My paintings are interpretations of the landscape and usually begin with field sketches in gouache before being re-imagined in oils in the studio. The field works are a jumping off point for further studio work. They provide the inspiration and themes of painting I persue. I travel to remote areas of our outback to be inspired by landforms, colour and moods of the natural world whether its in the Pilbara or Kimberley, or Central and South Australia. Each trip renews a love of these rugged and spectacular places. I go back to the same places many times and each time the spirit of the country is imbedded further into my subconscious. It is a transformative experience camping and painting in these special places.
The field sketches are finished works in themselves mostly, but more importantly they act as a memory map to inspire me to respond and paint the landscape in a different way. By painting direct from nature you have to work quickly and intuitively putting down your felt response in a way where your hand and eye are expressing a feeling. You are forced to not overthink the process and your response is fresh and authenticly you and of the moment.

With my studio work in oils I am always open to the possibilities of what the work can become relying on the remembered feeling and vision of being in that place. Works evolve slowly with layers of paint finding shapes and juxtapositions of colour and form to suggest landscape but not dictate it. work can become quite abstract through the making and the journey of the paint itself maps out the direction a painting will take. The unknown destination is the impetus to create a work in the first place.

My colours have mostly been warm reds, pinks and oranges and yellows but lately I have been painting the greens, blues and aquas of our coastline.
I have been the lucky recipient of both the overall Collie Art Prize and the overall Cossack Art Award as well as many other exhibition prizes. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree and have lived in the Yallingup hills for 40 years.
My work can be seen at the Studio Gallery in Yallingup who represent me on Marrinup Drive.