Jude Tulloch Artist: a visual storyteller, a traveller and nature lover

Joy is a sensory experience, feeling, hearing, touching, smelling, connecting. It is in the small details of our everyday lives that joy resides.  The joyful moments are there, if we take time to notice them.

Joy is hearing the Glossy Black Cockatoos squawking amongst the trees in the morning on the dunes behind my house before they settle down to quietly feed on the seeds of the Allocasaurina littoralis (She-oaks). In the afternoon I feel joy hearing the birds call again. So I stop and take a moment to look up to see them fly above the house heading for their evening drink in the garden that is their destination.

There is a woman at Marcus Beach who makes a daily ritual of cleaning and re-filling her birdbath. Designed and made especially for the Glossies, it sits beautifully in her native garden. Knowing that someone cares for these beautiful endangered birds is another source of joy.

The sound of gentle rain on the roof during the night soothes me, signalling more joy. In the morning the plants, replenished by the rain, perk up. The colours vibrate and the earth smells damp in a fresh way. Droplets shine in the sun. I love to smell the sweet lemon scent of the Backhousia citriodora (Lemon Myrtle tree) leaves as I walk by after rain.

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I love to immerse myself in a child’s adventures or make believe play. Entering a child’s world is a real honour, and such fun.

Catching the eye of a baby with a smile and then seeing the delight spread across their face always lifts my spirit. When they wriggle with pleasure, I can feel their joy.

I am sure that all the visitors on the beach during this holiday season will agree that feeling the grains of sand shifting beneath your feet on the beach is joyous.

My dog Jimmy gives me great joy every day. When I scratch him behind the ears and look into his eyes I see and feel unconditional love reflected there.

Connecting with the special people in my life is a simple joy. Just having a laugh with a quirky friend, or thinking of a precious moment or knowing they are there makes me feel very lucky.