Through the medium of photography I aspire to create images that evoke emotion & deeper thought from the viewer. All of my images contain symbolism throughout which gives hints to what I was feeling or trying to express at the time of creating them. I want the viewer to draw their own conclusions based on their own life experiences, and I’m often really intrigued to hear what others interpret within a piece.
This concept came to me while day dreaming outside in the sunshine surrounded by nature (something I often do), I thought to myself - "If I had to depict what MY ‘Mother Earth’ looked like, who would she be?"
I am Australian. I absolutely adore this amazing environment in which we are blessed to live. There is no doubt my Mother Earth would be indigenous to this beautiful land...
I was so extremely lucky to come across sisters Erin & Brogan, and indigenous artist Donella Waters through mutual friends. These women are so very proud & passionate about their culture - it was an absolute honour to create something beautiful with each of them.
And so the series was brought from an idea into life…
I had the pleasure of collaborating with these beautiful women about the concept and the symbolism in the artwork adorning their bodies. After discussing their own lineages I discovered that they are all in fact descendants of the Kamilaroi Nation.
I believe in capturing as much as I can ‘in camera’, so the floral sets were researched & hand built. The body art itself took around 3 hours per person. We were blessed to have professional world renowned body artist, Sahra Bull, working on each shoot. Sahra is not indigenous, therefore out of respect we asked the women to collaborate with the dot work painting. It was truly wonderful seeing each design go from paper to skin with such care & attention to detail.
It was a massive undertaking to gather the many elements to bring these concepts to life – but I feel these beautiful proud images needed to be seen, needed to be celebrated.
Mother Earth, Sister Sky & Mother Nature
To the indigenous ancestors of this land and all of your descendants, I honour you & your innate connection to Country.
I am drawn to expressing the female form / primal earth energy of Gaia, the mother of all creation (in mythology she is explained as being the primal Greek goddess of the earth).
As a modern woman & mother I feel that due to constant social media & technology, being time poor & switched on 24 / 7 that we have forgotten about a very intrinsic part of ourselves – that we ARE from the earth. We ARE nature. That we all have a primal energy inside that can fade when daily stresses & anxieties about the future take priority.
I wanted this series of images to represent seeking that power, to take it back, to restore it through connecting with nature / water.
I have featured red fabrics & ribbons in these images to symbolise the ties of blood, generations, love, lust & relationships.
Other images I have featured a black veil to represent the despair, anxiety & grief that is felt when we are not connected to our true self, our true nature.
At times I get so caught up in this life that I forget to go outside, connect, look up at the stars & breathe in the air.
I have always been in love with the water, I remember as a child floating & swimming for hours on end, my happiest memories are those when I was in or near the ocean.
I guess pursuing underwater photography was a natural progression for me, I had these images in my mind many years before I was able to create them (due to not having an underwater housing - man those things are expensive!! When I was able to purchase one I must say I have never regretted the investment).
Underwater the world is quiet, there is a calm that is not obtainable above the surface. The water is all embracing & everything slows down... to me there is an ethereal quality to the images I can create with this medium.
I first had a vision of a red ribbon incorporated into a portrait, to show the thread of “the ties that bind”
To me the red ribbon symbolizes blood, family ties, lust, love & grief …the heartbeat & link of being human. The thin thread between this world & the next.
I longed to create ethereal, otherworldly images that showed beauty, hope & grace, but also a fragile side. A human side.
We all experience times during our lives of massive high & lows, like the ebb & flow of the ocean tides
Staying afloat & keeping your head above water, finding light among the darkness, letting go…
16 women
Age range from 20 to 70 years
Pre children / Natural childbirth / Caesarean / IVF
This image came to me as a celebration of the female form.
Often this area is the one that we loathe about ourselves - our hips, thighs, stomachs, stretch marks & battle wounds from caesareans & difficult childbirth.
This area is what makes us innately female.
This is where our wombs lie.
This is where we have the power to create life.
This should be honoured & celebrated no matter the age, shape or size.
No matter HOW we brought children into being…
Stop beating ourselves up, we are all beautiful, powerful women.