Born under the shadow of Kunanyi. A Tribute for Kim Foale by Alyssa Bermudez
A written piece by Kim Foale, a wonderful person who recently experienced the ‘Life-Scape’ illustration program with Inscape artist Alyssa Bermudez and the Instrumental program with our musician Will Parsell.
Hospitals are hard on the soul, they are noisy and busy, depressing and lonely. Pain is not the best bedfellow, but hidden amongst the chaos are bubbles of pure magic.
My ward neighbour had a lovely chatty visitor the other day, I assumed he was a nephew or grandson until he popped his head around the curtain, guitar in hand and asked if I minded if he played a song. PLAY was my response, please play, and for a brief minute or two our small ward was filled with music and lightness and magic.
This was such an unexpected gift of beauty on what had been a very hard morning, a gift that sustained me throughout that day.
On Wednesday, the musician popped back in to see my neighbour again, but she was busy with family, so he asked if I minded if he sat with me. Will the muso was from Inscape Tasmania a not for profit that brings art and music to long stay patients in the hospital. We had an interesting chat about all the things and when my neighbour was free he played another song. The power of music can not be dismissed, the power of music in this place is tripled. In hospital your world shrinks so much that small things have an enormous impact.
As is often the case with me, glorious coincidences occur. My friend Colina is a nurse here at the royal and Colina had contacted Inscape to see if I could have a visit from an artist to help me get through the rest of my time here.
The coordinator came to see me and asked if I would be interested in a ‘Life-Scape’ postcard thing or something something. I was really tired by that time and wasn’t really sure what the artist would be doing.
Yesterday my ‘A Team’ extended my stay, 24 hours more seemed a very very very lot of hours more to endure away from home, but realistically only a small price to pay to avoid another return.
In the middle of tearily processing a Saturday release the artist arrived, Alyssa Bermudez @bermudezbahama
We had a lovely chat while Alyssa gathered enough creative information to create a work for me. This work. This gloriously fabulously special work that has given my spirit such a lift.