I'm a photographer. I'm a stylist. I'm a designer. I'm a floriculturist. I'm a painter. I'm a writer. I'm a storyteller. I am a craftsperson. I love to delve into anything creatively stimulating and mind-evoking. I've always been a creative kid - I've been making art for as long as I can remember. Neither of my parents are creative, but my two brothers and I have inherited that wonderful intrigue and passion from somewhere. I became most fond of photography and the way in which the camera could just capture a moment in time forever. It led me to flourish artistically at school; so much I pursued further studies once I graduated.

While studying for my Bachelor of Media Arts in creative arts at the University of Wollongong, I met a vast and vibrant community of extremely talented artists who energised my thoughts and inspired me to push the limits in my interest of the art world. As much as I enjoyed the experience of it, I received my degree with absolutely no game plan. There was no solid, strategic or established idea of what I was going to do next. I went through the job search phase but nothing jumped out at me. I felt that if I was going to dedicate the majority of my time, and inevitably my life, to working, I had to enjoy it. I had to love it, or else why do it at all? So I dealt with rejections, unsatisfying and stressful work, inconsistent shifts, and having no real drive until it finally hit me - create a job!

After a couple of years working on my first business in photography and styling, I decided to turn my hobby of Le Flaneur - an online store selling vintage homewares, jewellery and trinkets - into a physical space, collaborating my love of treasures from times gone by, with the craftsmanship of one-of-a-kind creations produced in the place I call home. I relaunched Le Flaneur as an artisan boutique - the first of its kind in the Illawarra; a place for local creatives to promote, stock, sell and share their work with the wider community.

Flaneur (pron. "flah-ner") is a French word meaning "stroller", "lounger" and "wanderer". The flaneur was a literary type from 19th century France, essential to any picture of the streets of Paris. The word carried a set of rich associations; the man of leisure, the idler, the urban explorer, the connoisseur of the street. Flaneur has become an important symbol for scholars, artists and writers everywhere. If I took anything of extreme importance with me from the four years I spent at university, this was it. The Flaneur stuck with me, right in the back of my mind for a reason. It was a great way to describe myself.

As an advocate of equality, Le Flaneur also supports local artisans in Third World countries. It really puts life into perspective when you realise how lucky you are living in a place like Australia. I hope to empower young people, especially women, to start up their own businesses, no matter what kind of dream they have. The more creative, risky and innovative - the better. Wollongong is growing artistically, and it'd be great to have more people motivated and on board with further developing the culture of this beautiful city.

I have learned to trust my instincts and remind myself that it is far better to go for something and fail, than to brush it off and regret doing so. Who knows, you might even succeed. Le Flaneur offers a friendly, communal and supportive structure to artists. It is a new and exciting concept. It is the home of creatives; a place in which all artisans and art lovers are equal and welcome.