A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME AND MY JOURNEY

From an early age, drawing was both a refuge and a joy. As an only child growing up in a chilly house without central heating, I would retreat to my bedroom and lose myself in sketching and collage. I created makeshift gallery walls from polystyrene tiles, pinning up fashion cuttings and hand-drawn images—long before the digital age.

One of my earliest recognitions came in 1976, when I entered a church art competition with a drawing of a horse. I was awarded a beautifully illustrated edition of The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti. The vibrant images by Ellen Raskin captivated me and made a lasting impression. Despite this encouragement, I struggled with self-doubt. I often felt I lacked natural talent, especially compared to others in my art classes. After a disheartening experience in sixth form, I gave up pursuing art formally—but I quietly held on to the belief: I can always return to this later.

While I stepped away from studying art, creativity remained central to my life—especially during my years as a teacher in Liverpool’s inner-city schools. I was passionate about encouraging children to express themselves freely through art, to develop skills without rigid limitations. I loved bringing big ideas to life with them—like papier-mâché dinosaur eggs and a huge Chinese dragon made from saved-up sweet wrappers. Even when I wasn’t creating for myself, I stayed deeply connected to the process of making.

I also continued to learn. In my school years, I was selected for Saturday classes at Plymouth Art College, later attending life drawing sessions and photography classes—each one expanding my understanding of image-making.

Today, I live on the Sheep’s Head Peninsula in West Cork, overlooking Dunmanus Bay. Our garden—a once barren field—has become a thriving haven for pollinators and wildlife. The landscape around me, with its sea, rocks, mountains, and ever-shifting skies, deeply informs my art. My work is a response to this environment: the colours, textures, light, and constant movement.

Travel also inspires me, particularly time spent with family in Western Australia and Victoria. The quality of light in the Southern Hemisphere—so distinct and changeable—has influenced how I use shadow and colour. The rhythm of the Six Noongar Seasons has found its way into my work as well.

I explore my subjects through colour, pattern, and texture, working in acrylics, watercolour, and collage on a variety of surfaces, including canvas, paper, and wood. My practice is both intuitive and grounded in observation—a way of reconnecting with that childhood sense of wonder, and with the land that surrounds me now.