I’m sure you’ll all agree my advocacy for chronic pain has been extensive in my 13-year lived experience.

I’ve learned a lot about who to trust, who I should collaborate with and which message is worthy of me sharing my identity.

That’s lead to me to tighten my belt and having to say ‘no’ a lot! But I always have one ‘yes’ cause.

I’ve been connected with world-leading South Australian research group, Pain Revolution, in my hunt for pain relief, for years.

Although pain research has left me feeling bogged down and I had a nice whinge about my plans to hold off on reading and trying something new this year, I wasn’t going to stop supporting research. We need to continue investigating this beast called ‘pain’.

Each year, Pain Revolution and a team of passionate and dedicated cyclists hit the road in order to host free community-based pain education to both health professionals and the general public. Each year, I fundraise for them (and many of you help me – thank you!).

This year the team will be riding from Geelong through my new hometown – Queenscliff and on through regional Victoria.

I just had to be a nice host, even as they quickly whizz by!

And so, I’m Raising Funds with Michael Leunig

I turned to my kindred spirits to help with the fundraiser this year – artists are pretty empathic creatures.

The first who came to mind was Michael Leunig, his work and thoughts fitting for the mind-boggling chronic pain subject.

Michael-Leunig-Song-IIWhen I asked Michael if he’d help me, of course he said, ‘Yes’… so too did Theo!

And so, an exclusive Leunig limited edition etching, Song II has been proofed and will be editioned* by Theo in a special Pain Revolution themed colour and available TO YOU.

This is not a reproduction – it’s an original handmade print.

I want this etching to not only raise funds for a worthy cause, but I want this little human figure with a bird on his/her head to continue communicating that we all need to be sensitive and caring towards people who are living with daily pain.

I see the prints as being framed and on walls in pain clinics, hospitals, doctor’s waiting rooms and/or for anyone managing the beast. I see the prints being a reminder for us all to be gentle and kind to ourselves.

Michael Leunig and Theo worked together in (our) Queenscliff Gallery & Workshop (QG&W)’s print studio this week to finalise the artist’s and printer’s proofs.

The limited-edition of 90 is now available for pre-order in the gallery or online and all gallery commission is going directly to Pain Revolution.

Pre order: Song II by Michael Leunig
Enquiries: theo@qgw.com.au or 03 4202 0942
Please head to our fundraising page if you would like to donate another amount.

* QG&W have a focus on handmade prints/impressions. An artist’s edition is a set of handmade impressions – each uniquely printed from a matrix. Only 10% variance can apply between each impression in the edition (limited editions can often be confused with giclee reproductions printed digitally, that are also numbered and signed). View the video to see how a print is made.