ENTRY DESCRIPTION
Mbathio

I have been continuing my series about inspirational women in leadership roles for sometime. I am hoping that the images portray that in every dark place there is help and always hope for the future.

I met Mbathio at her fabric shop in Marrickville. I was incredibly inspired by this strong and driven mother who dedicates her time assisting outreach communities in Africa.
Mbathio immigrated to Australia from Senegal a decade ago. She works as an epidemiologist and in recent years commenced a project developing a Maternity Waiting Home in Senegal; which has one of the highest infant and maternal fatality rates in the world claiming more than 1,800 mothers and 35,000 babies each year. The Maternity Home provides a temporary place for at-risk pregnant women living in remote areas granting access to an equipped hospital for a safe and supervised delivery.

I photographed Mbathio, lavishly dressed in her store amongst the textiles she sources from local producers in Western Africa, supporting women in developing countries.

I admire Mbathio’s boundless energy and conviction to humanitarian causes.

AUTHOR
Kellie is an award winning Fine Art Photographer. Her inspiration comes from her interest and study in art history and practice in painting and drawing. She best describes herself as an artist with a camera, due to the design and planning that goes into her work well before pressing the shutter.

Kellie spent her formative years overseas, but her most memorable childhood adventures were in the highlands of PNG. It was here Leczinska developed a love of nature and an appreciation of indigenous culture; a way of seeing the human form in its natural unguarded state. She finds the creation of a photograph an emotional response, whether working with still life or human figure; she is attuned to the spiritual connection with it. Her influences draw upon classical painting; loading her images with symbolism - intentionally blurring the lines of reality to bring the fantasy and dreaming to the viewer. She uses the camera as a tool to paint with light and colour. Her empathetic eye explores many themes, in particular social commentary, conservation, portraiture and human form. Often her images challenge the viewer with menacing beauty.

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