…that was one of the nick names my Dad gave me when I was I growing up. I would like to think it was because he thought I had the pioneering nature of dear old Martha Jane Cannary Burke but I actually have a sneaking suspicion that it was more likely because I always seemed to attract trouble…My Dad was my hero and I am sure that I constantly amused him with some of my less serious antics but he never treated me like I was less of a human being because I am female. In fact he was always rather proud that I could do stuff that other girls couldn’t or didn’t. He never fed me fairy tales about being some beautiful perfect princess that only rated because of what she wore or looked like…he recognised me for who I am... rather than some plasticised version of me.And for that I am eternally grateful.I have asked Julie Sundberg to say a few words at the opening of my exhibition and I was deeply honoured that she has accepted. Julie is a pioneer of photography in Australia and last year was recognised for her contribution to the photographic arts in becoming a finalist in both the Moran Photographic Prize and in Sydney Life. Julie ran the Workshops and Education areas of the Australian Center for Photography, works with disadvantaged youth and creates life affirming community arts programs, is a talented photographic manager, a mother, a wife and a bloody good friend.Julie’s concerns in photography are not dissimilar to my own. We both believe that the effect of the messages that we receive via our surroundings and the vast array of media imput into our lives is driving extremely concerning trends for young women and for that matter older women…Rather than focusing on our humanity, today’s versions of womanhood have a disturbing tendency to be sanitised, reworked and sexualised by huge multi national marketing campaigns. Companies that have significant capital interests in the outcome of their efforts to divest a largely credulous audience of their cash have no scruples when it comes to the bottom line. Er, pardon the pun…Everything from fake tans to labiectomy are devised to recreate women in the mythology of someone else’s idea of what we should look like…No wonder women young and old are constantly made to feel inadequate and cry into their pillows of a night time…Julie’s most recent project with three other respected women photographers SeeJaneRun will be shown at Danks St Depot under the Headon Photo Festival banner as well. It deals with these issues in a serious, funny and completely intriguing fashion.The photograph I have chosen for today will also be seen in my exhibition At The End Of The Day. Its title is 7.03PM.