My artistic journey began at home

My mother was an artist and I followed in her footsteps. Drawing and painting is something I have always done, sometimes for pleasure and sometimes to make a living

As a young girl I grew up on a coffee farm in northern Tanzania. It bordered the forests of the Ngorongoro Crater Reserve and we shared our lives with the animals of the forest. This gave me an enduring love of the natural world which is reflected in my art.

East Africa to Dartmoor

East Africa hold a very special place in my heart but I now live in West Devon on the edge of Dartmoor which reminds me of some places in Africa though perhaps not the weather!

When I moved to Devon I found out that part of my family came from Stoke Gabriel in the south of the county and part of the family came from Bideford so in a sense I have come back to my roots.

I create for myself

I love to try out new ideas and mediums. I have painted in watercolour, oil and acrylic and done printmaking using lino, etching and drypoint. I have also done batik and some sculpting along the line. Although I mainly create for myself it is great to share my work with others.

Transitions

My great love is printmaking but sadly my hands are not as good as they were so I have had to cut back on that and I have moved more towards painting.

I use both acrylics and oils and occasionally watercolour but I have just discovered the joys of painting portraits in oils which I am finding very interesting and a little frustrating but I will persevere!