Panama

These paintings were made in response to a residency I undertook in September of 2019 with La Wayaka Current, TROPIC 8°N. La Wayaka Current is a nomadic arts residency & research project curated in connection to remote natural environments & indigenous knowledge. Read more about their amazing trio of residencies here. I spent three weeks living with an indigenous Guna village on the East coast of Panama surrounded by protected rainforest, one of the richest biomes left in the world. It was an incredible time learning about their approach to life and ancient culture whilst also living alongside like-minded artists and creatives. These titles are all responses we should have in our time in nature and the accompanying poems really capture precious memories and realisations I had on this trip of a lifetime.

'Meditate'

80 x 100 cm

Oil on Linen

2020

Available

Listen

to your breath,

to your path,

to your reactions,

to who you are,

and who you could be.

Use these days,

ruled not by

the ticking clock of society’s systems

but by the sun

and the waves.

The satisfaction of working to sustain

not for profit.

Meditate on how,

as a world,

we have shifted.

Use those moments

to take pleasure

in the small things.

And that

by being more aware,

you see

that we are all still in progress,

that we can all still learn

to be better.

'Forgive'

70 x 90 cm

Oil on Linen

2020

The rain came that morning

as if it knew.

It knew that I would confront it,

that I was ready.

The isle I had stranded myself on

would be given solace

and safety

just for the honesty of trying.

The rain held on

and as it soaked,

we sheltered.

Spoke of butterflies,

of meant-to-bes,

of loving those who can’t,

of how the battle was over

before it even arrived.

Even there

in paradise,

sweet Anu saw.

She set me free from the burden

of feeling

like I could have done more.

That I had allowed myself

to escape

to paradise

too early.

I had tried to understand

tried to keep us both afloat.

But now

sweet soul

let the storm pass,

let the light pour in,

as you begin

to forgive yourself.

'Bask'

65 x 80 cm

Oil on linen

2020

That morning everything glowed.

On the step

that had become mine,

whilst others slumbered,

I looked around

and drank it in.

My point of return

this step had been.

Sheltered from the tropic’s glare

still open to the sea,

the children playing,

the village breathing.

Weeks,

then days,

now hours remained.

Sitting there

I got lost in the moments

soon to be memories.

Of the brothers in hammocks

making music,

of laughter

and new friendships,

and of the strange normalcy

living here had become.

But this was not my home.

Not of my body,

Perhaps of my soul.

So I return my mind

to the step

willing it to be present,

to bask in this light.

So that

when I think of these times,

in a home far from here,

I can still feel its glow.

'Absorb'

65 x 80 cm

Oil on linen

2020

The absurdity
of a fire in the jungle,
pushing our chairs further back

rather than closer in.
Flames licking the humid air,

the palms stage-lit,
the canopy
a dark foreboding backdrop.
A dichotomy
strange yet comforting.

Space to emotionally warm
to bond,
to commune.
The firelight making it easier

to venture into conversations,

and friendships,

only possible in a campfireʼs glow.

The moment so visceral,

my soul soars.
The special aura
igniting in me

a gratitude
for fortuitous timing

and for the existence of such places.

It held the answers.
I could feel it.
I needed
for every moment I had there

to absorb.

'Reverberate'

70 x 90 cm

Oil on linen

2020

In the darkness,

red lightning

awakens you,

amazes you.

It will reverberate

a gratitude,

a responsibility,

an awareness.

Let it ripple out.

Don’t allow these times,

this place,

to be insular.

Let it continue having serious effects.

Later you will see

it will be an echo

in your life.

At your most detached moments,

the jungle of Panama,

the heart of Armila,

the magic of living with nature

will call to you.

Wrenching your soul back to consciousness

Willing you

to act with intention,

to stay in touch with nature.

To remember

how at home you were

and how you long to be back there.