Cherry Festival Radiance in Bloom Solo Exhibition — A Heartfelt Reflection
Hosting Radiance in Bloom at my psychology practice rooms on Nasmyth Street felt like watching two parts of my world gently fold into one another. In the days leading up to opening night, my team and I transformed the entire space — relocating every piece of counselling and psychology related equipment, from office chairs and printers to EMDR light bars, Bi-Tapp tappers, sand trays, art as therapy tools, and the many children’s therapy aides that usually live here. Once cleared, the rooms breathed differently.
They became a sanctuary of colour, emotion, and story, ready to hold the Radiance in Bloom exhibition works alongside a selection of pieces from My Tears as Opals collection.
The exhibition was officially opened by Mayor Brian Ingram, whose speech moved me more than I expected. He spoke with such generosity about my practice — the emotional resonance of my abstract expressionism, the threads of psychology woven into every gesture, and the breadth of my creative work spanning my Master of Creative Industries exegesis, Rising from the Dust, and its twelve large-scale portraits addressing sexual harassment experienced by women in mining to my published work “Diving into History”.
He spoke of my roots — a country girl from Kalgoorlie, to Cobar, now Boorowa — and of my small farm, energetic kiddos, supportive husband, and the collectors who visit my on-farm studio.
My “Radiance In Bloom” Solo Exhibition, ran from Fri 05 - Sun 07 December 2025 as part of young’s national Cherry Festival.
But the words that landed deepest were his acknowledgement that I had “made it” — that this exhibition stood as a testament to my passion, talent, and expertise. Hearing that in front of a room of locals, supporters and art lovers, it was honestly surreal.
Over the exhibition’s three days, the rooms were alive. Visitors arrived from all corners of Australia — King Island, Wollongong, Sydney, Canberra, Perth, Darwin, Adelaide, Bendigo, Launceston, Mildura, Wagga Wagga, Cairns, and Broome — and from overseas, including South Korea, China, France, the United States, Norway, and the Netherlands. It was amazing to meet some of the Hilltops regions’ locals as well, they quickly learnt that I’m always up for a yarn!To share stories of travel, art, culture, and life with so many people was an absolute joy.
Saturday afternoon brought a burst of heat, and at one point a group of visitors gathered in the main exhibition room, sitting comfortably and chatting about their travel routes, Christmas plans, and the art surrounding them. That moment — strangers connecting, laughing, finding common ground in a shared space — felt like the real magic.
“Art brings people in, but humanity keeps them there.”
I am deeply humbled by the number of artworks that found their forever homes and the many commission requests for next year. Commissions were initially closed until May… though it looks like that date may need to be pushed back again!
Radiance in Bloom was more than an exhibition for me. It was a celebration of community, connection, and the courageous creativity that carries us all forward.
Love and life,
