Land Biography

Photo: Nelis Wolmarans

Dr Robbie van Hemert & Molly van Hemert

A Collective Vision

The negative light in which the world is being portrayed does not reflect the core values of countless caring people, and they feel helpless to change it.

We are a solution-focused brand who will enable you to act with utmost pride on your deeply held moral principles.

To change our children's legacy to one of care!

A world in disarray! Who cares?

Dr Robbie van Hemert on the ‘Ethic of Care’

'Sometimes I think beauty is the bravest thing on earth. It goes on day after day despite all the ugliness

man can bring it’

Sir Laurens van der Post, The Hunter and the Whale, Chapter 13

Could there really be beauty, honour, and hope amongst such chaos?

I remember my dying father feeling so upset and responsible that he was leaving his children and grandchildren with a world in disarray. He tried to say sorry as though the burden fell on his shoulders alone, and I tried desperately to console him, but at the time I just couldn’t place his concern into the honourable context it deserved. Now, I do understand, and I long for one more chance to explain!

One day I stumbled upon the above quote, which made me realise I had in fact, always believed there is beauty, honour and therefore hope, amongst the chaos.’ The honourable context Dad needed to hear that day was that he, along with many of his peers world-wide, had continually tried to make a difference by acting on the humane sides of their natures – the side that cares! Yes, I see great beauty and honour within the souls of these people, and we should be forever grateful for the ultimate legacy they handed us – a strong and unerring moral conscience – an inheritance we can chose to accept, or ignore.

Sadly, we continue to live in chaotic times, and I now see this anxiety is echoed in my generation. I am aware that the negative light in which the world is being portrayed does not reflect the core values of countless caring people, yet they feel helpless to change it. This is not the legacy they want their children to inherit.

My daughter Molly and I are reaching out to people who also believe in hope, people who see beauty and honour in the chaos, people who care!

Photo: Peter Scott

20 years in the making!

It all began with a life-changing trip to Africa in 2000. I realised my love for the environment, combined with my passion for drawing, or more importantly, my need to understand what I drew, could be of some value. I had always been inspired by illustrated leather-bound journals, archival quality papers, keeping accurate records, and notions of meaningful places. I understood the responsibility of leaving places in better condition than we found them, and of generational inheritances (the farmer in me!). On my return from Africa, I found an Honours Course in Wildlife Illustration at Newcastle University which I embraced, winning the Margaret Senior Award for Wildlife Illustration, particularly for the educative quality of my work. My interest in recording and raising awareness for lands that needed to have their story told led me on to an Honours Degree, which I then rolled over into a PhD in Creative Practice at UNE Armidale.

I became aware that we cannot continue to dictate care for a place if people have no connection to it. So my PhD research involved exploring the philosophy, connecting with a place is fundamental to caring for it, and indeed if this is the case, how to establish this all-important critical connection in order to generate care. I developed the concept of 'Land Biography', which is the format for my research and presentation of environments, each one a legacy in its own right. Yet strangely, it is only now on my journey that I have come to see my Land Biographies as 'Legacies of Care.'

I have been exploring the 'ethic of care' for place for 20 years now, and I continue to do so (see brief Outline of Projects). This year, a chance trip to Africa, and awakening to other people’s projects through travel, has sparked an interest in furthering my understanding of the connection process, and how other educators are persuading people to care. My daughter Molly, who was living in Botswana, enjoying her travels and meeting thought-provoking people who are acting on their calling, now shares my passion for growing Land Biography and our Legacies of Care Collective to a global level. We hope to create a network of inspiring people, help advance their projects through promoting their products, and grow care world-wide on a scale that is difficult to achieve alone.

Honouring Your Actions

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How it works

OUR PROBLEM AGAIN

"We are aware that the negative light in which the world is being portrayed does not reflect the core values of countless caring people, and they feel helpless to change it."

OUR SOLUTION

We are here to create a groundswell of care, and an opportunity to be part of a worthy legacy for our children to inherit.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

We showcase people and their projects, projects driven by a vision, and a belief in our ability to care.

We offer you an opportunity to support these projects, perhaps through buying their products or sponsoring programs you deem worthy.

In return, we honour your decision to act on your values through our projects. How?

We invite you and your business to take pride of place on our Public Roll of Honour on our Land Biography website.

This benefits you by providing additional opportunities

For visible recognition of you and your business's contribution to growing the level of care
To voice your deepest moral principles
As well as providing a tangible gauge of the success of a program you trust

In this way, the Land Biography website becomes a legacy in its own right!

Ultimately, we hope to creatively package this record for archival purposes.

RESULT

This new collective legacy of care will reflect the core values of countless caring people whose names will go down in history.

Social Proof

How our projects make people feel

Working on a large collective project to grow a legacy of care of value to our children is life-sustaining, gratifying work.

One of our biggest projects culminating in an Exhibition of Artworks entitled Majestic Food Plains … A Land Biography is a perfect example of the joy that can be experienced in reaching a collective goal.

This was a 3 year research project working with farmers, environmental scientists, and local community to establish why the threatened Liverpool Plains of NSW is such an amazing world food producing region, and why it should never be compromised.

Sponsorship fuelled the project. People intent on seeing the Plains free of coal mining, and who believed in our ability to achieve the goal, contributed generously. This included members of the general public, and passionate local farmers and businesses. Here is the List of Acknowledgements of all involved.

The research culminated in an exhibition of artworks held at National Trust in the city of Sydney in 2015. The opening was in the form of an event, a chance for bush and city to come together. The occasion was also maximised to launch our next project, an Education Program for schools to teach students that Food Source Matters!

Spontaneous Engagement

The feedback was overwhelming from all walks of life. Here are some examples of how the exhibition and the project made people feel.

Awe inspiring! Thank you for such a wonderful experience!

Patricia Duddy, Liverpool Plains Farmer and Sponsor

Quite a beautiful, very moving depiction of such an important conversation.

Sarah Thompson, Cassilis NSW

The following response from one of our gold sponsors best showcases the spontaneity, willingness and gratitude shown throughout the project by people wishing to become involved!

(June 2012 prior to the project)

Thanks so much for sending me the prospectus for your art research project. It sounds fantastic and I am really impressed with your professional presentation. I think what you are going to do is very valuable and that you have not only the talent, but the capability to take it to its desired goal posts. I would love to be a gold sponsor.

(November 2014 nearing the end of the project)

Many people have great ideas but there are few that actually execute them and see them to fruition. You are one of those few individuals. You are a beautiful artist who has weathered the storm of creative intent to that of creation. I admire your guts and determination to see this project through and I know there will be many people young and old who will benefit from its beauty and education. Thank you.

Claire Pfister (Paradice), Farmer and Grazier, Hunter Valley, Gold Sponsor

When asked how being part of this project made her feel, Shelley Simson, Carmyle Veterinary Services Quirindi, Liverpool Plains Farmer, Gold Sponsor, articulates -

I felt needed, part of a community, proud, a sense of achievement – fulfilled, complete. Thank you!

Factual Proof

Ongoing and repeated sponsorship

The fact that our projects are funded by ongoing and repeated sponsorship speaks for the credibility of the projects, and value our supporters derive from them.

Client feedback gives further insight into the value of our work.

Jack’s Creek would be delighted to sponsor you again in 2020. (Gold Sponsor for the fourth year in a row!)

Norah Both, PA to Patrick Warmoll (MD), Jack's Creek, Liverpool Plains

I am always happy to sponsor your projects because I can clearly see value for money well spent

Jan Grimsdale, Millers Creek Station, Liverpool Plains

Quality of Work

On the Sydney Exhibition, the Majestic Food Plains ...A Land Biography.

A wonderful Project - so sensitively conceived & skilfully assembled!

Angela Raymond

Four years ago Robbie van Hemert was introduced to our community as an artist of great ability. As time has passed her skills have not just proved exceptional but she has emerged as a visionary. She saw our Liverpool Plains Region not through our eyes, but through the eyes of a botanist, geographer and an artistic historian. Her depiction and endeavour have produced a massive work of minute detail and sweeping grandeur. A testament to her exceptional skills and the choice of an amazing subject - the production and majesty of the Liverpool Plains of New South Wales - creating a record of an icon.

Patricia Duddy, Rossmar Park, Liverpool Plains

Integrity of Programs

On the Food River Station Education Program

'Food Bowl Connection' Program is one of the most ground-up, grassroots education and empowerment programs in Australia. It reaches into schools, businesses, farms, media, celebrity networks, communities, and industry, educating on the most important topic of 'Food Source'

Julia Keady, XFactor Collective

At Food River Station we are on a mission to teach Australian students that Food Source Matters. We use the Liverpool Plains Food Bowl as the model. We are constantly updating and extending the resources, and the unit is now being undertaken by 4000 students, and we are hoping to reach 5000 Australia wide by the end of 2020.

For kids like ours who have no real idea of where their food comes from and the logistics of maintaining effective farmlands this was a brilliant resource.

Deborah Johnson, Banora Point, 3rd year teaching the unit

Last year we invested in the upgrade of our website with a marketing agency, Jaw Communications. It has paid off in more ways than one. Our website has just received a 2020 IABC Gold Quill Award of Merit! (Division 4: Communication Skills > Category 21: Communication for the Web).

The sample shows that the agency went beyond a standard refresh and created an interactive, informative and helpful website for an audience that has little time to dig around for details. The content was poignant and direct and without patronizing and overselling. Dr van Hemert's message was authentic and meaningful...as evidenced by the results. The final product was an incredibly powerful tool to connect sponsors with a cause and teachers with instruction - the portal portion linking to resources is well-orchestrated, straightforward and easily accessible.

There was a lot to convey behind the key messages - most importantly - to honestly inform visitors about the organization and the mission, the importance and quality of the educational unit and the design competition. The website was an elegant example of how this could be accomplished succinctly and still touch an emotional chord.

This entry was well done and a pleasure to review. The narrative was succinct, the objectives clear and the sample (and link) provided the opportunity for a user experience. I can't help thinking what an great investment this was for your client!

Shared Values of Participants

On our African Conservation Project , Mulberry Mongoose

Founder, Kate Wilson's spontaneous response to partake in our Land Biography Program!

I full heartedly agree with your concept of inspiring people to change and protect the magic of our environment. Of reminding us to value what is so important of what is quite frankly the real joy of life.I am so excited you are doing this and over the moon to be asked to be the first Legacy of Care guest. My goodness of course we would LOVE that. What a huge compliment. What an exciting project to be part of and it really hits our core values.

Kate makes jewellery out of snare wire. With every piece of jewellery sold, Mulberry Mongoose donates back to help fund anti -snare patrols, and have contributed over $100,000 since they started in 2013. We now assist Kate with her mission. Each product in our shop states our donation value, as can be viewed if you click on any item on the Mulberry Mongoose Product Page.

On our African Community Project , Jackarandell

Another of our 'inspiring educators' explains the value of her wonderful program

I would say my legacy is growing creativity to benefit self-worth.

Frances Randell, Jackarandell African Carvings, Zimbabwe

We always follow our projects through to completion, keeping everyone involved informed of progress.

We always seek feedback to help us to guide the programs, and we feel the 'Roll of Honour' will lead us through this journey to recreate our children's legacy to one of care!

So good things are happening here at Land Biography. Each project is given the attention to detail, love and care it deserves in order to become the Brand you can both FEEL, and TRUST.

Already a reality!

Imagine...

If you could hear your child, or a young person thank you for taking such great care of the world for their benefit...

Here is an example of a young Molly van Hemert doing just that! She publicly shows gratitude on behalf of her generation to our generation for caring for the well-being of the Majestic Liverpool Plains Food Source at the National Trust Exhibition in Sydney.

It was heartfelt in the delivery, and met with an overwhelmingly emotional response from our generation in the audience, a touching experience! Acting on our moral values really does deliver a sense of pride!

So if you were to ask what does our brand offer the future?

Surely It would have to be hope, and and the reality of shared core values!

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A World in Disarray ...Who Cares?

In any kind of team the enjoyment and any success comes from working together - its not guaranteed but without a sense of shared purpose it's hard to get good results. Conservation (or any collective project) is ultimately about shared experiences, values and working towards a common goal.

David Pocock, In Our Nature, p69