I feel as if the Goddess has always been with me and it is only now that I’m taking notice.

A bronzy-gold statue bought back in 2016 from Lindy Lawler advertised as
‘Venus of Willendorf Inspired, a Fertility Goddess Statue,’ I was immediately stuck by her beauty. Her beauty because of her full figure, rotund belly and behind, not instead of. I was drawn to her and she’s sat upon my alter since.
Her first outing was to Iceland, during my Creative Retreat in 2018. There she came and helped me make stories both with words and images.

Coming home from Iceland she met with disaster.

But for me this only made her more precious and more beautiful. I’m reminded of the Leonard Cohen lyrics,
“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.”

Now the Goddess is coming out again as I journey into nature as I project coordinate a Heritage Lottery Funded natural heritage project called Wayfinding:.Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Great Outdoors. .

This Goddess is now part of a creative project called #100daysofthegoddessandlove.
I’m planning to use my third #100daysproject of 2019 to explore the goddess in nature more through photography. She is a surrogate for me and my body in nature. She gets into places I might feel I can’t go or feel welcomed to go. But with her, in my hand, I venture across these borders and barriers.
This project is giving me so much. In the process, I’m gaining so much.
I love this goddess. She is so brave and feisty and beautiful. She strides up to places and just plonks herself down. She takes up space. She claims space. She belongs.
Through her, using her as a surrogate, I’m taking up space, I’m scoping out new places to explore and observe but I’m also developing a deeper love and appreciation for myself. I hope you enjoy witnessing this project develop. I’ll be posting daily on Instagram as this project goes on.