What happens when a graphic designer, business coach, and art lover commits to making one collage every single day for a year?

Cathryn Lloyd is a Brisbane-based creative facilitator, coach, and collage artist with a background in graphic design from the Queensland College of Art. As founder of Maverick Minds, she helps teams think more creatively through what she calls “artful inquiry” — bringing arts-based approaches into business environments. In this episode, she talks to Melanie about the hobby that keeps her sane: collage.

In 2022, Cathryn committed to making one postcard-sized collage every single day for a year, using only materials she already had at home — a constraint she embraced wholeheartedly as a self-described “brickler” who loves making do with what’s at hand. Each piece was accompanied by a short written story, capturing life as it unfolded: the Brisbane floods, beach flotsam, even the guilt of buying avocados in plastic netting. By the halfway point the body of work had taken on a life of its own, and in 2023 she held an exhibition of all 365 pieces to a wonderful public response. The project also fed directly into her professional life — she’s since turned her collage imagery into facilitation and coaching card decks used with corporate teams.

Cathryn and Mel also explore why adults forget how to play, the meditative joy of cutting and tearing paper, and the quietly booming world of collage (yes, World Collage Day is a thing). If you’ve ever thought about trying a creative hobby but kept putting it off, this episode is a warm and practical nudge to just start.

Connect with Cathryn:

• Website: maverickminds.com.au
• Instagram: @maverickminds1 and @cathrynlloydart.

Mel Loy is a storyteller, community enthusiast, and host of this insightful exploration into the power of individual passions. She’s dedicated to highlighting stories that connect people and inspire action.

You can connect with Mel on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Do you have a weird or wonderful hobby, or do you know someone who does? Then get in touch! Email hello@cuttlefish.group.