Allegorical Alchemy, Clare Gibson PhD ⚕️MA 🎥

ALT A fact that is not known by many, photography was the reason that I changed career. I have a PhD health and spent many years working as research project manager. I had loved photography as a child, but it had had quite a hiatus. I started getting back into it maybe 2008 as a hobby while I still pursued a carer in research. In 2012, I saw an article from Dewitt Jones in a photography magazine about his daily photo project, and I thought, "I can do that to". August 13, 2012, I began my photo a day project, the first year only on iPhone. As I dedicated some of each day to it, I found it gave me such joy, a different, focus, an escape from health challenges that I live with. I enjoyed the extra creativity that it afforded me, and wanted more of that in my worklife. I didn't want to be a professional photographer though, and still wanted to be focus on making a difference in healthcare.

ALT I decided that my skills in using a camera would be perfect for learning the craft of filmmaking and I could focus on creating films related to health designed for real-world change. So back to school I went, getting my Masters in Film, and that was the start of Allegorical Alchemy. With my new project, "A Love Letter to Photography", I am feeling a full circle moment. The feature length documentary will explore the value of photography from a mental health perspective, sharing the personal stories of photographers, knowledge from academics, and insights from practitioners who use photography as a method for managing mental health. I seeking a little more funding and would love your support.

ALT Square photo depicting a man taking a photo by the water at sunrise. A quote by Mitchell Brown reads, "using the camera allows me to escape past the monsters in my mind". A banner at the top reads "A Love Letter to Photography"

ALT Trudy dog sitting with lav mics, headphones, wires & batteries

ALT Screenshot of Premiere Pro showing 2 images: one of a woman wearing plastic overalls holding a paint gun, the other of paint splatters on a concrete floor

ALT Paper edit for telekinetic tapestries

ALT Paper edit laid out on dining table