For me- making art is essential to my being. It is part of who I am. I love the little details in nature that you have to search to discover- the ‘macro’ or even microscopic shapes, forms and textures that exist in nature are beautiful and I feel awe at how intricate & interconnected everything is. I believe the visual arts have a vital role to play in our world. Art can be much more than ‘merely’ adding ‘aesthetic pleasure’. It can enable understanding and enhance connections - between people, and with our earth, and with the spiritual; It can inspire, challenge, and call people to account; It can celebrate the good, mourn the devastating, explore the questions, name the important... Art is a natural and vital part of life and one which, in my opinion, is not valued highly enough in our current world.