biography

It all started when...

For as long as I can remember I have had a burning desire to make, stitch, draw and capture. On any given day there are a million ideas floating in my mind, so that the challenge is not so much to find inspiration, but rather, to decide which idea to run with next.

Oh, the other challenge is not to let the ‘making’ take over life at home. I am a stay-at-home mum to six young children so I’m never short on models and inspiration! Life is busy, but artmaking is a valuable part of my daily life. I love to enjoy and capture the wonder of small children discovering this awesome world. Observing small children notice budding flowers, snail trails, ripening fruit, textured leaves, floating bubbles, dripping rain and pencil marks on paper for the first time is a wonderful reminder of just how special these ordinary things are. I hope I can retain some of that wide- eyed wonder myself, and continue to express it in my work.

We live in the beautiful hills on the southern fringes of Perth, in Western Australia. The surrounding gum trees and other native Australian plants form the inspiration for my botanical art. I loves to capture God’s creation, and how everything works and fits together in it. The laws of nature, botanical and zoological interrelationships, and the God-given role of man in the natural world all stimulate me to further explore new ideas and designs in my textile art. Each work leads to a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the greatness of God and the wonderful world He has made. It is my prayer that those who view my artwork may have a similar experience.

I hand-dye much of the fabric I use for my quilt tops. The art quilts are pieced by machine in a process not too far removed from traditional patchwork techniques. Where a design requires it, I will also incorporate screenprinting, to add texture or tell part of the story. Every artwork is completed with intensive machine stitching to quilt the layers of the piece together, as well as to add interest through texture and embroidered patterns.

I am honoured to have artwork featured in exhibitions and private colletctions nationally and internationally. My artwork available for purchase at Aspects of Kings Park, Mundaring Arts Centr, Petrichor Gallery and here on my website.