collaboration post

Prompt Four - Collaboration:

hello!
working hard, so hard!
sharing
support
true collaboration
trust
restful
natural
vibrant
seeing opportunities
challenging
joyful
calm
seeing yourself in other people's eyes
patience
discoveries
surprises
respect
the magic can be hard to come by

in answer to the questions:
I have been collaborating creatively for a very long time - friends sharing lounge rooms, tea, coffee, food, alcohol, friendship, inspiration, tears, frustration, weirdnesses, exasperation - sometimes it ends in an exhibition, sometimes creative, sometimes menial, always with our hands and our hearts and our minds.  As an arts therapist I found true amazing collaboration in running groups with Delwyn.  We'd share our thoughts, so much laughter, our hearts, our thinking, challenge each other, push each other.  The most exciting bit was how much the group work became a collaboration with the families we worked with "I don't know, what would you do?"  It was so so so creative.  At work I collaborate with non therapists and non artists and I have stopped running groups as a result - its like getting blood out of a stone, its collegial but without awe and wonder.  When I run them with other therapists at work it works beautifully, but I don't have free access to them, so I've drawn a line in the sand and said 'no more' until I can collaborate rather than carry.
I collaborate when there is a wage involved or when I'm invited to.  I'm unlikely to initiate a collaboration because generally I undervalue myself, my work and my creativity.  This shaky confidence makes it difficult for me to collaborate - but it is almost always worth it.  I have a neighbour who has been offering me surprising collaborations - we have this very sweet letter thing happening that is turning into a 'craft off' which she hopes will turn into a craft book - I'm not so sure!  But its fun anyway...
The bits that stick out on the image I've posted:
 - the bit that looks heavy and dark (the pink and dark brown wool going between the figure and the nest with the bird carrying it) is actually the most inspiring collaboration I have ever witnessed - my house mate made a basket in our backyard some 17 years ago - a bird made a nest out of the same materials at the same time outside our kitchen window.  It was magical!
 - The apple core - I found the long bit of apple peel on the floor when I dropped some collage materials - I thought it was a bit of collage twine until I looked more closely and realised it was my kids food scraps.  I laughed and had to include it - the kids are my ultimate creative collaborators, at very least in providing me with fodder for inspiration.