2 minute read
At the helm of creativity
Anaesthesia, winemaking, and photography may not have anything in common to the untrained mind.
But to Ballarat anaesthetist Craig Mitchell – they are all built on a foundation of creativity.
“I really enjoy the process of learning the basic tenets of the craft, then the practice of continually applying them in more creative ways to (hopefully) achieve better results each time,” Craig says.
“The technical fine-tuning in both photography and anaesthesia is a challenge that I really respond to, be it aperture and shutter speeds or life-support equipment.
“Even in administering an anaesthetic, no two situations are the same, and there’s a fair degree of creativity in coming up with a recipe and executing it to give the patient the best outcome.
“In photography also, I’m continually trying to apply what I’ve learned to come up with an image that best tells the story at the time.”
Well regarded in Ballarat’s medical field, Craig is perhaps less known for his work as an avid photographer.
But his love for this artform stems back over three decades.
“I’ve loved the process of photography ever since Mum brought home a cool old Minolta X-300 from her trip to Hong Kong in 1985,” he recalls.
“Through school and university, I devoured photo magazines and books, trying to continually learn whilst documenting my life with shots of holidays, parties, mates and the world around me.”
Craig is set to exhibit as part of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale’s Open Program – the third time he has done so.
His exhibition, titled Cinematic Ballarat, will be hosted at his second home – the local institution that is the Mitchell Harris Wine Bar.
Using original film scenes as inspiration, in style and setting, Craig has produced images that pay homage to certain films and which use his Ballarat friends as protagonists.
“Cinematic Ballarat is a plan I’ve had cooking in my mind since the last Foto Biennale, and the shots have come together over the last 12 months,” Craig says.
“Certain movie scenes have stuck in my head over the years, and as I wander the Ballarat streets each day, I’ve thought how they could be the inspiration to shoot some filmic vignettes here in town.
Top: Craig Mitchell, Se7en Car, 2021 Bottom: Craig Mitchell, Wick Hock, 2021
“It’s a way of injecting some cinematic fantasy into our usual prosaic view of the city.”
Craig has been at the helm of Mitchell Harris Wine Bar since its opening in 2012, along with his wife Alicia, and his sister and brother-in-law Shannyn and John Harris.
Set in an historic warehouse, Mitchell Harris Wine Bar has fastbecome a mecca of fine wine and food, and one of Ballarat’s most coveted destinations.
Craig affirms the venue’s moody Barrel Shed and the ability to soak up his images – vino in-hand – makes the bar the ideal backdrop for his exhibition.
He says he is looking forward to yet another festival where Ballarat is promoted as a hub of creativity.
“The biennale gives Ballarat a real pillar of creativity to inspire locals and encourage visitors now and into the future. There’s something for everyone in the exhibits and events, and the legacy of Ballarat as a creative, photographic city will continue to pay dividends,” Craig says.
Craig Mitchell, Harry met Sally, 2021
