When I first learnt about the Brooklyn Art Library Sketchbook Project last year I immediately decided to participate and ordered one. Every year the Brooklyn Art Library in New York receives sketchbooks from all over the world to add to its increasing collection of nearly 40,000 sketchbooks. To find out more or to get a copy for yourself, go to http://www.sketchbookproject.com

I was delighted to receive a blank sketchbook last November to fill in. However, I did not get started as other events got in the way, particularly my move to Settlers Cottage. It wasn’t until March this year, faced with the dateline for submission looming that I started looking for ideas. It was just as well that the March 31st dateline got extended to 30th April.

In March, my friend and Art student Dawn shared with me that she was about to organise a first ever Aboriginal Women’s workshop for Noongar women in Western Australia. I have always wanted to know more about the Aboriginal people and their culture so I asked Dawn if I could attend. After consulting with her colleagues I was honoured to be permitted to attend as an observer and illustrator.

I sketched and recorded events throughout the entire day in a concertina sketchbook that I made. While sketching I realised that I was so privileged to be recording a significant moment in their history! By the end of the day I had made numerous drawings in two concertina booklets, for both morning and afternoon sessions. The women were delighted with the sketches too. In fact they liked the idea so much that they invited me back to sketch again!

Thus the following week I went to Wadjak Northside Aboriginal Resource Centre where Dawn works, to witness the meeting of these women with their elders. Again, I sketched the event in a concertina booklet. At the same time, I thought it might be good to ask some of the women to participate in my sketchbook project by having their portraits drawn by me and sharing some of their thoughts with the world. They immediately agreed, and that was how my sketchbook began.

My first visit to Wadjak community centre led to another and another, and the sketchbook project grew too. It became truly a book of connections, of how one thing led to another and how more people who are connected got included in the project. I finally ended up doing portraits of 27 people connected with the women’s workshop, Wadjak Northside, and the work Dawn and her colleagues are doing.