I was inspired to start the Hold Me Dear project early in 2014 as a result of my professional experience in Urban Design and Landscape Architecture.  Working in an industry which aims to design high quality places which are distinctive, functional, enjoyable and sustainable, I felt the layer missing in this process is how individuals use and experience these places after they have been constructed. 

I built on my keen professional interest in how people use and experience spaces to create a platform to share the great variety of ways we as individuals form associations with place. This is often the result of our memories, experiences and subjective interpretations of place, and can result in places we treasure, but rarely share the stories behind why with others. Through the Hold Me Dear project, I aimed to create a platform from which our individual stories of place can be shared with one another. 

An interview with me about the project is currently featured on website Dumbo Feather - Conversations With Extraordinary People and another in Darwin Magazine. The project is also featured on the websites of exhibition partners Testing Grounds outdoor creative space and New Architects Melbourne.