Colours, light and the essence of a scene or setting are what spark me. Exploring shapes and abstracting them with expressive mark making, layering and scraping away the paint, all the time aiming to create a feeling of harmony and a calming “stillness” in the finished piece. I love the possibilities of charcoal and oils and being absorbed in the creative process.
I studied Fine Art and the History of Art as part of a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Natal, South Africa.
(1983-86), Graphic Design at the Berkshire College of Art & Design (1990-92). I worked as a graphic designer at OUP and continued as a freelance designer in Oxford whilst raising a family. During this time I returned to painting more seriously attending numerous courses and workshops in and around Oxford at Brookes University, Royal Academy of Art, School of Painting in St Ives, and the international Art2Life Creative Visionary Programme. I explored various techniques and processes whilst developing my own style. In 2016 I was accepted on the Intensive Porthmeor Programme at the School of Painting in St Ives and have exhibited with various galleries over the years, including being selected for juried exhibitions including the Art2Life International Exhibition, Oxford Art Society, the Royal Society of Marine Artists, and the New English Art Club in London.
I am a member of the Oxford Art Society (acted as the OAS Exhibitions Coordinator for 6 years) and have exhibited widely around Oxfordshire, Cornwall and London.
