Illuminating the Aviary

Melanie Owens is the Head of English at Ulidia Integrated College and has been teaching for 13 years. However it was only four years ago that she begin to draw. Melanie describes the inspiration behind her exhibition in her own words: ‘To say I have slumbered through life is not entirely true; yet I have at times hibernated, leaving dreams dormant, covered with the dust and decay of a career focused life. Living on high alert for many years, the need to achieve, perform yet not fully knowing who I am. Caged by my own achievements and ambitions. It was not until all thoughts stopped, words could not be read, that I realised I had come to the end of myself and the cage door needed to be opened. Out of the darkness came the light of a 4B, the beauty of finding light in strange places. As the pen light began to draw suddenly the birds began to emerge from their Aviary. Our flight towards fearless freedom had begun.'