In painting (and also poetry) I find the deepest expression for my creativity. The experience of capturing light and shadows on canvas is always a fresh and challenging one.
From an early age, I enjoyed fiddling with pencils and painting birds and scenery. During High School, one of my paintings was selected for the annual Perth Royal Show. Office work and being part of my husband's business meant there was little time for my creativity to flourish. When the opportunity eventually came, I found it difficult not to paint! The three month intensive training period undertaken in 1990/1 with an outstanding internationally renowned artist was extremely demanding but very worthwhile. It was a privilege to be one of the last pupils of his 50 year career.
I live by the Indian Ocean in Perth, Western Australia where I was born. The colours of the ocean here are a particularly vibrant turquoise and colours of the western sun sinking into the sea along the ‘Sunset Coast’ are brilliant, particularly in summer.
Glorious colours abound in our countryside with rich red earth tones, rolling yellow Canola or green farmlands (golden brown in summer), wide open spaces of the outback and goldfields and many delightful seascapes, rivers and gorges are within easy reach.
My feelings on the day dictate which medium I use. Oils are more demanding but their vibrant colours, depth and many textural effects that can be achieved appeal to me tremendously. Delicate, soft Pastels evoke a feeling of peace as I work the pigment onto the paper. Mixed Media can allow more textural interest to be included in my work.
For me, paintings need to be real. Not just because about 90% of people enjoy and/or buy this style but because it can’t be misunderstood. Unless an artist has described their thoughts whilst painting a non-realist scene, you’re only guessing. If an artist added a sentence to his work to explain what was on his mind at the time, you may be very surprised. For example, a rather menacing storm approached our coast which fascinated me. I painted loads of dramatic dark clouds and the comment from one viewer was ‘you must have been very angry at the time!’ Not necessarily - I happen to love watching and painting stormy skies because of the amazing colour, light variation and the powerful drama that unfolds!
Motivation for painting, apart from enjoying myself, comes from -
Awards
Major 1st Prize in Open Section - Town of Mosman Park Art Purchase
'Fremantle's Identity' (See Home Page).
A variety of 1st and 2nd Prizes have been received by me together with Peoples Popular Choice and Highly
Commended awards, eight in all during the years 1991-1994. I left the competition scene to concentrate on the
1995 exhibition.
Commissions
A series of paintings on Kirkby Hall, NorthYorkshire, UK
and other private commissions.
Galleries and Exhibitions
Accent Gallery
Old Church Gallery
Swan Cottage Homes Art Gallery
The Battle for Freedom, Australia Remembers, Perth
Irwin Barracks Blamey Oration, Karrakatta
HMAS Stirling Naval Base, Garden Island, WA
Australia Remembers invitation, Boulder
Returned & Services League invitation, Geraldton
Media & Public Appearances
'The Sunday Times'
6PR with presenter Graham Maybury, Perth
Australian Broadcasting Corporation regional radio Kalgoorlie and Geraldton
Poetry reading (A Digger's Voice & A Child's View) to several hundred women at the AWAS's Commemorative
Meeting 1995
Local Newspapers
Representation
Town of Mosman Collection
13th Brigade Army Headquarters and Officer's Mess, Irwin Barracks
2/16th Battalion Association, Irwin Barracks, Karrakatta
Army Museum, Fremantle
Returned & Services League of Australia (WA Branch) Perth
RSL War Veteran's Home, Mt. Lawley
Swan Cottage Homes Art Gallery Collection
Commander Fleet Base West, Garden Island
Various private collections
Publications
Book entitled 'Medics at War' - a history of 2/13th Field Ambulance (AIF) by Len McCarthy
Illustration for Front Cover together with diagrams of Brigade insignia
'The Listening Post' Returned & Services League of Australia (WA Branch)
Front Cover & Articles
'Have-a-Go-News' Supported by the Ministry of Sport and Recreation/ Seniors Recreation Council of WA (Inc)
Front Cover and Article
Local newspapers in metropolitan Perth and country centres of Kalgoorlie and Geraldton
Modified 20 March 2002