Bio
Art has been a passion of mine sine I can remember. I grew up on my parents farm in Otama near Gore. Art was my favourite subject at Gore High School. Across the subjects I received top marks for presentation as I loved adding illustrations and aesthetics were important to me. In 1997 I began my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland. I was awarded a Senior Prize in Fine Arts in Printmaking in 1999 and graduated in May 2001. I gained my Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) through the Auckland College of Education in December 2001.
Whilst a student at Elam School of Fine Arts I exhibited in end of year shows and in group shows with fellow printmaking students at the George Fraser Gallery. I was part of a group invited to demonstrate printmaking techniques at the Art Expo event in Auckland. In 2000 I had the honour of being assistant printmaker to Stanley Palmer.
Attaining a teaching position at Western Heights High School brought me to Rotorua in 2002. My first solo painting show was at Essence Cafe, Rotorua in 2007. Later that year I exhibited in an art teachers' show at Rotorua Arts Village.
In 2008 and 2009 my husband and I based ourselves in England where we travelled with ease to the great art centres in Europe.
After returning to Rotorua I was commissioned to paint a mural on a power box. I had two of my dry-points displayed in a group show and had paintings selected for the Rotorua Artists competition at Rotorua Arts Village.
I moved to Dunedin with my family in 2015. A member of the Otago Arts Society means my paintings are regularly on display at the OAS Gallery, Dunedin Railway Station. I am a lead artist for the company Paintvine, where guests have an enjoyable night out painting.
My artwork sits somewhere between abstraction, representation and surrealism. The recognisable is there with the imagined or dreamed.
