Artistic training and career
1982-84:
Exhibitions
Early Work:
2016
1982-84:
- Art evening classes, Working Men's College, London
- BA Honours in Design (Printmaking and Ceramics), Edinburgh College of Art
- Printmaker, Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop
- Ceramicist, Adam Pottery and Royal Park Terrace Ceramics Studio, Edinburgh
- Secondary school art teacher, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Moved to Australia
- Postgraduate Certificate in Printmaking, East Sydney Technical College (now the National Art School)
- Part-time art teacher, Woollahra Primary School
- Moved to France
- Bought and renovated a farmhouse in the Charente-Maritime
- Moved back to Australia
- Set up my own printmaking studio in Murrumbateman, New South Wales
- Ocean Studios, Plymouth, UK
- Moved to Catalonia, Spain
- Set up printmaking studio in Girona Province, Catalonia
Exhibitions
Early Work:
- Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (Annual Exhibition)
- Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (Scottish Artists, Artist Craftsmen)
- Tully House, Carlisle (prize for Printmaking)
- Cork Street Gallery, Gundaroo, NSW
- Yass Arts Trail, Open Studios, NSW
- Yarralumla Woolshed, Canberra
- Robyn Rowe Chocolates - Gallery, Murrumbateman, NSW
- Feeling Inspired Exhibition Oddfellows Hall, Yass, NSW
- Spotlight on the Region Marquee Murrumbateman Field days
- 23th November- Belconnen Art Centre Christmas Market, Canberra
- 4th - 8th December Feeling Festive Christmas Exhibition, Oddfellows Hall, Yass, NSW
- Tootsie Gallery –Yass, NSW Opening Group Exhibition
- Murrumbateman Gallery and Meadery – Exhibition of linocuts and etchings
2016
- Resident Artist at Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth
- Open Studio, May, Ocean Studios
- Open Studio, July, Ocean Studios
- Open Studio, Plymouth Art Weekender, September, Ocean Studios
- Festive Season Open Studios and Art Market, Ocean Studios
- Flameworks Art Market, Barbican
- Plymouth University Printmakers Exhibition, May
- Theatre Royal Printmakers Exhibition, 20th June – 18th September
- Drawn to the Valley, Open Studios, September 2nd – 10th
- Exhibition of Linocuts and Etchings, Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, Tourist Office 18th July - 31st July, and then daily 9.30am - 1pm, 2pm - 6.30pm
- Inspirations and influences
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Animals and imagery
I grew up in the Vale of Pickering, on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors in the UK, surrounded by a menagerie of family and animals. Animals have remained a big part of my life. It seems natural they should appear in my prints - I’ve been drawing them for as long as I can remember.
I spent many years doing both printmaking and ceramics. In either form I always found myself creating stylised images of animals, either as decorative elements on pottery or more directly as etchings. Gradually I realised that the stylised animal imagery was the important thing for me, and found I could better express this with prints rather than ceramics.
Teachers and colleagues
My artistic training began after leaving school, when I moved to London and went to art evening classes at the Working Men’s College in Mornington Crescent. I followed classes in life drawing, ceramics, sculpture, photography and history of art. My teachers there were so talented and inspiring, and they spurred me to continue my artistic journey.
So, after building up my portfolio, I got a place at Edinburgh College of Art and studied printmaking and ceramics for four years. After art college, I continued working with both forms - in the Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop, and in shared ceramics studios in Edinburgh. Working with colleagues was fun and inspiring.
Places
I've always loved discovering new places. My first ever holiday abroad was to Papua New Guinea. After graduating from art college, I spent 6 months teaching art in a secondary school in Zimbabwe. Further wanderings have taken me to Australia and France (and back again). All of these places opened my eyes to new images and new ideas.
Sydney was such a contrast to Edinburgh - the light quality, the sparkling blue ocean, the warm climate. I spent 3 exciting years there, learning more about printmaking, encountering new animals, enjoying the city and the beaches.
I'd always been attracted to life in rural France, and the idea of setting up a studio there. So when the opportunity arose, my husband and I bought an old farmhouse near Bordeaux in south-west France. Apart from drawing lots of hens, geese, ducks, cats, birds, lizards and other animals, I didn't do much art there. Most of my time was spent renovating the house and bringing up our two children. French tax laws for professional artisans didn't help either.
And so after 11 years I returned to Australia.
I grew up in the Vale of Pickering, on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors in the UK, surrounded by a menagerie of family and animals. Animals have remained a big part of my life. It seems natural they should appear in my prints - I’ve been drawing them for as long as I can remember.
I spent many years doing both printmaking and ceramics. In either form I always found myself creating stylised images of animals, either as decorative elements on pottery or more directly as etchings. Gradually I realised that the stylised animal imagery was the important thing for me, and found I could better express this with prints rather than ceramics.
Teachers and colleagues
My artistic training began after leaving school, when I moved to London and went to art evening classes at the Working Men’s College in Mornington Crescent. I followed classes in life drawing, ceramics, sculpture, photography and history of art. My teachers there were so talented and inspiring, and they spurred me to continue my artistic journey.
So, after building up my portfolio, I got a place at Edinburgh College of Art and studied printmaking and ceramics for four years. After art college, I continued working with both forms - in the Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop, and in shared ceramics studios in Edinburgh. Working with colleagues was fun and inspiring.
Places
I've always loved discovering new places. My first ever holiday abroad was to Papua New Guinea. After graduating from art college, I spent 6 months teaching art in a secondary school in Zimbabwe. Further wanderings have taken me to Australia and France (and back again). All of these places opened my eyes to new images and new ideas.
Sydney was such a contrast to Edinburgh - the light quality, the sparkling blue ocean, the warm climate. I spent 3 exciting years there, learning more about printmaking, encountering new animals, enjoying the city and the beaches.
I'd always been attracted to life in rural France, and the idea of setting up a studio there. So when the opportunity arose, my husband and I bought an old farmhouse near Bordeaux in south-west France. Apart from drawing lots of hens, geese, ducks, cats, birds, lizards and other animals, I didn't do much art there. Most of my time was spent renovating the house and bringing up our two children. French tax laws for professional artisans didn't help either.
And so after 11 years I returned to Australia.
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In 2008 I set up my own printmaking studio in Murrumbateman, in rural New South Wales. I was able to devote more time to my art as the children were growing up.
I bought a large Enjay etching press and gradually built up a set of good etching tools. With a decision to use less chemicals I found myself concentrating more on linocuts, using multiple plates to build up layers of image (see Printmaking), and the use of non-toxic materials (e.g. electroplating with copper sulphate). and spent the next few years selling my prints in galleries and at local art markets.
It’s a continuous journey. Linocut is a slow process, which leaves plenty of time to ponder the endless possibilities at every stage - what to add and what to leave out, or which colour combinations to use. After each print is finished I explore ideas for improving the next one.
In 2016 I had the chance to be back in England, this time in Plymouth where I rented a studio at the Royal William Yard. It was a great opportunity to experience life there after not having lived in the UK for 21 years, and to explore the Art world there.
In 2018 I moved to Catalonia in Spain in the midst of the beautiful Catalan countryside, and set up a new studio with views across the valley and to the Pyrenees mountains in the distance. Here in this inspiring environment I plan to continue my work.
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