The moments of realisation usually dawn for me in the calm of early morning. I often marvel at the fact I’ve been married for half of my life now, although it’s easy to take life for granted, living as I do in a beautiful home with an amazing husband and an incredible son. And then my day begins... The first job is always to feed the chickens, and after that it’s anyone’s guess what goes on in this house! It’s unpredictable, intense, creative, fun. Raph can be shooting in one corner, painting in another, food being cooked in the kitchen, music being played and already there will be paint everywhere. Meanwhile, I will be bathing Nina (my silky chicken) and giving her a blow dry... all before I leave for tennis at 8am! Anyone who knows Raph and me will know that there is much more order than the veneer of chaos would have you believe. There is a definite method to his madness and he always has a plan, even if it’s just apparent to him and no one else. He works relentlessly, and is the most driven person I have ever met. It’s why I fell in love with him, it’s what makes him such a supportive husband and father and it’s why I’m still here (haha!). The early years of our relationship were filled with collaborations between the two of us. I was a hair stylist, make up artist, dark room technician, personal assistant, wife, best friend and mother. You know the old saying ”behind every great man...” We have always had shared dreams and goals, and I think our constant striving to achieve all that we can and be the best that we can be has kept us as strong as we are as a couple and as parents. My husband (and this is what I love most about him) is a great motivator and constantly inspires me as an athlete, artist, photographer and as a person. With Raph, it’s always more, new, better! He is constantly searching, and I can humbly say that I have been a part of pushing and encouraging him, and vice versa. We always have and always will challenge each other, and that is why I know we will be ever changing, ever happy and never bored! As for his art? It speaks for itself. As for our cleaning bill, well, that’s another story...! His process always starts with a personal journey and an exploration of new territories. We have both travelled
extensively for work over the years, but when the travel is in pursuit of art it always feels more personal. For example, The American Tour. As a Canadian, I always dreamed of this cross country trip across the states, and I was extremely excited for him to do it. He did say that he was only going 4000 miles, but ended up zigzagging across the country and clocked up 14,000 miles in total! From the collection that came from his trip, my absolute favourite image is Girl On Street. I don’t know why, there is just something about the mood of the piece, it feels mysterious. In many ways Raph is my hero, and in many ways he has been that for others through his creativity, love and generosity, all of which he has in abundance. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all wine and roses (but that’s another book). - Lisa Mazzucco
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