One statement from her childhood has inspired a Shoalhaven photographer's latest exhibition.
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Growing up, Julijana Griffiths often heard her Greek migrant mother tell her, 'I arrived with one suitcase'. Her mother arrived in Australia in the 1950s as a proxy-bride.
Julijana has been invited to exhibit in internationally-recognised Head On Photo Festival, on show in Paddington.
Her photo-essay 'I arrived with one suitcase' explores her mother's arrival.
"I never quite understood what my Greek migrant mother meant when she would say she arrived with one suitcase," Julijana said.
"Now that I am older, I ask the questions that need to be asked, before they are lost forever.
Mum, what was in that suitcase when you arrived in Australia so many years ago?"
Her successful body of work was created as part of the Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging at TAFE NSW Wollongong West.
"To be accepted by Head On is huge, it is very big for me with where I'm at in photography," Ms Griffiths said.
The Shoalhaven resident said the recognition was a powerful addition to her CV and thanked her TAFE teachers for their guidance.
"Entering competitions like this, learning how to approach a gallery and to host an exhibition, were skills my teachers taught me," she said.
"What they teach goes beyond photography, you learn how to run a photography business from the ground up. Having teachers who work with industry helped enormously in this regard."
Julijana's work will be on show at Maunsell Wickes Gallery from from May 14-31.
