Introducing our second candidate:

Graham Davidson

“I believe good governance is only achievable through respect”

Hello, I’m Graham Davidson, I’m running for Council this year with Rosmairi Dawson as an independent putting the community first.

I first moved to the Hunter region in 1994 when I rented a house on the waterfront in Rathmines. Over the ensuing years I moved to Newcastle and then Maitland before returning to Lake Macquarie three years ago where I now live on the Morisset Peninsula.

In the time since I first lived in the Lake Macquarie LGA, I’ve seen some big changes take place in the Northern part of the Lake, particularly around Charlestown and the Warners Bay area.

But what about the southern part of the LGA? Sadly, not much has changed south of Speers Point. Sure, we’ve seen more areas opened up to sub divisions, and some medium density development in the Toronto area. But what about the infrastructure to support a growing population?

The main street of Morisset has changed very little since 1994. The town is lacking a community hall and the footpaths in the town centre are inadequate for the elderly or disabled to navigate safely. The same sort of issues become apparent in other villages throughout West Ward. In fact, one could be forgiven for saying the south west part of Lake Macquarie is the forgotten ward, one where developments get waved through with little regard for community needs or opinion.

As a lifetime professional creative, I have a long history of involvement with community, having run drawing classes for both adults and children in Sydney (where I grew up and started my career), Newcastle, Maitland and Lake Macquarie along with writers workshops in Newcastle, Maitland and Lake Macquarie. In 2019 I established an early childhood literacy initiative, Storytime Lane, and two years later founded and directed the IF Maitland Writers and Arts Festival which I continued to run for the ensuing four years. I’ve worked as an animator and live action director and relocated to the Hunter in 1994 when I was offered the position of Senior Commercial Director at NBN Television, leaving the station three years later to establish my own production company. In 2012 I had the great privilege to have a major input in the award winning ‘Love the Lake’ tourism campaign having storyboarded, directed, shot the aerial footage and edited the video and commercials as well producing the VFX components. Today I continue to write, illustrate and paint, I also run a small publishing business helping people who wish to self publish. In addition I still do some film production work and provide VFX training to industry professionals around Australia and in New Zealand.

My interest in politics was born from witnessing my uncle, Eddie Britt, during the twenty-three years he served on Willoughby Council and the single term he served as a NSW state government MP.

If elected, I will do what I can to ensure that West Ward’s voice is heard when Council meets. I will advocate for the needs of a community that has been sadly neglected for the thirty years I’ve lived in this region.

Graham Davidson – Curriculum vitae

 Work History

Proprietor – Rack and Rune Publishing – Oct 2021 – Present

  • Book design, typesetting and publishing service for children’s books, anthologies, novels, art books, etc.
  • Consultancy
  • Illustration
  • Website design.
  • Ghost Writing

Life Drawing Instructor/Facilitator – The Sketchers’ Salon 2019 – 2022

  • Life drawing instructor and facilitator for weekly life drawing classes. Includes booking models and all aspects of running the classes including drawing tuition.

Freelance Creative Professional 2003 – Present

  • Cover design and Book Illustrations.
  • Typesetting & Book Design.
  • Publishing consultant.
  • Self-publishing workshops.
  • Children’s drawing workshops.
  • VFX effects and design software training for creative industry professionals (face to face and via Zoom).
  • Designing, storyboarding, directing, animating & editing television commercials & video productions for local and national clients.
  • Graphic design (logos, letterheads, etc.),
  • Website design, construction & maintenance. Online course creation. Creation of online Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Program for UoN.

Part Time Teacher – Hunter Institute of Technology 2001 – 04

  • 3D animation using Lightwave 3D – Hunter Street Campus.
  • Drawing skills – Hunter Street Campus.
  • 3D animation using After Effects – Newcastle Campus.

Proprietor – Bundara Productions 1997 – 2003

  • Designing, storyboarding, directing, animating & editing television commercials & video productions. Clients included: Australia Post, NIB, RSPCA, Commonwealth Bank, NSW Health, NSW Roads and Traffic Authority and the Environment Protection Agency.

Senior Commercial Director – NBN Television 1994 – 1997

  • Writing and directing local and national television commercial

Writer/Director – NBN Television Coffs Harbour 1992 – 1994

  • Writing and directing all local television commercials for the Coffs harbour market.
  • Writing and directing special projects for NBN’s Newcastle market.

Freelance 1991 – 1992

  • Animated short film for Australian Children’s Television Foundation – ‘Lost’.
  • Design and animation of television commercial for Baringa Private Hospital.
  • Catalogue and brochure design for small businesses based in Bellingen.

 Flying Colours Animation 1986 – 1991

  • Design and direction of animatics for market research purposes
  • Animation
  • Direction and supervision of all postproduction and effects work
  • Technical direction of live action shoots

Freelance 1985 – 1986

  • Animation layouts for Disney Television.
  • Training Film Graphics camera staff in operation of computer-controlled animation rostrum.
  • Operation of motion control camera for ZAP Productions including footage promoting the launch of Aussat.
  • Establishment of private life drawing group for animation industry professionals.

Film Graphics 1978 – 1985

  • Design and storyboarding
  • Animation and motion graphics for Sydney based and national commercials including: 2MMM launch, Chokito, Ashes Test Series and Bridgestone Tyres.
  • Design of some of Australia’s first computer animation for broadcast purposes.
  • Operation of computer-controlled animation rostrums for complex open-shutter work.

 Community Work

Co-Coordinator – Morisset Showground Markets 2021 – 2023

  • Assisting with the operation and marketing of Morisset Showground Markets.

Facilitator – Facilitating Writers Critiquing Groups 2019 – 2023

  • Facilitating writers critiquing group for Hunter Writers Centre.

Director – IF Maitland Indie Festival 2020 – 2023

  • Founder and director of independent writers and arts festival featuring keynote speakers, panels discussions, competitions, exhibitions and entertainment.

Sketch Attack – Maitland City Council 2019 – 2021

  • School holiday activity working with children in libraries and public parks to help them create pictures and encourage them to believe in their drawing skills.

Visual Busking – Maitland City Council 2019 – 2021

  • Community art activity carried out during festivals where bio-degradable clingwrap is wrapped around two posts to create a life-sized transparent canvas that a whimsical is then created on in front of the public.

Partner/Illustrator – Storytime Lane 2017 – 2023

  • Early childhood literacy initiative established in partnership with children’s author Emily S. Smith producing picture books, storytelling videos with Auslan signing and a website with downloadable STEM and literacy based activities.

Speaker/Panelist – Various Writers Festivals 2018 – Present

  • Festivals include: Byron Bay Writers Festival, Writing NSW Kids & YA Festival, Lake Mac Libraries ‘Write Here’ Festival, IF Maitland.

Coordinator – ‘Artgrind’ Art Auction 2001

  • Coordination of venue, marketing and entries for an auction held to raise funds for the Ron Hartree Art School. We raised over $13,000 which kept the art school open at a time when it was faced with closure.

 Published Works

 Piranha Mouse 2023

Illustrator

The Witches of the Crossworlds – Book 3 – Future History 2022

Author

The Boys Club 2021

Illustrator

The Story Hunters – Anthology – Vol 2 2021

Contributing Author

Plant-Based for Life – Cookbook – 2020

Photographer

The Story Hunters – Anthology – Vol 1 2020

Contributing Author

The Witches of the Crossworlds – Book 2 – Hunter 2018

Author

Life is Not Fair When You Are Just a Chair 2018

Illustrator

The Witches of the Crossworlds – Book 1 – Sellemae’s Wrath 2017

Author

Betty the Yeti’s Disappointing Day 2017

Illustrator

Rise of the Shadow People 2017

Author

Wish Upon a Southern Star – Anthology 2017

Contributing Author

 Awards & Art Prizes

Over 30 national and international advertising industry awards including Clio, Australian Writers and Art Directors, FACTS & ATV Awards. These included winning the ATV Awards ‘Regional Animation’ award several years in a row and the trophy for the 1999 ATV ‘Regional Commercial of the Year’

Highly Commended Seafarers Mission Art Prize 2024

“Siren of the Harbour” Acrylic on Canvas

Runner up Creative Kids Tales Illustration Competition 2018

“Rackus, Hero of the Universe” Digital

People’s Choice Maitland Art Prize 2005

“The Frog” Oil on canvas

Local Artist Maitland Art Prize 2004

“Mona Lisa’s Rodent” Oil on canvas

 Exhibitions

Highly Commended Seafarers Mission Art Prize 2024

“Siren of the Harbour” Acrylic on Canvas

Artists Who write 2021

Group exhibition Boltspace

Wag the tail 2020

Group exhibition Boltspace

Small Works 2020

Group exhibition Boltspace

Artastique/If Maitland 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2023

Group exhibition conducted in Maitland Streets

“Recent works” John Paynter Gallery 2004

Husband & wife show – Oil paintings

“Dreamscapes” John Paynter Gallery 2003

Husband & wife show – Oil paintings

“Double Visions” Back To Back Galleries 2003

Husband & wife show – Oil paintings

“Refuge” John Paynter Gallery 2002

Husband & wife show – Works on paper and canvas

“Art Grind” 2001

Group show & auction – Oil painting

“Artists For East Timor” The View Factory 2001

Group Show – Illustrations

“Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” 1992

Solo show – Bellinger River Gallery Bellingen – Illustrations

“Alice 125” Melbourne City Square 1990

Group Show – Illustrations

Graham Davidson played a major role in the production of the original Love the Lake video and television campaign having directed and edited all the footage, designing and carrying out the visual effects and shooting the chopper footage (the campaign was produced by KWCS for Lake Macquarie Council). Rosmairi was a member of the Lake Macquarie Tourism Board at the time and was also proud to have an association with the campaign when it launched at the Warner’s Bay Theatre.

One of the storytelling videos designed, directed and animated by Graham for his early childhood literacy initiative, Storytime Lane.