Tom Venning
Developing leaders to navigate complex human systems
Tom Venning
Developing leaders to navigate complex human systems
Tom's art
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When I was 19, I sailed across the Atlantic for the first time as part of a crew of four.
One night, almost in the middle of the ocean, I was on watch alone. There was no wind, the sea was glassy, and above me was an enormous sprawl of stars. Beneath me were 11 kilometres of water. The nearest land was thousands of kilometres away. Galaxies stretched overhead. And there I was, bobbing around in a tiny nutshell.
I felt completely insignificant — and at the same time, fundamentally alive. I was the one having the experience. Laughing, howling, wide awake inside the enormity of it all, and very much wanting to stay alive.
Since then, as a sailor, captain and explorer, I have found that same feeling in storms and calms, on coastlines, in deserts, and under huge night skies: awe at the scale, beauty and power of nature — and a deep sense that even a tiny human presence still matters.
That is why these images belong in my work. Leadership happens inside vast, complex, human systems. Each of us is a small part of something much larger — and still, what we do matters.
