“Photography just became a lifestyle. Work was not separate to home. I get lost in photography, even the sound of a camera, you know when somethings not right.
I met fabulous people working at the Star and I never felt over-awed by anyone I photographed. I mean, I’m hopeless at landscapes, I have no eye for a landscape. I just need that human element.
I decided it was time to leave the Star who were lovely to me. I thought about it a lot. I got to say goodbye in the paper and they gave me 4 pages. I’m really grateful for that. I left and didn’t pick up a camera for 5 months. I cleared lantana at home and got things done.
In 2002 before I left I did ‘A walk on the Southside’ a photo documentary on long time South Lismore residents. I’m drawn to that area. I donated that to the gallery which the prints succumbed to the flood but half of them are still on Level 5 at Lismore Base Hospital. That was basically door-knocking and photographing people in their homes. I still have all the negatives.
In 2018 I did Heart & Soul with Peter Derrett. I photographed everyone in their own homes. Both of the above exhibitions were gifted to the Lismore Regional Gallery. Heart & Soul also succumbed to the flood. The digital images are there so we can reproduce. I’ve also done the ‘Our Kids’ calendar every year since 2002.
Between the 3rd and 16th week following the February flood I documented home owners affected by the flood. They were photographed in their flood affected homes. There were so many people affected but I documented people mainly in North and South Lismore and also other parts of Lismore, homeowners who have been displaced by the flood so I defined it. It was their quotes which I loved. I used no lights, one Nikon camera and one 20ml lens. I got 9 flat tyres from the debris on the roads. The tyre place got to know me really well.
The end result is a book called ‘Through the Heart – a flood of fears and tears’ and it has been huge. There were 2 exhibitions in Parliament House…25 images in November 22 and the full exhibition in May. I organised the whole thing. I got a discretionary Premier’s Grant which I’m so grateful for. Janelle Saffin has been absolutely amazing and so supportive all the way. I can’t thank her enough. There was printing, framing, transport, untold correspondence, organising accommodation, air-flights, someone to help hang it. It was so big. The transport company IAS Fine Arts Logistics donated their time and transported Through the Heart-100 image exhibition return from Lismore to Parliament House. Jon Paterson, manager of the Camera House printed the images for the NSW Parliament exhibition. The complete exhibition is stored safely in Lismore awaiting an appropriate venue to be shown.
The managing Director of Nikon Australia actually sponsored half the book and my primary school friend Jennifer Cavanagh who is my best friend sponsored the other half. Both were at the opening. I’m so proud of this because the people in the book are representatives of thousands of people. It’s a body of work of 100 images in 100 households and it’s now in the NSW Library. Down the track the NSW Library have the book and associated information for future research. In 40 years time someone can do a thesis on what happened to all those people? What happened to all those houses? All the info is there.
My life has been many firsts of doing things and testing myself and trying new things. So where I’m at now is I still do the Our Kids Calendar which started in 2002. My friend Dr Chris Ingall who is a local Paediatrician said I think we need to do a Calendar sounded good to me. The funds from the calendar go to the Special Care Nursery to buy equipment that’s needed. Each month gets sponsored by a local business which covers the cost of production. I’ve done it on a voluntary basis all these years. Soren Hjorth from Graffiti Design has always been the designer and Sean from Lismore Printery has always been the printer. Now I want to do a book (laughs). It will be 25 years in 2 1/2 years. One of the kids got in touch and they’re 34 years old now so they were probably 10 when I took their photo. All the children photographed have had ongoing health issues or medical needs with the hospital, some premmie, a whole variety of issues. It’s raised so much money.
I turn 70 this year which is really lovely. I’m actually embracing getting older and I’m finding it fascinating. I feel well which is really lucky and I can’t see why I can’t photograph for the rest of my life. I don’t turn my head now when ambulances go by which was an offshoot of news stories. I want to be happy. I have 2 girls and a boy. Liberty, Jacob and Tess and I have 8 grandchildren. We are all close but spread out and I think they like the fact I’m an independent person.
I never had a big plan. It’s all just been what’s pressed my buttons or given me a buzz and I think my Dad’s words that there is nothing you can’t do have held fast. I’ve always been surrounded by amazingly good people and talented people who were clever in many ways and had my back and wanted me to do well. Working in a male dominated area I never ever felt less. I was always made to feel equal. The nice thing is without even trying you can transfer that to your own children as well. My girls are very beautiful and capable and my son is just gorgeous too. I’m blessed.”