Oratunga family residency

This artistic residency with my family at Oratunga sheep station in the Flinders Rangers is our third annual pilgrimage to places that speak to us about critical changes in the weather. Over three years with my husband Matthew and daughters Miranda 6 and Florence 2, we have had our ears to the ground following leads on emergent stories and sayings about the weather in times of climate change. As artists we record the stories of the community, respond to the environment and reflect on weather lore as it is evolving in these times and speculate about the stories of the future.

Weather lore is based on observation of the environment and the impact that changes in the weather have on insects, animals, birds and people. At Oratunga, weather lore, both ancient and futuristic, indigenous and pastoral will be uncovered through conversations with locals. Through shared meals, cups of tea, tours and personal observations we will seek out the yarns that thread the community together.

Further outcomes for this project include Simulation Drills for Possible Futures in Times of Climate Change. Simulation, is a specialty area of my husband Matthew who is an Associate Professor working in the area of Human Factors. Simulation is used in high-risk industries such as aviation and healthcare to prepare participants for foreseeable Our simulations will allow participants to experience a collection of future scenarios focused on the weather. Hand in hand we plan to develop an Almanac for possible Futures in Times of Climate Change. This guidebook for future worlds will bring together ancient ways of communicating about the weather with simulation instruction manuals

This residency is made possible through Open-Space