Biography

Bio
Until this year I lacked a ‘CV’ that had proper, “suitable” schooling and other relevant references, so I was reluctant to enter competitions/art prizes.
So, plucking the courage I entered my first four competitions 2022, successful in being accepted to all.

Omnia, Camberwell Art Show, Lethbridge and The Doyles (having to withdraw from Doyles, unforeseen circumstances)

I am a Melbourne based self-taught artist, primarily working with oil paint on stretched cotton & linen canvas.
I was born in Hobart where I studied Visual Art at college. This time for me was all about self-expression and exploration rather than learning techniques. During this time, but at home, I became interested in oil painting.
Leaving school with a necessity to work and pay the bills, I maintained a deep-seated vision to one day become a self-supporting artist.
Sadly, still not able to further my art schooling. I squeezed in time wherever I could to teach myself from books, but mostly with trial and error.
I lived on acreage in a beautiful valley in Tasmania, surrounded by gum trees and native bush. I developed an interest in painting realism landscapes, both simple and complex and would paint the trees I could see out the window of my upstairs room.

Moving to Melbourne I began to experiment surrealistic landscapes and other styles, as this style challenged me creatively. I started to focus more on elements of landscape, in particular various cloud formations such as meteorological, smoke and steam.
To capture the tranquil to the agitated environment in oil on canvas is my objective. The works, either simple or complex, mixed from a bold primary palette.
My monochrome works are to be an involving style even without colour. A style where light and dark can both be highlights and the greys hold it together.
With all my works, I start in the distance to the fore, layers on layers, the way my eyes see things, developing not just a pleasing subject, but depth and interesting from corner to corner.
Nature can display such a wide colour spectrum and visual effects, using these and developing my own spin into the surreal is challenging and exciting.
The works and the ideas I produce can change daily, even whilst developing a piece. However, my primary aim is always to produce a work of quality that is both pleasing to the eye and can evoke curiosity and at the very least appreciation from the viewer, for the work.

I like, paintings you can sit and stare at and lose yourself over an entire cup of coffee or two.

“Liking, appreciating, and understanding visual art! - It is in the eye of the beholder and words should help the viewer understand the ‘who, how and why’ about it, the artist and vision, not try to encourage them to like it.” Peter Sward.