Today Jane chats with artist, educator, academic and community worker, David Usher. We chat about David's rich history in the arts in Brisbane and Toowoomba, his research into the 'Spook' and the importance of community.  Please check out David's instagram as it really brings this chat to life with artworks and photos: a real archive of a creative life! https://www.instagram.com/the_david_usher/David Usher is a Brisbane born Toowoomba based artist undertaking a Doctorate at the University of Southern Queensland - his area of research is ‘the Spook’. David explains, ‘the Spook occurs in an artwork through the culmination of a series of elements - of the application of composition, colour and light... The artist develops an intuitive awareness or knowledge about their arts practice to gain a sense of the overall feeling of the work in front of them, to ascertain whether the composition, or ‘feel’ of the work has reached the moment when it has a kind of magic about it.’ David’s work captures the essence, or emotion within a landscape, and in doing so, embodies the feeling or experience of the Spook. There is a wealth of theoretical research David has engaged with, he has recently co-authored an essay titled ‘Notions of the Spook and the Role of the Studio: Considerations of Space and the Sensory Experiences of Producing Art’. The thing that is special about this research is that it is a theoretical discussion of something that is felt. The instinctive landscapes are a direct translation of David’s physical experience in a landscape, his experience is captured and transferred to be read as the Spook in his paintings/ceramics. David has shown with several galleries including Doggart and ALG, and has work in collections including Queensland Art Gallery, Artbank, Brisbane City Hall Gallery and Queensland Potters Association. https://www.david-usher.com/David is represented by Alexandra Lawson Gallery.  https://www.alexandralawsongallery.com/David is exhibiting at La Trobe Art Space with Naomi White and Liesl Baker in a show called Tall Tales 11 -17 June. https://www.latrobeartspace.com/--------------------------------------------------------Have something to add or a question? Talk to us via email birdsofclaypodcast@gmail.com or DM @birdsofclay_podcast.Find us on InstagramRora @aurora_elwellJane @jane.orme.pottery