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CREATING a CAREER that SUPPORTS WELLBEING - Chat with Artist & Landscape Designer Rikki-Lea James
2 Plays1 minute ago
Passionate about ecology and art, Rikki-Lea loves designing spaces with her clients that celebrate the local landscape.
Rikki-Lea's designs are influenced by the plants, colours and structures of wild, windswept sand-dune environments, through to the open eucalypt woodlands of southern Tasmania.
Prior to becoming a landscape designer, Rikki-Lea worked in sustainable development.
She loves applying systems thinking to the landscape design process to ensure that every garden she creates will endure and evolve into the future.
In this episode, she shares her journey of over-coming the challenge of working in the corporate world to creating a career path that supports her wellbeing, while serving her clients needs too!
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RIKKI-LEA JAMES
Artist & Landscape Designer
Intro & Outro Music: Shaman Dance by slavamusic
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Transcript
Introduction to Biophilic Design
00:00:00
Speaker
So biophilic design is a concept that is talked about a lot in architecture, actually, and um explored a lot there. And I first came across it when I was working in sustainable development because I was working in that field.
00:00:13
Speaker
And so the what it means is bio is obviously biology and and everything that's alive. um all the beings of the world and then philic means affection for or love for so it's a love for all of the beings or living beings of the world and actually interestingly um it does expand beyond what we would call living beings in um in the modern sense to you know elements like fire and water and air and earth which are living beings in and a lot of cultures anyway. So, you know, it's it's just anything to do with nature and and the planet.
00:00:52
Speaker
And we're included in that too. So I believe anyway that humans are included in that. So um it's all about design that nurtures nature, I guess, and reflects nature um rather than fighting against nature, which is what he um came about during the Renaissance period and those types of um things. If you think about gardens from back then, they were very much about taming nature and you mentioned manicured
Rikki Lee James: From Corporate to Creative
00:01:21
Speaker
gardens. They were very manicured back then, whereas this biophilic thinking is about embracing nature for what it is and
00:01:28
Speaker
um embracing humans as part of that rather than trying to conquer it so ah it's a concept that is always in my mind because I just feel like that's how I've always naturally thought of things anyway like that we're a part of nature and so I think I like reflecting that in my designs as well
00:01:52
Speaker
Welcome to the Alive by Design podcast. I'm Maureenie Cole and I have a beautiful hearted guest here today, artist and landscape designer, Rikki Lee James. Rikki Lee is a Lutra-Wita, Tasmania based landscape designer with a focus on creating contemporary coastal gardens that are full of biodiversity.
00:02:11
Speaker
Being passionate about ecology and art, Rikki Lee loves designing spaces with her clients that celebrate the local landscape. Rikki Lee's designs are influenced by the plants, colours and structures of wild, windswept, sand dune environments through to open woodlands of southern Tasmania.
00:02:29
Speaker
Prior to becoming a landscape designer, Rikki Lee worked in sustainable development. She loves applying... systems thinking to the landscape design process to ensure every garden she creates will endure and evolve into the future.
00:02:43
Speaker
I first met Rikki Lee through an ad hoc coaching session and then she joined my Soaring membership, which is where I really got to know her on a deeper level. And it's such a treat to see Rikki Lee show up and share her magic with the online space, which is, and it's an honor to have her here today as a guest to share her story. So welcome Rikki Thank you.
00:03:06
Speaker
Can you give the listeners and viewers a a little more insight into the journey of creating a life that supports your creative expression through your art and landscape design and where this journey began and how did you end up here?
00:03:17
Speaker
It's a good question. um It's probably been a long journey, so I'll try and not to make it too long. um Ultimately, ah my my first career, as you mentioned, wasn't in any creative field all. It was in sustainable development. um So when I was at university, I started studied sustainability, um which was a really broad topic. It looked into the social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability.
00:03:46
Speaker
um And it was kind of... um was quite a deep degree, I would call it. Like it was little about systems thinking and and concepts that don't get talked about, like bioregionalism and permaculture and and things like that that kind of aren't really mainstream.
00:04:04
Speaker
And so I was thinking, oh, this is an amazing degree. going to have an amazing experience. thing I'm going to be able to bring into the world, um you know, to create a more sustainable future.
00:04:17
Speaker
And then I finished and went into the corporate world and found that wasn't the case at all. Like these concepts were not really used at all outside of my degree, you know, the the corporate world hasn't caught up to that yet. So um i went and worked in corporate sustainability um as my first kind of career and was helping developers try to make their developments more sustainable.
00:04:44
Speaker
But I was finding I just wasn't getting any fulfillment because all of these things that made me excited just went on anyone's radar and weren't really accepted. So it was more of a box ticker, to be honest.
00:04:57
Speaker
And that that wasn't fulfilling. um I didn't really know a lot about myself, I think, when I went into that career as well. So I didn't know what I needed. um I didn't really see myself as a creative person. I didn't see myself as not creative. I just haven't really connected with myself, I don't think.
00:05:15
Speaker
And I was just getting absolutely no fulfillment on a day-to-day basis to the point where I was not very happy. I think I was quite depressed. um And i was also unwell. So I have a few autoimmune kitchens which were flaring, I think, were really impacted by the busy lifestyle of the corporate world.
00:05:36
Speaker
and So that all culminated and I just had to assess my future because I couldn't keep going on the way I was in that field. um And so I did lot different courses, really, like um some training ah self-development sort of courses where you explore your values and your personality and who you are.
00:05:57
Speaker
um And I also did some career change courses. So one through the royal women, which I think might be where I came across you first, Marine Cole, and another one from from an organisation overseas. And both of those really helped me identify what I needed from work um to kind of feed my soul and the top thing that always came up is creativity and beauty and I realized if I didn't have those things in my life I just was never going to feel fulfilled and so I had to start prioritizing the things I think I always knew deep down I loved like I had studied landscape design while I was working by night last
00:06:34
Speaker
No, I loved it, but didn't know why, if that makes sense. um And then after these courses, I realised that that was just, you know, my top value and I had to be doing it on a day-to-day basis to feel fulfilment in life.
00:06:47
Speaker
And yes, so that's how I got to where I am now, just starting my landscape design business. um And also I call myself an amateur artist definitely, but starting to, you know, bring art into my day-to-day life as well.
00:07:03
Speaker
I wouldn't call you an amateur artist. I've seen your art. and Thank you. That's very kind.
00:07:10
Speaker
It is actually something i believe that you already have within you and it just comes out as an expression of your creative side. So I don't think it's necessarily just a learned skill.
00:07:22
Speaker
It is also a part of who we are. So how did the art come into play then? Because landscape design, it's career and whereas art, is that actually a practice for your own health and wellbeing or is it something that you brought into to support your landscape design?
Art as a Mental Escape
00:07:41
Speaker
Yes. So I think it's more, I started definitely more for health and wellbeing and um I guess mental satisfaction or for my mental health, actually. I started drawing and um dabbling with painting and different things, I think back in 2019, really, it was before COVID, um back when I was still working in the corporate environment. And I i just knew that I needed, and having been that I needed to do something give It brought a bit of joy as well rather than, you know, my weekends.
00:08:12
Speaker
At that time I was just exhausted from my nine-to-five job and I would just kind of crash on the couch. And so this was to stop me doing that more than anything.
00:08:23
Speaker
and um And it really worked. Like i ah just, yeah, it's it's where I get my flow I think is when I'm doing art. like Yeah. Actually, and that's what I wanted to ask you about, your daily practices. How do you foster your creativity and not get caught up in all of the things that you just have to do?
00:08:42
Speaker
Yes, that's that's a good question because I still work, so I still have ah a job um and I'm, like I said, I'm starting my landscape design business at the moment um and that's quite busy too. So it is a struggle to find time to do it, but this' there's two things. One is just remembering that it isn't a task. if I don't know why I still just feel like doing anything still feels like 12 sometimes.
00:09:09
Speaker
um So remembering that when I get started, I actually feel very much better and I love doing it as well. And then finding finding ways to make it fit into my daily schedule. So sometimes if I've had a really busy day and I'm really tired, um I will just sit on the couch with a big book that I've got and put a piece of paper on top and just draw while I'm sitting on the couch because that's the most comfortable way I can do it.
00:09:35
Speaker
And if I had to go sit at my desk and do it, I'd just too tired to do that, if that makes sense. So it's about finding ways to adapt it to fit into how I'm feeling on that day.
00:09:46
Speaker
um And I think that's especially important when you've got autoimmune conditions or you're not well. um For me, I, it was that like some days it's the only way I can really draw is if I do it on the couch. So yeah, I hope that that makes sense.
00:10:02
Speaker
It does. You know, I actually, only in the last maybe a year and a half took up drawing again. And I used to draw so much as a child, like every night I would be drawing. I've always drawn on the couch.
00:10:16
Speaker
or sitting on the floor, sitting on an ottoman. And yeah, I don't sit at a desk to draw. So I get that. it is And it is ah about immersing yourself and losing yourself in the practice. It's not about getting the job done. And even though you said that you have a job,
00:10:34
Speaker
That is part of what you do is your day job because you are a creative and you express yourself in many different ways. And so your art practice actually, from what I know of you, is a part of your job, your contribution to the collective.
00:10:53
Speaker
So it's not separate from, but it's just finding ways to make it flow with, you know what's going to actually support your living. In terms of you know income earning capacity, I understand that.
00:11:05
Speaker
The job. Exactly. Yes. Yeah, that's a good way to define it. I see it like that as well. I think sometimes I adapt the way I'm talking because that's how everyone talks, right? Like it's how society views your job is what you get paid for.
00:11:21
Speaker
But that's not the case, is it? You know, what what is our job here on earth? And sometimes it is... a little bit more complicated than that. It's not just what you get paid for. Absolutely. I've personally been reflecting on this in terms of like being a designer and maker. And when I walk down the street and I have someone stop and say, I love your earrings, that is a moment that I stop them in their thinking to actually engage in something beautiful.
00:11:49
Speaker
So that is a part of my role in the collective is to help bring people to that point of stopping what they're just kind of doing as a out of habit. And it's not that I'm intentionally going out there to try and stop people in their tracks, but it really becomes, that's our purpose, is what we do naturally.
00:12:07
Speaker
We're not doing it for the attention. We're doing it because that makes us feel good. And then in turn, it makes other people feel good, which is what I wanted to ask you about in terms of fulfillment. What makes you feel the most fulfilled in what you do throughout the day?
00:12:22
Speaker
That's a good question too. um ah do think it is It's pretty simple. It's whenever I'm just being creative or creating something that I find beautiful.
00:12:33
Speaker
um So my favourite parts of the day are when I get to sit down and start designing a garden on paper, like put the ideas that are in my head down onto the paper and bring it into reality, I guess.
00:12:50
Speaker
Like that's my favourite part of my landscape design work. um i do a lot of other things as well. Like I research plants, research where we can get the plants from, you know, what conditions the plants thrive in, whether they would be a good fit for the garden. I also consider things like um what the needs of the person are who I'm designing for and things, practical things like that. But it really is the act of getting the design onto paper that I love the most and drawing it.
00:13:19
Speaker
Yeah, it's like i i can see it in my head when I'm doing it and suddenly it's real. though I love that part.
Customizing Gardens for Well-being
00:13:28
Speaker
um I mean, that's what brings me the most fulfilment and showing that to people as well, I think, too, um and helping them see what their garden is going to be like don't know, just helping people see a little bit of beauty in the world.
00:13:47
Speaker
yeah That makes me think of how our environment impacts our wellbeing. And can you share with us what it's like um ah trying to achieve that with your client's vision in mind? Like what do what are you creating on their behalf? Because it's not you that's going to engage in the garden.
00:14:07
Speaker
How do you actually bring those elements into their what they need? Yes. So everyone has different needs and that's something that we talk about really early on with clients is, you know, how are you going to use your garden? What's your vision for your garden?
00:14:22
Speaker
How do you want to feel in your garden? and um We ask them just a ah lot of questions. The more questions I can think of, the better really, because that's the more information I'll get about what where they're at and, you know, even things like what sort of aesthetic do you like for your garden? and um Have you seen any other garden styles that you you think are beautiful and is that what you would like?
00:14:46
Speaker
Just lots of, yeah, lots of questions about who they are and and how they're going to use their garden. So there's an element of practicality to it because, It is a practical space. There'll be some things that they need from that space, like boring as it is, like bin storage, for example, you're still going to need to put that into a garden.
00:15:05
Speaker
um or they might need a place to store kayaks if they're kayakers or they'll need a place for a washing line and really practical things like that, through to more kind of lifestyle questions.
00:15:17
Speaker
You know, they might like to entertain guests a lot, so we'll need to create a space outside where they can do that. They might like to cook for those guests, which, you know, we could put in a pizza oven or a barbecue.
00:15:30
Speaker
um And then it does come down a little bit to the feelings, which I know we've talked about before about how gardens can make people feel. And that's important to in the way I kind of ask her about that is um what seem like surface level questions like what sort of garden aesthetic do you like?
00:15:50
Speaker
um What sort of plants do you like? There's deeper meaning to that. So they seem, like I say, they seem like surface level questions, but I get a lot of insight from asking those.
00:16:01
Speaker
um And then, you know, what spaces have you been in? that have brought you joy before. So some people will find a lot of joy in walking in nature. You know, um you might like to walk through bushland with really tall trees or you might prefer being at a beach um where the shrubland is quite a lot lower. And so but finding out which environments make people happy, you can reflect that in the design through your plant choices and how you place things as well.
00:16:31
Speaker
That's a really interesting point that you bring up because um i currently live on a hill and I'm inland in the southern Tablelands. And so my view from my house, most of the view is Western and it's expansive.
00:16:46
Speaker
And so day and night we see big sky. And I was camping at ah on a friend's property down on the south coast, which is where I'm planning to move to. And that property is very much bush land, but not shrubby.
00:17:00
Speaker
Lots of tall gum trees, but I couldn't see the night sky. And I said to them, you know, I don't i didn't know if ah because I was considering renting that space while I look for my own. i was like, I don't know how I feel about not being able to see the stars.
00:17:16
Speaker
And their response was, you know, I actually feel held in the trees and the energy of the trees is really quite nurturing. And that changed my perspective of being in that space because I thought it's not far from the beach. I could go down to the beach and see the stars and see the expansiveness and then come back and be held by the trees. I was like, yeah, that's...
00:17:36
Speaker
is actually a really beautiful way of looking at it. So it does depend. Some people who like to be in a cave and other people like to be on a hill. So it's where you're at at the time. Yeah.
00:17:47
Speaker
Yes. Yeah, I know there's some science. i I don't have any of the information really with me and I can only vaguely remember it. But there is some science around some type of of environments humans instinctually like better, um like kind of the animals The plains, you know, if you think about the safari, if you go to Africa or on a safari, those types of environments that people really like naturally.
00:18:12
Speaker
um And I think probably for the same reasons as you pointed out, that you can see the stars and and um probably and also because you can see anything that's coming towards you, you know, in the in the distance and stuff. So there's a lot of biological um elements behind it which I don't quite understand.
00:18:31
Speaker
I don't know all of them. I haven't looked into the science that deeply. But a lot of it is also just, I think, I think there's a bit of nostalgia in there too. You know, what you're used to and what you've grown up with and what's brought you joy in the past.
00:18:44
Speaker
um You like those environments naturally too. Yeah. Yeah. And also the way that you do it it doesn't have to be scientific to be helpful to a person just by asking them how do you feel when you walk into that kind of environment?
00:18:57
Speaker
So for me, I've just, I remember moving out to the country from the city and feeling that expansiveness as ah so something I needed. Because living in the city, I just felt so crowded by everything, sound, sights, all of it, even though I was still near it the beach.
00:19:15
Speaker
wasn't far from the beach, but, you know, there was just something that it served me. And also it allowed me, I felt, for creativity to have that bigger picture vision. Yeah.
00:19:26
Speaker
But in saying that, it also, I believe, um aligns with our human design. And that's a whole other topic. But when you find out your human design, it actually has environment as a part of that.
00:19:37
Speaker
And for some people, being in a cave actually suits them better than being exposed. Yeah. So there's so many elements to it. But, yeah, we don't – it's just, like you said, inquiring, finding out what the person actually feels because they might say they like a manicured garden, but the reality of it doesn't really nurture their soul.
00:19:55
Speaker
So, yeah. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, yes. Now, you actually told me about a concept which I'd never heard of before, but as soon as I looked it up, I was like, oh, that makes so much sense to me. But it was biophilic garden design.
00:20:09
Speaker
Can you give us some insight into what that is and how it influences your work? Yeah. um So biophilic design is a concept that is talked about a lot in architecture, actually, and um explored a lot there. And I first came across it when I was working in sustainable development because I was working in that field.
00:20:30
Speaker
And so the what it means is bio is obviously biology and and everything that's alive um all the beings of the world and then philic means affection for or love for so it's a love for all of the beings or living beings of the world and actually interestingly um it does expand beyond what we would call living beings in um in the modern sense to you know elements like fire and water and air and earth which are living beings in a lot of
Revisiting Biophilic Design Concepts
00:21:03
Speaker
cultures anyway. So, you know, it's it's just anything to do with nature and and the planet.
00:21:08
Speaker
And we're included in that too. So I believe anyway that humans are included in that. So um it's all about design that nurtures nature, I guess, and reflects nature um rather than fighting against nature, which is what he um came about during the Renaissance period and those types of um things. If you think about gardens from back then, they were very much about taming nature and you mentioned manicured gardens. They were very manicured back then, whereas this biophilic thinking is about embracing nature for what it is and
00:21:44
Speaker
um embracing humans as part of that rather than trying to conquer it so i it's a concept that is always in my mind because i just feel like that's how i've always naturally thought of things anyway like that we're a part of nature and so i think i like reflecting that in my designs as well yeah i'm right there with you because It makes me think of like Dr. Zach Bush's work and how he talks about you know the biomes and it is all actually what we are made up of.
00:22:15
Speaker
We are not separate from nature and I find it actually more suffocating to be in ah an environment that tries to separate you from nature and tries to be too controlled. And so a garden makes perfect sense that it aligns with the natural environment that we're living in rather than trying to control it.
00:22:35
Speaker
Yeah, that's beautiful. Yeah. Yes. Rikki-Lee, do you actually work remotely with people or do you need to physically go into their garden?
00:22:46
Speaker
It can be done. Remotely, although I do like going into people's gardens because you get a sense of what the environment is um and you can eat more easily see things like aspect where the sun's hitting certain parts of the the property where daylight access is best, um where the slopes and things like that that you can't really necessarily pick up.
00:23:12
Speaker
of a site plan, which is what you would use if you were designing remotely. So the answer is you can do it both ways, but I think you get a better outcome when you can go onto site and work with people directly. um And so my job is really to create the design on paper. I don't build anything.
00:23:29
Speaker
um Eventually I would like to be involved in planting plants for people and placing them and stuff like that, but at the moment I'm just really designing. um So it is all about making sure um you can get onto site as early as possible and meet with people and walk through their garden with them. um Yeah, before you even put pen to paper, I think it does really help.
00:23:58
Speaker
Yeah, nice hear no, fair enough. That's good. So i ah recently you actually entered into a competition, is that right, in something in Victoria? Can you tell us about that? i only just
Showcasing at the Melbourne Flower and Garden Show
00:24:09
Speaker
remembered that. Yeah. yeah um So I had a Buddha garden at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show you this year. um So the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show is a big event basically what it says, Flower and Garden Show. It celebrates floristry, it celebrates garden and design and it runs for about a week in Melbourne every year.
00:24:32
Speaker
um And so they have a series of competitions um ranging from really big show gardens through to my competition, which was the border garden competition where you get given a little square of 2.4 by 2.4 metres to design gardens.
00:24:49
Speaker
to design a little border garden. um And that can be, you can you set the brief for yourself. So set mine as a coastal garden reflecting Tasmania's um natural, Southern Tasmania specifically, our natural um coastal environment down here.
00:25:07
Speaker
And what I wanted to really do with that was to show people what plants you could put in your garden um from the natural environment around here and what you could achieve with your garden if you reflect native plants and and what grows naturally in your local area.
00:25:23
Speaker
ah And so, yes, I went to Melbourne to build that in, oh, it was March. It seems like ages ago now. um And, yeah, it was a lot of fun to do and I met a lot of really, um really inspiring designers who were also part of the competition.
00:25:43
Speaker
They had some really beautiful ideas and beautiful gardens that they built as well. um And I also got to see all the bigger gardens, which was really inspiring, ah So it was a great experience overall. It was a little bit stressful at times, but really worth it.
00:26:01
Speaker
Yeah, that's awesome. That's beautiful. So are you actually originally from Tasmania? No. So I'm from WA originally. um I've lived all over the place a little bit. So I grew up in WA when I was about...
00:26:16
Speaker
um twenty one I went to Europe um just with the plans to do a little bit of a working holiday, but I met my now husband when I was there. And so I lived in Bristol in the UK for a year and a half as well.
00:26:29
Speaker
um And then I moved to Brisbane for about seven years and then I came to Tasmania. So I only moved here about, I think, almost four years ago now. That's ah that's a big variety of places that you've lived in. That's amazing.
00:26:42
Speaker
Yeah. And do you find that actually impacts your work, artistry-wise landscape design-wise? I think it's actually the other way around, to be honest. I think a big attraction of moving to Tasmania was the plants and the landscape here.
00:26:59
Speaker
So i had there were a multitude of reasons we moved, but um I decided here. in 2019 when I was still living in Brisbane and just fell in love with the landscape and the plants and um i i think I knew at that point where I wanted to head with my career and I did want to move towards landscape design and if I'm honest the subtropical plants of Queensland are beautiful but just didn't really sing to my heart.
00:27:26
Speaker
um It might be partially because I grew up in WA which is more of a Mediterranean climate and more of those wildflowers and shrubs that, you know, have beautiful big baxia flowers on them and stuff like that.
00:27:41
Speaker
um Whereas in Queensland its where I was, it was very much tropical plants, um which are completely different. And Tasmania was more like WA to me. it had these coastal landscapes which are, you know, rugged and windswept and it means the plants grow in all these interesting ways. You get these gnarly trunks of the trees. They don't really grow upright and straight because of the way the wind blows on them and, um,
00:28:10
Speaker
And, again, some of that, the pops of colour of some of the the flowers that grow around here, there's always something yellow in spring. It's always like sunshine, really, every way you look. So I think it was more the opposite to answer the question that um the landscape called me here a little bit, I think.
00:28:33
Speaker
So it solidified what actually resonates with you rather than... the other way around yeah yeah yeah and there's something about the light here too like thinking about your artists talk about light a lot and it is a different like the way depending on which latitude you live in um we have longer sunsets and i would i think longer sunrises as well which means you get that warm glow of the evening for a lot longer and there's something about that i just love it so
00:29:04
Speaker
I do too. I definitely get that out here in the Southern Tablelands. But the part that I struggle with with Southern Tablelands is it's it's a lot of agriculture and a lot of, you know, I say traditional agriculture, not it's not regenerative necessarily and so that I am missing that element of the connection to the wild which is more natural so that's a tricky part about that but let's for a moment talk about your art so where are you wanting to take your art practice is it at the moment just something you're doing for yourself or is it a career path as well um
00:29:41
Speaker
I don't know.
00:29:44
Speaker
I guess to answer that then it would have to be that it's just im something I'm doing for myself at the moment because I don't really have any plans with it. um i do I do love doing it though and ultimately all I really want from life is to be doing something every day that I love.
00:29:58
Speaker
i think there is a reality that you do have to monetise some of those things to be able to survive. So if that's what I have to do, I'm Yeah, maybe.
00:30:10
Speaker
But at the moment it's just I'm just learning things and exploring things. i And using it in your landscape design anyway. So you are managed through that. fine Yes. Yeah, well, that's a good point. And, um yeah, i think you already know this, but for anyone else listening, I do all of my designs by hand.
Blending Art and Landscape Design
00:30:30
Speaker
So it is very much I'm getting that art practice in daily with with landscape design. yeah Do the clients actually end up with that final piece of art or do you keep that as a portfolio that you've drawn Well, they they get a copy of it, um but I also keep a copy.
00:30:49
Speaker
So, i i yeah, like we both get a copy of it ultimately um to answer that question. but um Yeah, ah it's nice to have that for my portfolio too. i haven't got anything online yet. I should start putting things up online at some point.
00:31:10
Speaker
I just think for yourself and the client to have a copy of that even framed in a room would be a beautiful, like even if they don't do it all at once, you know, they can always refer to the,
00:31:21
Speaker
master plan of the artwork and be inspired by that yes yeah yeah that's a good point a lot of people don't do it all at once either because um it expensive to build a whole garden um and so they do hold on to it for a long time because um you typically stage things so yeah you could put it on the wall it'd look pretty and I think it would be amazing and especially, I mean, now I'm taking it to a whole other level, but if you could have it framed like museum-style framing with a beautiful timber that's a natural Australian timber and that would be worthwhile holding onto forever and you've hand-drawn it, so it is a piece of art. It's not just a computer.
00:32:03
Speaker
It's nice to move as well, isn't it, thinking about it because you put that effort into building your garden and then, it's just a little memento that you can take with you if you have to move house. yeah Yes, exactly.
00:32:16
Speaker
Yeah. Beautiful. So on that note, how can people actually connect with your services? Yes. So I have my Instagram account. That's probably where I'm most active. um, so um can't remember my handle at the moment, but you can find me on Instagram by looking up Ricky Lee James.
00:32:35
Speaker
So my landscape design business is just my name. um I also have a website, which is rickyleejames.com as well, and um my contact details are on there. That's the easiest way to reach out.
00:32:47
Speaker
Is your art a part of that? Do you actually, because you were making gift cards, was it? I might be wrong on but Yeah, that was an idea. I'm still exploring that actually. That is a good prompt for me.
00:33:00
Speaker
I need to go and find somewhere I can get them printed at a professional um level. So I've got a lot of research to do into that, but I did explore that as an idea, yeah. But at the moment it's landscape design, so that's where that's. Yes.
00:33:15
Speaker
Just want to clarify that in case people are after your artwork, that's a ah watch this space kind of scenario. Yeah. Yeah, I do have an Instagram page and, you know, people are welcome to follow my journey on that.
00:33:28
Speaker
I mostly did that to build a bit of confidence um and to share things because I was just really sketching and drawing and painting and then putting things in a book and putting it away and no one was really seeing it and um which I didn't mind. But at the same time, it's nice to be able to share that with people and it helps me build confidence in what I'm doing.
00:33:51
Speaker
Yeah. and And actually, do you mind talking about that a little bit more, the confidence aspect? Like what have you found to be most supportive in building your confidence?
00:34:02
Speaker
I think um pushing um my boundaries, just forcing myself to do things that I'm a little bit uncomfortable with. Ultimately, I didn't trust myself, I think, knowing what Knowing when I was feeling uncomfortable because something was ah too much of a risk or knowing when I was feeling uncomfortable because it was something that's slightly out of my comfort zone. Everything was just being lumped together. I was like, oh, if I'm uncomfortable with that, I just shouldn't do it.
00:34:30
Speaker
And so i was never doing anything that pushed me or advanced me. um And so that was part of the decision of starting to put some of my um sketches and artwork online was because But it did feel uncomfortable to share it, like really uncomfortable to share it.
00:34:47
Speaker
And I thought, oh, no, I've got to start pushing my boundaries a little bit. And that's where growth happens. And I think you might have been the one who told me that, Marie, Nicole, is that that is how you grow is by pushing yourself a little bit, right?
00:35:01
Speaker
um So, yeah, and I've actually found the more I do that, the more confident I'm coming in sharing more and more and more. So it's been really good. That's fantastic.
Sharing Art Online and Building Confidence
00:35:12
Speaker
And, you know, you are a landscape designer and you do know that a seed has to become very uncomfortable to actually sprout and grow at every stage. Yes. And we are a part of nature, so we're the same.
00:35:24
Speaker
That's very true.
00:35:29
Speaker
So is there anything you would like to share with people that I haven't asked you about? Does anything come to mind?
00:35:38
Speaker
don't think so. No, I didn't really come into this chat with any any particular expectations. um Just like you say, let the discussion go where it goes. Yeah, beautiful. Yeah. And I'm so glad you actually shared with us what the biophilic is all about because I think that's a really important piece of information for people to connect to and take away as a nugget of, you know, there's more to this than just getting up, getting on with our life, paying the bills.
00:36:07
Speaker
Like we are a part of this bigger picture. of the world and that brings that into our everyday so thank you so much ricky lee for sharing your story and journey and your insights and some of your wisdom and i hope that you do actually continue to step outside of your comfort zone enough for people to actually receive your magic more because you really do have a lot to offer and yeah just really proud of you for doing what you've been doing So we had some technology challenges with Rikki Lee's internet connection and she did not get to say her proper sign off. So I just thought I would do a little outro to remind you all to actually look Rikki Lee up. I will have links in the show notes on how to connect with her. She does beautiful, beautiful artwork and landscape design and everything by hand, which is very special.
00:36:59
Speaker
When I did actually get to speak to her again, we did discuss a little further into how supportive her lifestyle is to her as someone who has an autoimmune disease. And she did mention that in the podcast. I'm not sharing information that.
00:37:13
Speaker
she did not actually say herself. Being able to create a life by design that supports her well-being and actually contributes to the collective tapestry with her unique thread is such a magical thing for her. After working in a corporate environment which was not supportive to her well-being physically or mentally, being able to create that life that actually not only supports her thriving but offers back to others a magical outcome.
00:37:39
Speaker
So that is really what I want to share with people through this podcast. And so if you feel like it would support someone to hear about Rikki Lee's story, I encourage you to pass this podcast episode on.
00:37:51
Speaker
I currently have a puppy dog really wanting attention right here. So I am giving him pats. I wish you could see him. He's very cute. But anyway, I wish you a magical day ahead. And thank you once again, Rikki Leaf, for doing our podcast chat today. There is both a video version available on YouTube if you would like to watch it.
00:38:09
Speaker
And there's also the audio available through Apple Podcast and Spotify. So enjoy the rest of your day. I look forward to being back here with you soon, sharing more insights and inspirations to help you foster a life that actually supports your thriving and you contributing your unique thread to the collective tapestry, letting your inner essence be your outer expression.
00:38:30
Speaker
Thank you so much for staying all the way to the end of this episode. I hope it provided you with the insights and inspiration that you need right now on your quest of fostering thriving. If you are looking for a coach to support and guide you through your own unique journey of creating a life by design, reach out for a connection call. You'll find a link in the show notes.
00:38:50
Speaker
Also, please do pass this on to someone you think could get value out of it. And I'd really appreciate if you left a review for this podcast or comment on YouTube.
00:39:01
Speaker
I'd love to hear any insights or inspirations it activated in you. And I look forward to soaring alongside of you too.