Hello, my name is Amy Crawley. I'm a passionate Melbourne based photographer and contemporary artist. I've always enjoyed the meditative, creative, and almost therapeutic presence within photography and other artistic mediums that I experience and has encouraged me to undertake these types of courses and classes throughout my childhood and adult years. 

 

During my childhood I really enjoyed art subjects, my classes were always small numbered and intimate with a supportive teaching presence. Unfortunately during my high school education, while the classes, learning, services, and facilities I had and used to my advantage, my teachers never really encouraged me to fulfill my artistic dreams. Even with me sitting in the art rooms during lunchtimes working on my 3 folio subjects (Studio Arts, Visual Communication and Design and Media/ Photography) for VCE/Year 11 & 12, nobody supported me during this time. I did manage to have a few successes even with the unsupportive staff, such as my high school purchasing my Year 12 photography pieces and having my ceramic artwork exhibited at the Cube 37 Frankston gallery. This is why I strive to be a supportive and nurturing workshop teacher and to guide praise and help my students to the best of my ability as I understand the problems that arise for students when they feel not supported. 

 

I was encouraged however within a volunteer group that I was working at between 2009 – 2011. Spectrum Entertainment is a City of Casey Council volunteer group who organize and run music and community events around the City of Casey. During my time working with this group, I undertook a number of jobs such as Event Manger, Event Photographer and Graphic Designer of Promotional Material. I also took Publicity and Promotion workshops along with an Event Management course through Blue Print for Successful Events and a unit of the Certificate Two Plan a career in Music through NMIT.

 

My boss at Spectrum Entertainment alerted me to a competition that was coming up in 2011 called the Casey Creations Awards where a number of different types of art awards were awarded to young members of the City of Casey community. I entered in this competition and to my surprise, I received 1st Place in the Photography Category. This encouraged me to pursue my dreams in art and photography further. 

 

After I completed Year 12, I applied for a number of different Commercial Photography courses in Melbourne at this stage of my life I really wanted to learn the appropriate skills to make me a professional photographer. I was accepted into all the courses I applied for but I had my heart set on studying at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) as I knew of RMIT's art and photography reputation and the high standard of learning they have available. I was successful with my application into the Certificate IV in Photo Imaging at RMIT and that is where I began my photographic journey. 

 

During my time studying the Certificate IV in Photo Imaging at RMIT I learnt a number of different skills within the photographic industry such as: 

- Interpreting and responding to a design brief

- Working with others

- Researching and applying techniques for Graphic Design

- Developing myself for the Photo Imaging industry

- Preparing, storing and maintain finished works

- Integrating colour theory and design processes in response to a brief

- Producing digital images

- Creating visual design components 

- Researching and applying information on the traditions which inform photo imaging practice

- Using and adapting to changes in technology

- Participating in OHS processes 

- Applying photo imaging lighting techniques

- Processing photo images to work print/ file stage

- Enhancing. Manipulating and outputting photo images

- Using a 35mm SLR camera or digital equivalent

- Applying techniques to produce Video Art

As well as using medium format film camera's along with all different types of photographic equipment. 

 

I then continued on into the Diploma of Photo Imaging in 2013. 

During my time studying the Diploma of Photo Imaging at RMIT I learnt more skills within the photographic industry to complete my quest in becoming a professional photographer such as:

- Designing web environments

- Preparing for sustainable professional practice

- Managing personal work priorities and professional development

- Style merchandise for photography (Working with Stylist, Makeup Artists etc)

- Author of interactive media

- Researching the role and use of the photo image in visual communication

- Researching and exploiting photo imaging trends

- Employing colour management in a digital imaging workplace

- Explore the descriptive and emotive nature of photo lighting

- Investigating and exploiting innovative imaging options

- Producing an innovative presentation of professional work

- Preparing digital images for pre-press processing 

- Refine digital art techniques 

- Producing commercial photo images

- Producing media photo images

- Producing technical photo images

- Making illustrative images for publication and display

 

My lecturers for the Certificate IV and the Diploma of Photo Imaging were extremely supportive and I learnt so much about photography and the industry. I also learnt a lot about myself as a person and as a student. After completing the Diploma of Photo Imaging in 2013 we had a graduate exhibition called XXVI RMIT Diploma of Photo Imaging Exhibition with a professional photography industry screening at the Bright Space Gallery in Melbourne where I was lucky enough to receive the Best Photojournalism Award sponsored by Gavin Blue Photography and Borge's Imaging for my photography work presented in the exhibition. I also became a student member of the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) in 2014.

 

With 3 references from my lecturers from the Diploma of Photo Imaging at RMIT I applied for the Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) at RMIT. I now wanted to pursue my artist education further. I was accepted into the Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) at RMIT and started studying 1st Year in 2014.

 

In 1st Year I studied a number of different units such as: 

- Hand and Lens (Print Making and Photography)

- Electronic Imaging + Image: Capture Workflow (Photography)

- Introductory Print Practice + Contemporary Print Imaging (Photography Major) 

- Proof and Archive (Cyanotypes and Print Making)

- Art History and Theory 1 & 2 (History Minor)

 

In 2nd Year I studied a number of different units such as: 

- Photographic Etching (Print Making)

- Capture, Translate and Synthesize (Drawing and Animation)

- Painting Concepts, Abstraction (Abstract Painting)

- The Print Original Paradox (Photography and Print Making)

- Drawing, Body and Perception (Life Drawing)

- Innovation in Print Imaging + Contextualizing Print Practice (Photography Major)

- Art, Science and Modernity (History Minor)

 

In 2016 I completed my 3rd/final year of my degree the units I  studied:

- Ideation for the Object (Ceramics and Sculpture)

- Business Skills for Creative Industries (Business Part)

- Introduction to Management (Business Part)

- The Social Role of the Artist (History Minor)

- Molding Objects (Ceramics)

- Articulation Practice Project + Exhibition Project (Photography Major)

- Advanced Studio Technologies 1 & 2 (Photography)

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My achievements during the Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) at RMIT are a Grade Point average of 3.2 out of 4. As well as having some of my Cyanotypes selected to be exhibited in the White Gloves Exhibition at RMIT in 2015. I also received a reference from my 2nd year Photography lecturer for my application for the Masters of Teaching Practice at Monash University which I applied for in 2017 and started in 2018.

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 I have had work featured in the Centre for Contemporary Photography Salon exhibition on the 26th of November 2015 and my "Suburban Endurance" series exhibited at the Head on Photo Festival in Sydney in 2016. I have had selected artworks exhibited at the Museum of Sydney. 

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I have had my work featured and been interviewed by BuzzFeed.com.au for my Suburban Endurance series in 2016.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/annamendoza/young-people-australian-dream

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I have featured work again in the Head on Photo Festival in Sydney as a Featured exhibitor in 2017 with my work exhibited in the Paddington town hall and i also conducted an artist talk to discuss my process and inspiration to my photography. 

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In 2018 I studied in teaching having completed 1 year of a Masters of Teaching in Secondary Education at Monash University and 2 placements working as an Art, Woodwork and History teacher at Mornington Peninsula Secondary Collages.

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While I am an artist and photographer I offer my services as a professional photographer for portraits, weddings, events, and other photographic services. I also conduct Art and Photography workshops and have my own gallery that you can visit and preview my work. 

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I am a passionate creator of Acrylic pouring paintings and run workshops at Riot Art and Craft, as well as working as a retail assistant in their store.

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Please see the Services page to read more about what I have to offer.