I have loved painting from an early age, but got really enthused when our High School acquired a new young male teacher to replace our retiring teacher. This had nothing to do with the fact that I had a crush on him (easy to laugh about all these years later)! He really encouraged us to see things differently, whether it was through drawing, silk screen painting, abstract painting, or simply painting in general.
My dad was in the Observer Corps (Scotland) and always brought me paper and pencils back from one of his trips. I couldn't wait to sit down and draw. I painted on and off (mostly in oils) when my children were growing up. One day I was browsing in the newsagent and came across a folk art and decorative painting magazine, and I knew that I wanted to give it a go. I looked up the teacher listings to find a teacher in my area and signed up. That was the start of a happy painting journey. When David Jansen came to Australia to introduce the Heritage System, I was thrilled with the education and support behind the Heritage name, I have grown both as an artist and as a teacher through this program.
I am a member of the Society of Decorative Painters (SDP), and have been active on the Committee of the Society of Folk and Decorative Artists of Victoria Inc. (SFDAV) for the past five years.
I teach out of my home studio, as well as a local community center, and I also travel teach from time to time. I have taught in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and at the SDP National Conference in Florida. I have met many wonderful people through my teaching and travels, all of whom love to paint in some form or other. My regular students keep me on my toes, always asking challenging and thought provoking questions, and as such, they are a great source of ongoing inspiration for me!
Last Updated (Monday, 06 September 2010 20:29)