Spirit of the bush: The women keeping their community inspired
THREE CREATIVES IN RURAL NSW WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTES TO THE RESILIENCE OF REGIONAL WOMEN DURING CHALLENGING TIMES.
SUZIE MEERS PARKS her dusty wagon beside an old shearing shed near Narromine, NSW. The wagon is filled with buckets of roses and paper daisies of pastel hues, which photographer Clancy Job helps Suzie unload. The flowers are placed on a large wooden shearing table for Suzie to carefully select and trim the stems. It’s still cool inside and the boards creak underfoot as she assembles a floral display atop a nearby wool press.
There are no remnants of wool on the floor this year. The press, like the red plain beyond, lays dormant, as drought continues to bite throughout western NSW. But for today, the woolshed, along with an old cast-iron tub and table outside in the paddock, are transformed into something beautiful as an ode to the rural and regional women of Australia and their strength, resilience and innovation in times of adversity, despite the dry.
“At the moment, everyone is suffering. But there’s also a sense that we’re all in this together so we have to make sure we are all still standing when the drought finally breaks,” says 38-year-old Suzie. She lives at Glencoe, a 4000-hectare mixed farm in Collie, about 100 kilometres north-west of Dubbo.
Suzie launched her floristry business, Flourish on the Plains, earlier this year. A former nurse, she had worked for the Red Cross in Dubbo before marrying her husband Andrew. After having three children — Hannah, now six, George, four, and two-year-old Hugh — Suzie sought a creative outlet and began doing flowers for local events.
“In this area, we have a community of women who are doing amazing things as well as supporting each other. When I started my business, I went to see if I could do flower drops in different shops and the support I received was overwhelming. To have flowers in your home brings a smile and that helps a little bit,” says Suzie.
Working in collaboration with Clancy, 34, and local graphic designer Emma Barrett, 35, Suzie created floral installations on Clancy’s mixed farm, south of Narromine. Clancy — who lives on the farm with her husband Matthew and their children Dolly, seven, Daisy, five, Trader, four, and one-year-old Hardy — used what she had available on the farm to encourage others to make the most of what they had despite the challenging climatic situation.
Clancy says creativity was at the heart of the concept. “I want to show people that while the paddocks are not giving, the silos are empty and the wool presses stand idle, we can still prosper as women, mothers and families. Hard times give us the opportunity, and permission, to grow our skill sets, capabilities and communities,” she says. “There’s real beauty in the dry landscape.” It’s this beauty that she attempts to capture with her lens.
“Drought is beyond the farmers,” says Clancy. “It has a ripple effect that impacts shearing contractors, small businesses, fuel distributors, supermarkets and all the families that live out here. There are conversations about the mental health of men in the bush, but I feel there’s a lack of dialogue about the women.” >
“I want to show people that while the paddocks are not giving, the silos are empty and the wool presses stand idle, we can still prosper...”
“There are plenty of women who want to get involved and share interests, which builds community and confidence,” adds Clancy. “I find the more I give, the more I receive, so I encourage others to practice their craft for their own enjoyment and everyone’s benefit. Caring for ourselves enriches us and those around us.”
In this area of NSW, there is a groundswell of community spirit. In June this year, Clancy organised a free photo booth community event in Narromine with Jemima Aldridge of Dubbo’s Saddler & Co and Sophie Hansen from Orange’s Local is Lovely, with the objective of giving back to their communities. Clancy took headshots of regional business women during the day, so they could update their websites or social media platforms; this is how Clancy and Suzie met. After the event, Clancy asked Suzie and Emma if they’d like to collaborate on a drought installation.
Emma — who lives on a four-hectare property near Narromine with her husband Matt and their sons Ted, six, and two-year-old Hughie — had previously worked with
Clancy on an array of projects. For this shoot, she dressed an old table with linen and vintage glassware she had collected (with a few pieces from Jumbled Online as well). Fabric clutches from Sewing for Lattes and a cake made by Food at Yours in Dubbo provide the final touches.
“When I first moved out here, I had a new baby and I found it creatively quite isolating,” says Emma. “A lot of women want a little release from their everyday lives and a simple conversation can snowball into a community.”
Clancy says it’s possible to help and encourage others, even in small ways. “You could just cook a meal for someone in need, take them out for coffee, or mind their kids to give them a break,” she says.
In times like this, it’s comforting to know that the united and generous spirit of the bush is evolving in new ways. Prints available at Saddler & Co, 1a Sterling Street, Dubbo, NSW, 0419 496 834, saddlerandco.com.au, or via Instagram @clancyjob. Follow Suzie Meers @flourishontheplains and Emma Barrett @emmabarrettcreative on Instagram.