In Solitude
Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough
I find creativity in solitude; it is there that I make the time to think through what I want my images to say and how I build connections between the different photographs in a series.
I find creativity in solitude; it is there that I make the time to think through what I want my images to say and how I build connections between the different photographs in a series.
This exhibition was a little different from other ones that I have undertaken, this time I was returning to where my photography started, Maryborough. I decided to include photographs and photogravure prints from different exhibitions of my work. It was a way of showing how my work had progressed over time, especially in the ways that I expressed the subject of my work.
The artwork that I selected showed how I had explored solitude and reflections on the transience of human life over time.
"Some moments last as if they were meant to stay.
View Some Other Works in the Exhibition
A curated selection from the series
The Idea
This exhibition in Maryborough was an important one for me. I started my photography here and so I wanted to show a progression in my work over time.
My family had made a good life here. But my wife died here in 2010 and I was thrown into deep grief. Two years later I recognised that my life had too much solitude and I decided to join a group. Despite having no background in it I chose to join a camera club. This is where it all began, so coming back here was quite a nostalgic trip. Whereas I used to go to exhibitions at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery to see other people’s work, this time I was returning to have my own work on the walls.
The work in this series is linked by its central subject, the impermanence of human life. The still life images contain personal artefacts; the Sahara Desert images show the paradox of an everchanging landscape that somehow looks the same. I marvel still at how the grasses can survive the heat and cold of the desert and the lack of rainfall. What resilience. The altiplano landscapes from the La Puna region of Argentina dwarf an individual and force one to contemplate the relative insignificance of a human life. The same can be said for the sequoias and their lifespan. As for the Maryborough Station, it is an icon location in Maryborough and has been a drawcard for visitors since it was built between 1890-1892.
21 Nov 2024 — 2 Feb 2025
A retrospective journey through solitude, impermanence, and the passage of time.
Photographs & Photogravure Prints
Selected works from multiple exhibitions, showing the progression of the artist's practice over time.
In the News
Coverage and features on the exhibition
Exhibiting my work
My photographic projects are available for exhibition by galleries, arts organisations and community organisations.