The Wild Gathering

Gather with me

I have written a lot of words (again), with punctuation and paragraphs and a few quips. But at the heart of it all is this.

I am writing a book. 

It is going to be a beautiful celebration of wild. 

And I want you to be in it. 

And I want you to help me make it a reality.

This is going to be a Wild Gathering. 

Sound like something you are interested in? 

Read on, dear one.

I have been searching for a way to really connect with you here, to build a nurturing, inspirational and supportive community that truly captures our collective desire to celebrate slowing down, our creative embodiment, and our desire to entrench ourselves in a reciprocal, reverential relationship with the wild world (and our own wild hearts). To shape a space that we can share in, that is not overwhelming or high expectation or noisy or full of ads, and most importantly, that is accessible and affordable. Creating our collaborative poem gave me a lot of opportunity to think about how this can manifest, and in the end, the original inspiration for a group poem became the ultimate inspiration for my new offering here, and an invitation for you all to help me create something wild.

I have two big projects in my heart that I absolutely know must be made (the universe/my muses literally scream it at me every single day). The second project is a secret for now, but I hope to be able to tell you  more about it soon (hint, it revolves around the {wild+woman} work I have done, and may or may not (it may) involve an oracle deck, among other things. Shh. Don’t tell anyone yet.) 

The first project is one I am ready to shout from the rooftops: a book - The Wild Forgotten. 

It will be a beautiful full colour hardback delight filled with imagery of my artwork, both finished and in process, my studio and me at work in there, the wild world and our other-than-human kin (the wilds of Australia and wherever I may roam), and lots of writing - from personal reflections, to researched essays, to poetry and imaginative prose, to invitations and inspiration for connecting your own wild heart to the wild around you. 

And perhaps most importantly of all, I want it to include your wild voices. 

Like the group poem we just did, I want to put out calls for your voice - be it to use in poetry or in essays or in specific interviews - there are so many ideas right now. And you will be credited, however you choose to be - your name will be in this book. I want to write a book about what the wild means to me, but I want it to be diverse and inclusive and deliciously inspirational - we need more than just my voice to accomplish that. I want others to see the wild through your eyes too - it may help us all to see a little wilder, a little more connected, a little more reverentially and compassionately. 

I can see this book so clearly in my mind's eye, in my hands, and I so want you to be a part of its creation. I want to see it in your hands. I envisage this to take at least a year to build the content, and I think that most of it will be a part of the free weekly offerings here on The Wild Forgotten substack. The call out for participation in the project will be in both the free and the paid areas, this project being an act of accessibility is important for me (and for us all, I believe). Then will come the process of publishing - possibly via a Kickstarter, though that is a way off yet. What I do know is that choosing to become a Founding Member here on Substack will not only give you a limited edition print of your choice, but also a personalised signed copy of The Wild Forgotten once she is out in the world. 

I am committed to this project, I know it is something that is needed in this world we live in, I know that it is something we need to share together. And so to try and help me be financially able to commit to this project and ensure it is manifested, I have an exciting change to let you know about.

A paid subscription now grants you access to The Wild Gathering. 

Twice a month you will receive invitations that are designed to help you connect with the wild where you are currently planted. Sometimes there will be an accompanying video. These posts are inspired by, and in a large part the content of the course I ran a year and a half ago, which was an immersive 28 day adventure. I have reimagined much of it though, added to it, massaged and remoulded some aspects with intention for this new space. This quiet and deliciously nurturing space.

In The Wild Gathering, we are taking things slow. Truly, sloooooow. We need more slow in our lives. We need more purpose and intention instead of pressure and overwhelm. I want you to feel empowered to try the invitations without feeling overwhelmed by the amount of content coming at you. There will be a dedicated chat, where I will ask occasional questions for us to discuss, but most importantly, we can hold a beautiful group discussion in the comments section of each and every post. If you don’t want to be on the Substack app or website, that is no problem either - you will still receive these invitations and other exclusive content straight to your inbox as well. Plus, four times a year you will receive a beautiful download with all the previous months written and photographic content in it for you to keep and have on hand for whenever you are inspired. Aaand no doubt some extra goodies along the way. It is also worth noting that all of the creative invitations are family friendly - if you have a wee one that might be interested, playing with these exercises together could be a marvellous adventure.

There are some very specific reasons around me creating this space behind a paywall right now. I can’t throw myself into these projects when there is scarcity and fear around money. Being a full time independent artist is more liberating personally than I could have imagined. Financially, it is (an often terrifying) roller coaster ride, and not for the faint of heart. After three decades of working my bum off in paid positions for someone else, but in service to many, I know without a doubt that where I am right now is where I am doing my most important work. But oh my, it is a full body experience when you also have to navigate living in a world that operates fundamentally on financial exchange and entrenched paradigms that systemically and systematically devalue creativity (despite constantly requiring an endless churning of creative beauty to consume). One of my mentors,

Simone Seol

shared a post on Instagram that I really resonated with, and I think summed up being an entrepreneur and creative in the world right now. Go have a read.

I believe in the work I am doing. I think it is needed every bit as much as my previous paid managerial, academic, and advocacy roles were. I believe it is in community that the real magic happens, where we evolve thought and feeling for the betterment of self and others (human and other-than-human). I have always given at least ten percent of my earnings to supporting other independent artists, because I truly believe that a society that values creatives can only become more compassionate, more curious, more grounded, more evolved, more inclusive. Sculpting The Wild Gathering into a beautifully compassionate and curious community will allow me to have a regular income so I can create more of what you enjoy, plus provide you with such valuable inspiration and connection in your own adventure with embracing your wildness, plus ensure that some of that money stays in our creative community by continuing to support other artists. 

Even if you are not particularly interested in journaling, wonder-walking, or creative invitations, as an added bonus paid subscribers (both monthly, yearly, and founding), will get a little personal video from me once a month where I will talk about what I have been doing in the studio the past month, what progress I have made on The Wild Forgotten book project, and a general honest and open look at what doing this work looks like, as a deeply feeling human being with chronic illness and all the challenges that comes with. It will be transparent, because I know I can trust you with my vulnerability, and I want to encourage more authentic sharing. I think that alone is worth the $1.90 a week that a yearly subscription will cost.

Founding members, paid subscribers who purchase for a full year in advance, and those who stay with a monthly pledge for more than 12 months will also appear in the credit pages of the book as financial contributors. You will, after all, be helping me make this come true.

Want to be a part of The Wild Gathering community, and help me create The Wild Forgotten book? Become a paid subscriber (monthly or yearly) or a Founding Member, and know that you have my deepest gratitude - and excitement. 

Here is a button for you!

I have set up a separate section here on Substack where all our paid content will live (look for the The Wild Gathering tab) and if you are already a part of the paid community here, you have access to a couple of posts there now. Existing subscribers will stay on the same plan they already have and will still receive full access.

I think you need some The Wild Gathering in your life right now, don’t you? If you aren’t sure, I have made August’s two invitations available, and public now. A little taster of the delights that will be in your inbox twice a month! Some months will only have writing invitations, some only creative invitations (they may well build on each other), some months will be a little of both. I have listened to you all, too, and what i proposed as slooow, was still a lot (in a good way), and so I have slowed it down even further, and it is deliciously delightful indeed!

Writing invitation - these are designed to set your wild heart alight with thinking or writing or whoever you would like to ruminate. For examples, See Invitation Number 01 here.

Creative Invitation - these as designed to get you using your hands (and other senses) in a practical manner, and enhance your writing or wondering as well. For an example, See Invitation Number 02 here.

The Wild Studio Update - these will come at the end of the month, the first coming at the end of August, and will be me talking to you about everything that has gone on in the last month.

I am so excited - a mix of the nervous first-day-at-school vibes and that feeling you have when you got someone the perfect gift and you can’t wait for them to open it. I am going to close my eyes and hit send now.

I am so honoured to be walking this wild world with you