Behind the shearing today, I saw a lovely thing: I saw a friendship emerging between Maria and me and our shearer, Liz Willis, who we both admire.

Watching Liz and Maria work so closely together, I saw a connection that has been building for more than a year, and which deepened today, as Liz visited with us for more than four hours.

As you know, I am drawn to strong women, photographing them, understanding them.  I truly think they are changing the world.

That has undoubtedly driven much of my photography.

I feel close to Liz, but I think there is a dynamic between these two women that has something to do with being women, and something else. They are both honest, reliable, and motivated, resolute.

They don’t just talk about doing things; they do things. They are working-class women who have grown up in working families, where everyone has worked hard and lives modestly.

They are fiercely independent in a world still dominated by men.

They are both creative, full of energy and ambition and ideas.

They support one another, talk openly and honestly with each other. They get one another, and each sees something of the self in the other.

I have always been in awe of the idea of friendship, perhaps because it was such a difficult subject for me.

Such friendships have alluded me all of my life: the reasons mostly have to do with my bouts of insanity.

You know, my craziness.

It is only fitting that this friendship – I could see it so clearly while they both were working together, Liz shearing the sheep, Maria, bagging and collecting the wool – would develop around sheep, wool, yarn, independence, and fulfillment.

A friendship born in the art of shearing and wool-gathering and animals, it seems fitting.

Those are the things that bind them.

The two were in complete sync with one another, it was almost a ballet, pausing in between sheep to talk and listen to one another. They have already made plans to see one another in the coming weeks and to be in touch.

There is something in each that the other admires.

They have a lot to talk about it. Liz is my friend also, but it is different between these two. I see it in my photographs, you can see it in my videos.

Despite my documented struggles with friends, the idea of friendship is fundamental to me. Friendships are sacred, even when they don’t always work. It was exciting for me to see this one blossom and develop.