About Paul Brendan County
I am a photographer, historian, writer, publisher and educator.
I completed a Diploma of Visual Art, a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Teaching degrees in the 1990s and then went on to teach Visual Art (photography) in Tasmanian Colleges. I have formal hospitality training and experience and am interested in community art collaborations which involve telling a community’s story in a collaborative and insightful way.
I am a proud fifth generation Tasmanian with many colourful ancestors. Barney Hill, an Irish violin performer, was sentenced to Van Diemen’s Land for 14 years for highway robbery, arriving in 1818 on the second convict ship Minerva.
Thomas County, an Irish surveyor in the English navy arrived in 1870 after serving on ten ships including the Beagle. Thomas was employed in the public service and became close friends with Tasmanian Premier Fysh (1877-88).
With a passion for history, photography and education you may sometimes find me conduction tours around the Port Arthur world heritage site.
I am a portrait specialist and you will find many of my portraits in my publications.
I am especially fascinated by the hospitality industry which I think marries fashion, art, theatre and industry.
Receiving kudos in the photographic portraiture genre is an accomplishment I am proud of. Many of my portraits have been included in prestigious photography exhibitions including the Olive Cotton Portraiture Prize, The Hutchins National Art Prize and the Josephine Ulrick Portrait Award. A highlight was when I was selected as one of six of the most promising young Australian photographers for my chef portraits, in the Head-on photography exhibition at The Australian Centre of Photography in 2007. I am grateful that many of my publications are number one best-sellers and have received awards.
Achievements & Milestones
1997 Founded The Culinary Historians of Tasmania.
2001 First exhibition The Raw and The Cooked, which profiled the pioneers of Tasmania’s hospitality industry, was exhibited at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. It is the first exhibition in Australia to professionally document this colourful industry.
2001 Paul’s chef’s portraits were included in the Photo-Technica award which recognised him as one of 12 new Australian photo artists of the year.
2004 Received grants from Tasmanian Councils, Arts Tasmania and the Australia Council For The Arts.
Founded Tas Food Books and Honeywood publishing.
2004 Before We Eat publication was shortlisted for the Tasmanian Book prize.
2009 & 2014 Tasmania’s Table was Tasmania’s first full colour A4 size book which profiled Tasmania’s produce, food producers and chefs. (#1 best-seller)
2010 Published Picnics In Paradise, Tasmania’s first regional food guide.
2011 The House of Oysters was Australia’s first concise Australian oyster book and Winner of ‘Best Seafood Cookbook in Australia’ in the Gourmand International book prize.
2011 Wild Water & Woodsmoke - Tassal salmon cookbook.
2012 Edward Abbott’s English and Australian Cookery Book and Companion was the only food book to be featured on MasterChef Australia.
2013 Island Harvest was Tasmania’s first seasonal cookbook. (#1 best-seller)
2013 Series of chef portraits commissioned for permanent exhibition at Drysdale Institute of TAFE.
2013 Old Sea Dogs of Tasmania was Tasmania’s first seafarers publication..(#1 best-seller)
2014 Founded Tasmanian Good Food Guide on Facebook.
2016 Discovering Hobart published - Tasmania’s first street by street guide to Hobart’s historic buildings. (#1 best-seller)
2017 Published Tasmanian Whisky : the devil’s share, Tasmania’s first whisky book. (#1 best-seller)
2018 Published A Table In The Valley with food writer Elaine Reeves and Chef Steve Cumper. (Huon Valley #1 best-seller)
2019 Founded Culinaria Tasmania – an ongoing Tasmanian culinary exhibition with other Tasmanian food writers and culinary historians.
Edward Abbott’s English and Australian Cookery Book box set
Current work
The idea for the Discovering SoHo portraits came from many casual conversations with locals where I live in South Hobart.
A COMMUNITY EXHIBITION
Discovering SoHo is a community driven art project in partnership with the South Hobart Progress Association(SHPA), the South Hobart Sustainable Community, the Collegiate school, the Hobart City Council and other sponsors.
THE NOMINATION PROCESS
SoHo community members were invited through the SHPA newsletter to nominate participants addressing nine criteria. Over 200 nominations were received.
THE SELECTION COMMITTEE
A selection committee was formed and 30 participants were selected then invited to participate.
THE DISCOVERING SOHO ART TRAIL EXHIBITION
The portraits and stories will form an Art Trail exhibition throughout SoHo’s cafes in 2025.
The portraits reflect on the stories and include SoHo locations, creating another level of meaning to the work.
THE DISCOVERING SOHO VIRTUAL GALLERY
The exhibition of portraits and stories will also be exhibited through an online Virtual Gallery Tour which can be viewed from any online device.
THE COLLEGIATE SCHOOL RESIDENCY
In 2025 I plan to participate in an artist in residency at the Collegiate school with year 11 and 12 art students.
I am producing a journal of ideas for each portrait which I will work through with the students so they can learn about the creative process of planning and taking photographic portraits. I am designing an education pack which will be a resource for all Australian schools who can visit the exhibition in-situ or through the online Virtual Gallery.
TAKING DISCOVERING SOHO AUSTRALIA -WIDE
Another goal is to promote the Discovering SoHo Virtual Gallery Tour to educators Australia-wide. Assignment sheets connected to the national curriculum will be provided.
Teachers can set assignments and students can view the artworks at the online Virtual Gallery Tour.
THE DISCOVERING ‘OUR TOWN’ PROJECT.
I will be producing series of podcasts which will guide teachers to producing their own Discovering ‘Our Town’ exhibition and Virtual Gallery Tour.
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Current work - DISCOVERING SoHo
The idea for the Discovering SoHo portraits came from many casual conversations with locals where I live in South Hobart.
‘I want to explore the idea of what is a photographic portrait and I feel this project will significantly challenge and push my creativity’.
Paul County 2024
THE STYLE OF IMAGES
The Discovering SoHo portraits’ style reflect on the Surrealist art movement which sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind through the irrational juxtaposition of images through distorted and exhadurated compositions.
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SOHO PARTICIPANTS : SAMPLE STORIES
Chris Ludford has lived on the SoHo rivulet for 50 years. She organised a group to clean up the rivulet and saw the platypus return.
Deborah Wace is an artist who specialises in promoting native fauna through her amazing prints and fabric design.
Noel Williams is a 92 year old who grew up in SoHo in tough times. His story of resilience show that we can share resources and make do with less.
At 88 Shelah Quirk is an advocate for exercise and volunteering. She volunteers several days a week at her nursing home kiosk and enjoys weekly nature walks on the rivulet.
Andre and Jessica Monkhorst purchased an 1888 Arts and Craft-era house that needed lots of love and restoration. Their story is about the challenges they’ll face in restoring this beautiful residence to preserve its history.
Neville and Lynn Rodman are local iconic service station operators. For 40 years they’ve offered friendly and real service which builds relationships.
Jesse Chapman has worked at the tip shop resource centre for 15 years and is a significant part of their 30 year recycling success story.
Sulyn Lam is a market gardener and educator who generously shares her love of nutritious food production.
The Greek brothers lived above their parents’ corner store and now run the supermarket. They know most of their customers by name.
Kate Caire operates SoHo Wholefoods. Kate plans to offer delicious recipes to locals using bulk produce which is nutritionally superior and cheaper.
Ben Clark manages The SoHo Sustainable Community, an organisation which operates the community garden and also the annual Resilience Fair which educates the public about making do and living a more sustainable life.
Book publishing
I published my first book Before We Eat – a delicious slice of Tasmania’s culinary life in 2004 for Tasmania’s bicentenary. I have gone on to publish 17 Tasmanian food and history publications. All of my publications include my photography and have an educational and historical focus. All of these publishing experiences show that I have considerable and successful experiences working and collaborating with industry and community organisations and fundraising and project management to a deadline.
In 2017 with support from the Tasmanian distilling industry I published a Tasmanian Whisky - The Devil’s Share which profiled the history of Tasmanian distilling industry along with profiles and insights from the distilling community.
In 2018 with support from The Huon Valley Council I published A Table In The Valley – a food book which profiles the Huon Valleys’ community of small food producers. I am very interested in promoting the movement back to growing and sharing local produce which is nutritionally superior. I feel growing and sharing local produce also builds community and connects people to nature and the seasons. Since 2018 I have produced feature stories for the Huon Valley Council which include my writing and photography.
Image courtesy Nick Osborne from the book Tasmania’s Table 2.
