Boranup
Gallery

Full-time artist.
Born Pinjarra, Western Australia, 1954
Lives and works in East Fremantle

Art and nature have always been passions.
As a child living in the country, I was able to explore with great freedom. Often I would draw wildflowers or trees (with seriously limited resources). No amount of discouragement seemed to be able to stop me drawing on the walls! Artistic creativity was a major source of conflict. Some resources at this point may have converted wilful to artful.
Academic studies were valued. My schooling focussed mainly on science and mathematics. Hanging by a tenuous thread, I managed to retain art as an over-load subject, out of hours.
Even while studying zoology I managed to keep the art flame alive with some training.
Then I taught science for 21 years, retiring in 1999. Through this time, and parenthood, my creative side found outlets in crafts.
On leaving teaching, I retrained as a florist, and then five years later ventured into painting.
Most of my training focuses on 2006-7, a two year structured course with Robyn Lowry. Other tutors include Peta Miller, Jan Cross, Marcus Beilby and Brian Simmonds. An art trip to France also had a major energising effect.
The last few years have been a fantastic exploration in subject and style. Working on my own, I have found my artistic ‘voice’.
I have initiated and participated in three group exhibitions.
In 2010 I was very pleased to be sponsored by DADAA for my first solo. It was very well received and a great success financially.
I am now a full-time artist. I have a beautiful home based studio in East Fremantle.
My passions for art and nature have come together. Now my life combines travel with my husband to source images, then periods of studio painting. Bliss!
My current and foreseeable future focus is painting images of Western Australia.

Awards include;
2007, acrylic, Canning Art Awards, highly commended at Alfred Cove Art Society
2008, best in show, Melville Community Art Award, highly commended at ACAS. 2008, purchased, Bassendean Council.
Works sold through Accent, Picasso and Monet galleries.
2009/10, president, Alfred Cove Art Society.
I am currently very excited preparing for my first solo, Down to Earth, mostly landscapes, in August 2010 at Freight Gallery.
The upside of cognitive loss is that my mind is not busy with distracting thoughts. When I focus on a task I can stay with it for an extraordinary amount of time. More than that, it is so satisfying to have something I can excel at when other skills have declined. I envisage this being my focus for the next 20 plus years.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
2010 Teaching, Melville Community Arts, Pinjarra, Canning Arts Centre
2010 Photography, southern coastal, Kennedy Range, Mt Augustus
2009 Photography, Kimberleys, Pilbara, and NT
2008 Art Tour to France, Brian Simmonds
2008 Drawing capturing emotion, Extraordinary Mind Project, Jan Cross
2008 Watercolour, Pam Eddy
2008 Oils and pastels, Brian Simmonds
2007 Life Drawing in oils, Marcus Beilby
2006-7 Structured drawing and acrylic painting course, Robyn Lowry
2005 Acrylics, Peta Miller
2001-2 Level 1 and 2 Floral Design, German Master Florist, Kensington
1976 Bachelor of Science Education, Zoology major, Art minor

SOLO EXHIBITION
2010 Down to Earth Freight Gallery, Fremantle, sponsored by DADAA

GROUP EXHIBITION
2010 Invited artist, Byford Fine Art
2010 Invited artist, Friends of Firetail, Dwellingup
2010 Elba auction
2010 Invited artist, Artstrings
2008,9,10 The Garden Show, Perry Lakes
2008 Invited floral artist, Art in Bloom, Art Gallery of WA (3rd)
2008 Inspirations 08, Old Royal George Gallery
2008 Different Strokes, Atwell Gallery
2007 Emergence, Old Royal George Gallery
2007 Invited artist Zonta charity painted plates

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
2010 Beach St Café, Fremantle
2010 Margaret River Community Resource Centre
2010 Invited artist Westpac Bank, Booragoon, Gosnells,Femantle
2009,10 Tea and Roses, Nedlands
2008,9,10 Garden Show, Perry Lakes

AWARDS
2008 Melville Community Art Award, best in show
2008 Bassendean, acquired
2008 Alfred Cove Art Society, highly commended
2007 Alfred Cove Art Society, highly commended
2007 Canning Art Awards, acrylics