Carolyn Gale is an artist who lives in New Zealand. She is a very valued member of the Creative Group At Bedlam Farm, an online community of creatives who support one another and share their work free of carping and sniping and arguing.

It was hard setting up this group, and I made a lot of mistakes in the way I thought about online communities, but many good people hung in there with me and we – they – are making it work in a better way than I ever imagined.

Mostly, I just watch in amazement and delight – other people really run it – and that’s probably the reason it works so well.

People like Carolyn and many other artists and creatives are also the reason, they are talented warm and generous and full of enthusiasm and encouragement. Every day, there is wonderful writing and art in different forms.

Carolyn is a newcomer to the group, which is about five or six years old, and I have been just dazzled by her work, it is so vibrant and full of color and feeling. I saw this on the group the other day and messaged her just before some other people did, and I asked her if I could purchase this work.

I want to hang it on my study wall, there is a good place for it, and I love the color and feeling of it. Carolyn agreed – I had to push her to give me a price – and she’s mailing it to me. I don’t yet know how big or wide it is, it doesn’t really matter.

But I loved it and wanted to share it. I can’t wait to get it.