As I open a door into a pastel-coloured studio, I’m greeted by the tea-cup sized Nirrimi Hakanson; a 26-year-old Perth photographer and writer helping other creatives follow their passion. Hakanson quickly flutters around the studio preparing for a photo-shoot with her intern Georgina and organizes her already organized workspace for the interview. She sits down, straightens her flowery red dress, and tells me about her life. 

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At just the tender age of fifteen, Hakanson decided to leave school and her turbulent childhood in Townsville to travel to big cities and pursue her first love: photography. As I sit with her asking about her adolescence, she hugs her knees to her chest and plays with her purple hair, recollecting fond memories from her youth and the origins of her career. “I remember borrowing my mum’s little point and shoot camera when I was thirteen and taking some portraits of my little sister in my backyard. At the time I’d always created in different mediums but there was something about shooting,” she said, with a smile.

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By eighteen, Hakanson won the photography category at the prestigious Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards (SOYA) and was shooting high profile international campaigns for clients such as Billabong and Diesel, accumulating a huge following. Her photography later turned into a personal blog, where she shared personal stories of her adventures and struggles to adoring fans. Katie Bennett, a long-time follower and writer herself, said Hakanson’s writing “touches the soul and warms her readers the way a good cup of tea does".  “I've never read anyone so vulnerable. She shares so wholeheartedly with her audience and has dedicated herself to her creativity for such a long time,” she said. 

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At just nineteen, Hakanson became a devoted mother to the lovely little Alba and started settling down to one city at a time, most recently, in Fremantle. “Navigating all these adult situations which I’d never encountered before...even going grocery shopping!” Hakanson said with a laugh, “I didn’t know how to do this on my own! It was challenging, but I had the energy for new situations and I was just so motivated to chase my dreams. So I took it all in my stride.” 

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Since settling into Fremantle, Hakanson’s influence has reflected amongst her artistic peers in the studio. Leah Vlatko, a fellow creative and friend of Hakanson, was introduced by Hakanson to Stackwood and encouraged her to join when a spot was available. Snipping at woollen pompoms with a huge grin across her face, she spoke highly of Hakanson’s character; “I really look up to her as an artist, as a human and as a creative,” she said. “I feel like part of the benefit of working in a coworking space is the amazing people I work with in the studio, particularly Nirrimi, who are so far ahead of me in their creative process. It’s really amazing to learn from them.”

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The sense of admiration from Hakanson’s friends flourishes in the studio, with her intern Georgina Cramond describing her as “a whirlwind of good energy” who is “never afraid to be vulnerable or shy away from hard truths”; a true reflection of her online work. Hakanson is notorious for being incredibly open and honest in her writings, often speaking of her anxiety, relationships, being a young mother and her cherished brother Zake, who tragically passed away in 2016 at 21 just years old after battling his own mental health problems. “It helps me process them, but by sharing them I can also help people feel less alone which can be profoundly important,” Hakanson said. “I guess it’s a lot of self-growth. Having a lot of trauma and anxiety, I’m just constantly trying to grow as a person. To find a way to be happy in my daily life, to find purpose and keep creating; I want to make a difference in everyone’s lives.”

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Hakanson’s impact online has invited thousands of followers to write about their own personal experiences and battles in relation to hers. Her social media is full of support, praise and individual stories, much like a safe space for those who wish to share. As we discuss Hakanson’s future plans of writing a novel, proceeding with her creative work and overall dream-chasing, she reflects the impact she wants to leave in the world:

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“For me, the payoff is there and I feel like I’m doing something good with my art, and I’m making people think in different ways. It just feels worth it.”