My mother's hands
By Lisa Jayne Cramer
Artist Bio
Lisa Jayne Cramer (b. 1964) is an Australian photographer based in Melbourne, Victoria, whose work deeply explores the human experience, capturing themes of life, aging, loss, grief, and joy. Her photographs depict the complex layers of the human condition, reflecting our collective "bodies of sorrows" and "bodies of joy." Growing up in a predominantly male family, Lisa draws on her personal roles as daughter, sister, aunt, and wife to delve into ideas of family, home, and their shaping influence on identity.
 
 Her work is narrative-driven, often cryptic but layered with intentional depth, crafting an intense emotional atmosphere. Through her lens, Lisa examines what home and motherhood mean from both an observer’s perspective and a personal, autobiographical standpoint. She aims to challenge her audience, evoking a slight discomfort that encourages viewers to confront unexamined losses and desires that linger just beneath everyday awareness.
Artist Statement / Description of artwork
It is increasingly difficult to capture my mother on film lately, and I feel life is going by so quickly. My love for her glows warmer in the glory of winter light, sensing her departure is near. We live together now in a house built long ago. Cluttered and utterly beautiful, I imagine this house without her and feel a lamenting, lilting sway of sadness.