(Curator, Lismore Regional Gallery) “I grew up in Canberra and spent time between Canberra and my Grandparents farm at Armidale. We ran around with cattle, horses and dogs so I had a lovely childhood. I applied for the job at the Gallery In 2006 so I moved to Lismore for the job. I had studied painting and curatorship but I did most of my learning on the job. May this year was the 10 year anniversary of being here at The Lismore Regional Gallery. Everyday I go to work I love it, working with art, community and ideas which are always changing because the exhibitions are always changing. I am very excited about the new gallery as that will make things bigger and better for us. I don’t have a favourite artist as I don’t have a favourite anything. I like to be able to change my mind I guess as I see value in all sorts of things.
I bought my house here in Girards Hill and I have my little highlight, Hugo (the whippet) who I got three and a half years ago. He is actually from Armidale too. My baby is due on the 8th August so just under a week. I feel so well. I went to a gig on Friday night in Byron and I kind of got stomach pains and I thought I was going into labour. I told everyone but I still stayed..(laughs) all good though.
If our baby is hard work I will be in Brisbane(laughs), then again I have a lot of support here. My family are in Armidale but I think Mum will be living here when the baby comes. It’s actually been easier at work as we have a really lovely team. Fiona Fraser is acting in my job while I’m on maternity leave. She’s a Lismore local who’s gone away and come back.
My partner Ray lives in Brisbane and he has a little Potters studio called Clay School thats going gang busters. We have to work it out but I think he’ll work half week and come down here. We are both in a position where we love our jobs and are pretty inflexible and independent. It’s a new kind of family.”