Smorgasboarder_23_Feb_2016-s

“There was no formulated
time or plan. It was just
how we felt and everyday
we did what we felt
like doing.”
for three months. Part of their home schooling was the girls learnt
to speak Spanish.
“They learnt about the history of civilizations and then we would
go and visit those countries. It reiterated what they learnt and
made it real. A lot of stuff in school you are learning from a book
or what someone is telling you. We just wanted to educate
our kids in a more realistic way, to allow them to see different
countries and gain a better understanding of the world we live in.
Places like the Amazon, which may not be there forever. To see
how poor some people are and how they survive. We wanted to
expose them to as much as we could so when they grow up they
can make good decisions in their life.
“We sort of went on a trip without an end. There was no
formulated time or plan. It was just how we felt and everyday
we did what we felt like doing. Going here, going there. We
supported ourselves by working festivals and markets as we
travelled around.
“We were 8 or 9 years on the road and it was when we were in
South America in 2012 that my eldest daughter (Asher) decided
she wanted to go to school so we decided to head back to Congo
and put them in Moruya High. We have been back here since the
end of 2012.”
The family have agreed to “settle down” for six or seven years
while the kids undertake high school. Brett and Joel wanted to
honour their decision and that’s meant Brett has opened back up
his art practice.
BRETT’S ART
“My art is my secret place, my expression. I was always a little
bit introverted growing up and enjoyed time alone. I have never
been one for crowds of people.
“The main focus of my expressive outlet is my sculptures. I don’t
want to do it however at the detriment of using resources
so everything I make is done as resourcefully as I can
using recycled materials.
“My first step is always sourcing materials to work
with, which I often find at Op Shops or in our natural surrounds;
items people have thrown away or that nature has discarded.
They can always be used for something. The materials more or
less dictate the artwork I will make. I do a crazy amount of metal
work because it is quite unbelievable how much metal is thrown
out. It is quite disgusting really – appliances, cars, food tins, you
name it. I cut it all up and rejoin it to something else as a bit of
fun.”
It is not only Brett’s sculptures but his paintings that utilise
recycled materials.
“A lot of the paints I use are from Council throw-outs. I basically
find whatever I can to make something special out of waste.”
Aside from the materials he gathers, Brett also finds creative
inspiration through his life’s journey.
“What really drives my art especially now is that it has to be
relevant to my life. It has to fit right. A lot of the art I was making
SUMMER 2016 | SMORGASBOARDER 67