Can you tell us a little about your art- how would you describe your style?
My work is in the figurative abstract style; which means you can loosely identify the forms in my work, such as sea life in an underwater scene or botanical motifs in a forest, however it challenges you to see those things differently, with more emotion and imagination.
Thematically your work often explores the natural world. What is it about the natural world that inspires you?
My work is mainly concerned with capturing the imperfect, particularly in groupings or clusters. My latest pieces explore the life cycle of a lotus pond. The lotus usually conjures an image of a perfect, symmetrical flower, like the tattoo design. In reality, there are delicately dying flowers underwater and a chaotic struggle of wonky stemmed pods straining for the sun. I celebrate all these moments in my paintings.
When did you first start painting?
I was always drawing, as a child, though it wasn’t until I was about 8 years old that I began painting. Being a free range kid climbing around the sandstone bushland of Kenthurst, I was a horrible child to take shopping, so Mum just dropped me off to her friend’s art class instead. I still remember the awe of being taught to paint a proper sunset over the mountains using watercolours. There was a group of local artists who reserved one room in their house for painting, including the walls, which were a riot of colour. I had to be careful not to paint over someones magic puddings or abstract beasts.
Talk us through your creative process.
My creative process starts outdoors, something grabs my attention and I fixate on it, sketch it, photograph parts of the shape or lines that sing to me, then translate that into large scale canvases in the studio. In the late 90s I was renting an old weatherboard in Deakin, Canberra, and scattered a crazy amount of poppy seeds all over the bare back yard where the previous tenants had several dogs. To my exultation the poppies bloomed, so I began to paint them. That was the start of the poppies series that I often revisit.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you? [Or is there no such thing?]
A typical day starts with a walk along the cliffs, beach or bushland. I’ll often take a dip in the ocean or meet a friend for a boogie board session, then rinse off and head into the studio, which is in the garden behind my house, at Surf Beach.
One of my two rescue cats, Lexie, jumps on my desk while I paint at the nearby easel, lazily watching the birds in the feeder outside the window. I’ll listen to jazz or something with an indie feel, to get going. Once I’m in the zone I switch to an Audible book or podcast while adding layers of paint.
If I have boxing (paintings that have sold online) I’ll do them on the same day, to keep everything clean and paint free for wrapping. The courier comes straight to my door which is awesome.
After lunch I get some admin done at my desk inside the house, then head back out to paint after my kids have arrived home from school and had a chat. Often I’ll head back out for an early evening beach walk to watch the light change and the egrets fly off to bed. It’s such a magical time of the day.
Do you have a favourite piece/project you’ve created, and what’s the story behind it?
My favourite piece is a large lotus painting I’m working on right now. It’s mixed media, with paper cutouts, paint and metallic leaf. The lotus cutouts represent the cookie cutter perfection that society places on a pedestal, enhanced by much of social media, where it’s so easy to bin the imperfect stuff and leave only the polished, and the beautiful. I paint the cutouts then position them at odd angles totally against the way my brain says they ‘should’ look to be. So I’m going against everything they taught me about composition at art school!
Who are your biggest creative influences?
My biggest creative influences are figurative abstract artists who use repetition of form and expressive, angled lines, such as Fred Williams, Ian Fairweather, Tony Tuckson, Margaret Woodwood, Jackson Pollock. There are elements of French artist Sonia Delaunay in the curves of my lotus pod stems and colour placement. I enjoy the sweeping lines of Monet’s impressionist works, and the composition of Japanese and Chinese scroll paintings that cleverly lead the eye.
What role does the local landscape or community play in your art? Curious if the Eurobodalla has been an influence. Our incredibly varied landscape and natural beauty.
Moving to the Eurobodalla in 2011 after living in rural Sutton then Queanbeyan, certainly gave my work new scope, particularly the ever changing ocean and coastal bushland. My underwater seaweed series began when I lived in Dalmeny, near Narooma. I’d take huge canvases to the beach to paint the seaweed, rocks and schools of fish. That lead to exploring the Cyanotype art process which is a regular part of my practice today.
What’s been the most surprising or rewarding moment in your art journey so far?
I’d say the most rewarding thing in my career so far has been the opportunity to meet so many fascinating people. Artists, art administrators and art collectors I’ve talked with and maintained relationships with over the years, they are invaluable. Conversations with a collector in Canberra one Sunday afternoon lead to an exhibition in Brunei, sponsored by Austrade and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Another lead to the licensing of my Flanders Poppies which appear on military memorabilia across Australia.
Where can people see or buy your work, and what’s the best way to support you as an artist?
You can find galleries where my work is being shown by visiting my website or social media. I sell mainly through Bluethumb, Australia’s largest online gallery selling only works by Australian artists. I have a vibrant painting titled ‘Hullabaloo in the Lotus Garden’ in the finalists exhibition at Gallery Alchemy, Milton NSW from April 30th to May 27th. You can visit in person or online and vote for the people’s choice prize. The Basil Sellers Centre in Moruya invited me to join a group show opening May 17th called ‘What’s Past is Prologue’ which shall include the large abstract seaweed paintings.
What’s one thing people might not know about you or your creative process?
Something people might not know is that I’m have prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness. I can be chatting to someone and don’t realise I actually know them until they say something to remind me how we know each other, then it all comes back. I have a series called the ‘Poppy Pickers’ who are faceless women, all painted from behind, which is a nod to this condition.
And finally- coffee, tea, or wine while you paint? [We won’t judge!]
My first cup is always green tea with jasmine, and the second is bullet proof coffee. If I’m out it’s an almond flat white from Surf Beach Cafe or the Boatshed at Mossy Point. Early evenings in winter there’s occasionally a red wine in the studio if I’m working late!
