November 27, 2024
Creative Series: Michelle and Andrew
Michele Lockwood and Andrew Kidman’s family home feels familiar and welcoming, their style is relaxed and functional. The natural light fills the space - a perfect way to view the walls covered with colourful art and photographs created by their friends from around the world.
Michele is an ecologist, artist and surfer who grew up in the boroughs of New York City but expatriated to Bundjalung Country in Northern New South Wales 20 years ago. She played 'Kim' in Larry Clark’s cult film KIDS, alongside Chloe Sevigny and Rosario Dawson. Michele was part of the X-girl downtown scene (started by Kim Gordon and Daisy Von Furth). Graphic designer, now director, Mike Mills based the iconic X-girl logo on a photograph of her. She has worked as a photographer and writer for publications in New York, LA and Tokyo and even had her own clothing label, MATERIAL that was sold and produced exclusively in Japan.
Beyond the bright city lights, Michele has always had a penchant for nature and has since devoted her life to the preservation and conservation of the natural world. She has published a scientific research paper on the threatened Giant Barred frog and has been fortunate to work alongside Indigenous knowledge holders to deliver projects benefitting species and community Australia wide.
Andrew Kidman is synonymous with the Australian cult surf scene in which he started working from the mere age of 15. He’s a man with many hyphens - a father, artist, musician, filmmaker, photographer, and surfboard shaper (to name a few). He is revered for his independent films: Litmus (1996), Glass Love (2004), Lost in the Ether (2010), Spirit of Akasha (2013), On the Edge of a Dream (2018) and most recently, Big Sky Limited (2023). Most of these films were released alongside a self-published limited-edition book that further illustrates the concepts he has featured in the films. Andrew's philosophy is to create individually beautiful, functional, and made-to-last surfboards - an antidote to the 'made to break' mentality that plagues the modern world. His art and designs reflect concepts found within nature and he rigorously tests and refines those designs to achieve a point of maximum speed and fluidity, a
process that is ongoing and limitless.
Tell us about Big Sky your property
We've lived here for 20 years, and we are still grateful for every moment. We have a spectacular view of Wollumbin and from this vantage point we get to see some of the most beautiful skyscapes in the Southern Hemisphere.
How does Mother Nature inspire your work?
Nature inspires all that we do, from the seasonal changes that effect our moods and inform our patterns of movement, to the food that we grow and eat. The reception of nature's guidance in all our processes, including making art is paramount - she is our primary motivator and inspiration.
Michele, you’re a New York native, did growing up there impact the way you live your life now?
Most definitely. I grew up as a NYC street urchin! I am street smart; I know how to move through a crowd and can read people even from a distance. I love the cultural diversity of the city and the opportunities that life there can give you. But I always knew there was more to life I craved trees and birds and sand and sun and knew one day I'd need to embrace that. Having grown up in the city has cemented my appreciation for the freedom that nature provides. It grounds me, teaches me, and brings me to care for things outside the human ego realm.
Tell us about your collaborative process with each other?
We are each other's best sounding boards, we are completely honest with each other in all our endeavours.
What is your favourite thing to do on weekends?
We go to the local markets on the weekends to support or local veg and mushroom growers, we buy seedlings for our veg garden and we catch up with friends. We head to the beach in the afternoon after most people have left for the day, sometimes we're lucky with the tide and wind to get a little surf in before dark.