Old Man and the Fever Tree

Follow

To paint animals truthfully and with life, you have to spend time with them, preferably in their natural habitats so you begin to know who they are - so I immersed myself in their world.

I grew up watching shows on George and Joy Adamson bringing up lions in Kenya, and always wanted to go there. I loved to spend time outdoors, and all this fuelled a passion for wildlife and nature. This led me to painting what I love, animals, and travelling to their natural habitats to see and study them. In Africa I volunteered for 7 different conservation organisations in 2 countries, including Na'ankuse in Namibia, and Makalali in South Africa.

I have always drawn and painted, but took it up seriously in 2000. Art school did not teach what I wanted to learn, so I found artists whose work I admired and studied with them - Regina Hona, Carmel Mahoney and Steve Powell. I wanted to express the life and truth of animals, and and am satisfied with a piece when it has the right feeling.

I kept painting and selling my work, but I also also wanted to dive deeper into zoology, inspired by the Africa trips....so in 2016 I graduated from La Trobe University with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in zoology with a genetics minor, and I worked at a zoo for 6 years.

My work has won many awards, and has been published in the book, 'Luminous Colour - Showcasing Australian Pastel Artists', by Linda Hibbs, and 'African Legend - White Lions and Leopards', by Michelle Stewart.