I’ve been a practising artist since 1993, though my journey has taken a few twists along the way. My ‘gap year’ from the UK to Sydney in 1994 turned into a permanent move, and I quickly fell in love with Australia’s incredible plants, wildlife and wide open landscapes. Spending quiet time in nature with my watercolours is where I feel most grounded; it’s good for my wellbeing, and it’s where many of my ideas begin.
My background in surface pattern design, painting, printmaking and graphic design continues to influence how I work today. I’ve always been drawn to the elegance and immediacy of Chinese and Japanese art — Sumi-e ink painting, calligraphy, and the rhythmic motifs of Ukiyo-e prints. These traditions are a starting point for me, something I reinterpret into my own contemporary style.
In 2015 I returned to full-time painting after a decade-long pause, and since then I’ve been a finalist in national awards including the Calleen Art Award, Greenway Art Prize, Lethbridge, Bluethumb Art Prize and the National Contemporary Watercolour Prize. My artwork has also been licensed onto homewares and gift ranges across Australia, and I exhibit regularly in solo and group shows. I feel incredibly grateful to do what I love every day, and I hope my paintings bring you as much pleasure as I find in creating them.