The Brodie Helmet is the colloquial name for the Helmet, Steel, Mark I designed by John Leopold Brodie in 1915. These were to replace the soft cloth peak caps the soldiers wore in the trenches on the Western Front. The helmets did not do a good job of stopping bullets fired directly at them, but did reduce lethal head injuries from falling shrapnel and other hazards from exploding German shells. (Wikipedia).
Art Project: Operation Bilby. Woman in fantasy art wearing a Brodie helmet
The design of the helmet is said to have been inspired by the Kettle Hat (Wikipedia). The Kettle Hat provided good field of vision, comfort, and importantly protection from falling arrows from enemy archers.
Art Project: Operation Bilby. Fantasy art project for Australian mythology.
The Brodie helmet allows good field of view, good hearing, and protection from falling objects. When the wearer is standing, laying, or huddling, the helmet can be moved to protect the shoulders, neck, and face by varying the angle of wear. Most other helmets do not provide such protective versatility.
Art Project: Operation Bilby
The helmet was used by Britain’s allies including Australia, Canada, the US, Republic of China, Pakistan, and many other counties. The helmet has become an icon of an era of the British Empire and it’s constituencies. Consequently, it is the perfect part of the Operation Bilby fantasy art project. Learn more here: Operation Bilby.
Art Project: Operation Bilby. Fantasy art project and new Australian mythology.
Get more eyes on your products and brand with this iconic outdoor adventure art project.
Art Project: Operation Bilby; The Sentinel
Operation Bilby is an art project intended to do a few things:
Promote outdoor adventure and outdoor lifestyle
Promote Australian companies and their products
Create a new Australian mythology
Demonstrate that despite the racial diversity of Australia, all Australians have common goals and common values
Demonstrate women are capable of contributing to national goals and ideals outside of archaic gendered roles
Aim: To be at least shortlisted in any state or national art, photography, or other awards and competitions.
Art Project: Operation Bilby; On Comms
We want to help you get save time and get maximum benefit. You will get:
Extensive social media promotion
Featuring your brand or personal contribution
Exclusive access to the photo library that can be used for your own promotional uses
Product placement
Displayed in art galleries
Art Project: Operation Bilby; Serrated Edge
This art project was first conceived in November 2021 and call for sponsors and participants was made in December 2021. Since then, participants and resources (including costumes) were sourced. Then, most unfortunately, Russia invaded Ukraine. This art project was not meant to be about nationalism or to contribute to anti-Russia sentiment. We have deepest sympathies for the people of Ukraine, and we wish we could provide support for them. We never intended for this project to have any relationship to any actual wars, and we do not want to distract from the plight of the Ukrainian people.
Art Project: Operation Bilby; Stalking Prey
Who can benefit
This art project is suited for any outdoor-related and adventure companies. We have a preference for Australian companies. This project will be great for the following companies:
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Boots / outdoor footwear
Women’s’ active wear
Outdoor electronics (inc. uhf radios, navigation, and other equipment)
Camping equipment manufacturers
Adventure / outdoor training organisations
Private sponsors (will receive merch and art prints)
Lockdowns are over and many industries need to reinvigorate and recreate or create new connections. We are wanting to work with makeup artists, models, and costume designers to make a project go forward that can be used for our own self-promotion efforts. The long term plan is to get financial support for this project, and for it to be profitable for all involved (participants and financial supporters).
Theme: Women outdoors, in nature, in the sun, doing adventurous activities. More specific details will be given to serious potential collaborators and funding supporters.
Aim: To be at least shortlisted in any state or national art, photography, or other awards and competitions.
Opportunities for sponsors: Exposure with product placement and multiple @ mentions in social media, and on-going placement in social media posts, videos, and in professional creatives’ portfolios.
Early autumn portrait photos with a Melbourne model
Photo shoot with Wendy Lu at Old Treasury Building in Melbourne CBD
Photo shoot with Wendy Lu at Old Treasury Building in Melbourne CBD
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
For the first time since the foundation of Melbourne, and since the last pandemic, will we see the building and rebuilding of the small business sector in Melbourne city. I want to photograph – visually document – this process. This project is the opposite to David H Wells documentary project, Foreclosed Dreams: Foreclosures Across America (2008 to present). In contrast, Resurrecting Dreams will be the visual story of how small business begin, build, and succeed; a positivistic view.
Two young women at the Melbourne Gliding Club at the Bacchus Marsh Gliding Centre
Two young women at the Melbourne Gliding Club at the Bacchus Marsh Gliding Centre
Two young women at the Melbourne Gliding Club at the Bacchus Marsh Gliding Centre
Two young women at the Melbourne Gliding Club at the Bacchus Marsh Gliding Centre
Two young women at the Melbourne Gliding Club at the Bacchus Marsh Gliding Centre
Two young women at the Melbourne Gliding Club at the Bacchus Marsh Gliding Centre
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
Since Melbourne’s foundation in 1835 to February 2020, businesses have built the city into a vibrant, confident, and wonderful place. Melbourne was home to many amazing cafes, vibrant nightlife, unique fashion stores, fantastic bars, and brilliant sport life and allied health businesses. The coronavirus (COVID-19 or SARS CoV2) was persistent and dangerous, which necessitated citywide lockdowns, social isolation, and physical distancing to protect the vulnerable and reduce virus transmission. Consequently, a lot of the small business sector in the CBD was decimated in the eight months of these lockdowns in Melbourne. In November 2020, we achieved zero community transmissions, but at great expense economically, societally, personally, psychologically. As of January 2021, there are a myriad of vacant and available street level business spaces – and opportunities.
I have photographed small businesses in Japan doing their thing. Since I’ve moved back to Australia in 2019, I myself have to rebuild my own photographic business, and I’m learning how to do that for this city. I’m curious about how new small business owners plan, create, build, trade, struggle, and succeed. I want to show the resurrection of the dreams of small business owners and help celebrate their wins. Their wins are the real “trickle down” in the city economy. Their success means employment of many of the city’s people.
How you can help; contact me if…
You’re opening your own business. Let me photograph that process (even if you’re still in the looking-at-real estate options stage)
You know someone starting their own business
You’re a real estate agent for landlord: let me in to photograph the empty space
You want to help fund this project
You what to help exhibit this project (funding or other support needed)
You want to see it published in your outlet (funding needed)
You want to use the photos to tell the story for your brand (funding needed)
