Could you please describe your creative practice?

I’m a writer of plays and prose fiction who has taught scriptwriting at Deakin University. I also have many years' experience designing and facilitating creative workshops in schools and in community.

When did your creative journey begin?

Even when I was a secondary school student, my Year 11 English teacher had encouraged me to send my writing into literary journals. I was rejected, of course, but then this same English teacher taught me that this was just part and parcel of being a writer.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the creative field?

After majoring in creative writing at Melbourne University, I started hanging out at Footscray Community Arts Centre doing community arts projects. I enjoyed it so much I stayed much longer than expected.

In between paid jobs and post-graduate studies, I began writing my own plays and have been at it since then.

How do you connect with the Greater Geelong area through your work?

My partner and I moved to Geelong nearly ten years ago and since then I’ve become quite interested in local history. My current writing project is a play that’s inspired by Poon Gooey and Ham Hop. The story is set in 1910 Australia that's re-imagined via the tropes of Reality Television, mixing a smidgen of historical fact with wildly anachronistic nods to contemporary society.

What challenges or barriers have you encountered in your career?

I would say that I’ve been incredibly lucky to have been able to work with some amazing artists and organisations, such as Geelong Arts Centre, Australian Plays Transform, Platform Arts, Back-to-Back Theatre and a number of theatre companies overseas in Taiwan as well. That said, the challenges of being a creative include the inconstant funding and limited resources for independent theatre projects.

Looking ahead, what would you like to achieve?

I’d love to be able to keep writing scripts that connect with actors and audiences, as well as continue teaching creative writing or facilitating drama workshops with communities. Creativity and collaboration are vital skills for any thriving society.

Where can we see/learn more about your work/projects?

This year I am part of an artists’ support program at Geelong Arts Centre, so look out for updates via the GAC website.