Small town New Zealand gave me my first experiences of community, from mum making sandwiches in the tearooms at the local saleyards to dad dressed as a gorilla on the Lions Club float at the towns christmas parade. With a Bachelor degree in Anthropology I then headed overseas, living in Cairns before heading up to Japan. A 3 month look-see there turned into 13 years - a sometimes wild, often challenging but always interesting ride. It was the perfect place for me to pay attention to the human condition. Different cultures, values and ways of thinking interest me greatly. Photography helps me to explore these things and I'm drawn to long term projects where I get the chance to meet, speak with and photograph communities or 'tribes' of people. I draw a lot on my own experiences and personal history, my families history and questions I ask myself - like what would I be like if I lived here, or was married to this person or had been brought up in this family. I'm amazed at all of our beautiful differences but inherent sameness. Returning to NZ I enrolled at Unitec School of Design and studied photography full-time. Environmental portraiture provides a beautiful space of meeting and exchange with other people and this continues to drive my practice.
awards
2013 AIPA Image Nation Award winner for Garage series.
solo exhibitions
2019 Cambodia Rising-A Blueprint for Generational Change, The New Zealand Portrait Gallery
2017 Children of Cambodia-A Rising Generation, Studio 541
group exhibitions
2018 Volition, Auckland Festival of Photography, Studio 541
2018 PhotoForum Members’ Show, Studio 541
2017 Sense of Self, Auckland Festival of Photography, Studio 541
2016 The New Zealanders, Auckland Festival of Photography, Circle Gallery
2016 Exhibition One, Studio 541
2015 Samoa, Auckland Festival of Photography, Orexart Gallery
2014 Garage, Auckland Festival of Photography, Hum Salon
2013 Garage preview, Newmarket Festival, Guerilla Gallery
2012 Rangitoto, Newmarket Festival, Square Art Pop-Up
2012 Rangitoto, Auckland Festival of Photography, Lake House Arts Centre
2010 Street Series, Graduates Show, Unitec School of Design,
