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!). So on my return, 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.

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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.' 

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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.

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How does this all work? It's all in next week's newsletter! 

 

Robbie & Molly van Hemert