Spring Creek, our summer collaboration with Alyawarre artist Susan Ngwarraye Philomac, took us on an inspiring journey. We've been a fan of the Ampilatwatja artists for many years, and we first collaborated with the art centre in 2022/23 with Susan's fellow artist Julieanne Ngwarraye Morton. 

This time, we were drawn to Susan's colours, her depiction of the waterway threading through the landscape, and the lace like feeling of her work.

This year I travelled to the art centre on Aherrenge Country to meet Susan and the team who support her work. Driving solo from Mparntwe /Alice Springs was a big adventure! The landscape was stunning the whole way: bright white clouds, blue sky, red dirt and soft trees and grasses. It was so brilliant to see the landscape in the paintings of the Ampilatwatja artists.

When I arrived, I was met by the incredible art centre manager Meagan (and her gorgeous dog Django) and studio manager Julia, part of the powerhouse team that keeps the art centre running and supports the artists to continue their incredible work. In the afternoon Susan came in with her daughter. It was so lovely to meet them both, and I was so touched that Susan loved the collaboration pieces using her artwork. She picked out pieces to wear for our sunset shoot on a high point just out of town, and was soon sending photos of herself in them to family members!

We also photographed the collection at sunrise in Garramilla / Darwin during the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, with renowned photographer Michael Jalaru Torres. At East Point, on Larrakia Country, model, creative and athlete Lekaiya Rabbitt was joined by first time model Kianhi Lewis of Spinifex Hills arts centre, against rocks of pink, ochre and cream that sit perfectly with Susan's palette.

Below, I share more about the trip, the people I met and how we brought Susan's artwork to life across the collection.

I have been a fan of the work of the Ampilatwatja artists for many years – we collaborated with the fellow artist Julieanne Ngwarraye Morton back in 2022/23! For this collaboration, we loved Susan’s colours and depiction of the waterway threading through the landscape, and the lace like feeling of the work.

Let’s just say it was a big adventure! I drove solo from Alice Springs along the Sandover Highway, which is an unsealed road that is easy in some places and a slippery, muddy 4WD track in others! Sharing the road with horses, Brahman cattle, snakes, frillneck lizards, burn out cars and road trains kept me alert on the 5 hour drive! The landscape and colours were always stunning – bright white clouds, blue sky, red dirt and soft trees and grasses – it was so brilliant to see the landscape in the paintings of the Ampilatwatja artists.

I was met by the incredible arts centre manager Meagan (and her gorgeous dog Django) and the studio manager Julia – part of a powerhouse team that keep the arts centre running and supporting the artists to continue their incredible work.

I spent a couple of nights there, and had a day at the arts centre – at the time lots of artists were away for an event in another community, but throughout the days artists came in to paint or pick up supplies to paint at home – Julia and Meagan were preparing for an upcoming event in Brisbane – wrapping and documenting works, speaking with the artists and their families as they came in and explaining the workshops of visiting artists they have had in the past and some of the history of the centre to me.

Susan visited in the afternoon with her daughter – Susan picked out some pieces to wear for our sunset shoot, where we drove out to a high point out of the town centre.

It was so lovely to meet Susan and her daughter. I was so touched that she loved the collaboration pieces using her artwork and was sending photos of herself in the pieces to family members!

We shot the collection in Darwin during DAAF this year, where most indigenous arts centres converge on the Darwin Convention Centre, showing and selling their works – it’s an incredible time to be in Darwin, so much good energy!

The renowned photographer Michael Jalaru Torres was in town along with many models taking part in the Couture to Country runway shows – a perfect time to shoot our collection! We were lucky to shoot with incredible model/creative/athlete Lekaiya Rabbitt.

We shot at sunrise at a favourite location in East Point, where the colours of the rock – pinks/ochres/creams fit perfectly with this collection.

Lekaiya was joined on a handful of shots by Kianhi Lewis, a first time model that is part of the Spinifex Hills arts centre in northern WA.

As always I felt so lucky to work with these indigenous creatives – and was extra grateful to have the help of friend Gabby Howlett and my 12 year old daughter on the shoot morning!