I was never one of those creative types, who did nothing but draw and paint, from a very early age. I came from a family who had little notion of the arts and my abilities were not encouraged into those areas, other than colouring in and some school projects. But there was something in me that just knew and i expressed my creativity through inventive play outside, building playhouses, etc. and making clothes for my dolls! I've always loved fabrics and textiles and that hasn't changed! I did do one painting, in art class at high school, when I was about 14, which I was really happy with and kept rolled up under my bed for many, many years, until I met my second husband, who really liked it and encouraged me to frame it. (My first husband hated it!). It hangs proudly on my wall, along with my very first painting from my classes with Carol, painted in 2004.
In 2003 we moved to the lovely tourist town of Daylesford, in Central Victoria and I felt the need to learn to paint bubbling to surface, so in 2004 I started classes with Carol Oliver, a known Australian artist and I was so lucky to be part of her classes. She had a way of encouraging her students to find their own voice, in their paintings and guided us to express ourselves. I absolutely loved her studio space and her very arty home and within a couple of years, I knew I wanted to take my learning about art much further.
At 55, I enrolled at Federation University of Ballarat and started a Visual Arts degree (Fine Arts) in 2007, which I finished in 2011 and graduated with a degree. I was accepted on my strengths as a painter, but to be honest, got distracted by ceramics and did that as my major subject, with printmaking as a minor and did painting classes on the side. It was a wonderful time and I met some great people. It opened up my world!
My journey as an artist has had many stops and starts, but a few years ago, I decided to take it seriously and I've had the good fortune to do some more classes, over the years and this year went to Italy and did a week long artist's retreat, in the fabulous medieval village of Montelparo, learning from Richard Claremont. Last year, it was Hobart with Colley Whisson and this year in September, I'm doing classes with Leanne Pearson from WA, specifically on flowers and still life.
I paint in oils, but am toying with the idea of working with acrylics. I make such a mess of my brushes and clean up, with oils! Still life is my favourite subject and I love interiors too. I love rich colour and beautiful fabrics and textiles, so that interest from my childhood remains. My home is very colourful and a favourite place is my kitchen, where I love to bake. Art abounds in every room of our small, vintage cottage. I love to read and to garden, which I find is a creative expression in itself (not the weeding!).
I think there's always more to learn as an artist and in life and it's my intention to keep growing and to that end, I make sure I do something 'arty' every week, with visits to galleries, art suppliers etc, included in the mix. In my little country town there's quite a lot of creative talent and we're lucky to have our own gallery space, run by volunteers. It's fun to hang out there with other artists. A couple of my favourite artists are Margaret Olley and Criss Canning, both masters of still life and interiors, but there's too many artists to mention them all. What a privilege it is to be part of this world!