ART PARTY: MONIQUE HOLZE
Art Party is a celebration of the art we create and the story behind it.
Each feature includes a curated list of questions to help you dig deeper into sessions you may see on Instagram and want to learn more about.
If you have a session, series, or collection you would like to celebrate, send me an email with all the details and a link to the gallery.
MEET MONIQUE:
Mon is a Family Photographer based in Adelaide who started her business, Hello Maeve Studio, two years ago.
In a world full of posed pictures, she found solace in the everyday moments and captures them beautifully.
Mon is someone who loves 'ordinary,' the simplest moments are the ones that bring the biggest smiles to her cheeks.
Beyond our memories…
Photography has always been something I loved, especially when travelling a lot, but I only started Hello Maeve 2 years ago.
I took the leap into this little business after my daughter was diagnosed with retinoblastoma - It was one of those experiences that changes the way you look at time.
Around the same period, I found myself reflecting on how few photographs I have of the woman who meant the most to me. The people we love most deserve to exist beyond our memories, so photography became a way of honouring that.
If I can create images that become treasured decades from now, then I get to play a small part in ensuring another family doesn't feel that same absence that I do.
Self-doubt….
Self-doubt has probably been my longest-running creative companion.
Believing I deserve to be here (and call myself a photographer). I am constantly surrounded by photographers whose work I completely admire, and I regularly question whether I'm good enough or worthy of being trusted with people's stories.
The challenge has persisted despite the uncertainty. Every family or person that invites me into their lives helps quiet that voice a little more.
Unexpected joy…
The people. I expected to enjoy creating photographs, but I didn't expect to feel just so connected to the families I meet. It means I want to be everyone's friend after the session - I love checking in and seeing their lives grow and change - the one positive about social media and being able to stay connected.
I've discovered that the photographs are only part of the experience; the conversations and shared stories have been such an unexpected bonus.
Visible and invisible threads…
My visible thread is story. I'm drawn to the small interactions that often go unnoticed; the little moments tell the truth of who people are.
My invisible thread is nostalgia. I want my images to feel like something you found tucked inside an old family album. Not perfect or polished, but familiar. I want people to look at their photographs years later and feel transported back to exactly how life felt in that season.
Rest…
I don't really know the meaning. Working four days a week with three young children and my photography business on top of it all, there isn't much resting to be had. But a slow walk around the block with the dog and kids in tow, a cup of coffee while the kids run amok around me, and a good book - I am a huge lover of books.
Creativity…
My kids - using them to try out different ideas. Staying curious. I invest in education, seek out photographers whose work challenges me and use that as inspiration and am always on the lookout for new locations. The more I learn about people and see what makes them happy, the more inspired I feel to create.
The older I get, the more I realise creativity isn't something I can force. It tends to come to me more when I am just present in the moment, in the happenings around me.
Big dreams…
In five years, I hope to see how far I have come, more sessions, more building of my brand, until I have achieved something unmistakably mine. I hope I see the same families returning year after year, getting to capture all of their chapters, as well as, of course, all the people I just meet once but give them something they can treasure for a lifetime. More than anything, I hope I can look back and know that I pushed through the fear and self-doubt instead of letting it decide what was possible.
