By Virginia Winder
A haze of rock dust escapes between the crimson pohutukawa trees and on to the road.
It’s Day One of the Te Kupenga International Stone Symposium on New Plymouth’s foreshore and the sculptors are grinding and chiselling.
The andesite originates from the dormant Mt Taranaki and the 26 artists, including internationals from places like Italy, Japan, Taiwan, Belgium and Australia, began the day facing raw rocks.
Over 22 days they will turn them – and others – into works of art, all the while working under the scrutiny of an interested public.
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| New Zealand sculptor Jocelyn Pratt begins work on her stone. |
Vibrant Wellbeing will be like that, except I’ll by going longer.
But while my quest for wellness will be in the public eye, it won't be set in stone. It will feature a cast of characters with knowledge and wisdom to share about living life to the fullest. It will also have a strong focus on creativity.
Other topics will include mindfulness, mental health, being fit, eating well, people’s passions, spirituality, inner peace, music, art, soul-searching stories and the truth. Sometimes what I have to share will shock you. Other times it will make you smile and possibly cry. Maybe not in the same post.
What Vibrant Wellbeing won’t be is patronising, preachy or pushy.
It will – hopefully – be inspiring, funny and honest.
So this is the beginning, on January 1, 2016. I so love a new year and a clean slate.
My rock of words are ready to shape. Like the sculptors at the symposium, I have ideas in my head about what Vibrant Wellbeing will look like, but these will change as the material on offer presents possibilities, new twists and turns.
What you need to know about me is I’m overweight (soon to change). I have a mood disorder (ups and downs). I am a writer (journalist and creative). I love people, but I also relish my own company. I am a mother, a wife, a friend and a sister. I love bodysurfing, audiobooks, weta (large New Zealand insects), movies, coffee, great food, my community, travelling and art. I also have dreams and this is part of that.
Welcome to VW’s Vibrant Wellbeing - a winding, woven, wacky tale of great hope.
