Leadlight artisan Robyn Williams made a living from her passion until the Badja Forest Road fire destroyed her Tinpot property, including her workshop, most of her equipment and all the large glass sheets she had painstakingly restored.
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Fortunately, as a practicing visual artist and art therapist, Ms Williams had other strings to her bow.
Since the Black Summer bushfires, she has practiced art therapy through the NDIS and at the mental health unit of Bega Hospital, as well as taught children art design and principles, albeit COVID restrictions often disrupted her group programs.
In 2022 she was "privileged" to be a gallery attendant at Bundanon, just west of Nowra.
The former home of artist Arthur Boyd has become a state-of-the-art facility designed to withstand floods and fires.
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Reviving a tradition
Ms Williams is very appreciative of being one of four small businesses operating from Cobargo's new Business Innovation Hub and able to resume her glass creations.
All four business owners lost almost everything - home, business or both - in the bushfires.
Ms Williams originally trained as a textile designer and was particularly drawn to design and colour.
While travelling through England and Europe she marvelled at how the two elements combined in the "magnificent" glassworks she saw.
"The colour in glass is so pure and intense.
"You can understand why they used it to lift people's spirits."
On her return, she studied leadlight at Paddy Robinson's Studios in Rozelle, learning techniques including copper foil and glass slumping.
When she moved from Sydney to Tinpot in 1986 she built a studio on her property in the bush and for a while taught leadlighting at Bega TAFE.
She regularly exhibited her work at the Cobargo Working Village, Bega Art on the Street and the annual Bush Artists Exhibition held for the Tinpot Fire Brigade.
Reviving her passion
In the immediate aftermath of the fire, Ms Williams took a break from her art to help her partner Jamie and daughter Rosie to clean up their property at Tinpot.
During that time, she took hundreds of photographs recording the subtle changes occurring.
"I started drawing and collecting samples of plants reemerging and observing birds reappearing.
"Anything positive to lift the spirits. One day I hope to exhibit some of this materials."
After the three-year disruption from bushfires and interspersed with artistic endeavours including decorating Cobargo's power poles, Ms Williams is back leadlighting, encouraged by several enquiries, including a builder.
She said her business Leadlight Revival is reviving an old artisan skill.
"Young people are blown away when they see me cutting glass."
Ms Williams said the business is also reviving her passion.
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