Magic Happens WHEN THE ENDS DON’T MEET By Melissa Walsh Photos Yanni
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t was a chance meeting in a coffee shop in Boronia that inspired artist and writer, Ian Wood to pick up the pen and begin writing poetry again. The artistic soul had always had the desire to write, to paint and to play music, but spent most of his life working in jobs and being in business until 2002. This year the accomplished artist published his first poetry book with the title that derives from a poem in the book, outlining the frustrations and contradictions between having a career to make a living and the desire to pursue creative endeavours.
The Ends Don’t Meet is a wonderful collection of verse and short stories by Wood, who shares his most intimate life experiences. “It has been eight years in the making, with poetry that I have been inspired to write by my life experiences and results of those choices, some good and some not,” he said of the book with a title reflecting the saying to make ends meet. “It was drummed into me as a kid that you must earn enough to make ends meet, to have a successful career and a good education. I grew up in Brighton and had a wonderful childhood but I always wanted to be an artist, writer and musician. My parents wanted me to pursue a more solid career so I compromised and got into advertising.” For young Wood that vocation would only see eighteen short months before he realised he had to pursue his dream.
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50 | PENINSULA
“I did a series of jobs but have always gone back to my artistic side, working as an interior designer for many years. It was a compromise and a combination of pleasing my parents by having a real job and being creative. My mum showed signs of being artistic as well. She started getting into arts when she retired but I think she was afraid of creativity as it wasn’t a good way to make a living in her eyes.” continued next page... October 2018