Wildlife/Animals 3rd place winner

I stood on the rocky beach on Fetoko Island in Tonga,as I looked south along an uninterrupted line to Antarctica. I reflected on my incredible experiences of swimming with the whales and I heard whalesong undulating within the salty breeze. I wondered, ‘Where do they go?’, both in a migratory sense and my own personal enquiry into the numbers of each species.

I have learned that change and conservation comes through connection. I connected deeply with these incredibly beautiful mammals and wanted to share my experience with others, with the aim that my photographs will provide the opportunity for the viewer to connect with the beauty of the whales as well.

“Where Do They Go?” is a dual layered title; not only questioning the mysteries of migration, but very subtly sew the seed of inquiry about their disappearance from the oceans and the causes of their declining populations. Although Australian whale populations have recovered from whaling, other populations worldwide for many species have not.

These images are part of a larger body of work exploring my connection with these beautiful animals and my alignment with oceanic conservation.

I live my life as an explorer. An adventurer. An Observer. There is no differentiation between how I live my life and the art that is an expression of it. My creative endeavours through my images, words, prints, books, teaching, speaking engagements, website and art; are all an expression of the extension of the way I just dive deeply into exploring the unknown of living; and examine the world in which we all live.

I am an artist, with my primary medium as photography. It is through my lens that I learn about myself. My photographs are at the core of all my creative expression, and my artworks, installations, books; all evolve from my photographs.

I have exhibited extensively throughout Australia and have my work in collections throughout the world; and a finalist in many National Art and Photography Awards.

I have concerns for our environment and my recent publications of exquisite photographs of Antarctica and whales, aim to increase awareness of conservation through connection.

I have been invited to attend an art residency in Norway in March/April 2017 where I will continue to explore my current bodies of work.