Gab Ri Ela - Poet

In 2021
There was Meanwhile
A gallery for a moment
That held our exhibition
5 years ago now
Still with me
Today
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

I mean
my worst secrets are not my secrets
I mean
my shame has made me silent
I mean
I have nothing to hide and I will hold myself tenderly in the light

Turning pages, 2024
Collage self portrait
Using images and words from books;
Acrylic paint; paint pens; pressed flowers; PVA glue; other miscellaneous items; on canvas.

Photo: Artist headshot, 2021
by .sikess

Hands
27/7/21
They're always holding something... even when they're not

A poem I wrote on an art study tour to Shanghai,
typewrote,
and layered on oil transfers of photos I took in Shanghai;
which was exhibited at ECU and at Gallery Central in Perth in 2019 when my dream of being a gallery exhibited artist came true.
And second photo
my beautiful friend
showcasing my words tattood on her body-
I mean if that's not a fan / cheerleader / supporter- what is?
So if you want to hire me to write for you a tiny poem to become a tattoo poem that you carry around everywhere hmu ✍️

life
write
love

I enjoy the relational part of collaborative work and the way that something external of all the parties is created when people work together.
✨️
I think this is an example of that. My daughter and I go for bike rides to a pier on a lake where we sit and I write poetry while she draws what she sees around here. Usually she draws the birds, this photo is of a time when she chose to draw me sitting and writing poetry.
💚
So here I see my poems, her art, our time shared, our witnessing of each other, and inspiring each other, and encouraging each other.
She's an artist
I'm an artist
and honestly I'm going to exhibit with this child - because she inspires me daily.

So far it's cool each time I see my words up in an art gallery.
I don't get as much of a chance to intentionally produce art for audiences these days,
but I find that by keeping on making at least a little space each day to create, to write, to make and notice art; I also make space for the dreams planted in my heart to keep growing.
🌙
Grateful for spaces like
and curators like
and encouraging moments like this Flesh Exhibition receiving a weekly Fringe award during Festival this year.
🫶
It's very sweet when art is honoured and celebrated.