Life has a funny way of taking unexpected turns.
I certainly didn't expect mine to lead to painting.
I've always been curious, and that has taken me in many directions over the years. It's led me from cooking on an Australian outback sheep station to standing on the rim of an active volcano. Along the way I studied philosophy, fascinated by the way people think and experience the world.
Looking back, I realise I was often skirting around the edges of art without quite knowing it. I enjoyed calligraphy, painting henna designs for friends, and photographing tiny details that many people would simply walk past.
Then life took an unexpected turn. It wasn't one I would have chosen, but it opened a door to art.
In 2022, I picked up a paintbrush for the first time. It began with online watercolour lessons, but curiosity soon led me to explore gouache, mixed media, portrait and figure drawing, and eventually oils. Today I work mostly in oils, while still enjoying and experimenting with every medium that has been part of my artistic journey.
When I'm painting in the studio, my dogs Rosie and Bougie, and Bella my cat, are usually close by. 
What inspires me isn't simply the subject in front of me. It's those quiet moments that make me stop and look a little longer.
The first hint of colour replacing silhouettes at dawn.
The warmth of a sunset.
Rain gathering over the ocean.
The texture of bark on a tree.
The weathered details of an old building.
Whether I'm painting outdoors or working in my studio, it is those moments that find their way into my paintings.
Each person who spends time with them will discover something different, and I think that's part of the joy of art.
