Creative Spotlight | Patricia (Squish) Hay
Published on 14 December 2020
Tell us a bit about who you are and what kind of creative work you make
I am a working wife and busy mum to three lovely kids (and two blue English staffys) and have spent most of my life living and working in the Ryde area. My music creativity revolves around singing and playing guitar with my local church community Christ Church Gladesville, and at other events.
Where can we find out more about your work and get in touch? Please provide links to website or social media
https://facebook.com/squish.hay
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciahayleong
Can you share your experience living with a disability and how music has impacted or transformed your life?
I was born with a deformed right hand. My parents never gave me special treatment so I never really identified as a person with disability. Rather, I was just a ‘bit different’ and therefore learned to adapt and problem solve in my own special way. I am so thankful for their wisdom and couragement to let me grow, face my own reality head-on and experiment. As a result, I have never viewed life as being lacking, but instead quite the opposite. This gave me a tremendous amount of determination and sense of achievement.
I have always loved music and performances. My music really took a turn when I became a Christian at university and found this to be the most wonderful way to express thankfulness, faith, truth and meaning within community. It took me a bit to figure out how to hold a guitar pick with two fingers to achieve the control and the right rhythm/sound but I guess it’s a challenge for anyone learning. Singing with my guitar has really been one of my greatest joys!
What did you learn from participating in the Ryde Shine Ability Competition? Did it have a meaningful impact on your life? If so, how?
This competition allowed me to meet a whole lot of lovely people from my community. It was humbling to see how others have adapted and embraced living life to the full, in their own unique ways. It was a reminder that everyone is on a journey and we have more in common than what appears at the surface. The competition also provided some opportunities to perform at events. This has pushed my skills forward and forced me to increase my song repertoire!
What are your top three pieces of advice for this year’s candidates?
If this competition has caught your interest, then go ahead and enter. I don’t think this competition is about winning. It’s more about being involved in and participating in local community life and the nourishment that that brings.
Whereabouts do you look for creative ideas? Who or what inspires you?
I love Facebook shorts that showcase raw ad-lib performances. The other day I went through reels of performances by Bailey Pickles and his friend Hugo and I found it so inspirational.
What creative project are you working on at the moment?
No creative projects as such, but rather just trying to improve my skills through regular playing and practicing with gracious, talented friends.
Do you have any top tips for emerging artists and creatives just starting out?
I don’t feel I’m in a position to provide advice to others but there are a few things that keep me growing as a person and musician. Meet and mingle with people from all walks of life; the more different from you, the better. Get people around you who will give you honest, constructive and loving feedback. This, along with lots of experimentation and practice, will hopefully ground you and also push you to be better in whatever you do since we’re always learning. Finally, no one can take away your musical passion and purpose - this works from the inside out and will ultimately expresses itself through you in your music. Music such a special gift so enjoy it even though no one may be watching or listening – an audience is nice, but never essential for music to work its magic on the soul.