2025
through conversations with artists.
The 2025 DIARY for the wild creative heart will take you on a journey of self-care, creative inspiration, and self-discovery. Each month begins with the CREATIONS page and the one-word prompt that holds the theme to gently guide your creative expression throughout the following weeks.
January we BEGIN. February we LOVE. March we DREAM. April we take ACTION. May we use our WINGS. June we nurture our TRIBE. July we PLAY. August we find our CONFIDENCE. September we commune with NATURE. October we seek MYSTERY. November we embark on ADVENTURE. December we CELEBRATE!
Wayne Höecherl has been creating and capturing images for over 20 years, and I have the fondest memories of our photo shoot in Vancouver with my band, Povi—all those spinning moons ago. Some photographers just have a way of letting you move within the space they provide, where something magical has room to happen. The evidence is in the final images—and in the ‘high’ you feel after the shoot—no matter how long the day was, you don’t want to to end!
I am such a big fan of Wayne’s work, in all its guises, and feel grateful to be able to share his inspired, creative, high-quality pieces of art! With sections on his website dubbed “MOTION,” the choice of Wayne as April’s ACTION man seemed obvious.
Cristina: Are there any repetitive actions or rituals you rely on when starting or working through a piece?
Wayne: When it comes to my photo illustration work, the SciPhone Series, the only real repetitive ACTION is that I always start with the female image first, and then I begin adding additional images, layers with effects, and layers with different blend modes.
Wayne Höecherl (pron. “herkel”) – Artist
“Things won are done, joy's soul lies in the doing”
William Shakespeare
Cristina: How do spontaneity and intentionality interact in your process?
Wayne: I guess the intentionality is that I intend to make a piece of art and generally I do. I seldom abandon a piece once I start, however, I never plan them; they are always spontaneous. I never really know how it’s going to turn out or the exact path it will take on the way to becoming a finished piece.
Wayne: The closest thing to where the process became the artwork was with a dance type photo shoot (pictured above). We had the dancer on a turntable where she danced as it was rotating. I shot with a very fast motordrive, shooting at about 60 frames per turntable rotation, so I had no idea what was being captured until we finished a sequence and was able to then play it back.
Cristina: As a dancer, and in thinking back on our photoshoot in Vancouver, the way you were able to capture my movement was truly special. Are you trained as a dancer yourself?
Wayne: I am most definitely not a dancer!! 🙂
However, I love to photograph dance—it’s one of my favourite things to shoot. Sadly, I don’t do it often enough. Lately, I’ve been thinking about starting a personal project involving dance photography.
Please drop by Wayne Höecherl’s website and Instagram pages, to take a kaleidoscopic trip through some truly inspired and beautiful artworks.
And when scrolling through his Instagram page, be sure to search for his behind the scenes (Process) captures from one of his SciPhone Series pieces, or head straight to it by clicking HERE.
It is the summer of 1823, and I meet with Mary on the eve of the publication of the second edition of Frankenstein, which will now attribute Mary Shelley as the author and have her father William Godwin as the editor. Three year old Percy, the only child of Mary and Percy Bysshe Shelley who will survive into adulthood, is out in the communal garden, chasing things that only a three year old can see.
Cristina: With this edition of Frankenstein, the world will now be certain of the rumours that have been whispered into ears for some time, that you are the writer of this great work. Can you now shed more light on how it came to be?
Mary: The first draft of Frankenstein was pieced together from a frightful dream that had woken me from an already fitful slumber during another night of unending heat and rain at Villa Diodati, the manor house that Byron had rented for our supposed holiday. My mood was one of an animal trapped in a cage, which is then offered a morsel of something to entertain it but is left bereft of an idea on ‘how’ or ‘what’ to do with it.
Cristina: Are you referring to the challenge set by Lord Byron to write a story that would rival the German ghost stories and morbid poems the party had been sharing during those fog-laden days?
Richard Rothwell’s portrait of Mary Shelley – ‘a child of love and light’ Percy Bysshe Shelley
Portrait of William ‘Willmouse’ Shelley
Mary: Yes, and much to my chagrin, even the silly Polidori had crafted an idea that would later be published as The Vampyre, which really was a terrible idea by a vapid man. These stimulants, one would think, would deliver up a multitude of ideas, though for my part, I struggled day after day with the blank incapability of invention–that great misery of authorship when met with the dull reply of NOTHING… until that one, thunderous night.
Mary delicately sips from a slightly worn, gilt-rimmed teacup as her maternal eyes move to the view outside, as if making sure that Percy remains out of earshot for what she is about to share.
Mary: I have felt that most of my adult life has straddled a bridge between dream and nightmare. My love for my husband, a dream; the loss of our darling children, a nightmare; the loss of my dearest love, my Percy, beyond a nightmare. There is no greater monster than grief. I feel as if my purpose in this mortal existence is to make something of this monster. Perhaps that is why Dr. Frankenstein chose to invade my dreams, my nighttime visions, with his creature. My custom since childhood has been to spend many an idle moment in my private worlds of fancy, my sanctuary, my escape, the compositions of my soul.
My childish attempts to mould these visions into words on a page proved disappointing imitations of the luminaries in my company, however, with the encouragement of Percy and his desire for my place in the literati, my skill of transfer improved. Dreams have become both the seeds and the fertile ground for my stories, as much as my observations of the changing world in which we live.
Cristina: Ah yes, I recall a conversation where the topic of Galvanism had been deeply discussed under the volcanic skies over Villa Diodati during those sunless days.
Mary: The poets had imbibed wine, theory, and fantasy, and for that half-sleep journey which began my novel on that agitated night, that I saw, with eyes tightly shut, the form of what could only be described as a man–hideous and unmoving–until, under the great focus of that powerful engine, it twitched to something akin to life.
Even as I recount it now, I wonder at the moral horror that the creature now presents to the doctor, and how the layers of love and glory clashed violently with the creator’s responsibility. The ideas of galvanism and our modern age of machinery had needed a greater conversation within my own mind and here, in my dream, had found their voice.
I look up from the hurried words I have scratched into my notepad, just in time to catch Mary firing a surprising wink over the top of her teacup, and out the window. She says, ‘ I think it benefits me to view my dream of Frankenstein as some recompense for the melancholies of life. With the interest in an adaptation to a theatre production and the contributing parties’ anticipation of a success, my hope is to provide adequately for my child and for my heart’s labour of furthering the reputation of my husband’.
And so, for today, with little Percy’s footsteps now thumping along the hallway in search of his mother, we agree to end our conversation on the ‘dream aspect’ of Mary’s creativity. Her clever hands gather the papers she had kept at her side–for reference–and we both rise and reach our arms to the sky. At this concert of movement, we laugh. Mary is more than capable of laughter and it brings another shape to eyes that can be so many things: sharp and observant, melancholy, painfully shy, and most impressively, compassionate.
This is a work of fiction, a ‘DREAM‘ interview and includes excerpts from a longer written piece.
“My dreams were all my own; I accounted for them to nobody”
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
On page 3 of the 2025 DIARY for the wild creative heart you will find my passionate declaration: ‘Made with LOVE, sunsets, coffee, and chocolate’. Chocolate is in my blood–it’s part of my Spanish family heritage–and it’s something I associate with that powerful word: LOVE. The word that adorns February’s pages of the 2025 diary, calling our creative hearts to infuse our art with LOVE.
So, of course, Alison Campbell–the lady with the sparkly blue eyes and lover of both chocolate and Byron Bay–was the natural choice for our journey through LOVE and creativity in February!
Alison’s love and care are seen and felt in every aspect of her craft–from the deeply delicious chocolates to the thoughtful packaging they are delivered in. You can taste the LOVE!
Alison Campbell from LOVE Byron Bay Chocolate Boutique, looking quite happy to be Chief Taste-Tester!
“Opening a boutique chocolate shop in Byron Bay could be considered an Act As Bold As LOVE”
Cristina: How does your passion for chocolate making play into the love and care you put into your work?
Alison: I carefully select chocolates that offer a truly unique experience, designed not just to be tasted, but to be felt—an indulgence that awakens the senses. Every piece we offer is a celebration of artistry, the purity of nature’s finest ingredients, and the simple yet profound joy of savouring something crafted with LOVE.
LOVE is at the heart of what I do—love for chocolate, love for gifting, and love for Byron Bay, the place that inspired it all. ‘Love Byron Bay‘ was the natural choice for the name because it reflects not only the joy chocolate brings but also the deep connection I have to this beautiful coastal town and the artistry it nurtures.
Cristina: Chocolate is often linked with love and romance, especially during February. In your delicious creations, how do you tap into chocolate as a symbol of love and intimacy?
Alison: I choose chocolates that capture that feeling (of LOVE)—decadent dark chocolate with hints of nutty overtones, velvety ganache truffles that melt effortlessly on the tongue, and handcrafted pieces that invite you to slow down and savour.
Cristina: Different cultures have their own unique ways of celebrating love with chocolate. Are there any traditions or customs from around the world that inspire you in your work?
Alison: The love of chocolate is universal, and I do find inspiration in how different traditions celebrate chocolate. The Aztecs viewed cacao as a sacred gift. In Japan, the act of giving handcrafted chocolate carries deep personal meaning, much like the artisanal pieces we offer in our boutique. And in Europe, where chocolate-making is an art form, I see a reflection of the care and craftsmanship that goes into everything we do at Love Byron Bay.
Each tradition adds to the rich story of chocolate, and I feel privileged to bring a world of flavours and cultures together in one place, right here in Byron.
Cristina: Some of us also associate chocolate with self-love. Which of your chocolates would you recommend for someone looking to indulge themselves in a special self-care treat?
Alison: I would recommend our handcrafted dark chocolate for a moment of mindful indulgence. It’s a smooth, creamy praline for those moments when you need to feel comforted, much like sinking your toes into Byron’s soft, golden sand. And for a playful indulgence, our signature Rocky Road—layered with texture and bursting with flavour. However you choose to treat yourself, let it be a reminder that self-love is the most beautiful love of all.
Buy LOVE Byron Bay’s delicious treats here and visit Alison at the socials listed below. YUM – doesn’t quite cover it!
Since 1982 Gold Coast based artist Marc Welsh has been adding his wild, rock’n’roll style to everything from music to hot sauce. He is an original. He is a master at saying ‘yes‘, at working hard and playing harder, at living loud, and moving fast. He is an inspiration. He knows how to BEGIN and keep going!
Marc’s Instagram and Facebook posts are daily filled with band projects, surfboard designs, music releases, guitar artwork, t-shirt designs, stickers, skateboards, tattoo designs, and the newly lucrative–dog portraits. PHEW! To say he’s prolific–well, that’s an understatement! So, it made sense to me to grab him for a chat and learn a little about just how he manages to keep churning out his recognisable brand of art.
Cristina: Juggling this many projects must take some planning. How do you approach new ideas?
Marc: Actually, I am not much for systems as I am what used to be called a Commercial Artist, therefore, I jump when I have to, with paying the rent at the forefront of my mind. I’m practical – ‘have airbrush, will travel’, and my dedication is poured into whatever is immediately on my plate.
Cristina: Do you have a checklist that determines whether you BEGIN an idea or not?
Marc: I do have a step by step process, especially when it comes to the dog portraits. First consideration is getting a high quality, clear photo of the dog from the client, then I work in Photoshop on the contrast and clarity. As I specialise in realism, this helps get the result that both me and the client are happy with.
Cristina: As artists we often face common obstacles, however, is there something you’d like to share with us that sometimes prevents you from beginning what you know is a good project?
Marc: Yeah, working form home can be difficult motivation-wise and just tackling those first few steps. Nowadays, I am confident that ‘it’ will get there, it will ‘BE’! I’m a perfectionist Virgo! The other brick-wall for those of us who like a drink and socialising, is the dreaded hangover. I CANNOT be creative with one of those!
See more of Marc’s beautiful work through his socials below.
Let’s talk food
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