In the Beginning ...

It was raining and I scored a lift home with Rob McGuirk from our friend Glenda Lindsay’s memorial service and after we had talked about the life of our inspiring friend he asked me, “What’s your next project?”.  My exhibition Keys To Our Country - portraits celebrating Aboriginal Australians who bring their culture into their work, was hanging at Deloitte in Melbourne (and still is) and going well, so the next project was brewing.  I explained gender balance was really important to me and I was thinking of painting women CEO’s to highlight the statistical fact that there are so few.  Rob, immediately thought of the Rotary Women’s breakfast and putting me in touch with it’s organiser Kerry Kornhauser and we started talking about likely candidates and ideas.  From a whim, to a spark, to excitement.

Ideas are just shells until life is breathed into them.  When you have friends who also love ideas, are doers, take risks to make things they believe in happen, it gets easier and more fun.  Glenda was one such person, so it is fitting that the idea for Leading Women’s Profile got going while thinking of her.

Later I explained to Kerry and Rob that I wanted to use the portraits to raise funds and as Kerry was associated with Bridge of Hope and I have years of experience volunteering in the homelessness space, it seemed a good fit.

This created the link between the most powerful and most vulnerable women, all experiencing greater challenges due to their gender. Twenty years as a communication facilitator means I like to have an impact, to inspire others to action and to get better outcomes. It is the same with my artwork.

The Herald Sun article from September 2018 explaining that the ASX200 had only 11 women CEO’s was a great statistic to get started with.  I began sending out invitations and getting the wheels turning.

The women CEO’s I have met so far have just been stand out lovely people.  Georgette Nicholas was the first to say yes and one yes means ‘it’s on’ so I am grateful for her open hearted commitment.  Each portrait will be painted against a blue sky, signifying endless possibilities. The paintings will be part of the Women in Rotary International Women’s Day Breakfast on March 7, 2019 and then go to Deloitte Melbourne to be exhibited at their client Centre at 550 Bourke St.  The portraits will be sold for $3000 to support Bridge of Hope’s - Bridging the Gap program that helps youth coming out of child protection and state care get on their feet.