TESSA CHRISP
STUART LEIGHTON
Water was the destroyer in Cyclone Gabrielle, it is also our healer. We bless with it, we bathe in it, so I have photographed the Responders in and around water. Each image narrates the individual Responders story. My kaupapa is to recognise the commitment, generosity, and spirit of our Volunteer Responders, hear their stories, get to know them and generate support. In today’s society I feel these humans are inspiring, heroes even.
Stuart Leighton : Volunteer Firefighter 6 years, Park Ranger 28 Years.
As a Park Ranger, Volunteer Firefighting is a natural extension for Stu “caring for the land and caring for the people” he says. During Cyclone Gabrielle while attending a house check, Stu heard the land let go, rocks earth and trees crashing down. Under torchlight he witnessed the debris smash into the rear of the house forcing it effortlessly off its foundations. “I hope we will never see anything like those houses moving again. Water is fatalistic, beyond our control. These big destructive rainfall events used to be rare. They are now far too common as the climate changes”.
CASEY REDMAN
85 % of NZs Emergency Response is made up of Volunteers. Their continual commitment to the community is invisible. As the front line of Rescue, unpaid and unheralded, our Volunteer Responders attend weekly training & ongoing callouts, such as fires, medical incidents, search and rescue, civil defence, car crashes, drownings, deaths, Surf Life Saving, and natural disasters, some of which are traumatic.
Casey Redman: Volunteer fire Brigade Piha 16 years.
Pictured is Casey Redman with her daughter Addy. During Cyclone Gabrielle, Casey was out in the face of the storm. Responders leave their families in a disaster to Respond for their community. Casey is grateful her family let her be a part of the Brigade. During the fatal Cyclone Addy said “ Mummy, I know other people need you more than I do”. A powerful statement that epitomises the commitment of First Responders.
ARTIST FOLIO AND BIO
ABOUT TESSA
For Tessa connecting with the feeling of others is reflective in her values of truth and healing. It’s that quiet calm reminiscent in her work. Her inclusive nature, appreciating the richness of human experiences, through different cultures, lifestyle, or perspectives, she embraces diversity with curiosity, respect and admiration. An innate understanding in the interconnectedness of all things and a deep sense of empathy and compassion, she approaches her work with genuine care and believes in the value of every person’s story to create positive impactful change.
Hailing from an isolated hill country station on the East Coast of Aotearoa, Tessa formative years were spent on horseback, “between the ages of 8-12 I would ride my horse for few hours just to meet friends, and ride back, sometimes at night”. The rugged landscape imbued her with nature, she became the magical realist with the wonder of imagination. It led her to Design School Photography at Wellington Polytechnic (now Massey University). Three decades of photographing Lifestyle, Travel, People and Architecture around the globe, she’s photographed in some far-flung places, sometimes on horseback, sometimes helicopter, sometimes from dugout canoes.
With a plethora of Awards including Cathay Pacific Travel Photographer of the Year and IPA International Photography Awards, a member of the AIPA and ASP Auckland Studio Potters, Tessa is unwavering in her creative endeavours. When she’s not juggling travel, you will find Tessa dabbling in Ceramics, refurbishing a 100-yr old railway cottage, or simply enjoying the wild west coast relishing in nature, and immersing in the sea and rivers, even in winters chill