“Nature is a dictionary...to be consulted”— Delacroix

I have been creating art for as long as I can remember, originally inspired by my mother’s amazing figures she drew to help with school assignments, and my Uncle Stace’s clever cartoons he drew on his letters to our family. Fine Art creations were balanced with creating art on stage, singing, dancing and acting for a large proportion of my life. My mind and body thrived on imagination.

My first individual forays were in figure sculpture and black and white drawing, which kept me interested with my sketch pad for many years. While living in Sydney I found there was quite a market for ink sketches of heritage buildings but I didn’t find satisfaction until years later when I was encouraged to pick up a paint brush and dab it in a blob of oil paint. I received instruction in various methods of oil and acrylic painting, and while I seemed to have an eye for photo realism, my passion very quickly settled in palette knife work. Inspired strongly by the French Impressionists, I strive to capture life as it happens around us, with the changing effects of light and colour. I like to create an image that leaves room for interpretation by the viewer and helps transport them into the scene.

My work gravitates towards scenes of the built environment, particularly those beautiful old buildings that have so many stories to tell. Being a Francophile at heart, French scenes abound. Occasionally I am inspired by the stunning beauty in nature, enough to venture into a series of landscapes, but ancient walls, windows, alleys and doors will always capture my eye and imagination.

Being an animal lover with a particular love of small mice, there is a signature mouse in each of my paintings and I wear a small gold one around my neck. I love that the search for the mouse encourages young children to examine art.

Now that the children are grown, my husband and I fit in some travel for inspiration and material I can paint and regardless of the final destination, there is always time spent in France