VIRGINIA WOOLF
WE ARE ONE
We Are One is a photographic series of 12 faces and voices of multiculturally diverse women within the community I live in. It uncovers, unveils and celebrates the Nelson region being the third largest ethnically diverse population per capita in NZ. This project, made possible with support from Arts Council Nelson Creative Communities Scheme, also provides an educational experience to those within the region who are unaware of the cultural diversity within their own local community.
Other influences have been the Black Lives Matter movement, and my own personal experiences and struggles as a third generation New Zealander of Chinese descent.
Also, Covid-19 and lockdown disabled any form of travel photography assignments. Upon discovering the third largest multiculturally diverse population was on my doorstep, I was inspired to make others aware of this too, and it was comforting to bring a snippet of the world and cultures to me.
VIRGINIA WOOLF
A natural creator since she was a child, Virginia first craved to be a fashion designer, but her doubting parents made her do food science instead. Undaunted, she funnelled her creative energy into creating and marketing new food products, but soon found herself in a boring corporate rut, so broke free to find her creative force again. She threw in everything to pursue her love of photography.
She studied photographic design and trained as a press photographer for a national newspaper honing her craft shooting people in all sorts of situations and from all walks of life, and since then has travelled the world seeking adventure - her commitment to tell stories through her lens.
Her career has seen her photograph luxury resorts in Fiji, fight the advances of a Papua New Guinean chief who needed a fourth wife, eat pig entrails in Japan (followed by lots of sake), and her favourite experience so far - sleeping under the stars in the Sahara.
Adventure energises her. Based out of sunny Nelson New Zealand, she lives on a green hillside, bathed in natural light with an ever-changing view of the sea, and travels for a taste of excitement and exploration. She loves photographing people, places, and capturing the stories she finds.