Ali Griffin

Bushfire Survivor, Healesville, Victoria

I lost my home in Yarra Glen in the Black Saturday Bushfires. I now live in Healesville, and work in Marysville. I love where I live and work, and the people I work with. Our regional towns are strong and resilient communities, so we don't usually speak out about our lot. We take responsibility for choosing to live where we live. However, we will not take the blame for the lack of action on devastating climate change. Whenever we get windy and dry conditions, people in our community get very stressed and feel incredibly anxious. This lasts all summer now, due to the changes brought about by global warming.

Charcoal became a fascination for me after losing my home in the Black Saturday bushfires. The total lack of colour I found incredibly beautiful. The truly unique shapes left after fire has stolen all trace of oxygen and goodness became a source of wonder. The fact that the burnt object is deemed valueless after fire seemed ridiculous. I saw beauty in its rawness, its vulnerability. It’s crumbling surface. It’s weakened state. A beauty I wanted to share with others. I set about making moulds of especially attractive pieces of charcoal. I cast these in black resin.

And then I either made simple artworks out of them, or paired them with gold leaf and ‘precious’ gems and metals to produce jewellery. These pieces have been commented on as gorgeous. People see the value in them. Even monetary value. If we can change focus on what people really find precious, we may actually be able to tackle overwhelming and life threatening issues such as global warming and climate change.

It breaks my heart that I have failed my daughter. It breaks my heart that she has to strike from school to be heard and was ridiculed by our own Prime Minister for her actions. That her childhood was tainted by the loss of our home on Black Saturday. And that ‘I’ feel the guilt. And that ‘I’ feel close to tears at the thought of her future living in a world with a less hospitable climate.

But then I realise that I have tried. I have done many things to bring attention to environmental issues over many years through my work as an artist. I raise awareness of what is really important in life. I recycle. I reuse. I have tried to do all I can. But my efforts don’t even come close to canceling out the lack of leadership we have on this matter.

This is not a debate. This is LIFE. Our politicians could become the heroes of our time. To step up and take action on climate change. To be the leaders who saw these challenges as opportunities for a better life for our children’s futures. We know this will eventually force us into change. Why not do it now, before it’s too late? Don’t we owe that to our children?

Photographer: Jesse Graham