Amanda and I decided to use the time at the Pond to develop the 'Conversation Piece' where we have been exploring the thematic intersections of our work over the last 30 years. Many of those themes of myth, nature, community, womanhood and life cycles link to the Pond. We are both painters and printmakers and interestingly this year has evolved towards myself mostly block cutting and Amanda mostly painting. The joy has been sharing lines and thoughts with a fellow artist, having time to talk and digest and analyse. We have sat next to each other on a bench or a log and looked intently at the swimmers, at how the water ripples, how the geese preen and said “look, do you notice...?” We are both artists who root our work in looking and then allow the outer world to permeate inner worlds. I have also been gathering stories that I hear on the banks of the pond, there are many tales of transgressions, humour, mischief. I have also observed and drawn the serious moments of AGMs and the functioning of a community.