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My Background
My Inspiration
My Background
I grew up in South West Queensland Australia, and started seriously painting in my teens.
I studied under Mervin Moriarty and Roy Churcher through the Flying Arts School and later completed a Certificate in Fine Arts from the Armidale TAFE. Later in life I reconnected with Merv and Prue Acton and completed their colour workshops.
I wor
I grew up in South West Queensland Australia, and started seriously painting in my teens.
I studied under Mervin Moriarty and Roy Churcher through the Flying Arts School and later completed a Certificate in Fine Arts from the Armidale TAFE. Later in life I reconnected with Merv and Prue Acton and completed their colour workshops.
I worked as an illustrator on an alternative newspaper (Maggies Farm) for a number of years.
I also worked in the Expressive Arts Centre of the College of Advanced Education in Armidale. Here I gained knowledge and skills in painting, printmaking, ceramics and many other media.
At the College I was able to connect with a number of indigenous elders who taught me much about our indigenous culture. I later became friends with Burnum Burnum (activist, educator, politician) who taught me to connect with the essence of this land and the natural forces that I use in my art today.
I also worked as a set designer and painter for a number of productions at the Armidale CAE. This enabled me to work on very large set backdrops skilling me in producing very large works and powerful illusions and images.
I raised my two sons as a sole parent and this situation reduced my capacity to pursue my art career. The years rolled by but I always continued to paint and create no matter what.
I had a number of studio approaches (including from the Hunter-Taylor Gallery in Sydney) to review and exhibit my work in the 1980's but changes in my life circumstances prevented me from pursuing those opportunities at the time.
I frequented the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) where I was well known by the Director. This afforded me the opportunity to meet the tenacious and inspiring Margaret Olley during an exhibition of her work.
Some of my works are in private collections in many countries including
Japan, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, France, Russia, and China.
During my life I have been impacted by trauma and depression. However I have never stopped working as an artist and have used the depths of despair to fuel my work. I have used creativity to move out of the dark into the light. My art reflects this theme both visually and emotionally.
My Medium
My Inspiration
My Background
I use many different mediums, such as oil paint, fire, paper, expandable foam, inks and acrylics. I believe that working in a single medium is restrictive to my artistic process. Each idea manifests in its own individual style.
Much of my current work blurs the boundaries of painting and sculpture transitioning between the two in one work
I use many different mediums, such as oil paint, fire, paper, expandable foam, inks and acrylics. I believe that working in a single medium is restrictive to my artistic process. Each idea manifests in its own individual style.
Much of my current work blurs the boundaries of painting and sculpture transitioning between the two in one work.
An early innovation was to use fire as a force to manipulate colour and form. Using the images created, I photograph key sections and create independent photographic works. These images can then be projected on to human bodies and then the resulting image photographed. I am now working on turning these images into three dimensional sculptures.
My Inspiration
My Inspiration
My Inspiration
Out of the Dark into the Light
I studied with Merv Moriarty, founder of the Flying Art School. Merv's colour theory changed my perspective and his encouragement set me on a path of creativity.
Burnum Burnum (aboriginal elder, activist and educator) taught me how to see and feel this land and challenge new boundaries.
They both gave me the
Out of the Dark into the Light
I studied with Merv Moriarty, founder of the Flying Art School. Merv's colour theory changed my perspective and his encouragement set me on a path of creativity.
Burnum Burnum (aboriginal elder, activist and educator) taught me how to see and feel this land and challenge new boundaries.
They both gave me the will and tools to come out of the Dark into the Light.