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Artist Statement

I grew up in Brisbane, in a close family with my siblings, parents and grandparents. It is here where I received my first art lesson. My grandmother painted, my father designed homes and my mother designed and made fashion garments. It was easy to see why the artistic influence immerged early. As a young child I would watch my grandmother paint the most inspiring and exquisite landscapes. Her bedroom always smelled of oil paint.

She did this until she was 83 years of age and near blind. My father would take over the dining table in the evening after dinner and carefully plot the design of a new home, painstakingly drawing up the plans with incredible detail and accuracy. My mother would use whatever space she could find to design and draw-up fashion garments, sewing beautiful pieces of fabric together and embellish it all with gorgeous buttons and colourful beads. Well it was the 70’s!

How could a child who was exposed to this sort of creativity not want to pursue it as well? I could not resist, it was already in my blood. My art career initially commenced when I attended Art College in 1976 but has since moved into fine art about fifteen years ago. It is always evolving and every canvas I place on my easel offers me the opportunity to continue my artistic journey. To put heart and soul into a painting is the desire of every artist.

When painting I like to draw on my own experiences - spiritual, emotional and physical. Each piece is created to reflect that experience whether it be the use of colour, texture, form, design or other intrinsic elements. Mostly I work in oils and acrylic but recently the introduction of fibre/textiles into my artwork has evoked memories of my childhood and seen me immerse myself in what seems to be ‘endless’ possibilities. So excited am I about these possibilities that I expect the coming years to reveal new works with strong imagery and design, rich in colour and texture yet maintaining whimsical and delicate overtones.

Biography

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My formal education in art commenced at age sixteen, when I studied commercial illustration at the Queensland College of Art. Now some thirty plus years later, my career encompasses work as a professional designer, educator, fine artist and gallery owner.

In January 1982 at twenty-one years of age, I opened Queensland’s first private graphic art college and a second facility on the Gold Coast in 1989. During these years I designed and implemented a series of Nationally Accredited art courses and provided a much needed service to the advertising industry. A move to America in 1997 meant the sale of my colleges which still continue to operate very successfully today under new ownership. 

Prior to relocating I began oil painting classes and immediately fell in love with the whole creative process. Arriving in California I promptly found a local community college so as to pursue my artistic journey. It quickly became an obsession and culminated in my first exhibition, which included twenty-seven paintings completed whilst residing in America.

In 2003 I opened my studio and gallery, Boardwalkart in Merimbula where I continue to exhibit, teach, paint and explore all manner of art. I find inspiration in all things and my work is best described as diverse and colourful. I continue to travel, explore other cultures and environments from which I draw inspiration for my work.

Achievements

•    Winner of a number of regional art awards
•    Prize winner and finalist in national landscape competitions
•    Featured artist in the Australian Artist magazine
•    Solo and joint exhibitions in California, Sydney and Melbourne
•    Assisted in the implementation of the Summer Art Program on Hamilton Island, as well as 
     exhibiting and providing art lessons to staff and tourists on the island
•    Assisted in establishing the art gallery at Covington’s Restaurant, Pambula
•    Conducted numerous creative workshops/art classes for individuals/groups
•    Guest speaker at business/social clubs and art societies

Exhibitions