What first inspired you to pursue a career in this field?

I was always passionate about both science/maths and art. Once I chose the Fine Arts route at UNSW Art & Design, I soon gravitated to the digital arts side of things. It was the perfect mix of my two passions, and it was all so new! I think there was only Pierre Stokx and myself really focussing entirely on digital craft. I’ve always been entrepreneurial, so starting a business using what I was learning (and then teaching) at UNSW Art & Design seemed like a natural step. The fact that I can create a piece of communication that can be accessed by anyone online, around the world, is an incredibly powerful motivator.

What is biggest challenge you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome this?

I tend just to take things as they come and get on with it. From being the only woman in a totally man’s world (and the implicit and explicit sexism that comes along with that) to being a mum in an industry where long hours are expected.

How did your time at UNSW Sydney prepare you for this?

Being a very conceptual school, focussed as much on critical thinking as craft, I found that I could turn my arts practice around coding and designing/animating for the web into a business really quickly (in fact I set up my first business whilst still at UNSW Art & Design. I could present well and tell a story (after all those brutal group criticism sessions!) and I developed all the connections and collaborators I needed to make a success of both my commercial life and continuing arts practice - hats off especially to the Imperial Slacks crew, who were (and still are in many ways) my second family. Incredible lecturers such as Linda Dement also helped me to hone my craft and encouraged me to be experimental and political in my work. Brilliant traits that I still feel are the success of my business!

What do you love the most about your role?

The incredible power of creativity. I love that by creating concepts that really emotionally connect with people, by always striving to leave a legacy with your projects and bringing progressive values into the work, you really can move hearts and minds and open up dialogues. 

Name a woman or women you look up to most – why do they inspire you?

Rosie X, my big mentor and wonderful friend. She really got me started in the industry in the 1990s - helping me see the connection between the digital art that I was producing at UNSW Art & Design and a potential career emerging as the web was born.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Make sure you are heard. Be present and take up space. Don’t let others take ownership of your work - you can be very collaborative and still take credit for your part. It feels as though after the 1990s/2000s when no one was willing to admit there was an issue with gender disparity, we are now waking up to the inequality all around us. 

Do you think your industry is doing enough to champion gender diversity?

Unfortunately until now I’d say it’s mostly been up to passionate individuals (usually women's or trans' groups) to champion gender diversity. We have an amazing network of volunteers in SheSays who run the organisation globally, and individuals such as Cindy Gallop and Ali Hannan have helped fire the conversation. But we need the voice of the many, the allies, the men of the industry, to be equally as passionate about equality.

Have you seen a change in gender diversity in the workplace over the last few decades?

The shift is happening (and initiatives like SheSays help massively) but there is a long way to go and the change is slow. For example, only 3% of ECD/CCO level creatives in the UK are women, and we are underrepresented the whole way through design/creative/technology. Greater conversation and awareness is seeing gender diversity being taken more seriously now, which is great.

 

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