Heavily influenced by the Abstract Expressionists in my formative years, my work is always multi layered both with material and meaning. An art work is conceived initially from what I wish to explore, either the material, the process of making or the narrative - what is the story I wish to tell AND what is the best way to convey that.

 

There follows a period of time ruminating, researching, sketching and gathering materials. I would describe this as the controlled part of the process where the analytical side of my brain and experience comes into play. Then the art making begins in earnest, where I allow the work to evolve in the direction it wants to go, allowing freedom, spontaneity and chance to play a role. As any artist knows, when you can get into this flow state that is where the magic happens, the work evolves in ways you could never have predicted.

 

Coming from a family where a university education was expected, the only thing I knew I really wanted to do was to become an artist. Graduating from the University of Tasmania in 1992 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in painting, I quickly discovered that as a career, art making, might be difficult financially to sustain!

 

There followed a career in the FMCG sector working as a process improvement analyst combined with raising a family and moving countries which has meant that it has only been the last ten years that I have been able to really define and explore my art practice.

 

What a full few years it has been, founding and running a successful art gallery, nurturing networks and connections within the arts community and developing in response to that various artist programs and projects.

 

Being an artist can be quite isolating when you are just working in studio and what I have realised is that it is so fulfilling and rewarding working collaboratively with other artists and the community as a whole which strengthens my art practive overall. Now based in Ohakune in central NZ since December 2024, I'm working hard to foster those same connections up here.