I have drawn and painted since childhood with an artist mother who painted hundreds of Pilbara landscapes, immersing me in the painting process. Art materials were ready at hand making it a small step to using them. Growing up in the Pilbara region of WA in the towns of Dampier and Karratha, moulded my love of painting and the spectacular nature of the Northwest of WA stayed with me forever.
I took art in my final year at Karratha Senior High and exhibited with my High School teacher during that year in a “Student Teacher” exhibition showcase. I was accepted into the fine arts course at WAIT as a 17-year- old where I majored in Sculpture. This led to a refining of my art skills and knowledge.
Marriage, children and life then intervened so art took somewhat of a backseat for a time though I was constantly either painting landscapes or screen-printing one-off bespoke T-shirts for friends, family and acquaintances.
A period of steady, low volume, art works continued for many decades until late 2016 when I moved with my wife to Margaret River and entered the wine industry. This move was to both satisfy the “Tree Change” urge and to pursue the art dream. This led to me, vastly increasing my output and gaining commissions from artwork I had on display in various Cellar Doors. We were privileged to be able to build our forever-house and art studio in the kangaroo strewn hills down Kevill Road just out of Margaret River.
I lost my wife to cancer in 2023 after a long battle and am forever thankful to my family and my friends, old and new, for helping me out of the valleys of grief and find my path back to art.
Pauline gave me permission, encouragement and the love to follow my dream and so I stopped full time work in October 2024 to finally pursue my first passion, and I have been painting steadily since then, stopping occasionally to dip back into the wine world where you may find me chatting about it in various cellar doors around the Margaret River region.
Participating in Open Studios for the first time in 2025 was a life changing experience where I met other wonderful local artists, experienced the joy other people felt with my art and became aware of the great privilege it is to pursue this life.
My love of painting propels me through life and working with acrylics and oils on canvas, I continue to explore landscapes of Western Australia.