I've heard people say, like, with capitalism, a woman and older woman said to me, we've always done it this way. University has always been, you know, really expensive. And I said to her in your life, it was free. Like, in your own life, not not only so it's amazing in the cultural imagination, how we can forget. Yes, that is very true. That is a good point. Yeah. And it's almost like, whatever idea is at the forefront of the time, that that idea wants us to forget everything else. Sort of going down. Yeah. Yeah. No. with critical thinking, because you know, this idea of thinking about things and picking apart why something is the way it is, particularly Yeah, for kids because I think that you know, if they grow up always picking things apart. I hope that then there'll be a little bit less, like you said, brainwashed or a little bit less accepting of everything. Yeah, absolutely. No, I love that. Talk about this idea of introducing children to these to the, to the notion of critical thinking and to social what is you had something really good on your Instagram? Social justice? Oh, social justice concepts? Yeah. I said, You should introduce them from the very beginning, rather than sort of when they're old enough to what we think old enough to understand them. Yeah, I guess my big thing for me is that we can really break this down into ways that kids can understand whether because, yeah, I worked with kids a lot. I have my own kid. And I think it's really fun to think about for me as a challenge. Think about how we can break them down into things Kids will understand. So you really got to bring them to their level. So, yeah, if we're going to talk about social justice concepts with little kids say toddlers, we got to think, what are we really talking about with social justice? You know, we're talking about inequalities in the world and the way that some people are prejudiced against other people. Some people don't get as good a life as other people. We're really talking about what's fair, aren't we, that's the basis and you know, actually, we talk all the time to kids about what's fair, anyway, because we're really, we're teaching them this, they don't sort of come out and have an idea we anyway, we have to teach them. So why not then bring it up already, you know, in ways, you know, when I've talked to people, um, for example, on my Instagram, I've collaborated a bit with this wonderful woman Kinesia, and she does work on anti racism. And she says that, you, you, you need to actually name the things you like pretending, not saying black, not saying that kid is black, that's not going to help anyone, if they are black. And there are differences, we need to point them out and point out how they're beautiful. And point out how they're great and interesting. So you know, from the very beginning, when we're reading books with kids, make sure that they're diverse books and say, Look, you know, that mommy has white skin, that Daddy has black skin, that mommy has red hair, that day has brown hair, it's sort of you know, everyone's different. And that's what's special about us. And that's what's beautiful. And then you can point out instances, you know, in the playground of like, people being, I don't know, maybe, you know, that kid was being mean to that other kid, because they're smaller than them. That's not nice. Because just because they're bigger than them, that doesn't mean that they should be allowed to push the person around. And they you're talking about power structures? Yeah, but it's not. Yeah, I think I'm not being naive when I say that all these things are connected, I think that you're, you're setting them up to think about these things. And I just think that children are so so capable of thinking, you know, the questions they come up with are just the most amazing questions. So we should just really kind of feed into that. Yeah. And, and you're right, like kids, they don't come out. Like, we were the same, you know, we were little the world has formed us into who we are by, you know, the concepts in the world about racism, and, you know, all those sorts of negative judgment of other people. Yeah. And if we can sort of be aware of that, and I don't know, not to that to our kids like, exactly, putting it. Yeah, like, Yeah, I think we can never be, you know, part of human nature is to group ourselves. That is something which, you know, I think there's always going to be, it's always going to be a process of learning and unlearning, and it's never going to be a thing where I'm like, now I don't, now I'm not prejudiced against anyone. I like to kind of pull myself I mean, take it that I'm always racist, you know, I have internally not on purpose, but I'm always gonna have inside me, or I'm always I always have misogynistic ideas. So I always have ideas about men and women that are based on their gender that I've learned, because these are internal, we're always going to kind of have them to a certain extent. And as much as we try for our kids, they will have different prejudices, or the same ones that continue. So it's also teaching them to constantly question those as well. And to say, it's not that not to feel guilty not to say that I'm a bad person, because of this, that doesn't help anyone. But just to say, look, I'm not perfect, no one is perfect, but we're trying to build a better world. And let's kind of all be vulnerable in saying that none of us you know, none of us have pure thoughts or something like this, you know, but we're all we're trying. Yeah, we were all doing our best. Exactly. We're all doing our best, be realistic and just try our best. Yeah, I think that children are capable of, you know, of taking on the complexity of the world. And you know, like, yeah, you're not gonna say, you're not gonna make it kids obsess about it, or something. You're not gonna be like, but also we, you know, and this is something that it's hard for all of us. It's hard for me, children are people and they're, you know, they have all different emotions, like everyone, they can't be happy all the time. And, you know, so it's not a bad thing that they feel sad. And I think when when we grew up often, there was this idea that you just shouldn't point these things out. You shouldn't talk about it. Yeah, at least where I grew up, and yeah, and yeah, but If you didn't see it, right, like, as a kid, you're kind of confused because you're like, why someone talking about this stuff? And then you think it's a bad thing to even address or talk about, I kind of feel like we're living in a different context now, because we live in a much more global society. And, you know, we have access, and our kids have access to people from all over the world via the internet, and, and I kind of knew that they might grow up having a more global sense. And having said that, yeah, I think the only way things really change in the end is kind of at a smaller level. So that's it, isn't it? Yeah. But I was gonna rely on it today, we decided it was a good idea not to use plastic straws. And on the, you know, it's just one straw said, you know, 13 million people, you know, so it's like, every single person and do something. And yeah, you know, it does start with little actions. And I don't think exactly, the value of those. Exactly. I'm always kind of the arguing that the minute that it needs to be we need to as individuals push for structural change, we need to stop, you know, governments and big companies from doing the things that they are because often with this, with our society being so focused on individuals, they, the dialogue on purpose is pushed towards these individual changes. So yeah, for us are important, but as long as they speak, all companies is still mining. And still, you know, as long as governments are still in Australia, you know, the government is heavily heavily embedded with a big mining companies. As long as this is the case, then, if we recycle, that's only going to do so much that's going to be both. Yeah, yeah, I definitely agree with that. Yeah, for sure. You're listening to the art of being a mom with my mom, Alison Newman. I want to read out one of the quotes that you have on your Instagram, completely relate to and I love it so much, I want to frame it and put on my wall, a mother's identity and sense of self is tied to the and then in brackets, lack of social recognition she receives for her labor. Now that basically in a nutshell, is how I felt. After I had my child, my identity went down the drain, because all I was expected to do was look after a child and I kept thinking, I'm so capable. I've worked full time I've done all this stuff. But now all society wants me to do is sit on the floor and play with this baby. And it just felt so weird. And I was challenged very much. So yes, yeah, that's, that's, um, yeah, I think so many of us go through this. And you know, on the one hand it is there are two sides to it. On the one hand, you have that. For some, for some women, this is so monotonous. And this is just, you know, women are told that they need to absolutely love being a mother every single moment. And this is a this is a patriarchal idea, because it's based on the idea that women are just naturally made to be nurturers. This is your God given role. And some women simply don't feel that and that's totally okay. And, you know, one person isn't meant to completely bring up a child. On the other hand, I think that capitalism really puts this emphasis on our job, and our identity is totally tied to our job. And I talked about that a little bit in the in the Instagram post. So identity is so tied to our job that when we go on maternity leave, have this complete identity crisis. You know, it's an existential crisis, that just means crisis related to our understanding of the meaning of life existentialism, yeah, meaning of life. So yeah, whole idea is what does my life actually mean? I'm not doing anything, and that's because doing is always within capitalism producing. Yeah, and also, I'm not earning a wage for this. And so therefore, this is meaningless. When actually what you are doing is you're contributing to society by bringing human beings into it. You know, you this is a huge part of it. I mean, this is one of the biggest ways that you are contributing to society, like babies fundamentally cannot look after themselves. So Yeah, so I think that we're kind of women and mothers are really put in this catch 22 situation you can't win either way, right? If you stay home, you want to be a stay at home mom, no, you're not doing anything meaningful, you're not producing. And then you're in your, you know, even some people will say, Are your bad feminists, which is completely not true, because feminism should be about women choosing what they do with their lives. So as they're not harming anyone else. And then on the other hand, you have, if you want to go back to work, you're abandoning your child, your your role as a woman is to look after your child. So yeah, women really can't win in this literally cannot win. I'm just looking for this quote, I had a guest last the last year or this year, I can't remember now. Charlotte Conde who's an an artist from the US, and she had a quote that I love, and I'm finding it because I've got to say it right? I can't, I can't not say it right, because it's awesome. Where is it? Hello, Charlotte, if you're listening, alright, here we go. This is it says, as mothers were asked to raise human beings and also contribute to society, as if those two things were different. It's exactly what's so well, what's because society somehow under capitalism has become the economic world. Yeah, it, it has become just that and not all these other aspects of society. Yeah, and, you know, sometimes the word care economy is used to talk about how this is that, you know, is also a sort of economy where we're producing but I think even we don't even need to use those terms. It's just the fact that nurturing one another is one of the main human acts in the way that we, you know, part of being human and living a good life. Not to mention that we, there's no way around it like either way. Either way, look after our children at home or other people look after children in a childcare center. It is still this care, right? Yeah. Yeah, people need that. So yeah, we is really the fact that they consider different things as a real problem. Hmm. And again, I think that's, yeah, this one off, like I sometimes bash men too much. But this whole it's not individual men. It's the snobbery. It's been going for hundreds and hundreds of years. It's not a new thing. But here's an interesting post. I can't remember who wrote it. Just last night, I was reading that. The whole idea of being a natural mother. Nurture is a concept that was created by men by the patriarchy. Exactly, I'm sure. Because that's yeah, I felt that when I was first giving my baby his very first bath, and did not know what to do. I thought, how, like, I remember saying to the nurse, I was verbally like, how do I push with the facewash? Like all these? You don't know, just your instincts. I'm like yeah, you got this tiny, tiny little, little alien looking thing. That's the funny thing. Yes. Somehow, when actually moms and dads Oh, parents, just learning the same as one another, you know, like, what? Yeah, when, when my daughter was born, my husband and I were both equally terrified of giving her a bath. Because you know this. So like, how do I hold them? What do I do? And it's like, yes, you're all learning together? Yeah. absolutely absurd. This idea. And you're right, it, of course, does come from patriarchy. Because there's this thing called Gender essentialism. I'm sure you kind of know the idea, or at least maybe not the term. So I was gonna say not probably not in those words, but I know, you would know it for sure. Yeah. So gender essentialism is basically just saying that certain qualities are inherently female, and certain qualities are inherently male. So the female ones would be nurturing, soft, emotional, kind of soft, and all these things and then the male ones would be hard reasoning. unemotional because of anger isn't an emotion in this context. And kind of separated from other people. And these ideas, yeah, are really fundamental to the way that we think about people of different genders and then yeah, becoming a mother. You're just so pushed into this. Because I guess in the workforce, you know, you can kind of there are a lot of still a lot of limits on women, but you can kind of go into a field that you're interested in that but with mothering, you're really, really pushed into that. I am a nurturer. I have to be a nurturer. And it's done. You know, like like with any things some people take more than that. And some people don't. And that's totally okay. And also, we're all learning mums and dads we all learn when none of us are just just born to be parents. Yeah, that's so true. And like, even with my two kids, like, I've adjusted the way I've parented them, because they're different people. So I'm learning as I go. Yeah, because not every child is the same everywhere, like every person is different. So it's an interesting concept, isn't it? I love all this creep. I love this stuff like this. Just why? Why do we think like this? When we started, get addicted to it, and sometimes people are, my friends are annoyed at me, because you know, you kind of have a normal conversation. You're like, Oh, I love that. Other things that you've sort of delved into, on your page? Obviously, politics, but diet culture? is a good one. Can you share some of your interesting thoughts about that about? Oh, yeah. And I noticed earlier, when you described yourself, you said, I've got a smaller body. Yeah, I live in a smaller body. Yeah, sorry, are you live in a smaller body? I'm not an expert on this whatsoever. The with this, just like, you know that I would never say that I am the person that everyone should be listening to about racism. I'm not the person that people should be fundamentally listening to about diet culture. But I do think that it's a really important thing to talk about. But look, it's women that are people that are living in larger bodies, that really the ones we should be listening to, because they're the ones that experience, the experience, prejudice, and fat shaming and all these things. So I'm trying, I'm really in the process of learning as well, I think. Because, you know, this idea that to be thin is good. And to be bigger is bad. This is something that's so deeply ingrained, you know, that like, somehow these are moral things. And also, somehow these are things that we can totally control. And, and if you're not, then you just need to try harder with them. So, yeah, so yeah, I like all of us, I grew up, just hearing from everyone around me, people are constantly criticizing themselves about their body, you know, and especially women, not only women, but especially women is such a collective thing we do you know. And then, of course, after you have a baby, it's the thing we do, and we just waste so much time focusing on our bodies, how much were the things we want to change and what we paid about our bodies and things like this. But the reason why I think it's important to talk about it as a diet culture, like as an ideology we have in societies because what we learn from fat people are people that are living in larger bodies. So I purposely use the word fat because, you know, when we grew up, we're taught you shouldn't use the word fat. It's like an insult to someone. And there are some activists like Aubrey Gooden who I don't know whether, you know, the podcast maintenance phase, it's one of my favorite podcasts. Yeah, yeah. You know, she, she kind of says this, this is a descriptive term. I believe that different people kind of have different ideas like about this. But what I've learned is that, yeah, it's just a descriptive term. And as well as that to say things like I'm living in a smaller body, I'm or someone who's living in a larger body with saying that this is just the body we live in. We're not. We kind of haven't chosen this. And we know, it's just based on genetics. It's based on, you know, our stress levels. It's based on what our social context is, you know, how much money we have the availability of food, how much time we have to prepare food or exercise, what sort of weather conditions, we have just so many things we cannot control, we fundamentally cannot control it. And so I think it's so important to talk about how there's so much prejudice against people who are not thin, just fundamentally and this is quite a new thing that is being talked about now. And there's so much pushback against it because we have so much obsession with thinness and, you know, the things that people talk about that they you know, the prejudice that they face, even just simple things like to get medical care you would know, from listening to maintenance phase, you know, the stuff that Aubrey Gordon talks about and how people you know, as kids, they will be put on diets. And everyone says that, well, that's okay. Because they just, you know, we just want them to be healthy. And the psychological effects of that are just terrible. So I think it's so important to talk about. So while Yeah, you know, while I, as a person, of course, have gone through a process of, you know, learning to have more neutrality toward my body, and things like this, and I am really trying to teach my kid to have a positive relationship with food. So for nothing, this is good food. This is bad food. Often Intuitive Eating is a term that's caught that's used around this. I think, really, though, the fundamental thing is that we need to think about these power structures and how fat people are just completely completely, you know, they really suffer from inequality in so many ways, because of this prejudice. And someone pointed out to me correctly that, you know, on social media on Instagram, so many people talking about intuitive eating and talking about diet culture, are people living in smaller bodies, and often white women, you know, so. So we, you know, I, we can only say so much about this, it's not really our authority, I think we need to really have a lot more diverse people talking about this, and, you know, to really listen to them. Yeah, I think that's really true. Similarly, with, like, we're talking about before about how I sort of speak to my children about things, we found weight, like I I'm a fat person, I'm not ashamed to say that because there it's like saying, I'm, I'm tall, and I'm fat. You know, they're descriptive. Exactly. This. Yeah, this is the thing. I think, also, it's like about everyone's own relationship with themselves, like, whatever, I guess whatever you choose to identify with. Yeah, is important. Yeah. But like, I explained to my kids that, you know, I showed my, my youngest son's never seen me, in a thin body, I was, I have a different time in my life. My weights fluctuated. But I showed him a picture the other day of when I was my lightest, and he couldn't believe it was me. And I said, I'm exactly the same person that I am, as I was, then like, I'm actually a happier and more settled person now. It doesn't change, like, you know, whether I'm good at something or bad at something, maybe, you know, Netflix is different. But you know, I'm still, but it's not like a moral a moral thing. It doesn't say that. Because, like, Okay, I live in a smaller body, but I'm not good, athletic, you know? And I'm not my diet isn't the best, you know, that's the other thing that like, no one ever is sort of looking at me eating pancakes or something and being like, oh, you know, gee, you should pick a healthier option or something. I mean, of course, like, maybe my grandma did, because, you know, like, that's that generation. And that was like, you know, just so ingrained for them that they're always kind of policing and worrying, maybe you will get bigger, maybe we'll you know, like as it but you know, no one, you know, for fat people that it's a public thing that can go in, you can go in public without being harassed in this way. And this constant microaggressions. And yeah, so I just don't think it makes sense. Because, yeah, people don't know what anyone's diet is. And also, it's irrelevant. totally irrelevant to other people what someone eats. I mean, I just think tying the moral thing as if it makes you a good or bad person is absolutely absurd. Like, how is it got to do with anyone else? Or whether you're a good person? Because like I said, it also depends on so many factors like, like, ultra if you're, you know, if you're tired parent, if you don't have much money, or so many things, and even if you even if you do have the ability to eat healthier and choose Not, not the word health isn't very good to eat more whole foods or something. If you don't, it's your own choice. You know, like, just like people choose to do different jobs, people choose to have leisure time doing different things. And it's funny, though, like, we talked before about this, neoliberalism is all about the self, but we're so obsessed with everybody else. It's like, yeah, there's you so big, like, has it always been? Yeah. People always. I think, I think it has, yeah, I don't like this something about, you know, like, I don't agree with the idea that, you know, society is worse than ever, in that sense. Because, you know, also even when we talk about neoliberalism, look, there were periods where we had greater social welfare and things like that, but fundamentally looking back In history, it was much worse, you know, because we were like, kings and staffs. We were there was just slaves and slave owners, you know. So that was funneling until there are still slaves in the world. You know, there are a lot. So, yeah, we have to put it in context like that. And when it comes to beat judging each other. Yeah, I think that now we just, it's more public because we have these avenues. But look, when we, I mean, I don't really know what happened before writing was a thing. But you know, you look at these old publications from few 100 years ago, newspapers, that it's all gossip there, it just does seem to be this human thing. to gossip about each other, and to compare and to judge. Yeah. Um, yeah, I mean, we, we kind of do do that. Yeah. And, but the difference is with this constant, it's more constant now. Because we just can't, I mean, think about the amount of different opinions and messages we're reading a day, or we're listening to a day, it's just so much. So I think that's why it can feel so overwhelming. Now, I'm gonna lead this into something that I talked to all my guests about, is this concept of, of guilt, or particularly mom guilt. Yeah. And the more that we talk about it, the more I believe that the whole culprit of it is this, what society expects us to be as mothers, so that we think we've got to do so we put these on ourselves, and when we don't meet them, then we feel bad about it. So it's an external construct. It's a thing that's coming at us. And I feel like, because of social media, it's just heightened the whole thing, because we can see so much more, you know, before we heard that, such and such down the road was doing such and we go, oh, shouldn't do that. Blah, blah, blah. There's she might not have known that. But now, it's, you know, people can tell each other what they think of them all the time. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. You're right. It's, it's just constant. And also, it's, it's really difficult, because I think as well, we seek out connection on social media. And I think, and I think that, you know, for isolated mothers, we do kind of want to see others that are in the position like us that are also mothers at home with their kids, especially when they're little you know, when you're on maternity leave, or when you're in that really difficult phase, then you really want to think like, and you and like you said before, you're thinking what is my life, all I'm doing is Baby Alive. So on the way Yeah, and that is kind of maybe part of the reason why we do also we're so vulnerable. And then, and then we look to these images of other people and social media. And I think that there is just there are parts that are really positive, and I kind of try and stay stick to them. There are parts that are really saying that, you know, we just need to be good enough parents, and you know, we're all doing our best. And then there are parts that you know, they'll have this really nicely curated feed where it just shows them doing this lovely activity with the kids and they're all wearing matching outfits, their hair is washed, and they're like, there's no mess. There's no crumbs on the ground. There's no like, and you know that it's not real. It's not real. It's not real. But on the other hand, like when you're in this vulnerable mental position, you kind of can think how can how can I live that way? And how come I don't? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, like, for me personally, I don't know. I think in those early days of being a mom, like in the newborn phase, I never I never thought that you know that that was real. I never thought I want it to be like that. But at the same time I I definitely did. And I still do experience mom guilt just thinking because we have these were socially conditioned, like you said, to have certain ideas about what a mom should do. We have. I think that this is ideal of a mother that it's not even it's not a person. It's like this thought, you know, that we all have in our cultural thinking. And we compare everything according to that. And it's this idea that's been perpetuated by patriarchy so not by men, but by this idea that women are a certain way and that women are meant to do this. And women play a big part in perpetuating it as well. You know, women also perpetuate patriarchy we all we all do. But because this is they are ingrained thinking. And yeah, so I, I would think, you know, I think I would compare a bit more with like other mothers I saw around, you know, like, why does she look so well dressed and I'm wearing trackies and haven't washed my hair and have stressed pimples or whatever, you know, like, or why do I feel? Yeah, or I don't know, when my daughter started becoming an older baby. You know, my daughter is on super energetic side is she's amazing. She, I mean, she's just full of life and ready to go all the time. And it's completely amazing. Like, people always comment on it, but it's tiring. Yeah. Like, I mean, even. And so once she started, I don't know, I was so obsessed in love with her and still am. But as a baby, I sort of said to my husband, like, do you think? What would you think if I took longer maternity leave? So I am in a really lucky position that we've sort of could choose how long I would stay home with it. I don't get paid for any of that. And we're not like, in a insanely good financial position. Like we sort of said, Then during this time, we won't save. But of course, having said that, compared to most women in the world, that's a hugely privileged position. Like for me, for us to even say that. So yeah, and he was like, Yeah, of course. But you can, however long you want, you know, maybe till two or whatever. And then she got close to one. And I was like, starting to think, Oh, my God, I cannot handle these days of constant energy, like, because it would just be like, if we were at home, she'd be running around, and she would be kind of annoyed. And it makes sense, because she's, like, pent up, she needs to get this energy out. There's not enough to do in it. We live in an apartment. That's not enough. You know, in Australia, houses are super common. And a lot of the world people live in apartments, and it's fine. But um, yeah, and we would, I would take it apart twice a day, and it wasn't enough. And I felt really guilty because I was, like, I love my daughter. I should be loving this, when actually it doesn't make sense. But just because I love her doesn't mean I need to love every second of it. Yeah, yeah, we ended up sending out a daycare. And we're all she asked if she is thriving, you know, I, and I'm a much better parent for that. Sometimes I do still feel guilty. You know, my husband has to remind me. And it's interesting that he reminds me, he's, he's a very good feminist. You know, he, he understands why he wouldn't say that, because I think he always he doesn't like to say, you know, like, as a man, he doesn't want to say that. But I think he is aware of all these things and sort of tries to think critically about it. But anyway, he says to me why you feel guilty? You know, she loves it. She wants to be there. But then I don't know just decide. I guess it is just this cultural ideas of like, oh, but she should be with me, even though it doesn't make sense. If she was like, the other day she was home sick with me. And we're both are not in. Too much. You know, she wants to be there playing with other friends and doing the million activities they do at daycare. Yeah, I can't provide her with like, 10 activities a day. Yeah. Yeah, look, what you're saying is so, so true, and so relatable. It's that notion that, like you said, we love our children, but we don't have to love every second of this mothering roles that were you know, an expectation. We love every moment. We don't love every moment of anything, but yet, but then he was coming back. We're hauled over the coals if we say, if we publicly you know, say, Oh, gee, this was really hard today. Well, you want to become a parent. Yeah. Many people whinge about their job. Like they love their job. But jeez, I had a hard day. Oh, well, you shouldn't winter is reserved for us. Of a year, this is our natural role. That's what we're supposed to be doing it. Yeah, it's absolutely ridiculous. And I think that, yeah, like, like, we really need this outlet to just say this is hard, sometimes just like everything, and also fundamentally that, like, society doesn't really support mothers. And so because we don't have that village, because we don't have the it makes it that much harder. That's for sure. I don't know how many of us do it, to be honest, when you think about everything we've got going against us. Yeah, I mean, I mean, I don't know. I feel like I'm, you know, in such a privileged position, and I'm really tired all the time. And like, you know, people do that so much harder, you know, and I had to know, it's, I'm just in awe, really, but they shouldn't have to, they shouldn't have to, you know, yeah, that's so true. It's frustrating, isn't it? Now I want to ask you, there's a great reel that you made a few weeks ago. It's great. I'm really that bad. This is a big thing for me, because I actually want to, I want to talk about this again, because this is like this obsession, absolute obsession with AD generation. I feel like all parents at the moment, and yeah, look, if you look at it, if you look at it in a historical context, like I say, I'll just kind of repeat what I said in the real because I mean, it's true that every generation has this crisis about some new technology that's going to destroy young people in the time of the ancient Greek philosophers like Plato, so this is like, about 2000 years ago, they thought that writing was going to destroy everyone, because the oral tradition was how we, how they communicated. And you know, through memorizing, that was a huge thing. Because of course, if you didn't memorize, then how were you going to ever remember anything? And how would ideas ever be passed on so that I will now we write it down, now the kids aren't going to remember anything, how, you know, this is going to be a catastrophe. And then, of course, then the printing press, we have books proliferated, that was a crisis. And then of course, the ones we know, which are like, radio, radio was a disaster. Now, of course, it's funny, because people think the radio is like a good alternative to screen time. Not watching. People just gonna be listening all the time. And then they're sitting there listening, and they're not moving around. And then TV, of course, which still goes on, and then the internet, you know, so I just think that yes, there are these recommendations that we have. But when we obsess over them, we're just really not thinking in context. Because we're, we're not thinking about the fact that, like, the alternative, we think that the alternative to screentime is like this, this 100% quality time with a parent or with some other caregiver, where they're just flourishing, and they're, you know, they're just absolutely taking everything in and learning. And, you know, for like, in the past, the alternative was probably working for a lot of children in the world. Now. The alternative is working, bored, either working in paid labor or working at home helping with the helping maintain the home. Or if it's not that, you know, it won't necessarily be this quality one on one time, all the time. And even if we talk about, even if we don't talk about that, we just talked about our own context. Then it, I just don't think it's the worst thing in the whole world. They don't. Kids don't need 100% quality time, all the time. It's impossible. And you're also going to have parents who are kind of regulated and feeling okay, and, and I really think it's part of this mom guilt, it feeds into this mom guilt thing again, because realistically, how are you going to cook dinner? With, you know, a few kids around you, especially if they're young? Or how are you gonna, you know, get all chores done? Or how are you audits? Maybe you just need to relax. It doesn't even need me that, you know, maybe you just need a minute. Yeah. You know, without them doing this. And I think that often the people that do do no screen time ever, at least the ones that I've heard are in a really privileged position, you know. And so then for people who have juggling so many things just feel so bad that their kids watching TV. I just think it just, I don't know, it's just guilt for nothing. And also, I just think that when we look back historically, like, maybe we won't be like, Oh, my God, look, they were staring at screens all the time. Maybe because that's just part of our world. Yeah, like springs are part of our world. Yeah. And the truth is, I think if you don't give your child a little bit of access to that technology, they're gonna get left behind at school. That's the other thing. Yeah. Because Because actually, they need to learn these skills. And that's kind of the approach we're taking that we're going to try and as soon as we can I don't know what age they started at, like four or five or I haven't looked into it yet, but it tries to do like kids coding for. Yeah, yeah. because, I mean, that's kind of gonna be really important. And yeah, that's the future. That's the world now, and I don't know anything about coding. And so I'm kind of like, in the dark already, you know. And so I just don't think that, yeah, that track, we're trying to protect our kids from things. I think rather, we just need to think how we can nurture them to safely and, and in a nice way, use those things. This is a really long bow to draw. But it's like, in the times when you'd say to teenagers don't have sex, it's like, well, they're gonna have sex, so teach them how to use a condom. Right? So Right, exactly, you just say just don't use it. And then they're gonna go on the internet themselves. Or watch shows? Well, anyway, they watch shows on the internet, go on social media, whatever themselves, and they're gonna have no understanding if you don't teach them, like how to tell if something is factually based How to tell if something is safe, you know, or something that is comfortable for them, you know? Or how to ask you if it's something uncomfortable on the internet happens to them to tell you and yeah, exactly like this creepy purple, they're selling to me or something. Instead, they'll just hide it. And then they're getting more on. Yeah, yeah. So I'd say waiting until they're teenagers to talk about their safety on the internet, and to let them have access. I think it doesn't make sense. That's not to say that I'm gonna let my kid sit there and do anything on the internet. Yeah, of course not. But but you got to, you've got to give them I think, begin was small levels of freedom and make it bigger and bigger in ways that they can cope with. Yeah, and it's no different to like, if you sent your kid out a little, a little toddler out into a big kid's playground, or, you know, just gonna go get run over and go sit and drink your coffee and not watch you know, it's, it's a part of life and trying to do it in a safe way. So your child's protected and, and if that's important, that communication to like, to bid for them to come to you and say, Hey, this happened, what do I do? Or how do I navigate this? Or, you know, it's so important that they keep talking to you? Yeah, I mean, I'm sure you, of course, would have so much more experience with this. For me, this is all theoretical, and just thinking about it. Because I know it's so hard for parents to work, navigate this whole online thing. But like you said, we just got to, we got to acknowledge this is the world this is the world they live in. They don't, you know, they don't remember a world before the internet. You know, we, you and I remember when it shows our age, but we remember, you know, I had the time before the internet. And so I really think of it as something that happened. They don't think like that. They're just like, yeah, that's the world like when I my toddler she has she's on a tablet. And I don't think that it's some huge disaster that she knows how to, like change the video or something. You know, she can press it as like, yeah, like, because that's just like she's learning all these other skills in the world. Yeah, just letting her do that. Yeah, of course. It's so much easier for her. Yeah. And yeah, it's a story I often reflect on my seven year old we were talking once about how we used to have our phones on the wall so you remember to pick up the phone it only went a certain distance like the cord was stuck to the curly cord Yeah, and he said how did you play your games while it was stuck on the wall? I'm like what? Because had it because he's imagining I've got my phone stuck on the game's amazing I love it. It's not normal world that didn't have this stuff in it and it got it blows my mind like how different because especially because we live in a time when technology progressed so rapidly and now it's kind of seems like it's a little bit plateauing again, like we haven't you know they're trying to do like VR and things like that now but but you know, within the last kind of 20 years it's just been massive with the smartphones and with how fast the internet is and things like this. But yeah, it's so funny. This is really good channel on YouTube, which is something like teenagers try out old technology or something. Yeah, yeah, I know what you're a funny how like they're trying to use a video player and they're trying to work out like how you would put it in. And the funniest thing is when you know that cord comes out, you know the tape or whatever. The real inside it comes out and every one of our generation discuss art because then you have to fix it with a pen. I love that. There's a post it's like what's the relationship and they show? Only certain faithful over certain days you'll know what you find mental part of our life and now like, yeah, they just have no idea what it is. And yeah, it's okay to because, you know, things change and we don't need to, like be romantic about it, but I think you know, because but yeah, it is funny. It is quite incredible, but I think that they're gonna be, you know, do amazing things with this technology is such capability. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. And again, I think if your kids not aware of it or understands or knows what even what it is like that is the future they will they will get left behind that's not present. It's literally sorry. Yes, it is. It's the present. It's happening right now. And if you can't engage in that way, you are just not going to be involved in the conversation, which is Yeah, yeah. Exactly. Bla bla what what platforms are you on? I know you're on Instagram. Are you on? Yeah. Yes, I'm on Instagram. I've just started a YouTube as well, because I wanted to do longer videos. Because obviously, all of these concepts. I think it's really fun. And I really like it that I can communicate things to people in a really short way on Instagram, but I'm, yeah, I'm on YouTube. So I'm, I'm, yeah, so you can find me there. And I'm on Twitter as well, if you use Twitter, and I'm just, I'm just developing my website, I hope that it will be out soon. And my kind of hope with this whole project is and this is why I started this whole thing is I wanted to move toward or incorporate doing courses for parents and really for people in general, but focusing on parents like feminism for parents and different critical thinking for parents things like that, and provide different resources. So yeah, I'm really working a lot on that at the moment. Yeah, excellent. I love that. I'll put all the links in the shownotes for people if they want to find you. I've just found that I mean, I'm still learning. I'm still learning. It's good fun. My. Yeah, it's good, fun. Look, thank you so much for sharing your ideas with the world and for communicating in a very non condescending manner. It's really lovely. Honestly, I think if there's one thing like, we're all learning, and I just, I don't know, we're all learning and yeah, and the more we can all talk about things, the better, I think but it's been so nice. Thank you so much. Yeah, no, no worries at all. Thank you. Thanks for your company today. If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd love you to consider leaving us a review, following or subscribing to the podcast, or even sharing it with a friend who you think might be interested. If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast. Please get in touch with us via the link in the show notes. I'll catch you again next week for another chat with an artistic mum. Helen Thompson is a childcare educator and baby massage instructor. And she knows being a parent for the first time is challenging and changes your life in every way imaginable. Join Helen each week in the first time mums chat podcast, where she'll help ease your transition into parenthood. Helen aims to offer supported holistic approaches and insights for mums of babies aged mainly from four weeks to 10 months of age. Helens goal is to assist you to become the most confident parents you can and smooth out the bumps along the way. Check out first time mums chat at my baby massage.net forward slash podcast

Elora Viano UK based photographer S3 Ep91 Listen and subscribe on Spotify and itunes/Apple podcasts My guest this week is Elora Viona, a photographer based in Lincolnshire UK and a mum of 2. Originally from Canada, Elora spent a few years in Italy where she met her husband before moving to the UK. Growing up Elora loved being creative, but didnt have a natural affinity for drawing or art. She was looking for ways to be creative and express herself, and in high school she discovered photography and she finally found it! Elora has been photographing since back in the days of film, and has had this as a passionate hobby ever since. Elora enjoys experimenting in her work using different lenses. collages or light leak overlays. Six years ago she decided to turn it into a business, and got so sucked into making it a success that in the process she had forgotten about her love for personal projects. Having made active changes, she's proud to say she has managed to accomplish a number of personal projects and continue to do so, growing and challenging herself with this medium. She is a family photographer and enjoys a documentary style, her biggest passion is capturing emotion and movement in her subjects. Elora has won a number of awards and been published in magazines both in print and online. Elora's current project Kintsugi Mama aligns the Japanese art of repairing with gold, with stretchmarks, Through this project Elora is exploring the beauty of the so called “scarred” female body. This body where the skin stretches, breaks, and re-heals itself all while bringing a new life to this world – is an incredible feat of mother nature, and yet, somehow, we do not tend to look upon those stretch marks with love, but with distaste, hate even, because they are seen as imperfections. What if, instead of hiding those so called “imperfections” we celebrated them, repaired them with gold, the most precious element of them all? What if we took the time to see how glorious they truly are? Would we see ourselves differently? Would we revel in the power of womanhood? Elora - Personal Instagram / Website / The Daily Collective Website / Kintsugi project website Podcast - instagram / website If today’s episode is triggering for you in any way I encourage you to seek help from those around you, medical professionals or from resources on line. I have compiled a list of great international resources here Music used with permission from Alemjo my new age and ambient music trio. When chatting to my guests I greatly appreciate their openness and honestly in sharing their stories. If at any stage their information is found to be incorrect, the podcast bears no responsibility for guests' inaccuracies. Podcast transcript at the bottom of the page Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of The Art of Being A Mum Podcast. I'm beyond honoured that you're here and would be grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave me a 5-star review in iTunes or wherever you are listening. It really helps! This way together we can inspire, connect and bring in to the light even more stories from creative mums. Want to connect? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram tagging me in with @art_of_being_a_mum_podcast I can't wait to connect. And remember if you or somebody you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, get in touch ! I love meeting and chatting to mammas from all creative backgrounds, from all around the world! Thank you! Alison acknowledges this Land of the Berrin (Mount Gambier) Region as the Traditional Lands of the Bungandidj People and acknowledge these First Nations people as the custodians of the Region. Ch eck out more episodes ..... Being a Mum podcast where I, Alison Newman, a singer, songwriter and Aussie mum of two, 2 00:00:08,700 --> 00:00:13,860 enjoys honest and inspiring conversations with artists and creators about the joys and 3 00:00:13,860 --> 00:00:18,600 issues they've encountered while trying to be a mum and continue to create. 4 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:23,320 You'll hear themes like the mental juggle, changes in identity, how their work's been 5 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:29,100 influenced by motherhood, mum guilt, cultural norms and we also stray into territory such 6 00:00:29,100 --> 00:00:33,520 as the patriarchy, feminism and capitalism. 7 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,960 You can find links to my guests and topics we discuss in the show notes along with a 8 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:43,220 link to the music played, how to get in touch and a link to join our supportive and lively 9 00:00:43,220 --> 00:00:46,440 community on Instagram. 10 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:51,000 I'll always put a trigger warning if we discuss sensitive topics on the podcast but if at 11 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,880 any time you're concerned about your mental health I urge you to talk to those around 12 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:00,680 you, reach out to health professionals or seek out resources online. 13 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,200 I've compiled a list of international resources which can be accessed on the podcast landing 14 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,840 page alisonnewman.net slash podcast. 15 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,200 The art of being a mum would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land and water 16 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:18,360 which this podcast is recorded on as being the Bowendig people in the Beren region. 17 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:25,360 I'm working on land that was never ceded. 18 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:29,160 Hello and welcome to another episode of the podcast. 19 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:35,760 This week we're up to 91, creeping ever closer to that magical 100. 20 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,840 This week however my guest is Elora Villano, a photographer based in Lincolnshire in the 21 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,680 UK and a mum of two. 22 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,080 Elora's originally from Canada and she spent a few years in Italy where she met her husband 23 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:50,880 before moving to the UK. 24 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:55,440 Growing up Elora loved being creative but didn't have a natural affinity for drawing 25 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:56,620 or painting. 26 00:01:56,620 --> 00:02:01,520 She was looking for ways to be creative and express herself and in high school she discovered 27 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:02,920 photography. 28 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,360 She finally found what she'd been looking for. 29 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:11,120 Elora's been photographing since back in the days of film, the first time around and has 30 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,000 enjoyed it as a passionate hobby ever since. 31 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:20,640 She enjoys experimenting in her work using different lenses, collages or light leak overlays. 32 00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:26,360 Six years ago Elora decided to turn photography into a business and she got so sucked into 33 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:32,000 making it a success in that process that she'd forgotten about her love for her personal 34 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,480 projects. 35 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,440 Having made active changes she's proud to say she's managed to accomplish a number of 36 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:43,000 personal projects and continues to do so, growing and challenging herself with this 37 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:44,000 medium. 38 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:48,100 Elora is a family photographer and enjoys a documentary style. 39 00:02:48,100 --> 00:02:52,680 Her biggest passions are capturing emotion and movement in her subjects. 40 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:58,600 She's won a number of awards and been published in magazines both in print and online. 41 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:04,680 Elora's current project Kintsuki Mama aligns the Japanese art of repairing with gold, 42 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:06,040 with stretch marks. 43 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:11,800 Through this project Elora is exploring the beauty of the so called scarred female body, 44 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:16,580 the body where the skin stretches, breaks and re-heals itself all while bringing a new 45 00:03:16,580 --> 00:03:18,520 life into this world. 46 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:23,320 It's an incredible feat of mother nature and yet somehow we do not tend to look upon those 47 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,400 stretch marks with love but with distaste, hate even. 48 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:32,360 What if instead of hiding those imperfections we celebrated them, repaired them with gold, 49 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,240 the most precious element of them all? 50 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,080 What if we took the time to see how glorious they truly are? 51 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,240 Would we see ourselves differently? 52 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:49,160 Would we revel in the power of womanhood? 53 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:50,800 Elora it's lovely to meet you. 54 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,400 Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. 55 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:54,880 Thank you so much for having me. 56 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:55,880 It's good to meet you too. 57 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:57,760 Yeah it's such a pleasure. 58 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:00,240 So we're just chatting before I hit record. 59 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:05,160 You're over in the UK and it is the morning there. 60 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,720 Whereabouts in the UK are you? 61 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:19,960 Lincolnshire which is East, Central East Coast type area of the country. 62 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:20,960 Yeah right. 63 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:27,840 So in relation to London which is about north, mostly where most people know. 64 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:30,680 So it's north of London. 65 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:32,800 Have you always lived there with your accent? 66 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,680 No, no my accent is not British. 67 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:36,680 It's Canadian. 68 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:37,680 Yeah, yes. 69 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:44,440 I was born and raised in Canada and then I spent a few years in Italy when I met my husband 70 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:49,280 and then we ended up moving here for his work and so far this is where we're staying. 71 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:50,280 Yeah right. 72 00:04:50,280 --> 00:05:17,420 So couldn't be more special than this. 73 00:05:17,420 --> 00:05:26,460 I'm a photographer, primarily. 74 00:05:26,460 --> 00:05:31,500 I like to dabble in other things, but just as a hobby, really. 75 00:05:31,500 --> 00:05:39,900 So I mostly do photography and I also run it as a business with family and personal 76 00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:42,540 branding here in Lincoln. 77 00:05:42,540 --> 00:05:53,580 And I also do it as personal work and therapy and just as the storyteller of the family 78 00:05:53,580 --> 00:05:57,900 as well as doing projects that are close to my heart. 79 00:05:57,900 --> 00:06:01,740 And I've also recently launched a podcast. 80 00:06:01,740 --> 00:06:02,740 Oh, exciting! 81 00:06:02,740 --> 00:06:06,220 Yeah, so it's all on. 82 00:06:06,220 --> 00:06:12,100 I'm all over the place as usual, doing 400 different things. 83 00:06:12,100 --> 00:06:13,100 All in good fun. 84 00:06:13,100 --> 00:06:14,100 Just to keep me busy. 85 00:06:14,100 --> 00:06:15,100 Yeah, that's awesome. 86 00:06:15,100 --> 00:06:20,620 Tell us about your style of photography that you like to take. 87 00:06:20,620 --> 00:06:28,080 I love doing more documentary type photography, so taking pictures as they are. 88 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:36,260 My biggest passion is capturing emotion in my images and movement and love and connection 89 00:06:36,260 --> 00:06:41,740 and joy and just silliness in general. 90 00:06:41,740 --> 00:06:44,940 I just live for that. 91 00:06:44,940 --> 00:06:49,580 When I see one of those pictures, it's just like, that's the one for me. 92 00:06:49,580 --> 00:06:56,540 I also enjoy experimenting a bit with photography on the side, a personal side, using like creative 93 00:06:56,540 --> 00:07:00,300 lenses or sticking stuff in front of my lenses. 94 00:07:00,300 --> 00:07:05,620 Occasionally doing photomontage type stuff. 95 00:07:05,620 --> 00:07:10,300 Not very good, but it's fun to experiment. 96 00:07:10,300 --> 00:07:18,580 I like to try new things because then I see I can incorporate that into my work if it 97 00:07:18,580 --> 00:07:22,780 feels like it's in line with me. 98 00:07:22,780 --> 00:07:27,060 Otherwise I don't. 99 00:07:27,060 --> 00:07:31,340 Otherwise I just let it go because it's not my thing. 100 00:07:31,340 --> 00:07:38,300 I learned that the hard way by trying to be what I wasn't. 101 00:07:38,300 --> 00:07:47,940 I just, with age and maturity, as you do, I just said, you know what, that's not me. 102 00:07:47,940 --> 00:07:51,820 I've tried, it wasn't for me, I move on. 103 00:07:51,820 --> 00:07:54,580 Good on you. 104 00:07:54,580 --> 00:08:00,100 I actually had a bit of a squeeze on your webpage. 105 00:08:00,100 --> 00:08:01,100 I love that style. 106 00:08:01,100 --> 00:08:07,340 It's like you're not setting people in positions and poses and all that sort of stage sort 107 00:08:07,340 --> 00:08:13,820 of style of photography, which I, when I got married, I got married 20 years ago and I 108 00:08:13,820 --> 00:08:19,580 wanted the style of photography like that, like what you do, like this documentary style 109 00:08:19,580 --> 00:08:21,980 where you're just capturing things as they happen. 110 00:08:21,980 --> 00:08:26,300 The tent I live in, we've only got like 30,000 people. 111 00:08:26,300 --> 00:08:30,500 At that time there was maybe two professional photographers and this was back on the film 112 00:08:30,500 --> 00:08:31,500 days. 113 00:08:31,500 --> 00:08:34,700 No one did the style like that. 114 00:08:34,700 --> 00:08:37,740 It was all stand here and stand here and blah, blah, blah. 115 00:08:37,740 --> 00:08:39,780 And it's like, I had my time again. 116 00:08:39,780 --> 00:08:44,340 I probably would have pushed a bit harder. 117 00:08:44,340 --> 00:08:51,700 But you know, it's become more popular as a style over the last 20 years or so. 118 00:08:51,700 --> 00:08:57,900 I think it's evolved because there was a very distinct thing between reportage. 119 00:08:57,900 --> 00:09:05,580 Also like reporters and news things and Magnum photo kind of stuff and what family photography 120 00:09:05,580 --> 00:09:06,580 was supposed to be. 121 00:09:06,580 --> 00:09:15,060 So studio imposed and curated and made to look because it was a special occasion. 122 00:09:15,060 --> 00:09:21,260 But as things have changed, they've kind of all smushed together a lot and it's become 123 00:09:21,260 --> 00:09:27,340 very nice to see that there's a whole array of different styles for people to choose from 124 00:09:27,340 --> 00:09:30,060 and they can go with what they're drawn to. 125 00:09:30,060 --> 00:09:32,620 Yeah, that's so true, isn't it? 126 00:09:32,620 --> 00:09:33,620 And I love that. 127 00:09:33,620 --> 00:09:37,860 I think because like when digital came along, it just became so much more accessible to 128 00:09:37,860 --> 00:09:40,020 so many people. 129 00:09:40,020 --> 00:09:45,380 And I know, yeah, in where I live, like just about everybody can take photos, like, you 130 00:09:45,380 --> 00:09:47,260 know, whether they're good or not, it's another story. 131 00:09:47,260 --> 00:09:51,940 But there are a lot of photographers around now compared to what they used to be. 132 00:09:51,940 --> 00:09:57,260 Yeah, you're not sure of pretty much everyone's got a good camera these days. 133 00:09:57,260 --> 00:10:25,780 How did you first get into photography? 134 00:10:25,780 --> 00:10:28,780 Okay. 135 00:10:28,780 --> 00:10:34,100 So it's a story of how one person can really influence your life and change it. 136 00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:36,700 In this case, a teacher. 137 00:10:36,700 --> 00:10:44,980 I always liked being creative, but I suck at drawing like stick men, barely understandable. 138 00:10:44,980 --> 00:10:46,940 I mean, my kids draw better than I do. 139 00:10:46,940 --> 00:10:55,700 Their father, thankfully for them, but you know, I can't say that I'm not a good artist. 140 00:10:55,700 --> 00:10:56,700 I can't draw. 141 00:10:56,700 --> 00:10:57,700 I love being creative. 142 00:10:57,700 --> 00:10:58,900 I love doing crafty things. 143 00:10:58,900 --> 00:11:05,540 I really wanted to be able to express myself, but I could never find a medium that I liked. 144 00:11:05,540 --> 00:11:06,780 I kept taking art classes. 145 00:11:06,780 --> 00:11:10,780 I kept really doing badly at art classes and getting critiqued and getting pushed down, 146 00:11:10,780 --> 00:11:19,700 but I just kept going until about high school in grade 11, no, grade 12. 147 00:11:19,700 --> 00:11:26,820 So last year of high school, my art teacher introduced me to photography and she, we had 148 00:11:26,820 --> 00:11:28,500 a school camera and she gave it to me. 149 00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:33,340 She showed me how to put the film in, in the black bag, the way you used to do it in the 150 00:11:33,340 --> 00:11:34,340 olden days. 151 00:11:34,340 --> 00:11:41,340 And you know, she taught the whole module basically on how to use photography and I 152 00:11:41,340 --> 00:11:49,620 found it and I was like, it just opened my eyes as to how I could be creative and I could 153 00:11:49,620 --> 00:11:56,580 do that with people and things and how I see the world and how light is. 154 00:11:56,580 --> 00:12:00,060 And so I basically never stopped after that. 155 00:12:00,060 --> 00:12:02,420 I kept going as a hobby. 156 00:12:02,420 --> 00:12:08,380 You know, I'd take a little camera with me everywhere and photograph my trips, my travels, 157 00:12:08,380 --> 00:12:12,500 my friends, my family, the cats, everything. 158 00:12:12,500 --> 00:12:17,020 You know, I had stacks of pictures that I would go to the little one hour photo guy 159 00:12:17,020 --> 00:12:21,420 and print them out and have it done. 160 00:12:21,420 --> 00:12:26,940 And then there was a bit of a pause for a while while I was studying at university. 161 00:12:26,940 --> 00:12:32,740 I just didn't have the time to follow on a lot of hobbies. 162 00:12:32,740 --> 00:12:36,460 And in that meantime, everything kind of went digital. 163 00:12:36,460 --> 00:12:42,540 So it was like I had to learn it all again in a way. 164 00:12:42,540 --> 00:12:48,540 So I picked up a digital camera and I slowly started learning and got into that. 165 00:12:48,540 --> 00:12:54,500 And I just kept doing it, you know, just practicing and playing around as a hobby, never really 166 00:12:54,500 --> 00:13:01,180 thinking it could become a business or anything like that until I had my kids. 167 00:13:01,180 --> 00:13:07,220 And then with my first child, I realized that I wanted to have the flexibility of deciding 168 00:13:07,220 --> 00:13:08,700 my own times. 169 00:13:08,700 --> 00:13:12,180 And I was like, I wanted to still do something creative. 170 00:13:12,180 --> 00:13:14,820 I still wanted to do something I could work around my family. 171 00:13:14,820 --> 00:13:17,520 And it was like, well, this is pretty clear. 172 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:21,700 So I decided to start up my business and that's it really. 173 00:13:21,700 --> 00:13:23,420 It's been going since then. 174 00:13:23,420 --> 00:13:24,420 Yeah, right. 175 00:13:24,420 --> 00:13:26,220 So how long is that? 176 00:13:26,220 --> 00:13:29,700 How old is that child? 177 00:13:29,700 --> 00:13:35,180 The oldest one is nine and the youngest is six, going on seven as she likes to point 178 00:13:35,180 --> 00:13:36,180 out every day. 179 00:13:36,180 --> 00:13:39,700 Six and a half mommy and only like three months until my birthday. 180 00:13:39,700 --> 00:13:42,780 You know, that kind of counting it down. 181 00:13:42,780 --> 00:13:46,580 Yeah, they're so detailed oriented. 182 00:13:46,580 --> 00:13:54,100 So, so yeah, sorry, I was saying. 183 00:13:54,100 --> 00:14:00,460 So yeah, it's been first year or so was kind of start and stop because I was learning all 184 00:14:00,460 --> 00:14:02,300 the things about business. 185 00:14:02,300 --> 00:14:07,740 And that's where I kind of fell into doing what other people were doing. 186 00:14:07,740 --> 00:14:11,340 So I thought has to be studio stuff. 187 00:14:11,340 --> 00:14:18,660 So I had to learn about lighting and backdrops and find a space and posing and and it was 188 00:14:18,660 --> 00:14:24,580 so hard for me to learn it and just do it. 189 00:14:24,580 --> 00:14:29,300 And anytime I had a session, the photos I found that I tended to be drawn to the most 190 00:14:29,300 --> 00:14:30,300 for the outtakes. 191 00:14:30,300 --> 00:14:31,300 Yeah. 192 00:14:31,300 --> 00:14:34,780 And and I was like, and I always included them. 193 00:14:34,780 --> 00:14:39,740 And then, you know, sometimes people wanted that posed look and sometimes they preferred 194 00:14:39,740 --> 00:14:42,220 the outtakes and and stuff like that. 195 00:14:42,220 --> 00:14:46,340 And then as I got into it and then I was just I kept on taking like courses and joining 196 00:14:46,340 --> 00:14:50,980 groups and communities and all that kind of stuff. 197 00:14:50,980 --> 00:14:58,780 And then I found lifestyle photography and I was like, oh, this is like an in between 198 00:14:58,780 --> 00:15:00,700 kind of thing. 199 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:03,540 And it was being very popular in the States and Canada. 200 00:15:03,540 --> 00:15:06,460 It was not yet all the rage here. 201 00:15:06,460 --> 00:15:09,780 It was just starting kind of here in the UK. 202 00:15:09,780 --> 00:15:14,940 So it took a long time for me to kind of promote and get people to do it. 203 00:15:14,940 --> 00:15:20,100 But I did a few model calls, got a few model families in, started to change over the website 204 00:15:20,100 --> 00:15:22,980 and who I was focusing on. 205 00:15:22,980 --> 00:15:24,820 And in the meantime, we moved. 206 00:15:24,820 --> 00:15:30,380 So I had a completely new clean slate basically to work on with new clients. 207 00:15:30,380 --> 00:15:35,420 And I just promoted myself as that and then from lifestyle, I've gone more and more towards 208 00:15:35,420 --> 00:15:38,220 the documentary approach. 209 00:15:38,220 --> 00:15:44,740 And that's that seems to be where I have settled right now as it stands from a business standpoint. 210 00:15:44,740 --> 00:15:47,620 Personally, I've always been documentary. 211 00:15:47,620 --> 00:15:52,580 So I've always been doing, you know, just taking pictures of things as they are, nature 212 00:15:52,580 --> 00:15:56,700 landscapes or people in the street or that kind of thing. 213 00:15:56,700 --> 00:16:02,420 The kids as they were growing and that started me off on a series of personal projects as 214 00:16:02,420 --> 00:16:03,420 well. 215 00:16:03,420 --> 00:16:07,420 And yeah, that's pretty much it summed up. 216 00:16:07,420 --> 00:16:09,420 Yeah, no, that's awesome. 217 00:16:09,420 --> 00:16:11,140 I love that. 218 00:16:11,140 --> 00:16:14,780 Like you mentioned it earlier and then, you know, I'm going into some detail with it now. 219 00:16:14,780 --> 00:16:20,060 But I think a lot of people can relate to that, that when you start something new, there's 220 00:16:20,060 --> 00:16:24,700 this, you have this idea of what it's supposed to be like and you can find yourself sort 221 00:16:24,700 --> 00:16:30,260 of falling into that trap of not listening, maybe not listening to your heart because 222 00:16:30,260 --> 00:16:33,940 you think I've got to do it like that because that seems to be right. 223 00:16:33,940 --> 00:16:39,300 So then it's like, and you knew like, you didn't want to do it like that, but it was 224 00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:41,740 like, yeah, I could feel that it just wasn't my thing. 225 00:16:41,740 --> 00:16:42,740 Yeah. 226 00:16:42,740 --> 00:16:44,140 And I think a lot of people can relate to that. 227 00:16:44,140 --> 00:16:49,460 And it takes a lot of courage and a lot of sort of soul searching to sort of look at 228 00:16:49,460 --> 00:16:52,300 why do I want to do this? 229 00:16:52,300 --> 00:16:55,220 Why the reasons I want to do it that way or this way? 230 00:16:55,220 --> 00:16:56,220 Yeah. 231 00:16:56,220 --> 00:16:57,220 So I love that. 232 00:16:57,220 --> 00:16:58,220 That's really good. 233 00:16:58,220 --> 00:16:59,220 Oh, do you? 234 00:16:59,220 --> 00:17:03,740 I'm just thinking about myself when I say that. 235 00:17:03,740 --> 00:17:04,900 Oh, there you go. 236 00:17:04,900 --> 00:17:08,460 It's just, I know it's just, you know, you just, I don't know. 237 00:17:08,460 --> 00:17:10,460 You second guess yourself so much, I think. 238 00:17:10,460 --> 00:17:14,460 And so you don't trust yourself enough at different times. 239 00:17:14,460 --> 00:17:15,460 Yeah. 240 00:17:15,460 --> 00:17:16,460 So no, anyway. 241 00:17:16,460 --> 00:17:19,460 That's all right. 242 00:17:19,460 --> 00:17:24,140 I think it comes a bit more with age that you kind of just say, screw it, you know, 243 00:17:24,140 --> 00:17:26,420 at a certain point, I'm just going to do what I want to do. 244 00:17:26,420 --> 00:17:27,620 And if people like it, that's great. 245 00:17:27,620 --> 00:17:29,780 If they don't tell, you know, kind of thing. 246 00:17:29,780 --> 00:17:40,060 I think it's come to me as I've gotten older and felt more secure in my skills and my abilities, 247 00:17:40,060 --> 00:17:45,020 I think, and I have learned to say no to things. 248 00:17:45,020 --> 00:17:47,540 And at first I wouldn't, I refused to because I think I need the money. 249 00:17:47,540 --> 00:17:48,540 I need to do this. 250 00:17:48,540 --> 00:17:49,540 I need to practice. 251 00:17:49,540 --> 00:17:56,780 And then I found myself doing a lot of stuff I didn't want to do. 252 00:17:56,780 --> 00:18:01,580 And I was like, nah, life's too short. 253 00:18:01,580 --> 00:18:05,900 And so I've said, no, I have a wonderful network of other local photographers who do all sorts 254 00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:10,980 of different styles and events and types of photography and focusing on things. 255 00:18:10,980 --> 00:18:15,940 And I'm very happy to refer people over to them. 256 00:18:15,940 --> 00:18:20,940 And you know, sometimes we even share clients because they like both kinds of styles and 257 00:18:20,940 --> 00:18:22,380 stuff like that. 258 00:18:22,380 --> 00:18:26,400 So sometimes they go to one for one thing and me for another. 259 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:27,400 And it's lovely. 260 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:31,060 You know, it's nice to be able to do that. 261 00:18:31,060 --> 00:18:33,580 I love that. 262 00:18:33,580 --> 00:18:37,660 Something else I think we can get caught up is like that competitiveness. 263 00:18:37,660 --> 00:18:43,380 But when you genuinely sort of settled in yourself, which you obviously are, you can 264 00:18:43,380 --> 00:18:46,700 be open to that and you don't feel threatened by other people. 265 00:18:46,700 --> 00:18:48,740 You know, you're doing what you love. 266 00:18:48,740 --> 00:18:52,620 You're allowing your clients to come to you if they're drawn to that style. 267 00:18:52,620 --> 00:18:53,620 I just think that's awesome. 268 00:18:53,620 --> 00:18:54,620 Good on you. 269 00:18:54,620 --> 00:18:55,620 I love it. 270 00:18:55,620 --> 00:18:56,620 I love that. 271 00:18:56,620 --> 00:19:00,500 And I think, yeah, I agree with that. 272 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:03,700 It's something that it takes time and experience. 273 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:08,000 And I feel like I've said this to other people in the podcast, when you get into your forties, 274 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,740 it's literally you do not care anymore. 275 00:19:10,740 --> 00:19:13,660 It's like everyone else can go jump and you're going to do what you want. 276 00:19:13,660 --> 00:19:14,660 Absolutely. 277 00:19:14,660 --> 00:19:18,620 The older I get, the more I'm like, yeah, do what you want. 278 00:19:18,620 --> 00:19:19,620 You do you. 279 00:19:19,620 --> 00:19:20,620 Yeah. 280 00:19:20,620 --> 00:19:21,620 I'm happy with it. 281 00:19:21,620 --> 00:19:22,620 Yeah. 282 00:19:22,620 --> 00:19:23,620 Yeah. 283 00:19:23,620 --> 00:19:51,180 Tell me about the Daily Collective. 284 00:19:51,180 --> 00:19:54,020 Yeah, Daily Collective. 285 00:19:54,020 --> 00:20:01,940 Basically, during lockdown, obviously, I was considered a non-essential service and I couldn't 286 00:20:01,940 --> 00:20:02,940 work. 287 00:20:02,940 --> 00:20:08,100 So I had to find something, you know, do something. 288 00:20:08,100 --> 00:20:12,540 And with my time and between the homeschooling and all the stuff that we all went through 289 00:20:12,540 --> 00:20:22,380 everywhere, I found a lot of wonderful photography communities that really came together. 290 00:20:22,380 --> 00:20:24,460 Some didn't and some did. 291 00:20:24,460 --> 00:20:29,660 And I let go of the ones that didn't and I stick with the ones that did. 292 00:20:29,660 --> 00:20:36,740 And I have found and made some amazing and inspirational friends through these communities. 293 00:20:36,740 --> 00:20:44,860 And so I wanted to create a similar type of community as well, but with a focus on just 294 00:20:44,860 --> 00:20:51,060 personal projects, because there are so many communities for businesses, business and marketing 295 00:20:51,060 --> 00:20:54,660 and a mix of all of it. 296 00:20:54,660 --> 00:21:01,300 But I really wanted to focus on that artistic and creative side to photography. 297 00:21:01,300 --> 00:21:02,740 So I made one rule. 298 00:21:02,740 --> 00:21:08,580 I said, I will share only personal work, so nothing you've done for a client, just for 299 00:21:08,580 --> 00:21:09,580 you. 300 00:21:09,580 --> 00:21:14,260 If it's for you or for a gallery exhibition or, you know, a theme that you're working 301 00:21:14,260 --> 00:21:19,700 towards or something, but it's a personal project that you're doing for you, then that's 302 00:21:19,700 --> 00:21:22,340 what I want to focus on and help with. 303 00:21:22,340 --> 00:21:24,840 So it started out just like as a feature hub. 304 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:31,540 So I would share a picture every day from a different person who used the tag. 305 00:21:31,540 --> 00:21:36,420 And because that was the 365, so one picture a day for a year. 306 00:21:36,420 --> 00:21:41,380 But then as it kept going, I kept seeing such beautiful stuff. 307 00:21:41,380 --> 00:21:45,020 And so I kind of expanded it into like a membership. 308 00:21:45,020 --> 00:21:48,100 And I was like, you know what? 309 00:21:48,100 --> 00:21:49,100 Screw it. 310 00:21:49,100 --> 00:21:50,100 Let's just do a podcast and talk about it. 311 00:21:50,100 --> 00:21:51,100 So I did it for like 24 hours. 312 00:21:51,100 --> 00:21:52,100 I decided, let's just do that. 313 00:21:52,100 --> 00:21:53,100 And that's it. 314 00:21:53,100 --> 00:21:54,100 I did all my research. 315 00:21:54,100 --> 00:21:55,100 I found all this stuff. 316 00:21:55,100 --> 00:21:56,100 I'm like, that seems easy enough to start a podcast. 317 00:21:56,100 --> 00:21:57,100 And there you go. 318 00:21:57,100 --> 00:21:58,100 And I started just writing out my own story. 319 00:21:58,100 --> 00:21:59,100 And I was like, I'm going to do this. 320 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:00,100 I'm going to do this. 321 00:22:00,100 --> 00:22:01,100 I'm going to do this. 322 00:22:01,100 --> 00:22:04,620 And I started writing out my little scripts or whatever. 323 00:22:04,620 --> 00:22:06,980 And I was like, so people, this is what I'm doing. 324 00:22:06,980 --> 00:22:07,980 And that was it. 325 00:22:07,980 --> 00:22:08,980 That is so great. 326 00:22:08,980 --> 00:22:16,260 So the Baby Collective has kind of expanded a little bit over the last year or so. 327 00:22:16,260 --> 00:22:22,900 I think I launched it around maybe April last year, April, May. 328 00:22:22,900 --> 00:22:29,260 So it's coming on a year of life, so to speak. 329 00:22:29,260 --> 00:22:33,460 So I've loved seeing the journey as it's expanding. 330 00:22:33,460 --> 00:22:34,460 It's a small community. 331 00:22:34,460 --> 00:22:38,740 It's a tiny community, but I don't mind. 332 00:22:38,740 --> 00:22:41,740 It's great if it expands, the more the merrier. 333 00:22:41,740 --> 00:22:45,540 But I like that it's small also because you get to really know the people that are in 334 00:22:45,540 --> 00:22:50,900 it and get to know their work and see how they express themselves and share that, which 335 00:22:50,900 --> 00:22:53,900 is really lovely. 336 00:22:53,900 --> 00:22:56,340 On the one hand, I'm tempted to just keep it small. 337 00:22:56,340 --> 00:22:59,500 On the other hand, I want it to grow, obviously. 338 00:22:59,500 --> 00:23:02,260 Kind of thing like that. 339 00:23:02,260 --> 00:23:06,820 But I'm hoping to manage to find a balance into letting it grow, but let it feel like 340 00:23:06,820 --> 00:23:15,620 it's close and a safe space for everyone to share their frustrations and their creative 341 00:23:15,620 --> 00:23:23,140 process or ask for advice or feedback or whatever, or just need somewhere to just have a cry 342 00:23:23,140 --> 00:23:28,220 because all creatives, we tend to just have our moments, don't we? 343 00:23:28,220 --> 00:23:33,780 And you just need to get it off your chest sometimes, just write it out and then it just 344 00:23:33,780 --> 00:23:34,780 feels so much better. 345 00:23:34,780 --> 00:23:39,740 And to have someone say, I understand you and I hear that. 346 00:23:39,740 --> 00:23:41,300 It's so powerful for you. 347 00:23:41,300 --> 00:23:43,900 And it's like a balm for the soul. 348 00:23:43,900 --> 00:23:45,020 You're like, now I can go on. 349 00:23:45,020 --> 00:23:49,060 I don't have to obsess about that because someone understands. 350 00:23:49,060 --> 00:23:53,340 And that's what I'd like to keep becoming and growing into. 351 00:23:53,340 --> 00:23:54,340 Yeah. 352 00:23:54,340 --> 00:23:55,340 Oh, great. 353 00:23:55,340 --> 00:23:56,340 Good for you. 354 00:23:56,340 --> 00:23:57,340 I really love that. 355 00:23:57,340 --> 00:24:01,940 And I love that you decided to do your podcast really quickly because that's literally what 356 00:24:01,940 --> 00:24:02,940 I did. 357 00:24:02,940 --> 00:24:05,220 And it's awesome. 358 00:24:05,220 --> 00:24:10,980 I had this conversation with someone on a podcast earlier in the year, or it might have 359 00:24:10,980 --> 00:24:11,980 been last year. 360 00:24:11,980 --> 00:24:12,980 I can't remember now. 361 00:24:12,980 --> 00:24:17,980 But we're talking about how obviously everyone's different and their creative process can be 362 00:24:17,980 --> 00:24:19,660 quite different. 363 00:24:19,660 --> 00:24:26,140 And how some people like you and I, we just get an idea and just go bang and just do it. 364 00:24:26,140 --> 00:24:31,100 And then some people will have to like research and research and prepare and plan. 365 00:24:31,100 --> 00:24:35,900 And it takes a certain amount of months before they're happy to let it go out. 366 00:24:35,900 --> 00:24:42,180 And it's like, I just find it really fascinating just how everyone's way of processing is so 367 00:24:42,180 --> 00:24:43,180 different. 368 00:24:43,180 --> 00:24:44,180 Like, I don't know. 369 00:24:44,180 --> 00:24:45,180 I just, I don't know. 370 00:24:45,180 --> 00:24:47,180 I just find that really, really cool. 371 00:24:47,180 --> 00:24:56,100 And it's probably no reflection on how successful something is or whatever. 372 00:24:56,100 --> 00:25:00,820 It's probably not measurable whether you do it this way or that way, what the end outcome 373 00:25:00,820 --> 00:25:01,820 is. 374 00:25:01,820 --> 00:25:02,820 So it's, I don't know. 375 00:25:02,820 --> 00:25:03,820 Sorry, I'm rambling now. 376 00:25:03,820 --> 00:25:04,820 I'm just kidding. 377 00:25:04,820 --> 00:25:05,820 Don't worry. 378 00:25:05,820 --> 00:25:06,820 I like a good ramble. 379 00:25:06,820 --> 00:25:07,820 Don't worry. 380 00:25:07,820 --> 00:25:08,820 I do it myself a lot. 381 00:25:08,820 --> 00:25:09,820 Oh, do you? 382 00:25:09,820 --> 00:25:10,820 Yeah. 383 00:25:10,820 --> 00:25:11,820 No, there you go. 384 00:25:11,820 --> 00:25:12,820 Well, that's cool. 385 00:25:12,820 --> 00:25:19,020 So I'm going to put the link for your, your predominantly on Instagram with that. 386 00:25:19,020 --> 00:25:20,020 Yeah. 387 00:25:20,020 --> 00:25:21,020 With that one. 388 00:25:21,020 --> 00:25:22,020 Yeah, cool. 389 00:25:22,020 --> 00:25:25,100 So I'll put a, I'll put a hyperlink in the show notes for people if they're interested 390 00:25:25,100 --> 00:25:27,980 in checking that out, because that is really cool. 391 00:25:27,980 --> 00:25:30,820 Inspire and learn a community for personal photography projects. 392 00:25:30,820 --> 00:25:31,820 I love it. 393 00:25:31,820 --> 00:25:33,660 Good on you. 394 00:25:33,660 --> 00:25:37,220 And I also noticed that you're a moderator for a couple of other photography. 395 00:25:37,220 --> 00:25:38,220 Yeah. 396 00:25:38,220 --> 00:25:39,220 Yeah. 397 00:25:39,220 --> 00:25:46,780 Yeah, I find it hard to know what to say on Instagram because it's like, it's not like 398 00:25:46,780 --> 00:25:47,780 a pay. 399 00:25:47,780 --> 00:25:48,780 You know what I mean? 400 00:25:48,780 --> 00:25:49,780 Yeah. 401 00:25:49,780 --> 00:25:50,780 Yeah. 402 00:25:50,780 --> 00:25:53,620 So that were they ones that you discovered through the pandemic as well? 403 00:25:53,620 --> 00:25:54,620 Yes. 404 00:25:54,620 --> 00:25:56,740 Yes, they were. 405 00:25:56,740 --> 00:26:05,620 So the two that I moderate for is flock and flock live and for the love of the photograph. 406 00:26:05,620 --> 00:26:10,540 So flock live is the one that came out just during the pandemic. 407 00:26:10,540 --> 00:26:17,540 It was, it started out as a, it was supposed to be like a show, a photography show, you 408 00:26:17,540 --> 00:26:26,220 know, kind of expo thing, but pandemic put that down and, but it was focused on the kind 409 00:26:26,220 --> 00:26:27,860 of photography that I love. 410 00:26:27,860 --> 00:26:28,860 Yeah. 411 00:26:28,860 --> 00:26:34,780 A lot of the shows that they have are very much like post newborns and their props and 412 00:26:34,780 --> 00:26:37,140 backdrops and business. 413 00:26:37,140 --> 00:26:41,780 And there isn't a lot of space for personal stuff. 414 00:26:41,780 --> 00:26:45,620 And this one seemed like it was going to be different already from the outset. 415 00:26:45,620 --> 00:26:47,420 So I was 100%. 416 00:26:47,420 --> 00:26:49,740 I was like their number one fan everywhere. 417 00:26:49,740 --> 00:26:53,380 I was totally fan girling over the whole thing. 418 00:26:53,380 --> 00:26:59,420 And then as the community grew and stuff overlocked down and I just wanted to become a part of 419 00:26:59,420 --> 00:27:00,420 it. 420 00:27:00,420 --> 00:27:05,620 And they asked for moderators for their Instagram and stuff like that. 421 00:27:05,620 --> 00:27:12,620 I jumped on board and I've been doing so since it has quieted down a lot now from the way 422 00:27:12,620 --> 00:27:14,620 it was, most of the groups have. 423 00:27:14,620 --> 00:27:16,620 Yeah, just the nature. 424 00:27:16,620 --> 00:27:19,980 Back to normal life, haven't we? 425 00:27:19,980 --> 00:27:25,420 But it's still for me, it was a very important part of my sanity during lockdown and a creative 426 00:27:25,420 --> 00:27:27,820 outlet and the community for me. 427 00:27:27,820 --> 00:27:31,380 And so I really wanted to give back in that way. 428 00:27:31,380 --> 00:27:38,660 And For the Love of the Photograph is actually based on a book that another photographer 429 00:27:38,660 --> 00:27:44,980 who's based in New Zealand, she wrote Chloe Lodge and she just wrote this book and it 430 00:27:44,980 --> 00:27:50,420 was all about personal photography and capturing your everyday and seeing the light and just 431 00:27:50,420 --> 00:27:53,340 letting it speak to you and having a slow process. 432 00:27:53,340 --> 00:27:56,060 And she started a group and of course the Instagram page. 433 00:27:56,060 --> 00:27:59,580 Of course I was also fangirling over that. 434 00:27:59,580 --> 00:28:04,620 And when she was looking for moderators and stuff, she asked, I was like, yes, absolutely. 435 00:28:04,620 --> 00:28:07,860 So I joined in on that as well. 436 00:28:07,860 --> 00:28:11,700 I am part of other groups as well, but I can't do everything. 437 00:28:11,700 --> 00:28:14,700 So I had to stop myself. 438 00:28:14,700 --> 00:28:19,740 Oh yeah, I know. 439 00:28:19,740 --> 00:28:24,740 It's hard to, is there, oh, this is what we're talking about this morning when I was chatting 440 00:28:24,740 --> 00:28:29,300 to someone else was this, we've got lists of things we want to do and there's only so 441 00:28:29,300 --> 00:28:34,500 much time that we've got, you know, and it's hard to pick the things to focus on. 442 00:28:34,500 --> 00:28:36,740 It's hard to weed it out. 443 00:28:36,740 --> 00:28:38,580 My list is extensively long. 444 00:28:38,580 --> 00:28:40,540 I actually, I'm going to record a podcast. 445 00:28:40,540 --> 00:28:45,980 I have written, I need to record a podcast about like the craziness of the creative mind 446 00:28:45,980 --> 00:28:54,100 and all the way that your thoughts from one thing can just become this huge thing. 447 00:28:54,100 --> 00:28:57,540 So yeah, that's funny that you mentioned that as well. 448 00:28:57,540 --> 00:29:00,980 It's just like, oh my gosh, it's like the list is so long. 449 00:29:00,980 --> 00:29:07,940 It's a book of its own of things that you want to do and learn and try and experiment 450 00:29:07,940 --> 00:29:10,100 and try and do it. 451 00:29:10,100 --> 00:29:12,500 It's just like, yeah, it really is. 452 00:29:12,500 --> 00:29:13,500 Isn't it? 453 00:29:13,500 --> 00:29:19,420 I find that sometimes I get a lot of my ideas in the shower or when I'm swimming, like there's 454 00:29:19,420 --> 00:29:25,660 something about being in water or movement that gets, I don't know, my ideas come really 455 00:29:25,660 --> 00:29:30,260 easily and often I'll like be in the shower and think, oh, that's a good idea for a song 456 00:29:30,260 --> 00:29:33,820 or I'll get a tune in my head and I'll have to jump out and quickly like record on my 457 00:29:33,820 --> 00:29:39,020 phone or quickly make notes and like, oh, I'm so, you know, inspired and invigorated. 458 00:29:39,020 --> 00:29:43,060 And then I go, oh, now I've got to go make the lunches for school, you know, just back 459 00:29:43,060 --> 00:29:44,060 to reality. 460 00:29:44,060 --> 00:29:48,740 That's the thing I find hardest when you get in a tangent or you're on a roll and then 461 00:29:48,740 --> 00:29:51,660 it's like you've brought back to earth so quickly. 462 00:29:51,660 --> 00:29:52,660 Yeah. 463 00:29:52,660 --> 00:29:55,660 By the scream of, Mum, I'm hungry. 464 00:29:55,660 --> 00:29:56,660 Yeah. 465 00:29:56,660 --> 00:29:57,660 That's mine usually. 466 00:29:57,660 --> 00:30:25,580 Oh, dear. 467 00:30:25,580 --> 00:30:28,020 So speaking of, Mum, I'm hungry. 468 00:30:28,020 --> 00:30:29,020 So you've got two children. 469 00:30:29,020 --> 00:30:32,020 That's a great segue, wasn't it? 470 00:30:32,020 --> 00:30:33,020 Sorry. 471 00:30:33,020 --> 00:30:35,460 So have you got two girls or a boy to girl? 472 00:30:35,460 --> 00:30:36,460 Two girls. 473 00:30:36,460 --> 00:30:37,460 Two girls. 474 00:30:37,460 --> 00:30:38,460 Well, that's fun. 475 00:30:38,460 --> 00:30:39,460 I haven't got any girls. 476 00:30:39,460 --> 00:30:40,460 I got two boys. 477 00:30:40,460 --> 00:30:41,460 There you go. 478 00:30:41,460 --> 00:30:44,460 It's either all or nothing. 479 00:30:44,460 --> 00:30:45,860 Oh, dear. 480 00:30:45,860 --> 00:30:56,260 So do you girls see that you do things for yourself that don't involve the mothering 481 00:30:56,260 --> 00:30:57,260 role? 482 00:30:57,260 --> 00:31:02,020 I guess your nine-year-old would probably be aware that you're, you know, you're a 483 00:31:02,020 --> 00:31:04,500 photographer and you do all these other really cool things. 484 00:31:04,500 --> 00:31:10,140 Is it important to you that they see that, that you still have an identity that's not 485 00:31:10,140 --> 00:31:11,140 related to them? 486 00:31:11,140 --> 00:31:12,140 Absolutely. 487 00:31:12,140 --> 00:31:13,140 In a nice way. 488 00:31:13,140 --> 00:31:14,140 Yeah. 489 00:31:14,140 --> 00:31:15,140 No, no, absolutely. 490 00:31:15,140 --> 00:31:18,260 I know exactly what you mean. 491 00:31:18,260 --> 00:31:23,140 And it is important for me to do that and have my space. 492 00:31:23,140 --> 00:31:25,540 I've always been a person that has needed her space. 493 00:31:25,540 --> 00:31:27,300 I love being with people. 494 00:31:27,300 --> 00:31:34,660 I call myself an extroverted introvert because I do enjoy being with people. 495 00:31:34,660 --> 00:31:36,820 I love being part of communities. 496 00:31:36,820 --> 00:31:42,340 I love going out and being creative and learning things and exploring things and travelling 497 00:31:42,340 --> 00:31:45,620 and seeing things and, you know, living life. 498 00:31:45,620 --> 00:31:47,180 But I also need time to recharge. 499 00:31:47,180 --> 00:31:51,660 And I always have needed times for me where it's just me alone. 500 00:31:51,660 --> 00:31:56,300 And even as a kid, I needed my space as a teenager, same thing. 501 00:31:56,300 --> 00:32:00,460 I always needed to like have a space where I could lock myself in and just do something 502 00:32:00,460 --> 00:32:05,860 for me, which usually ended up being something creative. 503 00:32:05,860 --> 00:32:13,020 But I kind of lost that for a while, especially when the girls were really little. 504 00:32:13,020 --> 00:32:18,540 It was just either I was mom and between naps, I was trying to get this business off the 505 00:32:18,540 --> 00:32:22,380 ground and then it was kids and then it was the business and then it was the kids and 506 00:32:22,380 --> 00:32:23,380 then it was the business. 507 00:32:23,380 --> 00:32:24,380 And that's all it was. 508 00:32:24,380 --> 00:32:27,180 It was either work or family. 509 00:32:27,180 --> 00:32:32,140 And for a while there and I was like at a certain point, I was like, I need something. 510 00:32:32,140 --> 00:32:34,300 I need to do creative outlet. 511 00:32:34,300 --> 00:32:36,340 I need to do something for me. 512 00:32:36,340 --> 00:32:41,500 And although I was doing like little photo project kind of mini things for me, like taking, 513 00:32:41,500 --> 00:32:45,820 you know, I have a 365 project, which is a photo a day basically. 514 00:32:45,820 --> 00:32:48,820 And then I put it in a little album at the end of the year. 515 00:32:48,820 --> 00:32:51,340 And it's just like the year in review kind of thing. 516 00:32:51,340 --> 00:32:58,940 So I was still I was kind of doing that, but I wasn't really doing anything else for me. 517 00:32:58,940 --> 00:33:06,140 So as soon as my oldest one started school, because here they start at four years old 518 00:33:06,140 --> 00:33:07,140 reception. 519 00:33:07,140 --> 00:33:12,020 It's like kindergarten kind of thing at four years old. 520 00:33:12,020 --> 00:33:15,140 And then the other one was starting preschool. 521 00:33:15,140 --> 00:33:19,140 So she was at nursery three days a week doing like preschool things. 522 00:33:19,140 --> 00:33:22,220 I found myself with more time. 523 00:33:22,220 --> 00:33:28,660 And first I threw it all into getting the business really going and self-sustaining. 524 00:33:28,660 --> 00:33:31,900 And I didn't time any of that for me. 525 00:33:31,900 --> 00:33:35,660 And I just work, work, work, work, work when they were there kids. 526 00:33:35,660 --> 00:33:36,940 But then I said, you know what? 527 00:33:36,940 --> 00:33:37,940 Damn it. 528 00:33:37,940 --> 00:33:39,660 I need 10 minutes for myself. 529 00:33:39,660 --> 00:33:42,420 So I started to go on a walk outside. 530 00:33:42,420 --> 00:33:44,940 I took my camera and I go we're in the countryside. 531 00:33:44,940 --> 00:33:50,380 We're in a small village, got tons of fields out there right now. 532 00:33:50,380 --> 00:33:53,700 And so I was like, I'm just going for a walk. 533 00:33:53,700 --> 00:33:55,700 And I felt so good. 534 00:33:55,700 --> 00:34:00,580 I started with 10 minutes, 10 minutes. 535 00:34:00,580 --> 00:34:06,460 And you know, I would do it when the kids were away, when they weren't around. 536 00:34:06,460 --> 00:34:14,580 But as things started to progress, I started to pick up and learn new creative things, 537 00:34:14,580 --> 00:34:15,580 new hobbies. 538 00:34:15,580 --> 00:34:16,580 Like I learned macrame. 539 00:34:16,580 --> 00:34:17,580 Yeah, yeah. 540 00:34:17,580 --> 00:34:21,060 Yeah, I learned how to macrame. 541 00:34:21,060 --> 00:34:25,540 And so I would sit down on the weekends and say to the kids, mommy's doing some crafty 542 00:34:25,540 --> 00:34:26,540 stuff. 543 00:34:26,540 --> 00:34:30,980 And I would macrame some wall hanging or something like that on the weekends. 544 00:34:30,980 --> 00:34:33,180 And they would watch me sometimes. 545 00:34:33,180 --> 00:34:35,300 And I was like, this is mommy time. 546 00:34:35,300 --> 00:34:42,220 And so I started to put that thing down there that this was mommy time. 547 00:34:42,220 --> 00:34:49,020 And it's slowly evolved into having an actual day in my schedule where it's my personal 548 00:34:49,020 --> 00:34:50,020 day. 549 00:34:50,020 --> 00:34:51,020 I love it. 550 00:34:51,020 --> 00:34:52,020 Yeah. 551 00:34:52,020 --> 00:34:54,900 So every Thursday is where I do stuff for me. 552 00:34:54,900 --> 00:34:57,260 So I go to my yoga lesson. 553 00:34:57,260 --> 00:35:05,840 I work on either a personal photography project or I work on learning a new skill on my long 554 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:09,580 list of creative things I want to learn how to do. 555 00:35:09,580 --> 00:35:13,100 So I'll spend that's my time while they're at school. 556 00:35:13,100 --> 00:35:14,380 That's my time. 557 00:35:14,380 --> 00:35:19,760 And then on the weekends, I will, you know, I'll say I need an hour to work on my cross 558 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:22,620 stitch or whatever I've been working on as a project. 559 00:35:22,620 --> 00:35:23,620 And they see me. 560 00:35:23,620 --> 00:35:24,620 I go off. 561 00:35:24,620 --> 00:35:25,620 I'm doing my own thing. 562 00:35:25,620 --> 00:35:29,380 And sometimes I involve them because especially with the older one, we have a lot of things 563 00:35:29,380 --> 00:35:36,220 in common that we like to do, like being out in nature and learning about natural things, 564 00:35:36,220 --> 00:35:37,220 foraging. 565 00:35:37,220 --> 00:35:40,380 So she'll come with me and we'll like forage some food and then we'll make it together 566 00:35:40,380 --> 00:35:43,820 and stuff like that, which I started for me. 567 00:35:43,820 --> 00:35:45,340 But then she seems involved in it. 568 00:35:45,340 --> 00:35:48,500 And I said to her, this is good because this is for you as well. 569 00:35:48,500 --> 00:35:51,260 And she's doing it without her sister, but without her friends. 570 00:35:51,260 --> 00:35:53,420 This is her thing that she likes to do. 571 00:35:53,420 --> 00:35:58,800 And I'm trying to also encourage my youngest slowly because she's still very young to kind 572 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:00,580 of find her own thing as well. 573 00:36:00,580 --> 00:36:04,220 And it's just something that she likes and it's for her, but she doesn't have to do with 574 00:36:04,220 --> 00:36:08,940 her sister or her friends or me or her father or anyone. 575 00:36:08,940 --> 00:36:13,220 And yeah, so that's kind of how it's evolved. 576 00:36:13,220 --> 00:36:17,660 And so as it stands now, I have a day which I dedicate to things for me. 577 00:36:17,660 --> 00:36:18,660 And that's it. 578 00:36:18,660 --> 00:36:19,660 Good on you. 579 00:36:19,660 --> 00:36:25,540 And I love that you're instilling that in your girls from a young age that it's important 580 00:36:25,540 --> 00:36:46,700 to have that, you know, that thing that is yours. 581 00:36:46,700 --> 00:37:00,620 Did you find that when you weren't getting that time to do your own personal creativity, 582 00:37:00,620 --> 00:37:06,380 did you feel like your own identity was literally being taken away from you or threatened? 583 00:37:06,380 --> 00:37:10,620 I felt like I was just mom, mom or Elora the photographer. 584 00:37:10,620 --> 00:37:12,820 But I wasn't Elora. 585 00:37:12,820 --> 00:37:15,100 I was just mom. 586 00:37:15,100 --> 00:37:22,580 And yeah, and so I really, I felt like I was going down in this spiral of just stress and 587 00:37:22,580 --> 00:37:23,580 anxiety. 588 00:37:23,580 --> 00:37:27,340 I mean, I've always been a kind of anxious person, but you know, it was just getting 589 00:37:27,340 --> 00:37:28,340 worse. 590 00:37:28,340 --> 00:37:32,900 And I realized that there was one thing that had changed in my life besides becoming a 591 00:37:32,900 --> 00:37:34,660 mom. 592 00:37:34,660 --> 00:37:38,580 And it was that I had no space for me. 593 00:37:38,580 --> 00:37:43,380 So I started with those tiny little walks and I expanded it from there. 594 00:37:43,380 --> 00:37:47,340 And now I have a good check of time that's for me and I'm happy with that. 595 00:37:47,340 --> 00:37:54,460 And I feel like I am more balanced and I am a better mom to them as a consequence, because 596 00:37:54,460 --> 00:37:57,860 when it's time to be with them, I am with them. 597 00:37:57,860 --> 00:38:02,340 All of me is with them. 598 00:38:02,340 --> 00:38:07,580 And if you're anything like me, you feel quite sort of regulated and settled because you've 599 00:38:07,580 --> 00:38:10,180 had your needs met in the way that you need them. 600 00:38:10,180 --> 00:38:15,780 Like that sort of analogy of like your cup's full, like you can't pour from an empty cup. 601 00:38:15,780 --> 00:38:16,780 I just, I don't know. 602 00:38:16,780 --> 00:38:17,780 Do you feel that way? 603 00:38:17,780 --> 00:38:18,780 Yeah, no, I agree. 604 00:38:18,780 --> 00:38:27,380 Because, you know, for some people, it's like a spa day is what helps them to recharge and 605 00:38:27,380 --> 00:38:28,380 do their thing. 606 00:38:28,380 --> 00:38:29,380 That's not me. 607 00:38:29,380 --> 00:38:30,380 I am not. 608 00:38:30,380 --> 00:38:31,380 I get bored. 609 00:38:31,380 --> 00:38:32,380 I like it once in a while. 610 00:38:32,380 --> 00:38:33,380 Don't get me wrong. 611 00:38:33,380 --> 00:38:37,820 But the idea of going and having my nails done and stuff like that, it's just like, 612 00:38:37,820 --> 00:38:39,820 I've got better stuff to do with my time. 613 00:38:39,820 --> 00:38:40,820 Yeah. 614 00:38:40,820 --> 00:38:42,820 You've got a big long list of things you want to do. 615 00:38:42,820 --> 00:38:49,420 Yeah, I'd rather spend that on craft supplies, like, duh. 616 00:38:49,420 --> 00:38:52,420 Painting something else rather than someone painting your nails. 617 00:38:52,420 --> 00:38:54,420 No, I love that. 618 00:38:54,420 --> 00:38:56,420 No, good on you. 619 00:38:56,420 --> 00:38:58,420 We all have our things. 620 00:38:58,420 --> 00:38:59,420 Yeah. 621 00:38:59,420 --> 00:39:03,900 And that whole idea of actually communicating your needs, I feel like that's something that 622 00:39:03,900 --> 00:39:10,140 perhaps I might be generalizing, but women seem to not be that good at doing because 623 00:39:10,140 --> 00:39:12,860 we have all these expectations of what we're supposed to be. 624 00:39:12,860 --> 00:39:16,860 Society and the patriarchy encourages us to be a particular way. 625 00:39:16,860 --> 00:39:21,140 And so we think, oh, if I say that I need help with something or I want something, it's 626 00:39:21,140 --> 00:39:27,020 almost like we're not living up to that idealized, I'm putting these in air quotes, like this 627 00:39:27,020 --> 00:39:29,100 way we're supposed to be. 628 00:39:29,100 --> 00:39:30,100 Yeah. 629 00:39:30,100 --> 00:39:33,460 Do you feel like that's a fair assumption? 630 00:39:33,460 --> 00:39:34,780 Oh, I've had that. 631 00:39:34,780 --> 00:39:35,780 I've had that. 632 00:39:35,780 --> 00:39:41,940 And I still have moments where I have that, like the house is a bomb. 633 00:39:41,940 --> 00:39:44,420 I love looking at interior decorating magazines. 634 00:39:44,420 --> 00:39:51,500 Like, ah, the houses are so pretty and the color palette and it's so tidy and all these 635 00:39:51,500 --> 00:39:52,860 ideas for organization. 636 00:39:52,860 --> 00:39:55,220 I'm like, yeah, I'm totally doing that. 637 00:39:55,220 --> 00:39:57,220 And I'll buy all the stuff. 638 00:39:57,220 --> 00:40:02,420 I'll spend a whole day reorganizing the bookshelf only for three days later to look like it 639 00:40:02,420 --> 00:40:05,220 did before because nobody uses the system. 640 00:40:05,220 --> 00:40:09,380 And it's like, why am I incapable of doing that? 641 00:40:09,380 --> 00:40:13,500 Or just like the laundry kids ran out of uniforms. 642 00:40:13,500 --> 00:40:16,700 I'm like crap, just Febreze one from before. 643 00:40:16,700 --> 00:40:17,940 I can't do it. 644 00:40:17,940 --> 00:40:22,100 And then you see all the kids with their uniforms pressed and perfect and you're like, damn 645 00:40:22,100 --> 00:40:24,700 it, I suck at being a mom. 646 00:40:24,700 --> 00:40:26,380 And stuff like that. 647 00:40:26,380 --> 00:40:27,820 Or various things. 648 00:40:27,820 --> 00:40:33,540 I've forgotten to bring things into school or donate money for this or forgotten to take 649 00:40:33,540 --> 00:40:36,700 a child to this after school. 650 00:40:36,700 --> 00:40:37,700 All these things. 651 00:40:37,700 --> 00:40:39,420 And I'm like, I suck. 652 00:40:39,420 --> 00:40:40,420 I'm so bad. 653 00:40:40,420 --> 00:40:41,420 I am the worst mom ever. 654 00:40:41,420 --> 00:40:42,420 Oh my God. 655 00:40:42,420 --> 00:40:43,420 How many people do it? 656 00:40:43,420 --> 00:40:46,420 What's wrong with me that I can't do it? 657 00:40:46,420 --> 00:40:48,620 All these things. 658 00:40:48,620 --> 00:40:49,620 I get those moments. 659 00:40:49,620 --> 00:40:52,140 And then there's other days when I say, you know what? 660 00:40:52,140 --> 00:40:53,820 I only have 24 hours in a day. 661 00:40:53,820 --> 00:40:57,540 I need to sleep six, seven, preferably eight of them. 662 00:40:57,540 --> 00:41:04,900 And if I take away my actual work hours and I take away this and that, there's only this 663 00:41:04,900 --> 00:41:07,860 much left and I can only handle so much in my brain. 664 00:41:07,860 --> 00:41:08,860 And that's it. 665 00:41:08,860 --> 00:41:11,420 If it doesn't get done, I apologize to the kids. 666 00:41:11,420 --> 00:41:14,100 I'm like, kids, I'm sorry. 667 00:41:14,100 --> 00:41:15,100 Mommy didn't get to it. 668 00:41:15,100 --> 00:41:17,100 You'll have to just adjust. 669 00:41:17,100 --> 00:41:19,780 Next time maybe mommy will be better. 670 00:41:19,780 --> 00:41:20,780 You know? 671 00:41:20,780 --> 00:41:24,100 But even it's like, it's life, isn't it? 672 00:41:24,100 --> 00:41:26,340 Like there's just so much being thrown at us. 673 00:41:26,340 --> 00:41:30,740 And I feel like this, the mental load, which people are using this term a lot now, it's 674 00:41:30,740 --> 00:41:32,300 the perfect way to describe it. 675 00:41:32,300 --> 00:41:38,660 It's literally, you know, I used to wonder, you know, until I knew what that word meant 676 00:41:38,660 --> 00:41:43,540 or what, you know, the description behind it, I didn't know that's what I was feeling. 677 00:41:43,540 --> 00:41:47,340 When I got that description of what it is, I went, oh my God, no wonder I can't concentrate. 678 00:41:47,340 --> 00:41:48,540 No wonder I get distracted. 679 00:41:48,540 --> 00:41:54,140 No wonder, you know, things fall off the earth because there's just so much going on in my 680 00:41:54,140 --> 00:41:55,140 head. 681 00:41:55,140 --> 00:41:58,940 Whether I'm doing stuff or not, this head thing doesn't ever stop. 682 00:41:58,940 --> 00:42:01,100 You're always thinking, it stops. 683 00:42:01,100 --> 00:42:02,100 It's just insane. 684 00:42:02,100 --> 00:42:06,620 Swearing me out, just talking about it. 685 00:42:06,620 --> 00:42:09,020 Oh man. 686 00:42:09,020 --> 00:42:10,020 Yeah. 687 00:42:10,020 --> 00:42:13,020 No, no, no. 688 00:42:13,020 --> 00:42:16,580 Modern life, I guess, but anyway. 689 00:42:16,580 --> 00:42:17,580 So yeah, that's good. 690 00:42:17,580 --> 00:42:19,940 Cause I like to talk about identity. 691 00:42:19,940 --> 00:42:23,740 So I'm glad we've talked about that and I can definitely relate to what you're saying. 692 00:42:23,740 --> 00:42:27,060 I'm the sort of person that I need a lot of time on my own. 693 00:42:27,060 --> 00:42:28,060 Like same thing. 694 00:42:28,060 --> 00:42:29,060 I love being with people. 695 00:42:29,060 --> 00:42:30,060 I love socializing. 696 00:42:30,060 --> 00:42:36,980 I love doing stuff and going places, but damn, I need a bit of time to, to recompress, recompress 697 00:42:36,980 --> 00:42:39,900 afterwards. 698 00:42:39,900 --> 00:42:40,900 Just doing nothing. 699 00:42:40,900 --> 00:42:45,580 Actually, there was a post I shared on my Instagram a couple of days ago about like 700 00:42:45,580 --> 00:42:48,800 creative people need time to do nothing. 701 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:51,380 It's literally a requirement of the creative brain. 702 00:42:51,380 --> 00:42:52,380 Yeah. 703 00:42:52,380 --> 00:42:56,020 So that's what I remind myself if I'm feeling like, Oh, I probably should fold that washing. 704 00:42:56,020 --> 00:42:58,260 It's like, no, you need time to just do nothing. 705 00:42:58,260 --> 00:42:59,260 It's okay. 706 00:42:59,260 --> 00:43:00,260 Yep. 707 00:43:00,260 --> 00:43:01,260 Just lay on the bed. 708 00:43:01,260 --> 00:43:27,860 Yeah. 709 00:43:27,860 --> 00:43:32,060 That actually brings me to another topic that I really like to talk to moms about, which 710 00:43:32,060 --> 00:43:34,020 is this whole mom guilt thing. 711 00:43:34,020 --> 00:43:36,700 And I'm putting that in air quotes again. 712 00:43:36,700 --> 00:43:44,180 Do you have any thoughts or feelings about the mom guilt conundrum? 713 00:43:44,180 --> 00:43:45,620 Conundrum, yeah. 714 00:43:45,620 --> 00:43:48,900 Mom guilt is real. 715 00:43:48,900 --> 00:43:49,900 There is no doubt. 716 00:43:49,900 --> 00:43:53,380 It's not just stuff that's made up. 717 00:43:53,380 --> 00:43:58,780 You know, it's a societal pressure to do it all and do it perfectly. 718 00:43:58,780 --> 00:44:04,460 And there are other moms who appear to do it all. 719 00:44:04,460 --> 00:44:08,900 But what we don't see is the stuff that they're struggling with on the other end, you know, 720 00:44:08,900 --> 00:44:14,820 so they're doing great on one side, but are they really doing great on the other? 721 00:44:14,820 --> 00:44:21,980 And I think it's something that I think it comes naturally as us because once you become 722 00:44:21,980 --> 00:44:24,900 a mother, it's like you change, right? 723 00:44:24,900 --> 00:44:32,220 You are, you become more nurturing and caring and you worry more. 724 00:44:32,220 --> 00:44:38,700 You worry more about your offspring because that's, I think, mother nature's way. 725 00:44:38,700 --> 00:44:40,620 That's how we survive as a species. 726 00:44:40,620 --> 00:44:44,980 We need to take care of our little ones so they can grow up and continue to procreate 727 00:44:44,980 --> 00:44:46,460 and keep the species going. 728 00:44:46,460 --> 00:44:52,660 And I think that something happens inside of us to most people. 729 00:44:52,660 --> 00:44:55,700 Not everyone's cut out to be a mom and that's your choice, right? 730 00:44:55,700 --> 00:45:03,780 But for most people, you tend to want to take care of and make everything perfect for your 731 00:45:03,780 --> 00:45:04,780 little people. 732 00:45:04,780 --> 00:45:07,300 You want to do the right thing. 733 00:45:07,300 --> 00:45:09,380 But what is the right thing? 734 00:45:09,380 --> 00:45:15,060 Because 10 different people will tell you 10 different things is the right thing. 735 00:45:15,060 --> 00:45:19,260 Like I think about when I was pregnant and I was researching and I was like, should I 736 00:45:19,260 --> 00:45:20,260 breastfeed? 737 00:45:20,260 --> 00:45:21,260 Should I not breastfeed? 738 00:45:21,260 --> 00:45:22,260 Is formula better? 739 00:45:22,260 --> 00:45:23,500 Is breast milk better? 740 00:45:23,500 --> 00:45:24,500 What happens if? 741 00:45:24,500 --> 00:45:25,500 What happens if? 742 00:45:25,500 --> 00:45:26,500 Blah, blah, blah. 743 00:45:26,500 --> 00:45:27,500 What's this probe? 744 00:45:27,500 --> 00:45:28,500 What's this con? 745 00:45:28,500 --> 00:45:32,260 And my head exploded and that was even before she was born. 746 00:45:32,260 --> 00:45:38,020 And then I made my choices and I managed with difficulty to go through that with the 747 00:45:38,020 --> 00:45:39,780 first one, especially. 748 00:45:39,780 --> 00:45:44,900 I wanted to breastfeed and I had trouble with my milk because we had a bit of a fun birth. 749 00:45:44,900 --> 00:45:49,020 So it was all things, but I persisted and we managed and then, you know, and then that 750 00:45:49,020 --> 00:45:52,980 screwed me over when she was older because I couldn't send her to nursery for a full 751 00:45:52,980 --> 00:45:55,860 day because she refused to take anything from milk in a bottle. 752 00:45:55,860 --> 00:45:56,860 Yeah. 753 00:45:56,860 --> 00:46:00,660 Even if it was my milk and I expressed it and I gave it to her in a bottle. 754 00:46:00,660 --> 00:46:01,660 Nope. 755 00:46:01,660 --> 00:46:02,660 Neither of them took bottles ever. 756 00:46:02,660 --> 00:46:06,100 So I screwed myself over in a way. 757 00:46:06,100 --> 00:46:09,380 But I felt at the time that that's what I should do. 758 00:46:09,380 --> 00:46:13,580 But then there was people like even my own mother, she's like, oh, just put some formula 759 00:46:13,580 --> 00:46:15,500 in a bottle, stick some pavlova in it. 760 00:46:15,500 --> 00:46:16,500 That's what I did with you. 761 00:46:16,500 --> 00:46:21,340 And I'm like, I'm like, you know, mom, things have changed. 762 00:46:21,340 --> 00:46:24,980 It's different parenting, isn't it? 763 00:46:24,980 --> 00:46:26,180 I prefer it this way. 764 00:46:26,180 --> 00:46:28,060 She's like, ah, rod for your own back. 765 00:46:28,060 --> 00:46:31,300 You know, the old saying, right? 766 00:46:31,300 --> 00:46:35,460 But you know, even within my own family, I had, you know, my mother-in-law saying one 767 00:46:35,460 --> 00:46:39,660 thing, my own mom saying another, my friend saying this, you know, my sister-in-law, that 768 00:46:39,660 --> 00:46:46,900 that friends this, you know, internet saying 400,000 things, the leading expert, the nurse, 769 00:46:46,900 --> 00:46:50,580 the midwife, everyone said something different. 770 00:46:50,580 --> 00:46:54,660 And it's like, you're going to feel guilty no matter what you choose. 771 00:46:54,660 --> 00:46:55,940 There's no other way. 772 00:46:55,940 --> 00:47:02,500 Yeah, because it's set up that way that no matter what you choose between A to Z, one 773 00:47:02,500 --> 00:47:06,020 of those things is going to be wrong for someone and you're going to feel guilty about it. 774 00:47:06,020 --> 00:47:08,020 And they're going to make you feel guilty about it. 775 00:47:08,020 --> 00:47:12,460 And for years and years, I let the guilt take over. 776 00:47:12,460 --> 00:47:17,460 I, you know, I said, you know, I have, I still have moments now where I'm like, oh, I'm such 777 00:47:17,460 --> 00:47:20,940 a terrible mom because I forgot this or forgot that. 778 00:47:20,940 --> 00:47:24,780 And then I'm trying to physically stop myself. 779 00:47:24,780 --> 00:47:32,340 You know, I'm really consciously trying to eradicate that guilt out of it because I realized 780 00:47:32,340 --> 00:47:34,660 that I say it out loud. 781 00:47:34,660 --> 00:47:37,500 You know, I'm like, oh, I'm such a bad mom. 782 00:47:37,500 --> 00:47:38,860 I totally forgot. 783 00:47:38,860 --> 00:47:40,780 I'm so sorry, kids. 784 00:47:40,780 --> 00:47:45,020 You know, mommy will try better next time. 785 00:47:45,020 --> 00:47:47,180 And then I'm like, I'm a bad mom? 786 00:47:47,180 --> 00:47:48,980 Why am I feeling guilty? 787 00:47:48,980 --> 00:47:53,060 Because I had to work and I couldn't take them to this birthday party or whatever. 788 00:47:53,060 --> 00:47:55,300 You know, I'm not bad. 789 00:47:55,300 --> 00:48:00,920 I happen to have to work, which is what lots of people do, to put food on the table to 790 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:05,620 allow them to go to said parties to buy gifts for these friends. 791 00:48:05,620 --> 00:48:12,380 So I'm trying to consciously, if I hear myself say, oh, I'm such a bad mom, I say, actually, 792 00:48:12,380 --> 00:48:14,820 no, I'm just a little overwhelmed mom. 793 00:48:14,820 --> 00:48:15,820 Yeah. 794 00:48:15,820 --> 00:48:17,580 I try and rephrase it. 795 00:48:17,580 --> 00:48:22,980 And I tell them that I still apologize because I think it's right to, you know, recognize 796 00:48:22,980 --> 00:48:27,140 their feelings and that they're frustrated because they can't go to that party or whatever. 797 00:48:27,140 --> 00:48:33,580 But I still, I try and say to them, you know, I'm not a bad person and I shouldn't feel 798 00:48:33,580 --> 00:48:34,980 guilty about it. 799 00:48:34,980 --> 00:48:40,700 I feel sorry that I can't fulfill your desire today, but maybe we could do it tomorrow. 800 00:48:40,700 --> 00:48:42,700 Yeah, yeah. 801 00:48:42,700 --> 00:48:45,460 But you know, and I'm trying to consciously do that. 802 00:48:45,460 --> 00:48:49,460 It's like, you know, when you see yourself in the mirror, you're like, oh, the flab, 803 00:48:49,460 --> 00:48:53,380 you know, and it's like, no, this is my story. 804 00:48:53,380 --> 00:48:58,240 I had two kids, my belly has been stretched beyond compare and I'm impressed it's already 805 00:48:58,240 --> 00:49:00,740 gone back as much as it has. 806 00:49:00,740 --> 00:49:06,980 I should be impressed that I'm still not a watermelon, you know? 807 00:49:06,980 --> 00:49:09,260 Yeah, that's it, isn't it? 808 00:49:09,260 --> 00:49:10,260 Yeah. 809 00:49:10,260 --> 00:49:17,940 It's like, I'm trying to consciously change and reframe myself and my words because I 810 00:49:17,940 --> 00:49:20,260 know that they are going to affect them. 811 00:49:20,260 --> 00:49:26,160 And for when they decide to be moms, if they so choose to be moms, I don't want them to 812 00:49:26,160 --> 00:49:32,180 have to feel the weight of it from themselves because society is already going to put so 813 00:49:32,180 --> 00:49:33,180 much on them. 814 00:49:33,180 --> 00:49:35,180 Yeah, that's it, isn't it? 815 00:49:35,180 --> 00:49:36,180 Yeah. 816 00:49:36,180 --> 00:49:40,460 And I want them to feel safe in their own and safe in their own skin and in their own 817 00:49:40,460 --> 00:49:45,520 thoughts and being able to make their own choices and not feel bad that their choice 818 00:49:45,520 --> 00:49:50,180 is going to go against the grain for person X or person Y. 819 00:49:50,180 --> 00:49:53,900 Doesn't matter because it'll be fine for person A, you know? 820 00:49:53,900 --> 00:49:56,100 Yeah, no, I could on you. 821 00:49:56,100 --> 00:49:57,100 That's very inspiring. 822 00:49:57,100 --> 00:49:59,140 That was very long and rambly. 823 00:49:59,140 --> 00:50:02,980 No, no, that was great because yeah, that's the thing. 824 00:50:02,980 --> 00:50:07,300 If we're in tune enough to be able to catch these thoughts, whatever they may be, but 825 00:50:07,300 --> 00:50:11,520 particularly around guilt, I think is really important because we are literally fighting 826 00:50:11,520 --> 00:50:12,520 an uphill battle. 827 00:50:12,520 --> 00:50:17,300 Like you said, the scales are tipped against us. 828 00:50:17,300 --> 00:50:18,740 They're not in our favor. 829 00:50:18,740 --> 00:50:22,460 And anything we do is going to be judged by somebody else, whether it's in real life or 830 00:50:22,460 --> 00:50:28,860 on the internet or, you know, we judge ourselves by what we see someone's doing on Instagram. 831 00:50:28,860 --> 00:50:31,980 If we can catch that and go, actually hang on a minute. 832 00:50:31,980 --> 00:50:34,340 I'm actually a really good mom. 833 00:50:34,340 --> 00:50:38,740 And like I said, overwhelmed at the minute or I'm just having a bit of an off day or 834 00:50:38,740 --> 00:50:40,420 whoops, never mind. 835 00:50:40,420 --> 00:50:45,900 Like, you know, like just giving ourselves a break, cutting ourselves some slack and 836 00:50:45,900 --> 00:50:48,660 not being so hard on ourselves, I think. 837 00:50:48,660 --> 00:50:49,660 That's true. 838 00:50:49,660 --> 00:50:50,660 Yeah. 839 00:50:50,660 --> 00:50:52,780 It's frustrating because you want to do it all. 840 00:50:52,780 --> 00:50:57,500 Maybe your brain wants to do it all, but your body can't handle it and time constraints 841 00:50:57,500 --> 00:50:58,740 just can't do it. 842 00:50:58,740 --> 00:51:05,540 And it's also being kind to yourself and realizing that you can't juggle everything. 843 00:51:05,540 --> 00:51:11,380 And I think that's the first step is to recognize that we are not machines. 844 00:51:11,380 --> 00:51:17,740 We are human and we can only do so much with what we have. 845 00:51:17,740 --> 00:51:18,740 That's it, isn't it? 846 00:51:18,740 --> 00:51:23,900 And being mindful that, you know, when we're being told these things, you know, particularly 847 00:51:23,900 --> 00:51:31,580 from women or whoever's from other generations, when they raised children, it was a completely 848 00:51:31,580 --> 00:51:33,300 different social setup. 849 00:51:33,300 --> 00:51:37,340 You know, there wasn't two parents usually working. 850 00:51:37,340 --> 00:51:40,500 It was one parent at the home all the time. 851 00:51:40,500 --> 00:51:46,780 And so, you know, maybe things were different and achievable on different levels. 852 00:51:46,780 --> 00:51:51,660 So yeah, putting things in context, I think can be useful and not just taking somebody's 853 00:51:51,660 --> 00:51:54,340 advice and going, oh no, I can't do that. 854 00:51:54,340 --> 00:51:55,340 I must be really bad. 855 00:51:55,340 --> 00:51:59,820 It's like, actually, the world has changed a lot since then or whatever it might be, 856 00:51:59,820 --> 00:52:00,820 you know. 857 00:52:00,820 --> 00:52:01,820 Yeah. 858 00:52:01,820 --> 00:52:02,820 I don't know. 859 00:52:02,820 --> 00:52:05,980 You feel like you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't, don't you? 860 00:52:05,980 --> 00:52:07,460 But it is, that's what it is. 861 00:52:07,460 --> 00:52:09,020 We have to do what's right for you. 862 00:52:09,020 --> 00:52:10,020 Yeah, you do. 863 00:52:10,020 --> 00:52:15,620 And as long as you're a good person overall, it shouldn't really matter how you do it. 864 00:52:15,620 --> 00:52:20,020 Yeah, as long as you and your family and your children are all happy. 865 00:52:20,020 --> 00:52:21,020 Yeah. 866 00:52:21,020 --> 00:52:22,020 Stuff for everyone else. 867 00:52:22,020 --> 00:52:23,020 Yeah, pretty much. 868 00:52:23,020 --> 00:52:50,020 Yeah. 869 00:52:50,020 --> 00:52:54,820 Okay, so in terms of like what influences you with your photography, like you talk about 870 00:52:54,820 --> 00:52:59,540 doing your own, you've done your own projects when you first sort of picked up the camera 871 00:52:59,540 --> 00:53:04,500 and you're taking pictures of nature or, you know, things in the world and things like 872 00:53:04,500 --> 00:53:06,740 just as from your perspective. 873 00:53:06,740 --> 00:53:11,740 Have you found that since you became a mum that maybe what you're looking at is different 874 00:53:11,740 --> 00:53:14,620 or what's influencing you is different? 875 00:53:14,620 --> 00:53:15,620 Absolutely. 876 00:53:15,620 --> 00:53:21,900 You know, if I had kids, I would go on lots of hikes and I was interested in taking pictures 877 00:53:21,900 --> 00:53:29,260 of butterflies and pretty flowers and light and landscapes and the water and whatever 878 00:53:29,260 --> 00:53:34,880 else happened by or when I was traveling, obviously, you know, there's like 4,000 pictures 879 00:53:34,880 --> 00:53:39,380 of the Eiffel Tower from when I went to Paris because that's what you do. 880 00:53:39,380 --> 00:53:44,780 And that's what I was doing, you know, different angles, random things, experimenting, everything. 881 00:53:44,780 --> 00:53:52,100 But you know, I would just kind of focused on that. 882 00:53:52,100 --> 00:53:58,500 Like I was thinking about taking pretty things, pretty pictures, and there wasn't really a 883 00:53:58,500 --> 00:54:03,780 meaning or anything deeper in the images. 884 00:54:03,780 --> 00:54:06,300 I just liked the photographic medium. 885 00:54:06,300 --> 00:54:11,260 I liked how I could express with it and play with it, but I didn't necessarily want to 886 00:54:11,260 --> 00:54:13,900 say anything with it. 887 00:54:13,900 --> 00:54:17,140 If that makes sense. 888 00:54:17,140 --> 00:54:23,900 I did have some brief moments when I turned 30 where I was like, oh, I'm getting old. 889 00:54:23,900 --> 00:54:30,940 And I wanted to, I started to experiment with some self-portraiture a little bit just to 890 00:54:30,940 --> 00:54:34,220 see how I was changing and how things were going. 891 00:54:34,220 --> 00:54:39,900 I was getting to that age where, you know, I had just gotten married and I was wanting 892 00:54:39,900 --> 00:54:45,820 to start a family, so I wanted to start kind of documenting me and how I was going to change. 893 00:54:45,820 --> 00:54:50,500 And so that's, I would say that 30 is when I started to try and say something with my 894 00:54:50,500 --> 00:54:54,580 photography, whether I was good at it or not, it's a whole different story. 895 00:54:54,580 --> 00:55:01,780 But I did try and do something specific with my work. 896 00:55:01,780 --> 00:55:06,540 And so I started kind of experimenting on, you know, trying to do self-portraits with 897 00:55:06,540 --> 00:55:10,340 what I had and all that kind of stuff. 898 00:55:10,340 --> 00:55:16,860 Then I had baby number one and baby number one became the center focus of everything. 899 00:55:16,860 --> 00:55:22,060 It was documenting every moment, you know, look at the spit bubble, how cute. 900 00:55:22,060 --> 00:55:27,900 And you know, it's like, you know, and then I started to follow like all these moms on 901 00:55:27,900 --> 00:55:31,660 Instagram doing all these cool things with their babies and these photographers, other 902 00:55:31,660 --> 00:55:32,900 things doing stuff. 903 00:55:32,900 --> 00:55:41,420 And also I was trying to launch the business and so my personal photography kind of got 904 00:55:41,420 --> 00:55:48,900 set aside and it was only just taking pictures of the kids as they started to grow and develop. 905 00:55:48,900 --> 00:55:51,820 And then at a certain point, something else clicked. 906 00:55:51,820 --> 00:55:56,580 And I think it's when they started to, you know, question things again, after they were 907 00:55:56,580 --> 00:56:02,300 that little needy ball of stuff that just needed you 100% when started to talk. 908 00:56:02,300 --> 00:56:06,180 And have tiny little conversations in their own way. 909 00:56:06,180 --> 00:56:14,340 And they started asking me things and I was like, you know, that's a very good question. 910 00:56:14,340 --> 00:56:18,460 Children have an unfiltered view of the world and they ask things they don't care about 911 00:56:18,460 --> 00:56:20,540 matters or whatever. 912 00:56:20,540 --> 00:56:26,380 And you know, and it really started when one of my daughters, she saw I was just getting 913 00:56:26,380 --> 00:56:31,300 changed and she saw my stretch marks on my belly and she's like, mommy, what are those? 914 00:56:31,300 --> 00:56:32,780 And I said, oh, they're stretch marks. 915 00:56:32,780 --> 00:56:34,340 And she's like, what's a stretch mark? 916 00:56:34,340 --> 00:56:35,340 Because as you do. 917 00:56:35,340 --> 00:56:39,860 And I said, oh, it's what happens when you have a, when your belly grows. 918 00:56:39,860 --> 00:56:43,580 And usually when you have a baby because your skin stretches, but it doesn't go back together 919 00:56:43,580 --> 00:56:44,580 again. 920 00:56:44,580 --> 00:56:48,260 And she's like, do you like them? 921 00:56:48,260 --> 00:56:51,780 And I was like, that is a very good question. 922 00:56:51,780 --> 00:56:53,300 Do I like them? 923 00:56:53,300 --> 00:56:54,640 And it got me thinking. 924 00:56:54,640 --> 00:56:59,220 And so I randomly took pictures of my stretch marks. 925 00:56:59,220 --> 00:57:08,060 You know, and I started this kind of idea of taking self portraits of me as I am now, 926 00:57:08,060 --> 00:57:14,060 you know, with the saggy belly, with the, you know, using it as like a therapy for my 927 00:57:14,060 --> 00:57:19,180 frustrations because as I said, I was all mom and business and I didn't do personal 928 00:57:19,180 --> 00:57:20,180 work. 929 00:57:20,180 --> 00:57:23,300 So this was one of my first steps was taking self portraits. 930 00:57:23,300 --> 00:57:28,660 And I started doing a series of self portraits, which are still ongoing. 931 00:57:28,660 --> 00:57:34,180 And I think I'll probably end up doing them my whole life because I will keep changing. 932 00:57:34,180 --> 00:57:38,820 And I love to see how they've changed and how I've changed. 933 00:57:38,820 --> 00:57:40,540 Even my body has changed. 934 00:57:40,540 --> 00:57:44,340 And sometimes you see yourself in a certain way and then you see yourself in a picture 935 00:57:44,340 --> 00:57:47,980 and you're like, wow, that's nothing like I see myself. 936 00:57:47,980 --> 00:57:50,060 And sometimes it's a good thing. 937 00:57:50,060 --> 00:57:53,020 Sometimes it's not such a good thing. 938 00:57:53,020 --> 00:57:57,500 You know, but, but it's still, it's made me think about, I can actually say something 939 00:57:57,500 --> 00:57:59,580 with what I want to do. 940 00:57:59,580 --> 00:58:06,140 So I started doing personal, just thinking of something on the theme and doing personal 941 00:58:06,140 --> 00:58:07,140 work. 942 00:58:07,140 --> 00:58:11,740 And so my self portraits has been a big ongoing one. 943 00:58:11,740 --> 00:58:20,460 Another one that I have been doing slowly is exploring the concept of what family is. 944 00:58:20,460 --> 00:58:22,380 And it's called the We Are Family Project. 945 00:58:22,380 --> 00:58:27,420 And basically I'm out photographing families using creative lenses, but families that are 946 00:58:27,420 --> 00:58:31,060 mom, dad, and 2.5 kids and a cat and dog. 947 00:58:31,060 --> 00:58:36,460 So yeah, of course there's a family with mom and dad and 2.5 kids and a dog. 948 00:58:36,460 --> 00:58:42,820 And then there's a family with just one mom, or there's a family with two moms, or there's 949 00:58:42,820 --> 00:58:48,260 a family with no kids, just the dog, or there's a family with a child with special needs, you 950 00:58:48,260 --> 00:58:55,580 know, and I'm trying to photograph as much diversity of what family is. 951 00:58:55,580 --> 00:58:59,900 And it reminds me of that episode of your podcast episode where you interviewed that 952 00:58:59,900 --> 00:59:03,700 lady that had IVF and she decided to be a mom. 953 00:59:03,700 --> 00:59:04,700 Yes, Alisha. 954 00:59:04,700 --> 00:59:05,700 It was Alisha. 955 00:59:05,700 --> 00:59:06,700 Yeah. 956 00:59:06,700 --> 00:59:12,740 And she talked about her IVF journey and how she was writing a book, I think, about normalizing 957 00:59:12,740 --> 00:59:13,740 family. 958 00:59:13,740 --> 00:59:18,580 And I was like, oh, and it's like, I was like, see, that's in the lines of my project. 959 00:59:18,580 --> 00:59:21,060 It's to normalize what family is. 960 00:59:21,060 --> 00:59:22,860 Family can be anything. 961 00:59:22,860 --> 00:59:24,340 Family can be multi-generations. 962 00:59:24,340 --> 00:59:30,020 I had a family where mom was living with her single daughter and her two kids, and that 963 00:59:30,020 --> 00:59:31,980 was the family. 964 00:59:31,980 --> 00:59:36,860 So I've been working on that project as well slowly over the years. 965 00:59:36,860 --> 00:59:43,100 I've done a few families and I'm recently starting a new one that I'm actually photographing 966 00:59:43,100 --> 00:59:47,180 my first model for today. 967 00:59:47,180 --> 00:59:51,620 And I'm calling it the Kintsugi Mama project and it has to do with stretch marks. 968 00:59:51,620 --> 00:59:53,140 Yeah, right. 969 00:59:53,140 --> 00:59:57,660 So it came from, and it's kind of been simmering in the back there for a few years, from when 970 00:59:57,660 --> 01:00:00,060 my daughter asked me about the stretch marks. 971 01:00:00,060 --> 01:00:05,460 And then one day I told her that, you know what, I thought about your question and I 972 01:00:05,460 --> 01:00:11,100 think I like my stretch marks because they're the story of you and your sister. 973 01:00:11,100 --> 01:00:14,700 And my skin broke, but it healed together. 974 01:00:14,700 --> 01:00:20,100 And then I found out about this Japanese practice of Kintsugi, which is repairing broken pottery 975 01:00:20,100 --> 01:00:21,100 with gold. 976 01:00:21,100 --> 01:00:22,700 I don't know if you've heard of it. 977 01:00:22,700 --> 01:00:23,700 Yeah. 978 01:00:23,700 --> 01:00:24,700 Yeah. 979 01:00:24,700 --> 01:00:28,220 And I was like, they work, they work together. 980 01:00:28,220 --> 01:00:32,260 So I got in touch with a friend of mine who's a face painter and I'm like, I need gold face 981 01:00:32,260 --> 01:00:34,300 paint that's safe and this and that. 982 01:00:34,300 --> 01:00:37,460 I've got this idea and I need to do it. 983 01:00:37,460 --> 01:00:43,820 And so I sat down and very trickly with a mirror painted my own stretch marks in gold 984 01:00:43,820 --> 01:00:46,180 face paint and I photographed it. 985 01:00:46,180 --> 01:00:48,900 And I said, this is the beginning of a new project. 986 01:00:48,900 --> 01:00:50,460 It's not just my stretch marks. 987 01:00:50,460 --> 01:00:58,180 All of our stretch marks, whether we have two or 4,000, they tell our story and they 988 01:00:58,180 --> 01:01:03,060 are when our body broke and it fixed itself and fixed itself in a beautiful way. 989 01:01:03,060 --> 01:01:04,620 And it's something I want to highlight. 990 01:01:04,620 --> 01:01:12,860 So I've called in a few moms of all shapes and sizes and I am painting their stretch 991 01:01:12,860 --> 01:01:15,740 marks in gold and photographing it. 992 01:01:15,740 --> 01:01:17,420 I love it. 993 01:01:17,420 --> 01:01:18,420 Photographing them. 994 01:01:18,420 --> 01:01:20,220 And so I'm super excited about this. 995 01:01:20,220 --> 01:01:21,220 I had to put it off. 996 01:01:21,220 --> 01:01:25,580 I was supposed to do it last week, but I had a surgery and recovery took way too long. 997 01:01:25,580 --> 01:01:30,020 And so I'm doing it again this week and I'm super excited to be doing that. 998 01:01:30,020 --> 01:01:35,380 And I have something to say and I think we all have something to say. 999 01:01:35,380 --> 01:01:36,820 And it goes into so many things. 1000 01:01:36,820 --> 01:01:43,820 It goes into Bosby positive and mom positive and empowering us to appreciate what our bodies 1001 01:01:43,820 --> 01:01:44,820 do. 1002 01:01:44,820 --> 01:01:52,100 Society is like we're all airbrushed and photoshopped and no, we aren't. 1003 01:01:52,100 --> 01:01:53,100 Yeah. 1004 01:01:53,100 --> 01:01:54,100 Yeah. 1005 01:01:54,100 --> 01:01:55,740 No, I absolutely love that. 1006 01:01:55,740 --> 01:01:59,620 I just, it's actually made me a little bit emotional to be honest, because I just think 1007 01:01:59,620 --> 01:02:06,020 I resonate with that so deeply that society wants us to fix, to be fixed and to not look 1008 01:02:06,020 --> 01:02:08,740 like we've ever gone through anything bad. 1009 01:02:08,740 --> 01:02:13,340 We have to hold up this perfect persona or perception of ourselves. 1010 01:02:13,340 --> 01:02:19,020 It's like, why are we so afraid to hide these parts of us that show the amazing things we've 1011 01:02:19,020 --> 01:02:20,020 done? 1012 01:02:20,020 --> 01:02:26,220 You know, it's pretty bloody amazing to have to carry a child and to birth a child. 1013 01:02:26,220 --> 01:02:31,660 It's just like, why do we have to hide that and be afraid of what people, I don't know. 1014 01:02:31,660 --> 01:02:34,940 To me it's patriarchy, but anyway, that's my take on it. 1015 01:02:34,940 --> 01:02:36,940 Cause we would have to be perfect. 1016 01:02:36,940 --> 01:02:38,940 We do it to ourselves as well. 1017 01:02:38,940 --> 01:02:39,940 Yeah, we do. 1018 01:02:39,940 --> 01:02:40,940 We play into that. 1019 01:02:40,940 --> 01:02:41,940 We do it. 1020 01:02:41,940 --> 01:02:42,940 It's not just men. 1021 01:02:42,940 --> 01:02:47,620 It was just men and the patriarchy and it's conditioned generations and generations and 1022 01:02:47,620 --> 01:02:51,100 generations of women, but we do it to ourselves. 1023 01:02:51,100 --> 01:02:57,980 I mean, I know lots of amazing photographers and I'm not to, you know, lessen their work 1024 01:02:57,980 --> 01:03:05,340 or anything, but they do these maternity photos that are, oh my God, they're stunning. 1025 01:03:05,340 --> 01:03:11,100 And these women have porcelain skin, smooth skin, not a blemish. 1026 01:03:11,100 --> 01:03:17,700 I mean, it looks, well, they're like models, beautiful models with flowing dresses and 1027 01:03:17,700 --> 01:03:19,740 a perfect bump. 1028 01:03:19,740 --> 01:03:22,100 And they look amazing. 1029 01:03:22,100 --> 01:03:25,020 And that's great because that's what they want them to look like. 1030 01:03:25,020 --> 01:03:28,520 These women have gone to these people because that's what they want to feel. 1031 01:03:28,520 --> 01:03:33,340 But then when you're done and you look at yourself and you look at that picture you 1032 01:03:33,340 --> 01:03:38,620 have on the wall, is that really you? 1033 01:03:38,620 --> 01:03:43,780 And are you appreciating you for you or are you appreciating you for that glorious portrait 1034 01:03:43,780 --> 01:03:46,700 that you've had done, which is beautiful. 1035 01:03:46,700 --> 01:03:53,420 And I love that, you know, we can as photographers do this and make someone feel how amazing 1036 01:03:53,420 --> 01:03:56,900 they truly are if they can look past their imperfections. 1037 01:03:56,900 --> 01:04:02,580 I think you can see that as one of the reasons behind that kind of very photoshopped kind 1038 01:04:02,580 --> 01:04:05,180 of photography. 1039 01:04:05,180 --> 01:04:08,020 But I prefer to say, I'm not, don't need to see past it. 1040 01:04:08,020 --> 01:04:09,380 I need to embrace it. 1041 01:04:09,380 --> 01:04:14,540 And it's been part of my own journey doing this and doing these projects and part of 1042 01:04:14,540 --> 01:04:20,620 my own personal journey as well to accepting my body for what it is and understanding that 1043 01:04:20,620 --> 01:04:25,520 it's a map of my life and it's my story and that of my children, it connects me to them. 1044 01:04:25,520 --> 01:04:31,420 Those stretch marks, each one of those connects me to one of my kids. 1045 01:04:31,420 --> 01:04:35,860 And I think that it's so important to help other people to understand that as well. 1046 01:04:35,860 --> 01:04:43,260 So I'm really hoping that this project will take off and become something a bit more and 1047 01:04:43,260 --> 01:04:47,940 take, you know, I don't know, I don't know where it's going to go, but I'm hoping that 1048 01:04:47,940 --> 01:04:50,340 it will make an impact on someone somewhere. 1049 01:04:50,340 --> 01:04:51,340 Oh, I love it. 1050 01:04:51,340 --> 01:04:53,500 I just think it's just so wonderful. 1051 01:04:53,500 --> 01:04:58,700 Honestly, I wish I was closer to you because I'd let you paint mine. 1052 01:04:58,700 --> 01:05:02,900 I would love to have you if you ever come and brought over this way and decided the 1053 01:05:02,900 --> 01:05:05,780 world stopped by and I will happily add you. 1054 01:05:05,780 --> 01:05:08,220 Yeah, no, I love, I just love that. 1055 01:05:08,220 --> 01:05:12,300 I think, yeah, like I said, sorry, I'm getting, I'm getting a bit emotional because I just 1056 01:05:12,300 --> 01:05:18,220 think it's, oh, I don't know, maybe it's because I'm getting tired, but you know what I mean? 1057 01:05:18,220 --> 01:05:19,220 I am sorry. 1058 01:05:19,220 --> 01:05:20,580 No, no, it's good. 1059 01:05:20,580 --> 01:05:28,380 I just, the more people that can do stuff like what you're doing and also the, your 1060 01:05:28,380 --> 01:05:34,540 models, you know, to be able to put themselves out there too, that's massive. 1061 01:05:34,540 --> 01:05:38,460 You know, like that takes, like you've said, you're, you know, through your work, it's 1062 01:05:38,460 --> 01:05:42,540 you working through things for someone to rock up and say, yep, no worries. 1063 01:05:42,540 --> 01:05:43,540 Here I am. 1064 01:05:43,540 --> 01:05:44,540 Put me out there. 1065 01:05:44,540 --> 01:05:46,540 You know, it's, it's a big thing. 1066 01:05:46,540 --> 01:05:53,540 I mean, when I did the model call, I posted and shared it in a local breastfeeding group 1067 01:05:53,540 --> 01:05:57,340 that I'm part of still from when I was feeding my girls. 1068 01:05:57,340 --> 01:06:01,860 And you know, I had a lot of people interested in the concept, but then when I explained 1069 01:06:01,860 --> 01:06:05,940 exactly what it was going to be, a lot of people said, I'm not ready for that yet. 1070 01:06:05,940 --> 01:06:06,940 And that's okay. 1071 01:06:06,940 --> 01:06:10,420 They said, I might be after, and I'm like, that's okay. 1072 01:06:10,420 --> 01:06:13,260 It doesn't matter when you're ready. 1073 01:06:13,260 --> 01:06:15,340 You let me know and we'll do this. 1074 01:06:15,340 --> 01:06:18,340 And I had others say, yeah, let's do it, man. 1075 01:06:18,340 --> 01:06:23,900 I'm totally wanting to work on my image and I want to, I want to help myself. 1076 01:06:23,900 --> 01:06:28,100 And they see it as part of something that they can work on together too. 1077 01:06:28,100 --> 01:06:29,380 And that's okay too. 1078 01:06:29,380 --> 01:06:35,020 And when you're ready, it's very hard for us to accept ourselves as we are, no matter 1079 01:06:35,020 --> 01:06:42,660 what shape, size we are, you know, how we see ourselves or how we want to see ourselves. 1080 01:06:42,660 --> 01:06:49,980 It's so, so very different from what we really are. 1081 01:06:49,980 --> 01:06:53,660 I don't know if that makes any sense at all, but yeah. 1082 01:06:53,660 --> 01:06:54,660 Yeah. 1083 01:06:54,660 --> 01:06:59,780 And the way that people actually see us, I think is it can be really different from how 1084 01:06:59,780 --> 01:07:01,700 we want to be seen. 1085 01:07:01,700 --> 01:07:08,020 So you know, we put these fields like Instagram or TikTok, I'm not on TikTok, but you know, 1086 01:07:08,020 --> 01:07:14,860 we put these filters on to try and, you know, create this artificial way of presenting ourselves 1087 01:07:14,860 --> 01:07:17,980 because we think people will like that more or you know what I mean? 1088 01:07:17,980 --> 01:07:22,820 Like it's just, I know it's a bit disturbing really, when you think about it, like we had, 1089 01:07:22,820 --> 01:07:29,300 oh, you could go down a rabbit hole with all that stuff, you know, and talk about it for 1090 01:07:29,300 --> 01:07:31,580 ages and debate and everything. 1091 01:07:31,580 --> 01:07:33,580 So I just, yeah. 1092 01:07:33,580 --> 01:07:38,100 I think it's a good way to be here all day. 1093 01:07:38,100 --> 01:07:39,100 I know. 1094 01:07:39,100 --> 01:07:41,580 No, but look, what you're doing is amazing. 1095 01:07:41,580 --> 01:07:42,580 It really is. 1096 01:07:42,580 --> 01:07:46,140 If there is anyone that's in your neck of the woods that would like to get involved 1097 01:07:46,140 --> 01:07:50,740 in that, is your Instagram the best place to go or do you have... 1098 01:07:50,740 --> 01:07:56,420 Yeah, I have, I've created a little account for it on my Instagram. 1099 01:07:56,420 --> 01:07:59,300 It's called Kintsugi Mama Project. 1100 01:07:59,300 --> 01:08:03,820 I can send it to you when I send you all the links and stuff. 1101 01:08:03,820 --> 01:08:05,740 Yeah, that would be great. 1102 01:08:05,740 --> 01:08:06,740 Yeah. 1103 01:08:06,740 --> 01:08:07,740 And it's on there. 1104 01:08:07,740 --> 01:08:11,940 Of course I've already, I've shared it also on my personal work profile, which is life 1105 01:08:11,940 --> 01:08:20,540 is wild and free, but Instagram took it down because it promoted, you know, something. 1106 01:08:20,540 --> 01:08:22,500 Oh for goodness sake. 1107 01:08:22,500 --> 01:08:25,220 That's part of the problem, isn't it? 1108 01:08:25,220 --> 01:08:26,940 Yeah, it is. 1109 01:08:26,940 --> 01:08:30,540 Because that account, I think, has more followers. 1110 01:08:30,540 --> 01:08:32,100 So someone must have reported it. 1111 01:08:32,100 --> 01:08:35,860 It must have bothered someone to see my belly in gold. 1112 01:08:35,860 --> 01:08:38,820 Oh for God's sake. 1113 01:08:38,820 --> 01:08:44,580 But that picture is still on the Kintsugi Mama one because it's a smaller number of 1114 01:08:44,580 --> 01:08:45,580 followers. 1115 01:08:45,580 --> 01:08:47,780 It probably hasn't peaked anyone's attention yet. 1116 01:08:47,780 --> 01:08:50,820 So at the moment, it's still there. 1117 01:08:50,820 --> 01:08:56,900 I can foresee that I will have some trouble sharing some of these pieces uncensored on 1118 01:08:56,900 --> 01:08:58,900 Instagram. 1119 01:08:58,900 --> 01:09:05,420 So I am going to be setting up a section on my website for it because that's mine and 1120 01:09:05,420 --> 01:09:09,940 I can decide what I share and what I don't and no one can take it down. 1121 01:09:09,940 --> 01:09:12,100 Yeah, as far as I know. 1122 01:09:12,100 --> 01:09:14,860 So I will be doing that to share a bit more of it. 1123 01:09:14,860 --> 01:09:21,300 But as it stands at the moment, it is just on Instagram and I have a little newsletter 1124 01:09:21,300 --> 01:09:26,020 that I started writing for the ones that answered the model call and stuff to keep them updated 1125 01:09:26,020 --> 01:09:28,140 on how the project is doing. 1126 01:09:28,140 --> 01:09:33,180 But I'll be developing that as it comes to help and also get subscribers on that list 1127 01:09:33,180 --> 01:09:38,780 so people can follow it without having to be worrying about what Facebook or Instagram 1128 01:09:38,780 --> 01:09:46,100 or TikTok or whatever platform you have as their personal opinion on a woman's body. 1129 01:09:46,100 --> 01:09:47,100 So yeah. 1130 01:09:47,100 --> 01:09:50,100 Yeah, but I don't know. 1131 01:09:50,100 --> 01:09:53,380 Yeah, we could talk about this or not. 1132 01:09:53,380 --> 01:09:56,300 It just really frustrates me. 1133 01:09:56,300 --> 01:10:02,220 Anyway, I'll put all the links in the show notes so people can click away and keep updated. 1134 01:10:02,220 --> 01:10:03,940 And I think that's wonderful and all the best with it. 1135 01:10:03,940 --> 01:10:06,820 I really think that is amazing. 1136 01:10:06,820 --> 01:10:08,860 I really like it is and I love the tie in. 1137 01:10:08,860 --> 01:10:12,620 I love how your mind went there to bring those two ideas together. 1138 01:10:12,620 --> 01:10:13,620 I think that's brilliant. 1139 01:10:13,620 --> 01:10:14,620 Oh yeah. 1140 01:10:14,620 --> 01:10:17,060 Oh, it's fun to follow the brain, isn't it? 1141 01:10:17,060 --> 01:10:21,060 It's just like these two random things like I can do something with that. 1142 01:10:21,060 --> 01:10:22,060 Oh yeah. 1143 01:10:22,060 --> 01:10:23,060 Yeah. 1144 01:10:23,060 --> 01:10:26,900 I love moments like that where you get something and then you sort of go, oh, now this is something, 1145 01:10:26,900 --> 01:10:29,540 you know, because you always got stuff going through your head. 1146 01:10:29,540 --> 01:10:33,620 And then it's like you stop and go, oh yeah, oh, I like that one. 1147 01:10:33,620 --> 01:10:36,020 You know what I mean? 1148 01:10:36,020 --> 01:10:37,420 That's the one I'm going to cling to. 1149 01:10:37,420 --> 01:10:38,420 Yeah. 1150 01:10:38,420 --> 01:10:40,580 Because you have so many things and it's like you can't do them all. 1151 01:10:40,580 --> 01:10:41,580 Yeah. 1152 01:10:41,580 --> 01:10:45,500 You can't do them all well, but the one that really sings to you, that all comes together 1153 01:10:45,500 --> 01:10:47,500 and you're like, that's the one. 1154 01:10:47,500 --> 01:10:48,940 That's the one you're doing. 1155 01:10:48,940 --> 01:10:49,940 Yeah. 1156 01:10:49,940 --> 01:10:50,940 So that's what I'm going with now. 1157 01:10:50,940 --> 01:10:51,940 Good on you. 1158 01:10:51,940 --> 01:10:52,940 I love that. 1159 01:10:52,940 --> 01:10:53,940 I actually had a moment like that. 1160 01:10:53,940 --> 01:10:59,420 I went to Adelaide, which is like the capital city of my state over the weekend by myself, 1161 01:10:59,420 --> 01:11:02,020 totally by myself, no children, no husband. 1162 01:11:02,020 --> 01:11:06,860 It was just amazing because I had a singing gig on in the city and driving home, I had 1163 01:11:06,860 --> 01:11:09,780 one of those moments where I just was listening to a song. 1164 01:11:09,780 --> 01:11:11,300 So I'm a massive Beatles fan. 1165 01:11:11,300 --> 01:11:14,900 So I was listening to the Beatles and all of a sudden I had this idea. 1166 01:11:14,900 --> 01:11:19,220 And by the time I'd gotten home, I'd planned this whole idea for my album I'm going to 1167 01:11:19,220 --> 01:11:20,940 do and all these songs I'm going to do. 1168 01:11:20,940 --> 01:11:25,020 And it's like, you know, just things just, once they start, they just go and go and go. 1169 01:11:25,020 --> 01:11:27,100 And now I've got to try and find time to do it. 1170 01:11:27,100 --> 01:11:28,100 That's the next thing. 1171 01:11:28,100 --> 01:11:29,100 Yeah, that's true. 1172 01:11:29,100 --> 01:11:30,100 Yeah. 1173 01:11:30,100 --> 01:11:35,420 I find that if I write it down, I'm able to get it out of my head and then I can actually 1174 01:11:35,420 --> 01:11:37,480 still remember the stuff. 1175 01:11:37,480 --> 01:11:42,460 So I have a notebook because mine come right before I'm about to fall asleep. 1176 01:11:42,460 --> 01:11:43,460 Yes. 1177 01:11:43,460 --> 01:11:44,460 Yep. 1178 01:11:44,460 --> 01:11:45,460 Yep. 1179 01:11:45,460 --> 01:11:46,460 Or when I'm driving, that's another one. 1180 01:11:46,460 --> 01:11:50,460 So I always have a little notebook and a pen near my bed. 1181 01:11:50,460 --> 01:11:54,220 And when I wake up with this great idea and I'm like, got to write it down, got to write 1182 01:11:54,220 --> 01:11:55,220 down before I forget it. 1183 01:11:55,220 --> 01:11:56,700 And then I'm like, I can sleep now. 1184 01:11:56,700 --> 01:12:02,260 And then the next day I could sit down and focus on it and just do what I got to do to 1185 01:12:02,260 --> 01:12:07,260 make it happen. 1186 01:12:07,260 --> 01:12:16,220 Yeah, no, thanks for sharing like what you've got coming up to the things you're working 1187 01:12:16,220 --> 01:12:17,220 on. 1188 01:12:17,220 --> 01:12:19,420 Cause that's something I think I like to know what people are up to. 1189 01:12:19,420 --> 01:12:24,300 And then people can, if they, you know, pique their interests, they can follow along and 1190 01:12:24,300 --> 01:12:25,300 see what's going on. 1191 01:12:25,300 --> 01:12:26,300 Yeah, absolutely. 1192 01:12:26,300 --> 01:12:28,100 And I'm sure you're following along on that project. 1193 01:12:28,100 --> 01:12:30,740 That's just spectacular. 1194 01:12:30,740 --> 01:12:34,860 I hope that it will speak to you and others as well. 1195 01:12:34,860 --> 01:12:40,020 And yeah, I hope that it will develop and grow into something a bit more than just an 1196 01:12:40,020 --> 01:12:41,020 Instagram account. 1197 01:12:41,020 --> 01:12:45,540 I could keep the account and don't get banned off of it. 1198 01:12:45,540 --> 01:12:49,060 Oh gee, now good on you. 1199 01:12:49,060 --> 01:12:51,580 Thank you so much for coming on. 1200 01:12:51,580 --> 01:12:52,580 I've just had such a... 1201 01:12:52,580 --> 01:12:53,580 Thank you so much for having me. 1202 01:12:53,580 --> 01:12:54,580 It's been an amazing impact. 1203 01:12:54,580 --> 01:12:55,580 It's been a pleasure. 1204 01:12:55,580 --> 01:12:56,580 It has, it's been lovely. 1205 01:12:56,580 --> 01:13:00,420 And I feel like now I'm starting to get like sore cheeks from laughing. 1206 01:13:00,420 --> 01:13:06,620 You know, you smile so much, you're like, which is a great sign of a great chat. 1207 01:13:06,620 --> 01:13:08,740 Thank you and all the best. 1208 01:13:08,740 --> 01:13:13,300 And I'm really inspired by what you're doing. 1209 01:13:13,300 --> 01:13:14,620 Good for you. 1210 01:13:14,620 --> 01:13:15,620 Really awesome. 1211 01:13:15,620 --> 01:13:16,620 That's awesome. 1212 01:13:16,620 --> 01:13:17,620 I'm so happy. 1213 01:13:17,620 --> 01:13:23,100 Cause you know, knowing that you can make just a difference for one person or to help 1214 01:13:23,100 --> 01:13:27,740 one person is huge and sometimes we forget about it because we're all like, oh, I need 1215 01:13:27,740 --> 01:13:32,820 to become like an established authority in my field and in order to be successful, right? 1216 01:13:32,820 --> 01:13:38,860 I need to have like millions of followers and have that little blue tick on my account. 1217 01:13:38,860 --> 01:13:41,740 And you know what? 1218 01:13:41,740 --> 01:13:42,740 It's all yes. 1219 01:13:42,740 --> 01:13:43,740 It is, isn't it? 1220 01:13:43,740 --> 01:13:44,740 It really is. 1221 01:13:44,740 --> 01:13:45,740 Yeah. 1222 01:13:45,740 --> 01:13:46,740 Yeah. 1223 01:13:46,740 --> 01:13:51,220 Because you can make a difference in your small, you're already making a difference 1224 01:13:51,220 --> 01:13:53,540 to someone in your family, aren't you? 1225 01:13:53,540 --> 01:13:54,540 You know? 1226 01:13:54,540 --> 01:13:55,540 I mean, yeah, that's so true. 1227 01:13:55,540 --> 01:13:57,020 I think we overlook that a lot, don't we? 1228 01:13:57,020 --> 01:14:03,380 We forget how powerful and how impactful we can be on that small circle of people that 1229 01:14:03,380 --> 01:14:04,380 live with us. 1230 01:14:04,380 --> 01:14:05,740 We don't need to be huge in the world. 1231 01:14:05,740 --> 01:14:09,860 I mean, it would be great to be able to make a huge difference, wouldn't it? 1232 01:14:09,860 --> 01:14:14,580 But even making it to like, you know, who would have thought my chat with you would 1233 01:14:14,580 --> 01:14:18,460 have helped inspire you all the way in Australia? 1234 01:14:18,460 --> 01:14:23,820 To maybe take that step and look at yourself in a different way. 1235 01:14:23,820 --> 01:14:25,860 I mean, who would have thought? 1236 01:14:25,860 --> 01:14:26,860 And yet there we go. 1237 01:14:26,860 --> 01:14:27,860 Yeah, that's it, isn't it? 1238 01:14:27,860 --> 01:14:31,340 And that makes me feel like I've accomplished today. 1239 01:14:31,340 --> 01:14:32,340 Yeah. 1240 01:14:32,340 --> 01:14:34,380 I love that. 1241 01:14:34,380 --> 01:14:40,140 It's another lesson on sort of adjusting our lens, I guess, of what our expectations 1242 01:14:40,140 --> 01:14:42,340 might be or what we want to achieve out of something. 1243 01:14:42,340 --> 01:14:43,620 Why are we doing what we're doing? 1244 01:14:43,620 --> 01:14:45,340 And yeah, I love that. 1245 01:14:45,340 --> 01:14:47,340 That's a whole other story, isn't it? 1246 01:14:47,340 --> 01:14:49,420 Just go on, go on, go on. 1247 01:14:49,420 --> 01:14:52,420 Oh my goodness. 1248 01:14:52,420 --> 01:14:54,300 Thanks for your company today. 1249 01:14:54,300 --> 01:14:59,700 If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd love you to consider leaving us a review, following 1250 01:14:59,700 --> 01:15:05,600 or subscribing to the podcast, or even sharing it with a friend you think might be interested. 1251 01:15:05,600 --> 01:15:09,600 If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, please get in touch 1252 01:15:09,600 --> 01:15:12,220 with us by the link in the show notes. 1253 01:15:12,220 --> 01:15:18,220 The music you heard featured on today's episode was from Alemjo, which is my new age ambient 1254 01:15:18,220 --> 01:15:24,180 music trio comprised of myself, my sister Emma Anderson and her husband John. 1255 01:15:24,180 --> 01:15:28,380 If you'd like to hear more, you can find a link to us in the show notes. 1256 01:15:28,380 --> 01:15:43,820 I'll catch you again next week for another chat with an artistic mum.

Scott Shriner Bass guitarist for rock band Weezer S4Ep102 Listen and subscribe on Spotify and itunes/Apple podcasts This Friday you can enjoy listening to 2 special podcasts to celebrate Father's Day in Australia this coming weekend. The first is from Scott Shriner, bass player in the band Weezer, dad of 2 boys, and husband to author Jillian Lauren who is a previous guest of the podcast! Scott grew up in a musical home and studied jazz from an early age. He played trombone, and then bass guitar. In 2001 he joined American alt rock band Weezer and has ben touring the world since. He is the dad of 2 adopted boys, Jovi and Tariku, and i am so grateful for him giving me this interview between legs of the band's current tour. If today’s episode is triggering for you in any way I encourage you to seek help from those around you, medical professionals or from resources on line. I have compiled a list of great international resources here Music used with permission from Scott and Weezer thanks to my APRA AMCOS mini online licence agreement. When chatting to my guests I greatly appreciate their openness and honestly in sharing their stories. If at any stage their information is found to be incorrect, the podcast bears no responsibility for guests' inaccuracies. Scott's interview with Scott and Ian that we reference a few times Podcast transcript at the bottom of the page Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of The Art of Being A Mum Podcast. I'm beyond honoured that you're here and would be grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave me a 5-star review in iTunes or wherever you are listening. It really helps! This way together we can inspire, connect and bring in to the light even more stories from creative mums. Want to connect? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram tagging me in with @art_of_being_a_mum_podcast I can't wait to connect. And remember if you or somebody you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, get in touch ! I love meeting and chatting to mammas from all creative backgrounds, from all around the world! Thank you! Alison acknowledges this Land of the Berrin (Mount Gambier) Region as the Traditional Lands of the Bungandidj People and acknowledge these First Nations people as the custodians of the Region. Ch eck out more episodes .....

Tamara Seeley Australian singer songwriter S4Ep98 Listen and subscribe on Spotify and itunes/Apple podcasts My guest this week is Tamara Seeley a singer and songwriter from Mount Gambier, South Australia and a mum of 2. Tamara has been a singer since the age of 15, crediting her Scottish heritage as what brought her to singing as well as The Bodyguard movie. After leaving school she went to Melbourne to start her training, from then she has spent time living and performing in London, Doha and South Korea, being flown to from London to New Zealand to act in a commercial and performing on the Disney Cruise Ship in the Carribean Islands. Oh and she sang back up vocals for Right Said Fred of 90s "I'm too Sexy' fame and was an extra in a Bollywood movie too! Her philosophy at that time was to try anything she had the opportunity to. Tamara has 4 releases under her belt, her 2015 EP Gold Armour, singles Eileen and Old Skool Love, and her latest release of a 10 year special remix of her track Release Me which is out now. Even though she has seen some amazing places and travelled so widely, amongst her proudest career achievements is recording and producing her music video for her latest single in home town of Mount Gambier, a regional town of but 28000 people. Tamara - facebook / instagram / music Podcast transcript at the bottom of the page Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of The Art of Being A Mum Podcast. I'm beyond honoured that you're here and would be grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave me a 5-star review in iTunes or wherever you are listening. It really helps! This way together we can inspire, connect and bring in to the light even more stories from creative mums. Want to connect? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram tagging me in with @art_of_being_a_mum_podcast I can't wait to connect. And remember if you or somebody you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, get in touch ! I love meeting and chatting to mammas from all creative backgrounds, from all around the world! Thank you! Alison acknowledges this Land of the Berrin (Mount Gambier) Region as the Traditional Lands of the Bungandidj People and acknowledge these First Nations people as the custodians of the Region. Ch eck out more episodes ..... Welcome to the Art of Being a mum podcast, where I Alison Newman, a singer songwriter, and Ozzy mum of two enjoys honest and inspiring conversations with artists and creators about the joys and issues they've encountered. While trying to be a mum and continue to create. You'll hear themes like the mental juggle, changes in identity, how their work has been influenced by motherhood, mum guilt, cultural norms, and we also strain to territory such as the patriarchy, feminism, and capitalism. You can find links to my guests and topics we discussed in the shownotes along with a link to the music played, how to get in touch, and a link to join our supportive and lively community on Instagram. I'll always put a trigger warning if we discuss sensitive topics on the podcast. But if at any time you're concerned about your mental health, I urge you to talk to those around you reach out to health professionals, or seek out resources online. I've compiled a list of international resources which can be accessed on the podcast landing page, Alison Newman dotnet slash podcast the art of being a mum we'd like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land and water, which this podcast is recorded on as being the Bondic people in the barren region of South Australia. I'm working on land that was never seen it Welcome to another episode of the podcast it is so great to be back for episode 98 Lovely to welcome you from wherever you are around the world. My guest this week is Tamara Seeley. Tamara is a singer and songwriter from Matt Gambia in South Australia and she's a mom of two. Tamara has been a singer since the age of 15. crediting her Scottish heritage is what brought her to singing as well as Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard movie. After leaving school, she went to Melbourne to start her training. From there she spent time living and performing in London, Doha and South Korea. She's been flown from London to New Zealand to act in a commercial and she's performed on the Disney cruise ship in the Caribbean islands. And she sang backup vocals for right said Fred of 90s IMT sexy fame and was an extra in a Bollywood movie to her philosophy at that time was trying anything that she had the opportunity to, and she certainly did that. Tamara has four releases under her belt, her 2015 EP gold armor, singles Eileen and old school love and her latest release of a 10 year special remix of her track release me which is out now. Even though Tamara has seen some amazing places and traveled so widely. She credits amongst her proudest career achievements recording and producing her latest music video in her hometown of Mount Gambia, a regional town of about 28,000 people. Hope you enjoy today's episode. You'll hear tomorrow's music featured throughout thank you again for listening. The old tree welcome, Tamara, it is such a pleasure to have you on the podcast. Thank you for coming on today. And thank you for asking me this is my first podcast. So very excited. Even more exciting. That's awesome. And when you say thanks for asking me I have I have had you in my mind for a very long time. So I'm glad we were able to make it work. Yeah, it's great. You're actually one of the first people I thought of when I was starting to do this. And I thought Who do I know and I wanted to go with a an industry I felt comfortable with. So I was just reaching out to musicians to start with them like yep, tomorrow, tomorrow. And it's funny because I messaged you and you're like, Yeah, I'm not right now. You know, whatever was going on. And then Thankfully, he messaged me recently because I forget what's the message so thanks. And life just gets in the way cuz I think when you first asked me, I can I just had Jasper and I was working on my 90s mixtape show. So I was a bit like, Yep, it's all happening. Juggling a few things. So yeah, that's the main thing. Yes. And it's wonderful, wonderful to speak to you even though we're in the same town with zoom in it today just because it's good with the kids and in life. So making it work. Yeah, absolutely. Sorry. I have the internet. Yes. So before we jump in talk about exciting things that are happening right now. I want to go back to how did you first get into music? So my answer used to be that I stumbled into music because I came from a sporting background. So my mom's side of the family were very sporty. I was very much a tomboy. But I used to sing with my dad and my dad is Scottish. And his mother was a beautiful singer. And he was actually in a BGS tribute band. Oh, yeah, right. Yeah. So when they were living in while they did a few gigs, the karaoke machine still comes out at all of their, like family dues. And like, they're just amazing singers. So I sing because of my Scottish heritage. Like, that's just I do believe that that passes through. Yeah. Yeah. It's not a I just fell into it. Like, I think there's a deeper reason as to why I got into it. I really first connected with singing when I watched the bodyguard. Oh, yeah. Right. And I heard Whitney Houston sing. And I used to sing with that, but I never thought anything of it. And then I watched that, and I was like, singing her songs. And I was like, Yeah, this is pretty cool. But I didn't come from I don't come from like a stage school background. So I didn't do a Stanford's. I wasn't in a choir. So I just didn't, didn't even think that singing could be a possibility. So I just sort of would do it in my bedroom. I know that sounds cliche, but I would just, you know, sing along. And didn't think anything of it really, until I went to boarding school in Hamilton when I was 15. And they had, like a music and drama program, which wasn't, wasn't at Tennyson at the time. And a friend of mine overheard me sing and she's like, why didn't you audition? I'm like, Well, why are you got a really good voice? And I auditioned for it and just fell in love with it ever since then. So I think I was I think I was like, 15 or 16 when I had my first Singing Lesson. Yep. Yeah. But from then I was like, No, this is what I would like to do. Yeah. So it was like it. It was like an instant, like moment of oh my gosh, like, you can all this this singing that you've done your whole life. This can actually turn into something that you do in your future. Yeah, absolutely. And I think my family would get shocked because I was quite shy as a kid. And like I said, I came from that sporting background, though to then all of a sudden, like, you know, into year 12. I was like, Mom, I'm moving to Melbourne. I'm gonna have some singing lessons. I think that's what I want to do. And that's just how I got started. Yeah, right. This to me, led me me so I can stand Yeah, what happened when you move to Melbourne had it? Because I know you've you've been overseas, you've done things like gigs on cruise ships, like how did it sort of evolved from from that point on. So when I was 18, I moved to Melbourne had singing lessons. And I just practiced so hard. I was just like, I'm just loving this. And I'm actually wanting to get back to that point. Because I feel like the better you get, the further along in your career that you get, there's like, it feels like more of a job like and just because it's your passion doesn't mean that you'd love it all the time. So I just remember like, being right in the thick of just like singing to different styles and singing in different keys and just just showing up the craft, you know, without any sort of pressure or expectation. So I just did that solid for I reckon, two or three years. And then I had spent 12 months at dance world in Melbourne. Yeah, right. Yeah. Certificate no so random. They're like, Oh, this is a really good call. Most singers like it's dancing, but it's, you know, for singers, no, it was more the other way around. And I was like, way out of my depth, but I got so much out of it. And I think I'm comfortable on stage because I did that. Yeah, right. You know, you do notice that sometimes with singers that haven't had like a movement background that they can be, you know, a bit awkward. So even though I was never going to pursue dancing, I still, I feel like that's what you have to do is you just give things a go. And that all adds to how you're shaped as an artist. Yeah. Yeah. Makes sense. Yes. And then what happened? Then, then I moved back to Matt Gambia, actually. Yeah, so I was just like, broke all the time. Like I was in between, you know, doing shitty hospitality jobs. And also, I'm just going to move home for a bit and save some money. And I remember this clear as day I was at Holies, in Kmart, the Yes. And I've run into Dennis O'Carroll, who I hadn't seen in years and I went to went to school with his daughter, Chelsea. And he's like, oh, so he, you know, you've been doing a bit of singing. He's like, go to Dale Cleves, because Nick Aslan, who's in bariatric is looking for. They're looking for a new singer. And I'd never heard of heard of bass Rec. So I dropped in my my CD with it. I think it had a Christina Aguilera cover on there. And I auditioned to be in that band. Yeah. So that was what my first first paid gig. Yeah, right. Yes. Digging in that Gambia. Yeah. I remember those days, like go down and dance it away. So much fun. It was so and it was a thriving scene. Yeah, like you could not move in fine. Again. You could not move in shadows. The Gambia like, yeah, I was gigging a lot. And I think that was just such a huge learning curve because singing into in your bedroom. singing in a band. Yeah. And some of those songs were rock. So getting your voice to cut through but still using the right technique and then throw a few drunks in the mix. You know, like it's, it's and back then. People would have been able to smoke in pubs as well. So that would have been a horrible for your voice. Yeah, like not it's survived. Just like when he did he did get shadows. I think our set started at 1230 at night. Yeah. Three to four o'clock. Oh, god. Yeah, those days are long gone. That's okay. I'm not yearning for that time even though that was awesome. I'm like the thought of doing that and then having to you know deal with two toddlers not happening Sunday session by you know, finish. Finish by for six o'clock at night. Yeah. Back home for bedtime for the kids. witching hour started. God. Yes. So, how long did you spend doing like gigging you met Gambia before you moved away again. So that was, I reckon, two years. But whilst I was here, I went in my first trip overseas and my first overseas singing gig was in South Korea. Ah, so I reckon I was 21. Yeah, where I got a job in a trio singing covers six nights or six nights a week. Oh, Jesus. Yeah. How does your voice hold up during that? Like back to back to back to back? Not too bad. Yeah. I never really I'm lucky. I think if I tried to do it now, I think I would feel like I've because I was gigging a lot down here. And doing those like big pop rock songs as well. I felt like I was good fit for it. And not all of the songs were like, say your big, big numbers. They were like, you know, sometimes more like jazz ballads. So you could sort of go easy. Yeah. There was another singer as well. So it wasn't just all on me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that would have been good. Old school memories and nothing like the modern days. Yeah, move back to my Gambia for 12 months. And I moved to London. Yeah, right. Yeah. So I was in London for five years. Working, you know, various jobs. I worked for the Halifax Bank of Scotland. Yeah. Right. Which ended up giving me an awesome opportunity. So every year, the Halifax Bank of Scotland would recruit colleagues for their TV commercials. TV commercials, and it used to be used to be you know, they'd get them to sing. Yep. The year that I auditioned, we had to do these stunts. I actually probably should post this advert that I was in because it was an absolute incredible experience. For us, they were like, are you scared of heights? I'm like, no, like, you know, I was quite sporty and we grew up in the country. That's not a problem. Like that's a bit random that you're asking that. Ended up getting. Getting selected to be in this TV advert got flown from London to New Zealand to film this advert. Oh, wow. And my part of the scene was leaping over these massive human pillars to pass someone a five pound note. Oh, his cat, Paula Halifax. Bank of Scotland was you know, giving you extra type thing. Oh, my God. But I had to like train for this. I worked with the stunt team that worked on Australia. Then the movie with Nicole Kidman like it was a huge production. The director has then gone on to be the director for Lion the movie. That's one? Oh, yeah. Because I've worked with him before. Like, that's what it was. Exactly like it was such an incredible experience. Yeah, I feel like I've seen it. I've recognized sight like you have shared it. And I reckon I've seen it but I can't I'm you know, vaguely remembering. So you didn't get to singing it. But you got to like throw yourself for it. Yeah, how to harness on was flying through the air. It was pretty cool. Experience. Oh, it really was like, I feel like I went to London. And I feel like I probably always had this attitude. I'm just going to show up and give things a go. You know, I was in my 20s. I was like, This is what it's all about. This is what the traveling life's all about. So I was in a Bollywood music video as an extra. Yeah, I just literally signed up to everything. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I love that. Actually studied music there as well. Yeah. Which was an incredible experience. So I did a diploma in popular music and tech, music schools, I think it's called something different now. But they also have. So they had tech vocals, drums, bass guitar. And once a week you had to, you'd have to learn a song. So the singers would have to learn the song, the drummer would have to learn the song guitar player, bass player, and you had to learn the backing vocals and you just have to get up and do it. Yeah, right. Yeah, so it was, yeah, it was pretty intense. But what a what a great discipline to be prepared. Probably lacked some of that in my early my early career not like being prepared for auditions for getting my words get becoming like overly nervous. And that was like a huge learning curve. Like not you need to learn your shit. So that when you can get up there, you can nail it, and you can be confident and I think that's the key to confidence. And this is what I when I was was teaching singing why you have to practice this, you know, you have people like, Oh, don't be nervous. Just get up there. Just be confident. Well, that doesn't really know does that. I find if I'm overly nervous about something, I've it's not the right thing, or I'm not prepared for him. Because I've made that mistake before so like I still to this day, like if I've got something coming up. I have to be prepared. Otherwise, I'll just be be an absolute wreck. Yeah, I can. I can relate to that. Like I had someone asked me once if I get nervous, and I said, I only get nervous if I don't know exactly what I'm doing. Like I feel like if you know what you're doing, and I don't know if you do this, but I visualize myself in whatever space it's going to be even if I haven't necessarily been there. I can just imagine myself being on stage. And then I sort of just feel comfortable that I know where I'm gonna be. I know what I'm doing. And so then there's really no need to feel nervous, you know, like, and that's not a conceited or an ego thing, but it's like, you know, your voice, you know what you're doing? You know? Yeah. So, yeah, but then I've heard other people say, are you if you're not nervous, it means it's not important enough to you? And it's like, well, I don't know about that, either. Because? I don't know. So yeah, I think you can channel nerve like it. I think it's normal to be nervous, but you're excited about it. Yeah. But this my moment, because I'm prepared. I've put in the work. I love to do this. And all I have to do now is be in the moment and enjoy it. Because if I'm enjoying it, everyone else is like, there's nothing worse than seeing another performer suffer on stage. And you can see it. Oh, yeah. Yes, yeah. Horrible. Because you know what that's like, you know, so it's, um, yeah, and it doesn't. And for me, it doesn't actually matter what the size of the gig is. Yeah. Yep. It's just what I have to put in place. So I can enjoy it. So I'm not an absolute, you know, nervous wreck, yeah. I'm gonna follow the slide. So we'll come back to you. other bits and bobs that you've done. But I want to ask that putting things in place. Now, as a mom of two. That would also be who's gonna look after the kids? And how am I going to rehearse when I've got two kids? Like, all that sort of stuff? Adds a massive new element to it, doesn't it? massive new element. But I think being a musician and artists, I can practice around them. Is it easy? No, it is not. You get to grab the moments when they're there. But yeah, I just do my best to work around them. I also don't get this right all the time. But I try to not have the old tomorrow head on. Like our before kids, I was able to work at this pace. I think that's where, you know, I can become undone. I think other mums can come undone as well because they're trying to perform at a level before motherhood. And it's pretty much an impossible task because your life is different. Yeah. And I'm not saying you can't still do what you love to do. And I think you need that to be you know, a good mom. I feel like I'm a better mom when I sing when I've got like side projects. I feel like I'm and I love that I can include my kids as well. Yeah, right. Yeah. Because quite often they'll come into band practices. I remember when they I can Jasper was four months old and Marie and I were practicing my 90s mixtape and or doing the chorus medley at the end, which was like 20 courses back to back in one song. The last songs absolutely everybody by Vanessa amorosi. And yeah, singing that note at the end. I'm breastfeeding Jasper at this time, like doing all the like, oh my gosh, but I actually felt really empowered. I'm like, I can do this. Yeah, it just is showing up differently. And that's okay. And not putting those, like you said, comparing yourself to the life you had before. So I feel like that just it just makes you feel bad or guilty or something. It's like there's no point trying to drag yourself back into that space. Absolutely. There's no going back whether you decide to be a mom or not. There's no going back, but how I feel like there's so many people that are so attached to their old life. Instead of embracing what's happening now and being in the moment now. Like I'm not, I'm not, you know, 25 in London anymore. I'm not, you know, seeing on a cruise ship anymore. I don't want to do that either. Because I have done that that chapter of my life was bloody awesome. But then you tapped out you The music's different now. And I'm showing up in a different way now, but I think that's exciting instead of being a I'm not my old self wasn't a man before. Yeah, I am. That's a great way to look at it. That is a great way to look at it some holidays down by the drink and lemon jello, making promises we won't. So you mentioned the cruise ships there. Let's have a quick chat about what you were doing and how long you were doing it for. Yep. So when I was living in London, I auditioned to be a lead singer in a band on Disney for Disney Cruise Line. Yeah. So I got so I got the I got the gig. And I spent three months traveling around the Caribbean. It was terrible. Would have been raining the whole time? No sunshine. Best and after that. A bit. Mean amazing. Yeah, it really was. And that was yeah, a huge learning curve, because it was Thursday night. So sometimes it was, you know, Motown jazz. We did one set a week in front of the goofy pool, and we'd perform with the Disney characters or Magica days we die. Allison, it was like, the joy on everyone's faces. And you would you know, get lost in the moment as well. It was. Yeah, it was a really, really good gig. Yeah. Though, living on the ship is not my cup of tea. I think I always knew that. But I was like, I want to do this once. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm glad I did it. But now I want to be living on the land. Not mindspace. Not in a cabin right down the bottom with no windows. Oh, oh, that'd be hard. Like did you get do you get seasick or like, queasy down there did a couple of times when it was rough. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But in the Caribbean are pretty calm. So it wasn't too bad. Yeah. Yeah. You wouldn't take a job like that if you suffered from. I can just imagine, like, I get pretty seasick as it is. But if you were down somewhere with no window, I recommended just do your heading. You just feel like you're in a box. That was the worst, I would say. Like, quite often. I'm just going up to the top deck. I just need some sunlight. Yes, not. Not great. Yeah. Oh, there you go. So sorry. How long did you do that for? You said three months? Yeah, right. Oh, that would have been amazing. Yeah. It's so good that you've got all these wonderful experiences you can look back on and just like you said, you can say that was amazing. I'm not doing that. Now. I've moved on life. But you've got all these awesome things and all these stories. I can that's so cool. Oh, love it. And I guess you would have probably learnt heaps like working with different people along the way to like picking up things from different musicians and, you know, just keeping them in your back pocket for next time sort of thing. Absolutely. I actually think it's a great masterclass for songwriting. Yeah. Right. You know, cuz you watch what the audience get into. So like, when does that when, you know, a song lifts or certain hooks and phrasing and styles, like just all those types of things? I find some, you know, in the singer songwriters really turned their nose down, you know, have a band singers, but I think, how are you meant to learn? If you don't try every flavor of ice cream, you know? And, you know, doing cover gigs? You do you have to sometimes sing songs you don't necessarily like sometimes you quite often will find songs that you really like and connect with that you didn't? Didn't think you would. So I actually think it was. Yeah, an amazing experience to do that. Yeah. Do you find that? I mean, this is my personal experience that I think the best way that I've learned my, what my voice can do and my range and what I'm capable of is singing other people's songs because I wouldn't write songs, like the other people that I sing their music, you know what I mean? So it's actually been really useful to be singing lots of songs over many years to sort of see what you can do and learn where you can push yourself and where you can learn more. Absolutely, and I I have loved doing that because I like I said, I love like Whitney, Mariah I'd never change the, like, I probably sound like a, you know, animal in the paddock that's practicing it. But how are you meant to know what you're capable of if you don't go there? Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah. So I runs Oh, how do you you know, seeing that height? Because I let myself go there and practice that. Yeah. You know, I mean, everyone's voices are different, like, I don't have a low voice. Like, I probably wouldn't ever tackle like a Tracy Chapman song in the original key because it you know, I just can't sing that low. So I think that's what makes us all you know, special and unique. That's the beauty Beauty and the voice, you know that everyone has different, you know, colors and textures and sounds and yeah, I love Yeah, absolutely. And I, I know, there's like, no, like, you talk about that sort of stigma of being a cover singer. But I don't know people. People love hearing songs that they know. And this is something I've struggled with placing original songs in sets over the years because people love and I do it too. When I go out. I love to hear some unknown, you know, tap a foot and sing along. So this this, people should stop bagging it. They probably love it too. Exactly. Like, I'm not ashamed to say that I'm, you know, my guilty pleasures are power ballads. Yeah. I went to say Celine Dion in Vegas. It was amazing. Yeah, right would have been pretty special. Do you know what you're not just one thing? Yeah. Oh, that's exciting thing, you know, with being a singer that you can decide what you want to do like you can. And I've seen that with the work that you do. You can sing on dance tracks, you can do jazz, you can do folk, you can do acoustic, you can do whatever the hell you want to do. Yep, that's it, isn't it? That's why sometimes hate that question. Who are you as an artist? Well, I don't, you're huge. I mean, yeah. Sometimes I want to sing this. And sometimes I want to sing that. And it's like, I don't like I don't think I'd put out an album that like the first song was a you know, it was death metal. And then it was a power ballad. Like, I think that would be a bit confused. But I'm just, I'm not into those labels. I've actually gotten less and less keen on, like labeling genres. And to the point where I'll start putting myself in competition. So as I want to know what your genre is, like, I can't tell you I just It depends what mood I'm in. But I feel I'm working with and you know, I know that sort of, say it's very restrictive. I wish there was less less of that sort of talk in the industry, but they've got an eye. It's like, they've got to work out how to deal with you. They've got to know what you do. And it's easy for them if they can pigeonhole you into something. And why do they need to know how old you are? Ya got you? Yes, yes. Yeah. I think the I think it's getting better. yet. I found like, you know, I when I was in Melbourne I can't remember what audition it was and I was like 18 or 19 Oh, no, you're too old for that. Oh, Lord. Oh my god. So young and I believed it for a long time. So I never really took myself like that seriously cuz I just thought like I'm never probably going to have a career in it because you clearly have to be to to get signed. It's bizarre what does it matter love has changed. Me You're listening to the art of being a mom with my mum, I listen. I think the older you get, the more life experience you have. And I've know personally, the better songwriting I'm doing as I get older. I think even since I've had kids, it's like this whole new perspective on your life. And it's so much richer, you know, and to be able to reflect on that and but they want us all to be young and I don't know single and not have kids and but that's mainstream say Eric and the amount of people I've talked to in the indie indie world. No one gives a shit like people, people if you've got a good song and you like people like what you're what you're putting out there. That's all that matters. And I feel like a lot of people, people that I to talk to anyway I just really not even bothering with mainstream stuff not even trying to knock down those doors. Because it's just the first thing. How old are you? They see you're a woman. Have you got kids? Like, that's the interview? Yeah, it's, yeah. And there's no point even like trying to go there. Like, I'm not trying to be the next Teen sensation to appeal to a younger audience, because there's actually some really amazing young artists coming through that are tapping into that market beautifully. Let them own that. I just think there's, you know, enough room for all of us. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. I need to be pegged up against each other. Yeah. We all have, you know, different stories to tell. Different songs to put out there. That can't really you can't compare it. Because they're not the same, you know? Yeah. Let's hear. So I just, yeah, I, it doesn't that doesn't bother me anymore. But it really did back then. And because I was so young when now. I don't I don't care. Yeah. Yeah, no. Heat. I think if I'm authentic to myself, and I'm proud of the work that I'm putting out there. And I get to work with all the amazing people in this community. And in you know, in the in the music world that I've connected with tech, you've already won. Could you proud of that? Yeah, that's a garment. You know, the followers the views? Yeah. Yeah. You could get 10,000 views on my YouTube. Yeah. It's it's a funny one. Yeah, that's it, isn't it? Yeah. So you're talking about songwriting. I want to talk to you about when did you start start writing your own songs? When I was studying in London, yeah. Right. So you know, we would take songwriting classes there, we perform original songs. Then I sort of stopped because I was getting quite a lot of, you know, cover band work. And that's when I went, you know, on the Disney ship. And from the Disney ship. I got a job seeing in the Middle East. Ah, that's was that Doha? Yes. Yeah, right. Yeah. Yep. So I got a job seeing six nights a week with that same band that I worked with on the on the Disney cruise ship. Yeah. At the Intercontinental Hotel in in Doha. Yeah. Right. And we were one of the first western bands there. Oh, wow. So like, we were treated like rock stars. Like that was my rock star moment. Oh, cool. Yeah, it was so cool. was so two weeks into the gig. They had the Big Day Out festival. On the beach. They had like home staying top loader. Like got in like a couple of other big bands. I can't remember off the top of my head. But it was like this massive Festival on the beach and like, Oh, can you open up for them? And we're like oh my god. It was just like a scene from a movie. Like it was just like, huge budget massive stage. Big audience. Like the sound was epic. It was just hot, balmy weather on the beach. I'm like, this is a vibe. Oh, man. Come home from what you learn to being in this industry. It's not all highs. Yeah, yeah. And it's very easy to fall into the trap and I'm guilty of it. of always wanting that feeling. Always wanting that high. And it's nice not like that. And it's not all about those big gigs. You know, I've done gigs where like literally playing to nobody tables and chairs. Singing everybody oh wait, there's no one there. You know, like it's just yeah. But you know, it makes you appreciate when you do get opportunities like that because they're not all you know, The showstoppers. Yeah, let's see. And that's, and that's okay. Because it's about it. This is what I've learned since having kids is enjoying the process more. Recently, did a music video and remix of my first single release me, it's gonna ask you about that. Let's talk about that now. Yeah, so I wrote that in Doha. That's, that was my first song I'd ever written, released. I was 28. Yeah, right. I was like, I've got to push myself here. You know, I've been doing this this cover band gig for a while, which I've enjoyed, but I wanted to challenge myself and the opportunity to work with a producer there. Came up and then a friend of mine who, who is a videographer, just out of the blue said, are you working on any originals? I might well, actually, I do want to shoot a music video. Sure. Um, and I think from that moment, I'm like, Oh, I really want to explore songwriting more, I really want to, you know, go down this path. Yeah. So when you were writing at that point, what was Where were you drawing your inspiration from as compared to now? I guess. So that's that song's about that's heartbreak. It's a ballad. It's about you know, an old find having a hold on your heart. So it was sort of weird singing it now. I'm happily married. I've got two kids. Like, life's cool. Live in Gambia. Very different to, you know, what I was going through at the time. But you can always put that hat back on, even if you're in that place. I don't know if you find that, Allison. Yes. And I think there's something beautiful about that type of vulnerability like that heartbreak. I think that's why people bloody love Adele. She's willing to go there. Yeah. And it's just so beautiful to you know, hear that vulnerability in music like I really connect with, with songs like that. Yeah. Yeah. And that's why I wanted to strip that song back a bit more as well. Yeah, congratulations on that. When I heard it. For the first time. I just thought, Oh, this is lovely. Because I actually listened to the original few days before I was driving at drive to Rome. And I thought, let's listen to the original just to prepare myself for for the change. And it's beautiful to our congratulations. Thank you, hopefully. And yeah, you talked about your film clip. Tell us about that. Because that is amazing. I'm gonna put a link to that in your show notes because people need to see this. It's a piece of art basically. It's DEVAR. Thank you. You know, it was a team effort. Yeah. You know, like my sister in law had that beautiful Roberto Cavalli game gown hanging you know, like, you know, so lucky to that was a, you know, an art piece that suited the venue. Unlike these dress and the venue belong together. You could not have done it any more perfectly seriously. It's just incredible. Yeah, and to film it. Yeah. Have you ever been to Yellin Park? I haven't actually ever been there. No. Didn't go. So Young Park is just outside of Panola it is one of I think it's Australia's best preserved Victorian home. Oh, really? I didn't know that. Let me rephrase that mansion. Yes. Absolutely spectacular. You know, the old piano, the furniture, the original wallpaper. That staircase with the stained glass window. Like it was just you feel the magic when you when you walk in there? Yeah. Yeah, it was, you know, because homes aren't built like that anymore. So just to, you know, feel like you're stepping back in time and like to do that down here is really important to me, because I always thought like, I don't know if I could ever live, you know, in Mount Gambier again, is this going to fill me enough because I, you know, lived in London and traveled a lot but it's actually been the best thing for me to be able to, like work with the people that I've been been able to work with in that time. But we're so lucky down here. Like, we don't have to go to the city. Sometimes you do. And you have to source that work outside of the community. But we're just so lucky. Yeah, there are some seriously talented people you won't get. Like, just, yeah, you don't have to go far to find someone that's got a skill that can help you with something fun. Like, you know, I've worked with Katy Fox, but yes, like, she's just so beautiful. And like, she's just so much fun on set. And we just have a laugh. And yeah, it was just yeah, really special to, to do that with all my, my favorite creative. Yeah, yeah, that's really nice. I've often thought of that, like, you think are now I've got kids, I can't go away and record in Melbourne for two weeks non stop, you know, all this sort of stuff. And you sort of think, yeah, it's actually you feel really proud when you do something down here. Because it's like almost saying, you know, and up yours to people that think you have to leave a small town to achieve things. You don't? You really don't look, logistically, is it a bit challenging? Like, I'm thinking off? I'm going to do a tour at some point. What's that gonna look like? But you can still make it happen. And I think sometimes making it happen in your own small way. It's not about you trying to be the biggest and the bestest, you know? Yeah, yeah, it's like what's achievable in your world, and it may not look like what it is for somebody else. But that's another thing that I've been talking before about, as you get older, not worrying so much about stuff. And like, I used to be really competitive, like think, Oh, someone's doing that, oh, I wish I could do that. In my 20s. And now it's like, well, good on them. Like you actually look at someone and appreciate what they've done and what they're doing. And it's it's a really great way to be because you're just, I know, you're not caught up in, you know, all this, especially on this on social media with all the things you see from people. But you can sort of just, you know, I can't remember where I was going with this. I've gotten there now. And I can't remember what my point was at the start of it. Might come back to me, but yeah, basically. Oh, yeah. Ego. You see, I've got to do this, too, in this way. Because such and such did this way. And this is how people expect you to do a tour but it's like no, actually break it down. What's worked for me, my family, my location, and just don't worry about what people think. Because it matters what you think. You have to live with you at the end of the day. Yeah. And why you go down a path that's not authentic to you. That's going to actually make you probably end up hating music, because you're not staying true to who you are. Yeah. Yeah. And I think you know, we're there. You know, we live in a society that's obsessed with busy and being hustled hard and do this and you want to, you know, like pulling you in, in directions that actually, you don't want to go. But that's, you know, what I've realized, especially since having kids I'm in the driver's seat here, I get to decide not people pulling me in other directions of where I you know, want to go Yeah, that's incredibly empowering. Isn't it? Really is like, you know, you don't have to be signed anymore. We have the internet so even though that's you know, with the streaming and making money's a little bit more challenging but your reach is absolutely endless so there's so many there's so many positives Yep. Yeah stands at the desk I want to take you on down different path. about this topic we have I love to talk to my guests about the Old Faithful mum guilt, which is something that it's an interesting one because I've had I think I haven't had two guests who genuinely didn't know what it was. And I thought this is amazing actually had one had to google it. And when asked me to explain it, and that that's all well and truly in the minority but yes, it is awesome. And there should be more like it going on. But yeah, share your thoughts what you think about monkey monkey. Mom guilt is very real. I've definitely experienced it. Do I believe in it? I don't I think it's toxic. Why would we should be shaming moms for taking time away from their family? To do something that they love to do? Or to go for a walk down the street? Or where are your kids? I can have time away from my kids, you know, but you don't say that to their father. Tell me about it. Why it's such Dustin is it really is. I feel guilty. If I'm feeling stressed about something and I take it out. And my kids, if I'm a bit short with them, that's when I feel bad. I'm you let them down in that way. But I don't feel I don't feel bad about being creative. I include my kids in that. I share my music with them. How is that a bad thing? I think it's just another layer of making moms feel like shit, putting them up on this ridiculous pedestal of trying to be absolutely everything to everybody. And it's an impossible standard to keep. And men are drowning because of it. Yeah, you know, it's Yeah, so I do feel it. It is there. But I don't spend much time going down that path because I don't genuinely believe in mom guilt. It's fair on mums. Yeah, that's so well said. It's like it is it is. It's like a thing that someone came up with, just to add another layer of you know, we don't feel bad enough about things. So let's just put something else on to moms. Yeah. It's horrible. It is horrible. It really good on you for fighting against it. Because it's crap. I think a lot a lot, a lot of women and a lot of mothers are speaking out about it in that way as well. Like, this is BS, it is. Why, why should I feel bad? It doesn't make any sense now. And like you said earlier, it actually helps you be a better person. And therefore a better mother, when you are being creative and your own needs are being met. It just, it sends you out in the world in a different headspace. Absolutely, and how cool that I get to share this with my sons. You know, motherhood and being creative can exist together doesn't have to be one or the other. And our kids are here to teach us a lesson or to look at their imagination. Look at them just being present in the moment. They're not going, Ah, I've got to go the supermarket by this time, and I've got to do this, I've got to do that there's something so special about being around young children. Oh, I totally agree with that, is I spend my days working in a kindergarten and it's just, it really humbles you. It's like, all the stuff that you thought in the world was I mean, it is some stuff is bad, but you know, the stuffs on your mind, like the trivial things. And then you've got a child who's looking at a leaf, and just studying the veins on the leaf. And it's just like, Ah, okay, right, get back to basics. You know, it just really brings you back down to earth. Absolutely. And it's, you know, it's about making big things out of the small things. It's not about this, you know, unachievable goal that's put that like that we're being fed this narrative that, oh, if you wake up at this time, and if you eat this food, and if you do this, if you do that, if you do that, and it's like, by the time I get through that bloody list over the last 24 hours, yeah, yeah. And if you read another list, it would be conflicting, it'd say, Don't eat that before such and such but do this before and it's just like, hello, we have to actually live our lives. Yes, on that as well. Like it's too much. We are consuming content at a rapid rate. We need to have those output days where we're just, you know, playing around on a keyboard writing a song right, you know, playing outside with our kids without being Oh, someone so said this on Instagram and I'm just going to watch this video. I'm just going to do this. I'm just going to do that and you're just not being in the moment and I think there's a huge disconnect in society. because it is. Yeah, I can the biggest scary thing for me is the, the like this tick tock era where the what's the word concentration spans are being shortened? Because you fed this information and it turns over so quick. So I see the mind kids, it's like they'll watch half of a, there's like a big long video, maybe I'd know half an hour and they'll only watch like 10 minutes and then decide they don't like that anymore. It's like, hang on, what about the rest of it? And like, be an hour day you're watching the television. That was all you had to watch channel eight, and ABC and you create a connection? Yes, good. Oh, gotcha connection. You know, it's like, they just they expect to have more and more and different and different constantly asked them, you know, and it's like, no, no, no, we have to stop this to scary. And now you know, artists are writing songs for Tik Tok. They're not even writing whole. Bloody Kylie Minogue. Did you see what she's done? I don't think she's even released her latest song, she's just put it out on Tik Tok, and basically got people to make a dance out of it. So that's what's getting the track viral is because they're all doing this dance. It's like she knows how to run the show. You don't need a record label anymore. You just say tick tock account online. And that's why it's important. I think as an artist to like I've said before, write songs that you're proud of. That you can connect to. Because what's going to be the next trend? I can't go there. I'm not gonna write a song for Tik Tok. I'm not gonna write a song in a you know, in hoping that it's gonna go viral. I can't go there. Yeah, you know if I can be vulnerable, authentic, like, I love writing about the human experience. You know, love loss, adversity, being brave that type of thing. I know that that story, those stories connect with other people because I've been through it as well. Yeah. So you know, I'm willing to dabble production wise do something a bit different. But I'm not I think yes, you're chasing your tail if you're trying to write songs just because this is you know, tic TOCs the latest thing or Instagram or do this do that? Like I think that's not gonna that's not an enjoyable process. Yeah, I was actually going to say that it did start to feel more like a chore and a job. And it's not meeting that the need that you have to express what you need to express, you know, yeah, so yeah. I don't even have I don't even have a tic tock account. I don't even want to go there. It's just I'll just find out have you Yeah. Yeah. I don't know how to use other major rookie here. Oh, goodness way. Change there was a quote that you had on your Facebook recently, and you said that, that it spoke like the process had sparked your creativity. And it was something that you thought was gone since having your kids so have you? Have you basically put this aside for How old's your oldest sorry, I haven't asked how old he So Max is three and a half and Jasper's Yeah, right. So for the past three and a half years have you done anything for yourself with your music? Not a lot. So that's why I was really nervous to put this out like I really enjoyed the process of you know, doing this remix during the video. But then when it came for the launch, I'm like I'm freaking out here. Like I haven't been in this headspace for Ohio have been you know, my mode so it was it was a challenge for me to do it. I wouldn't say that that was a walk in the park. You know because we all had plenty gastro two weeks before the release and all this shit basically literally. All this is so hard to try and do both. It's just feels like such an impossible task. But I was just had to keep reminding myself. You can only do your best you can do come and quiet the mind because there's so little but yeah, it was was a challenge. But I was also refreshing as well as well. I've needed this, huh? Yes, yeah, yeah. Because you like since you were 15 music has been pretty much your life. So then to have that big break from it that would have liked did you have times during that time where you're like, Oh, I really feel like I have to get back to it or like what was going through your mind at times. I made the point though, of always having a little project. So I'm was not back doing gigs to what I was doing previously. And at the moment, I'm not either and that is totally fine. But like always. Oh, my kids are back on that ground. Reality Check. When I fell pregnant with Max, I still had my mobile caravan business limoncello caravan bar, which was still operating. I had staff that would work in the van for me. And he was four months old. And I did the band Christmas show. I did a limoncello caravan bar cocktail Christmas party. So I I knew I could do two gigs. Right. I just made sure that I had a couple of little projects in the pipeline. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that has helped because if I didn't do that, well COVID kicked off in March. Yeah, yeah. And then I fell pregnant with Jasper in the June halfway through COVID. Yep. And then what I was working on my 90s mixtape, so we did that the part of the 2018 Matt Gander in Adelaide fringe. And we performed that again, but that I reckon that got Reese Yeah, that got rescheduled. Yeah, right. COVID. Yeah. A week. And then we finally did it again last year. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, man. Yeah, that was a long time goes by how much time has gone by Don't ya like Oh, my God isn't work. It's so funny though. Having kids in COVID Because we're like, Oh, how's how's your child going? I'm like, which one? They're like, did you have another one? I'm like, yeah. What else? Gotta keep busy somehow. Otherwise Oh, that's classic. Oh, that's so funny each and every day the distance the time is all we need your brain makes of release me is out. What do you see the cup coming up? Have you got anything sort of happening in your brain? Like, I want to do this and what indeed there are lots of things. That's the like I've, I've always been like this, like, going back to childhood like my imagination is wild. And Nick can tell when I'm off on one because it's like I'm talking to myself is that we're used to thinking something or doing something. I'm like, Yeah, I was I just go into this. This other world? Yeah. So on. Yeah. Got a few ideas in the pipeline. Yep. But I don't want to say what I'm going to do because it's very early stage. That's okay. You don't have to tell me all your secrets. I would like to drop a single by the end of the year, but if that happened, that's okay. The songs got to be right. Anyway, so I've started you know, penning a few ideas down so yeah, we'll just see what happens. Oh, good Anya, and yet look honestly, when I saw what you were wearing, and that the location for your film clip I was like, oh my god, like you could seriously not have found two more perfect things to put together like that dress. Oh my gosh, like did you feel like like, I don't know, like a goddess or something you met Jessica is it bloody hell? You look good. Like, I felt like a million bucks because like, you know, I've been in nursing tops, sweatpants. Rock Mumbai, been for the past two years like, actually not The cameras have my hair and makeup done. I'm like is this is what I needed at this moment in time? So like kickstarted, like you said, it's kickstarted that creativity. And now it's like the balls rolling and all these things are happening in your mind. It's exciting, isn't it? It is. But then it's like I'm dealing with two toddlers at the moment. So they, yeah, that's sort of stealing the show. Might be able to feature them in the next film clip just for a second. Yeah. Well, Maxis in one of my film clips. Oh, I see. Yeah. And I was pregnant with Jasper as well. So did you see Eileen? The Tribute? I did to my grandfather? I did. Yes. Yeah. Yes. Oh, I mean, like, my kids and family are a part of my music. Sound legacy and how bloody cool is that? Yeah. I love that. Like mom said to me, probably the best thing you'll ever do is sing with the kids. And at the time, I was probably quite young. I was that. Oh, really? And then I'm like, nah, this is cool. I call that I can cue on this journey. And like Max's like, Oh, mommy, you're gonna go singing now. And I want to come and see me is that as well as being their mom? is super cool. Oh, yeah. I feel like that is for me personally. That's where I find the most pride I think that they can see that their mother is not the mother still, Allison is still their own person, like mom still May. And and my life does not exist to solely do one. You know, role. I do all these other things. And I love that the kids know that. I think it's so important for like, I say feminism moving forward. But it's, it's I think it's really important for them to get that that women just because they have children. Does it make them obsolete in our society? Absolutely. And that's inspiring. And that success. You're allowed to say that. I feel like you can't say, oh, I love I love being a mom like I really do. Like I absolutely love it. Am I perfect? No. exist. Like and you know what? I don't want my kids to think that I'm perfect. So if I'm, you know, get a bit totally at them because they've you know, spilled my my load down the wall or put a golf club through the TV, like, and I get it across about it. Yeah. I apologize and go oh, sorry, I did get a B cross. Because we're all human. We're not perfect. I don't want to be put up on that pedestal. Yeah. Yep. So feel like you're sending your kids out with unrealistic, unrealistic expectations of what you know, relationships are and what you can expect from other people. That's like, we are actually allowed to get shitty and annoyed at each other feel these emotions, you're allowed to feel this stuff? I don't know. I feel like the previous like, when I was a kid, you know, you wouldn't see your parents in these ways of expressing themselves. They were just mom and dad. And they didn't know anything else about what they did. But, you know, I want my kids to know that I'm a full whole person with all these other elements to me. And I love you, regardless of what you show me. Yeah. You're angry. That's okay. I want you to come to me. My doors always open ask me anything. Yeah, I was by far the, you know, perfect teenager. I get it. Man that got the t shirt. You know, like, I don't? Yeah, I don't want them to strive for perfection. And I, I don't either. You know, how many moms are trying to be the perfect mom? Yeah. There's a really good Carrie. Oh, it is. And I had an episode with Sophie Brock, who's a Dr. Sophie Brock, who's a motherhood sociologist. And she said, the perfect mother myth, like the perfect mother does not exist, because there's an exercise she gets you to where you write down all the things that you think makes up a perfect mother and putting that in air quotes. And you'd when you look at that, and you read that back, it, that person cannot physically exist. But you know, we're all told we're meant to do these things and be certain ways and behave this and don't do that and make sure you do that. So what the hell. Well, you know what I hate, especially from people that don't have kids. Well, you chose to be a mom, or Yeah, yeah. No. It's like you're allowed to complain about your office job. Yeah. Like, you two feelings can exist at the same time. Mike, I'm grateful but also you're doing my bloody head in I'm sick of cleaning up all this food off the floor. This mess is making me feel good. overwhelmed and overstimulated, we're allowed to have these honest conversations. Yeah, you're allowed to say that. It's hard because it bloody is. Yeah. Yeah. But also, it's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. Like when you meet your child for the first time, like, how could I love something so much? Yeah, I experienced this before, you know. It's at all look that ambivalence that two thoughts at the same time that are both true is one something I find incredibly fascinating about being a mum. Like, I'd be like, Oh, geez, I could I could literally throw myself in front of a moving car to save your life. But could you just eat your bloody tea? Please? Stop it's you're at an eight you're totally extremes. It just it contains. It really is. Oh, man. Oh, that's funny. Yeah. The sorries we begin. Yeah, if you got anything else you wanted to share before I let you go because I'm conscious. We're rolling on to the witching hour. So screaming in the background, clearly someone's hungry. So I'm obsessed with flamingos. I love them. Ah, that's a lovely mug. And I found this amazing quote on Instagram about flamingos and I want to share with you just beautiful. So flamingos lose their pink when they're raising their babies. Because it's such an intense process. Eventually it comes back. If you're deep in postpartum motherhood right now, Mama, remember you will get your pink bag. Oh, I love that. Oh, yeah. Like, when you said that? Oh, but it's so true. Like it's actually okay. To surrender to to motherhood and being that because it is so full on you don't have to, you know, try and still have a full time career like it's, it's okay. Yeah, yes, you know, you and you will get your shine your shine back. Just to tell our listeners what you're wearing. I'm wearing a sequin bomber jacket. Yeah, that's serious. And like, yeah, being patient and knowing that time. Yeah, you know, we move through life and people get older. And I love people who say that the seasons change. You know, I'm in a different season in my life. Now. It's like, yeah, and sometimes it's hard to do that, you know, to, to go Oh, but I remember this. And I remember that. And it's okay to give yourself a break, you know, and, yeah, you Pinkel. I think art is better for it. Sometimes when you take a break. Why are we talking about this enough? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. The stillness, that your priorities do change. Doesn't mean it's lost forever. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Yeah. Could you say some good things. I'm gonna have sandy quotes, but that Flamingo one isn't mine. I stole that one. That's okay. But you said it today. So that's cool. Like, I feel like as a mom, we're holding on to a lot of shame that's not necessary. Like pursuing our creative dreams. We're also carrying on like, these old stories and old narratives that don't that don't serve us. I think it's, you know, when sometimes they just shatter a legacy that's holding us back. That and that that's, you know, belief system. Doesn't doesn't work for me. And it's okay for me to and what's important is to do what's right for my family. And that might not be what some someone else would do, but that's okay. And I think you have to be comfortable in that, because everyone's got an opinion. Everyone will tell you what they think. And you know, especially, you know, I look at my grandmother's generation, they lived in a different time, of course, they're gonna have a different perspective on what motherhood should be or what life should be. Some of those values are amazing, but some of them don't hold up in, in modern society. So it's really important to stay in your lane, and to be comfortable in the choices that you make as a family. Yeah. You know, my kids feel loved. They're seeing, they're heard. They're happy, my husband's happy. I'm happy. Yeah. You know, that's the main thing. Yeah. That is, that is awesome. Yeah, I saw I saw a quote the other day, sort of similar to that, like, I'm not going to get this wrong, I'm going off by heart, but I can't remember was something about how were the really the first generation of mothers who have got this, this thing coming out and saying, Oh, you can do it, or you can do this, you could do that. So that, that sort of post feminist movement of that, you can do it all. But then our mothers didn't do it all, they probably had jobs, and then stopped working to have kids. And now we're at this point where we do want to express ourselves, and we do want to do other things apart from the mothering role. So we're just caught in limbo of how like, I don't wanna say, how do you get it right? Because I don't think you ever get it. Right. But how do you make it work? You know, like you were saying, like, for your family, and it's really hard not to look around and seeing what other people are doing listening to other voices. It's like, put your blinkers on and just do what works for you. Like you said, Stay in your lane. And if you if you're all happy, then that's all that matters. Absolutely. Yeah. Because you're always gonna feel that pool. Like how often do you hear or backing, backing out? And we didn't do this? Yeah, there was a different life completely different circumstances. Absolutely. And I want to make sure that when my kids, especially when they're a bit older, that I'm up to speed with what's going on in schooling. They're living through a different time than I did as a child. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's really important. Not projecting your experience onto your kids. Like our parents did. Like, you know, my my parents parents did. Yeah, some of those values were good, but some of those things are not. Yeah. Yeah, that's so true. That is a really good way to put it get that baby thank you so much for coming on tomorrow. I love chatting with you to save me. It's been lovely. It's nice to actually have a conversation because we always see each other in passing at gigs and shows and things. It's lovely to sit down and chat with you. And thank you for sharing on thanks for having me. Like this was such a safe space to have very, you know, a very open conversation. I've never done a podcast before, like, natural you have to do more of them. But I didn't you know you make it made me feel comfortable. Or Thank you. I appreciate that. And I do you know, follow your podcast and you've done a really good job to be proud of it. Oh, thank you. That's so nice of you to say. Thanks for your company today. If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd love you to consider leaving us a review following or subscribing to the podcast, or even sharing it with a friend who you think might be interested. If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, please get in touch with us by the link in the show notes.

Hello artistic/creative mum!! Thank you so much for agreeing to be featured on the Art of Being a Mum blog. If you could please copy and paste the questions into a word doc or email, and then type your answers underneath, to send back to me. Artist Info Tell us about yourself, your art form, what you create, style, mediums you use. Let us get to know you as an artist. How did you get started, influences, why this artform, were you a creative child, what sparked your interest, any study you have done in this field, etc. Is this what you always wanted to do? Did you feel like you had to get a 'real' job and not pursue art? Family info Tell us about your family, children, ages, (names are optional) Share as much or as little detail as you wish. Day to day What does your art life look like today? Hours you are able to spend, challenges, pros and cons How do you juggle it all? How do your children fit into this? Any tips you can share or things you wish you had known? Did you need to find new ways to work so you could continue creating? Support Do you/did you have others in your art circle that have had this experience? Do you or have you had role models about how to juggle creating art and the demands of parenthood? Do you/did you have a support network around you? How did that/does that affect your work/art/creativity? Being a mum Did having a child/becoming a mother influence or inform your work? This one is not about the day to day logistics, more about the emotions that came up that might have manifested in your work "Mum guilt" Do you believe in the concept of "mum guilt"? a) when it comes to your art and b) general life. Do you feel differently about mum guilt depending on what you are doing? eg art or normal life? Yes/No/Why? Discuss - this is one of my favourite topics What triggers your mum guilt? (if you feel it) Identity How did the concept of your own identity change when you became a mum? Is it important to you to be "more than a mother"? eg - you are also your own person, artist, wife, daughter etc If so, how do you give yourself time and space to do/feel this this? What are your thoughts around this? Is it important to you to continue your art/own interests? Is it important to you that your children see that you do more than just the mothering role? Value of your art/creativity We're not talking about the monetary value of your work here, but the importance you place on your creating. If you don't bring money into your household with your creative work, does that diminish the value of it in your eyes? How do you feel about how society sees the value of (mother) artists contributions? Cultural Norms When you were growing up, what sort of a mother was your own mother expected to be? Did society expect her to focus only on her family and home roles? How did that effect you as a child and then growing up and how you approached your own parenting? I'm in Australia so Im really interested in how other cultures have expereienced this. Anything else An opportunity for you to share anything additional t hat is important to you, or to promote yourself, your business, etc Future What projects are you working on or have coming up? Shows, gigs, etc Where can people find you online? Social etc Other notes Although not a topic I ask guests directly about, the subject of mental health comes up more often than not. If you feel comfortable sharing your experience please do so. PLEASE SEND ME - promo photos that I can share. This can be of you, an example of your work, your family/children, anything that you would like to represent you. Any number from 1-5 is great, and at least one that shows your face is great. links to your website/instgram etc or any other links you wish to share a list of the materials/ equipment you use in your practice. I like to compile a list and provide links for listens to purchase or research further if they wish. an artistic bio, any special awards or upcoming events you would like mentioned in your show notes. SOCIAL MEDIA Your blog will go live on a Friday. Leading up to this I will post the following on my instagram and facebook accounts: Wednesday - Introduction using supplied photo Thursday - Quote tile Friday - Out Now image tile Sunday - Reel - supplied photos Tuesday - Quote tile for examples of these check out my instag ram I will tag you in each, feel free to share or repost on your socials, it certainly helps to spread the word. You will also have a dedicated landing page for your blog, which is a great place to direct people to, if you would like this link for your website or socials please let me know, or you can extrapolate it here: eg https://www.alisonnewman.net/written-interview-articles-1/ firstname-lastname From time to time I post previous guests’ quotes so you may notice yourself pop up again months down the track. I enjoy taking relevant quotes and sharing them around a theme on my socials. If you have any queries or questions please let me know, Alison x

Paula Borsetti March 7-20 Virtual show through Women united art movement. March Online Gallery 118 Untold Narratives March 1st Manhattan Arts International Her Story Rocky Neck Art Colony in May Winter show with the National Association of Women Artists in the US Art and Found Day return to Paula's episode page

WOLF is a 5 track EP, a deep dive into the uncomfortable subject of post natal depression. The Wolf plays the role of the PND and I am akin to Little Red Riding Hood. I am taken over by the Wolf, consumed and destroyed. After the birth of my 1st child in 2008 I knew I was experiencing PND but never acknowledged it and never sought help. I was diagnosed after the fact. Fast forward 7 years later when I had my 2nd child, I experienced an incredibly traumatic birth, culminating in an emergency C section, which almost claimed my child's life and left me with PTSD. The Wolf really came to get me, and I suffered severe PND. This time I sought help and with that help from many health professionals, medication and family support. was able to recover over time. Each track covers a different element or experience in my journey of my PND. The tracks run chronologically, so listening to the EP from start to finish will tell the entire story, from first realising it was back to returning to a normal life. My production team was based in Spain and Argentina, with my vocals recorded at home in Mt Gambier. The songs are in the style of a dark pop, full of melodramatic sounds, using effects to create the scene and tell the story, and layered vocals and harmonies to add more drama. I am a big believer in talking about mental health and breaking the stigma that goes along with it. I recorded a podcast with local mental health help group Lifeboat SE , in April 2019, I am also proud to be a community ambassador for the group. I am so passionate about sharing stories of creative mothers and the intersection of creativity and the mothering role. I do so through my podcast The Art of Being a Mum , which has been out since June 2021. Things Are About To Get Dark THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET DARK 00:00 / 03:33 Re told from the moment I experience my first PND symptoms, it is a forboding moment of realisation, it is going to happen all over again. MUSIC VIDEO This track won the Australian Songwriters Association 2021 Exceptional Merit Award in the Rock/Indie Category "What a song! It stops you in your tracks! Nigel Loveday Eastern FM Melbourne Free Me FREE ME 00:00 / 03:08 My cry, in vain, to the Wolf to let me go, to free me, to free my soul and leave me. And I am left to wonder just how did this happen again, and realising that no one is in full control of themselves. Pieces of My Pain MUSIC VIDEO PIECES OF MY PAIN 00:00 / 03:30 I am at the cross roads - do I fight or allow the Wolf to completely take me over? Winner of the 2021 South Australian State Final of the Listen Up Music Songwriters Prize and National Finalist Ready for Up MUSIC VIDEO READY FOR UP 00:00 / 02:58 I am ready to celebrate the coming out of the fog, I am feeling more like myself, adjusting to life as a new mum. "This music has helped people." Bronte Ellis 5GTR Fm Feel into You FEEL INTO YOU 00:00 / 04:01 MUSIC VIDEO The final track, a song to celebrate the people that helped me through This trackmade the Top 100 in the 2024 Listen Up Music Songwriters Prize "I feel like Alison is one of those artists that give pieces of herself in each song that she releases." RAG MAG RADIO 18 June ABC Sth East 00:00 / 30:15 30 June 5gtr FM 00:00 / 15:08 1 July 88.3 Southern FM 00:00 / 10:32 9 July Bayside FM 00:00 / 25:46 10 September 5gtr FM 00:00 / 12:13 8 October 5gtr FM 00:00 / 16:52 29 October 5gtr FM 00:00 / 16:10 PRINT MEDIA The Border Watch - 28/6/24 Limestone Coast Community News - 31/7/24 The Border Watch - 2/8/24 The Alternative Gig Guide - 14/8/24 Media Net - 30/8/24 RAG MAG - 27/10/24 PODCASTS The Adelaide Show podcast - ep 395 - 23/6/24 The Adelaide Show podcast - ep 405 - 8/11/24 Enquiries to Elena Di Fiore - Maestro Media PR/Publicist contactus@maestromedia.com.au +61 420 221 773

Alison Newman is a singer and songwriter based in Mount Gambier, South Australia. She has developed a heartfelt, personal approach to her music. Her sound is deeply focused on storytelling, and her songs have a strong narrative component, which highlights the emotional link between the artist, and the songs she sings. Alison's music strikes to the heart of her audience. She uses the power of music to transport the listener emotionally. Alison has had a multitude of musical opportunities over the years, which has allowed her to grow and extend on her musicality - from small vocal ensembles to large choirs, duos and singing with many and varied musicians. Alison was nominated for the South Australian Music Awards Folk Artist Peoples Choice Award in 2019, 2020 and 2021, making the Top 5 in 2019 and 2021. She won the South Australian State Final of Listen Up Music 's 'The Songwriting Prize' for her original song Pieces of My Pain, and has her song performed live in Sydney in January 2022 for the national prize. Her debut album of original music entitled "Heart Songs" was released in late July 2019. She has since released 3 stand alone singles, "Sunshine Sundays" in November 2019, "It's not Christmas without you" , in December 2019 and "For the rest of my life " on Valentines Day 2020. Watch the film clip here. Alison has also released many remixes of songs from her Heart Songs album - Nadine using traditional Celtic instruments, acoustic piano mixes of My Angel , Strength in Numbers and Here with Us Tonight, and a dance floor remix of Kasper. During the Covid19 lockdown of 2020 Alison shared her love of creating covers in her project circa aurora . She took well known songs and covered them in her own unique style. You can listen to them on all the streaming services. Alison has just released the first track from her new album Wolf, which you can find more about here She is also works with Aussie DJ and Producer LT Balkin on many collaborative tracks with the first track Smoke and Roses released in April 2021 . Alison has also done 3 songs with Russian/Egyptian DJ Babak Bazgosha. Alison is an experienced wedding, events and venue performer. MORE ABOUT ALISON... Alison started singing as a child and never stopped! Her first performance was singing 'Silent Night' at the Reidy Park School assembly when she was 5 years old. Throughout Primary School Alison was a prolific writer of poetry and stories, never hesitating to share her work or volunteer her services when a concert or fundraiser was being organised. She wrote and performed 2 songs, self accompanied at the piano, at a school concert in year 6. She had some incredibly supportive teachers during this time who encouraged her creativity, namely Geraldine Hinkley, Lyd Kostelnik and Heather Struthers. Her earliest exposure to music came in many varied forms. At home mum played Boney M, ABBA and Olivia Newton John, her dad enjoyed country + western music such as Don Williams and Johnny Cash. Her Nana was fond of Scottish pipe bands and Dolly Parton. Her grandmother loved classical music and Alison enjoyed looking through her extensive vinyl album collection. Alison attributes this eclectic blend to the reason she loves just about all kinds of music to this day. Her first formal singing lessons were brief, learning about the correct diaphragmatic breathing technique before having to quit due to other after school commitments such as horse riding, gymnastics and playing the organ. Alison fondly recalls the Sunday afternoon concerts that her and her sister Emma would put on for her parents, dressing in matching outfits with denim skirts, tights and leg warmers - dancing on the coffee table. Tennis racquets featured as guitars and hair spray cans as mics. The girls would often make videos singing to their favourite artists such as the Bangles, Belinda Carlisle, Morris Minor and the Majors and Bananarama - this was the early 90s remember! After starting high school Alison auditioned to be a member of the Mayfair Singers - her sister Emma had been a founding member just a few weeks earlier. Alison recalls being a bit annoyed that she missed out on the Primary Schools Musical Festival experience, as this started after she had left Primary School. Peter Habib was pleased to have her along, and Alison enjoyed the experience of harmony singing, learning to sight read and the numerous performance opportunities that Mayfair gave her. She spent 20 years as a member, many of those as a leader and Committee Member. She also gained experience in small group singing, duos and trios, and very very large choirs during this time. Her love of harmony singing endured and she enjoys singing with her sister Emma to this day in their Em and Al duo. After leaving Mayfair in 2004, Alison decided to take a step back from organised groups and 'do her own thing'. This lead to the creation of her solo brand and more work at weddings, parties and functions. Throughout this time her love of writing returned, and the 'Heart Songs' album idea was born. She also enjoys collaborating with her sister Emma, and Emma's husband John creating ambient/new age relaxation and meditation music called Alemjo Alison is a mother of 2 boys Digby and Alex, and lives with her husband Ben and cat in Mount Gambier. She produces a podcast called The Art of Being A Mum and in her spare times loves playing Fortnite with her boys and chilling out at home.

Hello artistic Dad!! Thank you so much for agreeing to be a guest on the special Father's Day eps of my podcast. I cant wait to meet you and chat. I put out 2 lots of Father's Day eps each year - in June to coincide with the UK and USA pbservance, September to coincide with Australia's observance. Here are the general talking points that I work through on each episode. As my chats are quite organic, we may not end up talking about every one of these, and some may not apply to you or your art form. Artist Intro Tell us about yourself, your art form, what you create, style, mediums you use, how you got into your art/creating, how long you have been doing it for, influences, etc Family intro Tell us about your family, children, ages, (names are optional) Share as much or as little as you wish. Being a Dad Did having a child/becoming a father influence or inform your work? This one is not about the day to day logistics, more about the emotions that came up that might have manifested in your work Day to day Now, what does your art life look like today? Hours you are able to spend, challenges, pros and cons How do you juggle it all? Did you need to find new ways to work so you could continue creating? Support Do you/did you have others in your art circle that have had this experience? Do you or have you had role models about how to juggle creating art and the demands of parenthood? Do you/did you have a support network around you? How did that/does that affect your work/art/creativity? Guilt We talk a lot about mum guilt on my show. Do you have any thoughts on this? Do you ever experience "dad guilt" in relation to your art/creativity? If your art is not your 'day job', do you feel torn about spending time on lesser monetary producing activities? Identity How did the concept of your own identity change when you became a Dad? Is it important to you to continue your art as well as be a father? Is it important to you that your children see you as an artist/creator? Anything else An opportunity for you to share anything additional that you w ish to that is important to you Future What projects do you have coming up, anything you’d like to mention. How people can find you online. Other notes You can be as honest as you want on my podcast, swearing is okay too. If any conversations arise that may trigger others I will put a warning on the episode. Conversely, you don’t have to be honest, please don’t feel that you have to share anything that you don’t feel comfortable sharing. You will have approx 3-4 days before I finalise editing of your episode. If you recall anything that you would like removed please let me know before this time and I will be happy to do so. Before chatting, if you have any topics that are definitely off limits, please let me know and I will be happy to oblige Please allow 1.5 to 2 hours to record. It might not take that long, but just in case! I like to chat ;) You don't need any fancy recording gear, just a webcam and its built in mic is enough. You can use headphones if you wish. If you do have fancy gear, that's awesome! I take snippets of video to make short promo vides. If you would prefer me not to do this for your episode please let me know. Feeling nervous is natural, just approach it like we are having a nice relaxed chat - because that is exactly what we are doing :) Although not a topic I ask guests directly about, the subject of mental health comes up more often than not. If you feel comfortable talking about your experience please do so. I have had my own personal experience with post natal depression and anxiety, and feel comfortable talking about the subject, PLEASE SEND ME - Please send me promo photos that I can share. This can be of you, an example of your work, your family/children, anything that you would like to represent you. Any number from 1-5 is great, and at least one that shows your face is awesome. Please send me a list of the materials/equipment you use in your practice. I like to compile a list and provide links for listens to purchase or research further if they wish. An artistic bio, any special awards or events you would like mentioned in your show notes. You can send these before or after your episode is recorded. SOCIAL MEDIA Your episode will go live on a Friday. Leading up to this I will post the following on my instagram and facebook accounts: Wednesday - Video with supplied photos and snippet of audio Thursday - Quote tile Friday - Out Now image tile with audio Sunday - Reel - audio and supplied photos for examples of these check out my instagram I will tag you in each, feel free to share or repost on your socials, it certainly helps to spread the word to new listeners. I will also make a short video using raw footage from our recorded interview, to share with exclusive content subscibers on my email list. You will also have a dedicated landing page for your episode, which is a great place to direct listeners to, if you would like this link for your website or socials please let me know, or you can extrapolate it here: eg www.alisonnewman.net/podcast-eps/ firstname-lastname From time to time I post previous guests’ quotes so you may notice yourself pop up again months down the track. I enjoy taking relevant quotes and sharing them around a theme on my socials. FOR MUSICIANS I break the interview into ‘chapters’ separated by a 25-30 second music grab. I have an APRA AMCOS licence to use copyrighted music on the podcast. If you are happy for me to use yours please send me the links where I can purchase or download. If you know of anyone who would like to be a guest on the show, please let me know - mums or dads. I love chatting to people I have never met, from all creative backgrounds and from all around the world. Thank you for being involved in my podcast, I can’t wait to chat. If you have any queries or questions please let me know, I want you to feel comfortable and happy with your involvement. Alison x alsone765@gmail.com www.alisonnewman.net 0422 458 336 Take a listen to the podcast here