Born in Canada to American parents, I have lived in South Australia for 45 years, with a couple of pre-teen years spent with extended family discovering my Hawaiian background.
As a quiet child, I often sought solace in creative endeavours, and used my visual language to process the world around me.
I still do.
As a child, I spent some time studying at the Honolulu Academy of Art, and as a young adult back in South Australia, I attended the Hyde Park School of Art & Design, the Adelaide Central School of Art, and studied multimedia and media production at UniSA.
After a multitude of jobs, over 20 years in various aspects of Digital Communications, and raising a son with my lovely partner, I have decided to focus on creating my Art – and couldn’t be happier.
Through my creative practice, I feel freedom to discover and express my emotions without inhibition. Consequently, my abstract work is highly expressive and often rich with metaphor.
My work is all about capturing energy and movement through colour and texture. I love experimenting with different materials and techniques to create dynamic compositions that engage the viewer’s senses.
Usually starting my process with a general idea or feeling, I let the painting evolve naturally as I work. Ultimately, I want my work to evoke emotion and encourage the viewer to interpret it in their own way. Whether it’s a burst of energy or a sense of calm, I hope my paintings inspire a connection with the viewer.
My paintings are heavily textured, with thick layers of paint applied in a way that creates a sense of depth and dimensionality. I use a variety of techniques to achieve these textures, including expressive gestural marks applied using paint, pencil, oil pastels and charcoal, then painting and scratching using various hardware tools to bring texture into the piece and to retain a loose and vibrant energy.
I enjoy uncovering hidden layers and colours through this approach, which often brings unexpected surprises. The combination of gestural marks, layers of paint, and scratching gives the work an almost sculptural, tactile texture, depth, and history that I find very appealing.
Recent studies have included Nicholas Wilton’s Art2Life ‘Creative Visionary Program’, and Louise Fletcher’s ‘Find Your Joy’ program.
I am currently a member of the Art2Life Alumni, the ‘Art Tribe’ artist community, and the Connected Artist Club.
Thanks for checking out my work, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just want to say hi!
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2023 Finalist
1st Biennial Abstract Art Prize
Royal South Australian Society of Arts
‘Slice’
‘Heart & Soul’
‘Perserverance’
2021 Highly Commended
Glenside Lions Art Show
‘Exuberant’
2021 Finalist
Gallery M Contemporary Art Prize
‘Scourge’
2009 Novice Painting Award
Burnside Painting Group
Burnside Town Hall
Check out past & present exhibitions of my work. Make sure you say hello when you visit!
Head over to my online store. Plenty to browse and even purchase for that special someone or for your own wall at home or the office!