National Art School, Sydney

I can’t remember a time that I didn’t want to be an artist just like my Dad, as a matter of fact it runs in the family. I was lucky enough to be accepted into the National Art School in Sydney at 15, and spent the next 5 years learning and immersing myself in the art world.  When I finished, I moved with the family to the Gold Coast.  I had been exhibiting in Sydney and thought to do the same on the Coast, so I presented my work to a gallery , I had a devastating interview with the owner, who told me I had no talent and to find another career, I simply gave away my dreams.  After this I wondered from one unrewarding  job to another, I met my husband and had a wonderful son but there was something missing in my life, much later and with a great deal of support and encouragement I decided to venture into the art world again, this time being tougher, older and wiser and with added determination I began to work again.

Now – I’m a dedicated cloud watcher, addicted to buying art materials and am fascinated by watching paint dry.  I paint every day, you will find me in the studio most days from about 5am until it’s time for wine o’clock – about 5pm.

I’m determined to make up for that lost painting time, so I work hard every day and am quite prolific in my output. A friend once said to me “too many paintings, not enough time” – never truer words!

My watercolours are bright and happy and you can see how much I enjoy playing and experimenting with colour and paint while the oil pieces are more introspective and quite  personal, exploring fundamental truths about ourselves, our world and the relationship between the two. Humans are so very complex – so many different aspects make up our personalities, surely this should show in your artwork?

I know that most artists are recognised by one type of work but I refuse to be locked into a single way of representing my world. 

My favourite subjects to paint are clouds and trees and the bigger the better!  Large landscapes with wonderful dramatic clouds and strong horizon lines.  When I paint in oils I use many of the techniques of the Old Masters, the pieces are planned and take time to complete, the process is slower and needs to be painted in layers, a meditative process. I have recently been exploring  ‘solitary and quietness’ with oils using a single tree beneath a vast sky to express that feeling.  The work has moved into ‘The Road Series’ . These pieces are an emotional response to the Covid times and how this has altered our paths, we are all on a journey and each journey is individual, but I believe many are taking a different path to what was planned, our world has certainly changed. Lately I have been moving back to the serene and solitary as we return to a more structured way of life. My most recent work I have named “Above the Canopy” which are slightly abstract trees as they reach for the sky.

I enjoy experimenting with water media: inks and watercolours are my favourites, exploring and pushing the mediums. Mark making, drawing and abstract shapes become a large part of working this way, reacting to the scene with no fixed idea of the outcome. They don’t all work of course, but the process is so much fun!

If you are interested in any works available or have questions,  please get in touch – I am happy to send more information about my process and the inspiration behind the piece plus additional photos. Each artwork comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and I also offer free shipping Australia wide. 

I really enjoy commissions and would be delighted to work with you to create something that is perfect for your space and budget. So if you see something here that has been sold or is not quite the right size or colour – reach out and let’s discuss. Commissioning an artwork for a special individual gift is a great option too!

Over the years I have exhibited widely, including a number of solo exhibitions on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne. My artworks are held in private collections in England, Spain and America. In Australia  works can be found in Parliament House, Canberra; The Treasury, Canberra; Gold Coast Council Public Library and the Gold Coast Marine Rescue to name a few. Recently thanks to Art Lovers two of my pieces were shown in the Netflix movie True Spirit.

I am also represented by the following online galleries :