My artistic journey commenced when I was a child helping my busy mum make most of the clothes for our large family. I have always dabbled in the fabric arts including teaching patchwork quilting for 10 years in Sydney and Brisbane.

After a few years of health issues, my life took a new direction and in 2004 and I enrolled in a course called "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" at the Relaxation Centre in Brisbane. At the end of the course, I was astonished to realise that I could actually draw and continued to do so for some months until I undertook a pastel painting course in Wynnum. At my first student art exhibition, I was awarded "Best in Show" for my still life painting "Anyone for Dressing" as judged by a member of the prominent Faber Castell Family. The prize was my very first easel.

When I married my husband, Stephen in 2007, we moved to Childers where I became a member of the Childers Visual Arts Group. With the encouragement and support of this dynamic group, I started experimenting with oils and acrylics.

I undertook an oil painting course with Max Wilks at the McGregor Summer School in Toowoomba in 2011. Apart from these pastel and oil courses, I am largely self taught and like to think that I have developed my own style which is somewhere between realism and impressionism. When using oils and acrylics, I use a very limited pallet which includes 2 variations of each of the primary colours, white, raw and burnt umber and black. Not only does this mean that I have a studio that isn't overflowing with tubes of paint; it also means that I must create any colour I need, thus enhancing my ability to "see" the colours in any prospective artwork.

I have entered numerous art competitions in my region and have been the proud recipient of nearly 20 awards in these exhibitions.

My paintings can be found in private and public collections throughout Australia and overseas. I like to paint a diversity of subjects, but have a special affinity with Australian Wildlife and the local landscapes and seascapes of the amazing Wide Bay Region.

I enjoy commissions and have had a number of very satisfied customers with subject matter ranging from Architectural to Landscapes to Birds and Pet portraits.

Private Exhibitions

“Little Darlings” – September 2024 – Crows Nest Gallery, one of the galleries of the Toowoomba Regional Art Galleries.

“Meeting History in Miniature” – February 2024 – Maryborough Art Society

“Miniaturised Maryborough” – May 2023 – Gatakers Arts Space, Maryborough

“Meeting History in Miniature” – July 2022 – Childers Arts Space (CHARTS), one of the Bundaberg Regional Art Galleries (BRAG)

“Memories in Miniature” – November 2022 – Wondai Regional Art Gallery

“Memories in Miniature” – February 2021 – Old Courthouse Gallery, Gin Gin

“Memories in Miniature” – October, 2020 – Gatakers Arts Space, Maryborough

“Natural Selection”- Nov 2015 – Jan 2016 – Gatakers Arts Space, Maryborough

“Home is where the Heart Is” – Jan – March 2015 – at Gayndah Art Gallery

“Home is where the Heart Is” – Nov 2013 – at Crows Nest Community Arts and Crafts

“Paint and Pastel” - April 2010 –– with Pat (Ginger) Deller-Smith at the Old Courthouse Gallery, Gin Gin.

Group Exhibitions

2010 - 2025 Exhibitions with the Childers Arts Council Visual Arts Group

“A Retrospective” – Childers Visual Arts Group, “My Backyard”, “Myths and Legends of the Australian Bush”, “Bush Legends”, “Hallowed Ground”, “Rural Interiors”, “Focus on the F Word”, “Rust”, “Aussie Icons”, “Favourites” “State of Ageing”, “Anything But Ordinary”, “Wonder Weather”, “Unsupported”, "Focusing on the F Word"

2010 – 2026 Combined Exhibitions the Bundaberg District Art Groups

2023 – “HERE + now”, 2019 – “HERE + now”, “Art and Architecture”, “Black and White”, “Collaboration”, “Cracked”, “Showtime” and “Links” 

2007 – Annual Pastel Society exhibition at the Graydon Gallery at New Farm. 

Gallery Gift Shops

Some of my smaller works are available for sale at the following gallery gift shops

• Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery (BRAG)
• Childers Arts Space (CHARTS)

Art Memberships

Childers Arts Council - Visual Arts Group

Pastel Society of Australia Inc. 

Australian Miniature Art Society

Publications

2023 – “HERE+now” – A catalogue of the artworks selected by Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery for the “HERE+now” exhibition at Childers Arts Space (CHARTS)

2022 - Small Wonders – A delightful publication of postage stamp sized artworks published by the National Trust of Victoria for which I produced 5 very tiny artworks.

2018 – The Percivals – a 200 page book featuring all the artworks in the 2018 Percival Portrait Painting Prize.

2011 – Artist’s Palette Magazine – A 5 page insight article about my work and a 3 page demonstration of my pastel technique.