JULY 2022 COFFEE FOR THE PEOPLE ROASTING CO. FEATURED ARTIST
On view for the month of July
Free Entry
Open daily Mon – Fri: 6:00AM – 2:00PM
Sat – Sun: 7:30 AM – 2:00PM
Coffee for the People Roasting Co. is excited to welcome photographer Saige O’Brien from Seaford, Melbourne to our exhibition space.
Tell us a little about your Art making background
I have always had a passion for creativity. When I was young I enjoyed making personalised birthday and Christmas cards for my family and friends, and also any school project that involved creating posters or dioramas.
I didn’t really explore photography until I embarked on my first trip to Europe in 2007 and spent countless hours seeking out unique perspectives and vantage points.
I thought my photos were just the standard thing that people did on a trip to Europe, but they were very well received by my family and friends.
When I returned from Europe, based on lots of positive feedback from my peers, I approached the Cardinia Cultural Centre about exhibiting my photos. The exhibit was a success. I sold a few of my photos and ended up on the front page of the local gazette.
These days I enjoy travelling Australia and the world, taking the time to photograph the scenes which impact me the most.
How do you make your Art? Tell us a bit about the process
I try to take a selection of cameras with me wherever I go. I have a Google Pixel 6 PRo for shots on the go, my trusty Olympus compact which has a certain character that I enjoy, and a Nikon 3300 DSLR for the more complicated shots.
Sometimes I make a specific effort to seek out a picturesque location, but sometimes I just stumble upon it in my day to day travels. When something grabs me, I get a bit obsessed with it, and I end up taking a lot of shots from as many angles as possible.
Once I have the shots, sometimes they need editing, and other times I’m happy with them exactly as they are. I will generally get my pieces photo printed or printed onto canvas. I tend to choose minimalist, understated frames in order to draw more attention to the photo. However for this exhibition, I am going to experiment with some of my own frame designs.
Where are you from, and how does that affect your work?
I was born in Upper Beaconsfield and moved to Seaford in my mid twenties, and have lived in the area ever since. I have a passion for the ocean and the seaside, so a lot of my photography revolves around that setting. I love to head down to the Seaford pier to watch a good sunset.
How do you develop your Art skills?
I design websites and manage social media accounts as part of my new business, which gives me plenty of opportunity to hone my editing and composition skills. I try to make sure the camera on my phone is relatively high quality and have learned my way through various editing programs. A lot if the time it’s trial and error, sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail miserably. But it’s all part of the journey.
Why do you make this type of Art?
It makes me happy. I get a deep sense of satisfaction when I manage to capture the feeling of a place that I’ve been, even if it’s just as a personal momento. My photography is something that I do primarily for my own enjoyment.
What Does Your Artwork Represent?
I’m just trying to capture the moment so it’s not forgotten. It’s an enjoyable pastime and something to be proud of.
What Inspires you and your Art?
Colours and textures tend to jump out at me, especially on scenic drives. Sometimes I see something and I just want to take a piece of it home. I can’t get enough of a good sunset, especially down at the beach. I probably have several thousand photos of sunsets along the local coastline sitting on various hard drives. When out and about I always try to capture people and animals being as candid as possible. I feel that it brings a wholesomeness to the photos and highlights that we all have our own lives to live.
What does your Art mean to you?
I have my photos hung up around my house. They make me happy. They’re snapshots of my travels and adventures. They’re daily reminders of the places I have been, the people I have met, the feelings I felt and the lessons that I learned.
What’s the purpose or goal of your artwork?
It helps me to remember my experiences and allows to share them in a way that’s not possible with words. I want my photography to demonstrate the beauty yet quirkiness in the world.
To see more of Saige’s work check out her Instagram @saige_advice
