Chairman Anne Adams introduced our guest speaker, Merran Koran.
Merran was born in the North of SA. She enjoyed an Adelaide education leading to a nursing degree then a Social Work career.
She came to Warranmbool from Mount Gambier 10 years ago as her husband was able to get a bed at Lyndoch.
She is mother of 5, grandmother of 13 and great grandmother of 4.
Merran enjoys singing and dancing and most other artistic activities, interacting with a range of delightful people including those involved with Hospice in the Home and Rural Australians for Refugees.
Life is never dull. Merran’s hope is that more of us share our skills artistically so that we provoke more conversations and broaden our understanding of how each of us see our world.
Notes from Merran's presentation.
She sat on doorstep and welcomed people into the shop for the first 5 years of her life in a tiny town. Her father didn’t go to war due to providing an "essential service".
A strong message in her life was, "To those that much is given, much is expected."
One of the most influential people in Merran's life was Sister Mary Therese, her school teacher. First task, in grade three at the time, Sister Mary Therese gave everyone a geranium leaf and instructed the class to draw the geranium leaf as accurately as possible.
When a new-Australian student from Latvia joined the class, Sister Mary Therese invited the student's mother to teach the class Latvian folk dances. She also taught the class geography and history about Latvia. This opened Merran's awareness of the wider world.
Pushed to see the world through dance, singing, art etc. generic quality of all humans beings to be valued.
Merran later became a social worker in Mt Gambier.
She started sculpting sandstone with chain saw. Thus began a career in sculpting. A sculpture installed at Lyndoch was created by Merran to help inspire important conversations.
After passing of her husband, Peter, Merran tried painting to explore her grief.
Merran is involved with Fletcher Jones art, encouraging people to tell their own stories through art. Merran is also involved with F project where she has a studio.
Ceramics has been another creative endeavour. Woodford (Barry Tait) has an amazing kiln which can take 400 pieces of pottery. A community of about 30 people are involved in ceramic art at Woodford.
A trip to Cuba inspired Merran to start salsa dancing. She has also tried her hand at glass blowing.
Indigenous issues - art.
Morocco - passion and colour but invisibility of women inspired another art project.
Merran has also done a number of Lino cuts including a self portrait and a series on the plights of refugees.
