ROLLER DOOR, Moorabbin Makers at Work
Roller Door is a love letter to the industrial part of Moorabbin and Makers who work there.
What's behind the roller doors of the factoryettes in industrial Moorabbin?
This project is a combination of a love of Makers and their spaces and also a curiousity about the community of people working there.
I wanted to see what goes on behind those roller doors. I wanted to meet the people, have a chat, learn about them, see their spaces, celebrate them and see what they create in those spaces.
I’ve long been fascinated with the industrial part of Moorabbin. I used to see it as ugly but I love it so much now, it's a treasure that needs to be recorded in history as it adapts and changes. It is an area in transition. One the factories in this project has already been knocked down.
I love how the project evolved. Connections between The Makers helped it take shape.
Project Parameters
All images shot with natural and available light.
All images shot with a Fuji Xt3 35mm and 50mm equivalent lenses. In my paid work I use Nikon, which I love, but it was important for me to differentiate between work and play for this project.
The streetscapes were shot in the late afternoon, dusk or early morning.
The Makers' work spaces are all in Moorabbin's industrial area bordered by South Road, Warrigal, Rowans, Wickham and Keys, in Melbourne's south east.
I found the Makers by knocking on doors, using the telephone, Instagram, Google, but most importantly through recommendations by locals and fellow Makers.
Thank You
To the Makers - without you there is no project. Thank you for trusting me, thank you for your openness, your patience, for letting me into your spaces. It's been an honour to meet you all and learn a bit about your lives and your practice.
This project received a Kingston Arts Grant. I'm very grateful to Justin Gayner, formerly in Kingston Arts at the City of Kingston, for his support and also for politely drawing my attention to Michael Kluge's Industrial Heartland. Thanks also to Michael for his encouragement and counsel. Thank you too to Kingston Arts Officers Hailey Ruhland and Vinaya Marriott, and all from the Kingston Arts Team who helped me with this project.
Thank you to Jason Anderson of Chalkorse Design who kicked the project off for me, suggested other Makers, gave whole hearted support and let me film his roller door.
To Frank Caron and Marcus Jankie from Up Property, thank you for going along with this when you had no idea what I was doing because, let's be honest, neither did I. Thanks for your trust and allowing the exhibition to be hung in the industrial area of Moorabbin where it was shot. This was incredibly important to me. I wanted The Makers to be celebrated in the place where their work spaces are, for their friends and families to be able to pop in at any time and for the artwork to be accessible to all at any time. It's a celebration of this part of Moorabbin as much as it is about the makers. I hope this exhibition will lead to other artists exhibiting here and bringing the community into this space.
To all The Light Practice teachers for keeping my body and mind together and to the yogis who offered support not knowing what the project was I was working on. To Philomena, Suzanne and Rayne for working through my various hurdles along the way.
To Carla Gottgens, who listened and kindly steered me back on track and led me to Steve at Southern Impact printers. A huge thank you Steve for bringing it to fruition and getting it installed.
To my friends Michelle and Julie, thank you for listening to my rants and for your sage advice as we walk endless laps of the dog park . And to you too Sarah and Christian.
To my friend Claudia, thank you for your encouragement and for widening my horizons and helping me see a broader view of the project.
To Ang for sequencing the images and for your incredible eye and life long friendship, and to Mel for your chats and advice. And to both of you for being my brains trust.
To all my photography mentors and teachers who have helped me along the way, thank you.
To Mum, Dad, Nik, Rick, Loz, Hu and Gen who have been supporting from afar and to Kit, Tom and Haylee, Juz, Fi and Cath who have lived this project with me and to Chris, for keeping me fed, keeping the home fires burning and telling me home truths when needed, but mostly for his way with words, his unwavering encouragement and support and for his love. Truth.
More about the creative process
***THIS SECTION IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION***
In no particular order, these things have been instrumental in giving me space and clarity. I have a tendency to feel overwhelmed and these things helped me. Yoga, meditation ( Metta practice), mindfulness, walking in nature daily with my dog Ari, a weekly morning coffee with friends, getting in the ocean. Morning Pages or journalling.
Books by Rumi, Rilke, Mark Nepo, Sharon Salzberg, Mark Epstein, Brene Brown, Ram Dass, Dick Schwartz, Rick Hanson, Bruce Tift.
Podcasts - Sounds True, Ten Percent Happier
Quotes. I'm a massive fan of quotes. They really help me. I'll be adding them in, but here's one..
'Comparison is the thief of joy'
Be. Here. Now. - Ram Dass
