Stories from the Studio: Jean Mills

 This week we caught up with Wollondilly artist, writer, poet and activist Jean Mills. Jean recently won the people choice award at the Waste to Art Wollondilly 2023 competition for her work Circles in Circles. Jean has entered Waste 2 Art Every year, previously she took out first place in 2021 for her work Seven Scavenged Scooters, a found objects installation. 

Jean cares incredible for the environment and especially Koalas. This led Jean to paint green sign on huge eucalyptus in her yard tree which said “KOALA TREE” plus ‘SAVE ME’ and hung a series of stuffed koalas that she collected from local Op Shops.  Jean has also used stuffed Koala’s in her scultpures, entering  Koalas in Seven Swinging Baskets into the 2021 Waste to Art Wollondilly Competition. 

Jean Mills
Circles in circles
Waste to Art Wollondilly People’s choice Award!
Bike wheel, srcap metal & found object.
$POA Enquire 

BAG A KOALA  by Jean Mills 

I always look for koalas when I am wandering down a track
I have a stuffed koala and a koala sack.
I also have a strange looking koala back pack

Would I shove a real koala in my suitcase so no-one else could see.
I would love to bag a koala and bring it home with me.
Yes I would!   …   but then I’d set it free.

Koalas love munching on special gum leaves in eucalyptus canopies.
which leaves them mostly fat and sleepy and much too tired to chat to any busy bees.
I wish that I had real cuddly koalas living in my trees.
Yes please

There are many succulent gums for them to eat if they came my way.
They could even come to visit and stay for holidays.
On their way to Appin or somewhere else not too faraway

 

I scan the eucalyptus trees for koalas when I travel in the outback.
Please help save our local koalas; their future looks quite black.
and keep a look out so drop bears don’t attack

OH NO !!!!!

 

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