On A Wing And A Prayer

Back in the Olden Days, when the East End Gallery was relatively new, Michael entertained a guest named Carmen Jenner, regaling her with his dreams and hopes. I was elsewhere that day. The Gallery was housed only in one renovated shop - all of fifty-seven square metres. Michael's workshop had yet to be renovated and the enormous restoration of the fourth shop - now the main Gallery was a distant goal.

I have no idea about their conversation when Michael Met Carmen. All I imagine is that Michael was at his lyrical best. He had waited a very long time to have his own Gallery to create and display his artwork. He was so close to fulfilling this ideal and I expect Carmen copped the full force of his frustrated genius. I'm actually glad I wasn't there, and that Michael was able to express himself so profoundly that he made a significant impression on Carmen.

We found out later that Carmen was a travel writer. And out of the blue came a proposition from her. Carmen and a fellow writer named Clara McAlaney were hoping to publish their version of extraordinary destinations in Western Australia. Carmen asked us if we wanted to be part of this new venture.

Money was involved. Which we did not have. This was anxious palm-sweating stuff. We had a chance to be part of Something Big. If this book was published, we would be amongst a select few artists within the pages to make the grade.

What to do. We agonised. Because of the time frame, I can't honestly remember how we scrounged the money together. But we did. And damn the torpedoes!

The progress of the book was incredibly slow, to us. On more than on one occasion, we really wondered if we'd done our dough. I'd never met Carmen. We waited and waited and waited. Then came a phone interview and final photos. Then a chance to review the content. We were thrilled.

We had been anticipating the arrival of this book, seemingly forever. Last weekend, Carmen, her husband Stefan and daughter Paris came into the East End Gallery with our copies of the book - "Australia's Extra. Ordinary. West". And in a single second, we were spellbound.

I was so emotional. This process had been an utter leap of faith. Carmen and I, having never met, hugged ourselves silly. Stefan was urbane. Paris was delightful. We showed them through the now-completed East End Gallery, Michael's workshop and Station House.

We have never been prouder in our lives. Thanks to Carmen.

The Extraordinary Carmen Jenner with a peeking Paris.