“Put your hands behind your back Nancy, that’s right.”
Christopher Ireland is photographing Nancy Parry in the bedroom of her upper-level apartment, decorated with her vibrant paintings.
“When I first met Nancy, I was struck by her beauty and her joie de vivre, and her artistic awareness. And clearly Nancy had reinvented herself here,” Mr Ireland says.
Mr Ireland has photographed Nancy over the past decade. She is among dozens of faces captured on camera, all residents of the Greenway social housing block in Sydney’s Milsons Point.
Christopher Ireland photographing Nancy Parry at home Credit: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
“What's so inspiring about Nancy is her willingness to engage fully with life. That is evident from the art that's around us, and it's also the way Nancy presents herself, the way she dresses,” Mr Ireland says.
Nancy, 87, is sitting at her dressing table, tilting her head and smiling into the lens, when SBS Small Business Secrets visits.
Her apartment is decorated with her vibrant paintings, from still life vases to portraits and street scenes.
“It is just color in my life, you know. There is no point in sitting here being miserable.”
Nancy's apartment is decorated with her artwork Credit: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
Initially, the Housing Commission rented to families and couples, mostly from English speaking backgrounds. Now more than 25 languages are spoken in its rambling hallways.
“There are sad stories, and happy stories. There is reinvention,” Mr Ireland says.
The Greenway social housing towers in Sydney Credit: Christopher Ireland
“And that resilience has taught me humility and gratitude.”
Like many who have made their home here, Nancy has survived hardship.
Growing up in Scotland as the only girl among nine children, Nancy lost her mother aged seven and later married young.
Nancy Parry as a child with her brothers in Scotland Credit: Supplied Nancy Parry
“I had no mother and I was really scared. I asked myself how I was going to manage?”
Later a cycle of abuse started that would impact every aspect of her life, while she was struggling to raise three young children in Scotland’s Glasgow.
“Before long, you know, the thumps started. At first, just a bump on the head to shut me up. But then it gradually got worse and then it stopped for a while. But then it started again.”
Fearing worse to come Nancy finally fled, and later her abuser took his own life.
“The police came and told me that he made such a mess of himself. There was a lot of self-hate there too. You know what I mean?”
As a 25-year-old with pre-school children to look after Nancy began taking work ‘cleaning and washing people’s clothes, anything to make money’.
She later remarried and when that ended in divorce, at the age of 48 Nancy followed her daughter to Australia to begin a new life.
She found a job in a local hotel and was able to secure a place at Greenway soon after.
Nancy Parry painting at home Credit: Christopher Ireland
In her 70’s Nancy took up painting and the walls of her flat are now covered with her artworks. Nancy is even penning her memoirs with a local writing group.
“When I've done these things, you know, I get a great feeling of achievement, you know. I've done this. Look at me, I'm smart!”
Looking through drafts of his soon to be published book, which will help to raise funds for the Greenway Wellness Centre, Christopher reflects on his passion project of the past decade.
Nancy Parry photographed by Christopher Ireland Credit: Christopher Ireland
“The body of work that I've captured here at Greenway is really a celebration of the diversity of life.
“People identify strongly as being part of the Greenway community. And in that way, Greenway sort of represents a rose in the garden of what social housing can be.
“What I aim to do is keep conversations going about social housing, that it's something we need to continue to foster.”
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