Sue Norman lives at the edge of the forest in Kiah. Her partner, Mick, saved the old timber house from the 2020 fire by turning on the spray system then sheltering in the bunker. They now watch the forest going through the process of healing; seeing the struggle for balance as the world warms.

Over the years Sue has enjoyed working as an artist, a teacher, a radio producer, a writer, a gardener and historian. She has always worked at helping people to find their voice.

Sue has been working with bushfire counsellor, Colleen Weir, to develop presentations on understanding trauma and the brain. These were provided to volunteer groups working in the community. The Alchemy Project enabled Sue to create a picture book and a follow-up video of the book sharing this important message.

“Trauma can block the ability to learn and adapt to change. Our minds are taken up with the loss and pain we experienced in the past as we are once again flipped out by, often, unconscious triggers. We can become afraid of learning and avoid thinking for ourselves and investigating new ideas.

As an artist I’ve long been interested in how art can talk to the unconscious parts of our mind and tell more profound truths about life.  This is through the combination of colour, tones, shapes and forms and content /context.

By working as an artist I wanted to enrich the messages in understanding trauma and the brain. Metaphor and play help us to step outside of ourselves and look back into our own psyche and to connect with the hidden motivations and stories we carry within. The indirect approach of stories can enable us to face ourselves with courage and compassion and so learn new models for life.”