Eat Pray Love Hope Heal {2010}

MONDAY 18 OCTOBER 2010
CHRYSALIS MOVIE NIGHT FUNDRAISER
MITCHAM WALLIS CINEMAS

 

My introduction to Eat Pray Love happened one late Saturday afternoon in 2005. I was ungracefully running through Big W to get to my photos in at the photo lab on time.

As I raced past the aisles, a display of books caught my eye. Eat Pray Love. I stopped, and picked up a book in haste. I read the back cover, and then the first page, and then the second. Sixteen dollars, twenty one cents, and a few missed photos later, I took home something absolutely enchanting.

I think all of you here tonight will be at least partly familiar with the Chrysalis project – if not, Chrysalis is 60 artworks – my attempt to portray the indescribable, horrific paradox of anorexia. Almost a year ago, I exhibited these as a small, once off exhibition to put my experience out there, and attempt to create some desperately needed awareness. The journey between then and now has really been an incredible ride.

Tonight we are specifically raising funds to take the exhibition to Mount Gambier in February 2011.

In Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert says, “Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be.” And I really love her frankness. Rather than wishing for a project grant to arrive and allow the Chrysalis rural exhibition tour to continue, or waiting for Oprah to discover my book and become a Chrysalis ambassador, I am wearing my backbone where it ought to be, and making it happen. The most wonderful thing is, I have some pretty great people who also, ah, ‘have my back’.

After an article was published about Chrysalis in the SA Weekend in August, I received a beautiful email from one particular girl, Elise, whom although I had never met, pretty much said she’d do anything to help me bring Chrysalis to her home town of Mount Gambier.

I made a simple call to the fantastic Shaz and Robyn at Foundation Shine, who immediately said yes to supporting me in holding a fundraising event. And here we are.

Over the past two months, Elise has been an amazing help to make tonight everything it is, and with the initial planning for the Mount Gambier exhibition. Posters are already up in the Mount Gambier library, Elise has sought event sponsorship, and even secured the exhibition venue – for free. Elise, I cannot thank you enough for the time, energy and your own heart and spirit you have put into the Chrysalis project. And I’d like to give you a Chrysalis book as a small gesture to say thank you for your endless help.

Previously, I have described creating the Chrysalis collection as my creative approach to making peace with my own battle with Anorexia and coming full circle. But there’s this perhaps obvious quality to full circles that I am only just realising… once you come full circle, it’s not an end. Circles keep on going around and around!

And tonight, I feel like there’s a second full circle taking place. It’s not just about fulfilling and making peace with my own personal journey now.

There is a following of people who are using Chrysalis to inspire and give hope to their own journeys. Now, there is a momentum; a group of us with the passion to make a positive difference. And just to be a part of this second circle, I am absolutely humbled.

In 9 days time, I ‘take flight’, on a solo creative adventure of my own. I’m not going to Italy, India or Indonesia, but I have picked an itinerary as close to my heart as Elizabeth picked hers. Ironically, I will be in New York when Elizabeth Gilbert is guest speaking at an event in New Jersey. I will have the chance to meet Elizabeth Gilbert in person, and I plan to personally give her a Chrysalis book, and explain not only how she’s impacted me as a person, but funnily that by telling her story, Eat Pray Love, I can continue to tell my story, too.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank every one of you for filling these chairs tonight and supporting the Mount Gambier exhibition.