If someone asked me why I paint or what inspires me to create, my explanation would be rather vague. When creativity is part of your make-up it's as much a part of you as your right or left foot! I have always tapped into it to some extent or other, as a child entering art competitions or at college experimenting with new materials and techniques, as an adult preparing for exhibitions, building a home or rainy-day arts and crafts with my children. I am inspired every day by nature and its colour, a limitless resource! Space and time may be my only limitations at the moment, as the ideas are constantly stacking up and having to be filed away for the future.
Having travelled a great deal I treasure not just the memories, but the multi-cultural experiences and exposure. Funny how certain smells trigger emotive responses - the smell of fresh pineapple brings me back to my first week in Africa and the butterflies in-the-belly anticipation of what life was going to be like, and the acid-burns in the corners of my mouth from eating so much not-quite ripe pineapple! Or cutting into an orange I'll be reminded of the fruit markets in Swaziland - not only of the colourful array of fruits on display, but the over-powering sickly odour-mix of sweat and fruit too badly bruised to sell, discarded and rotting in the hot sun.
I drew on my travel experience in my final year project in college, using influences from both Australia and Africa - in a semi-abstract way in my painting and photography, and in writing my thesis on Aboriginal Art.
After taking a break from painting and starting a family, getting back into it was challenging to say the least! In preparing for my first solo exhibition in Brussels I went back to basics, painting large canvases of boldly coloured flowers in oil, after many preliminary smaller studies in acrylic and water-colour.
College projects were all about experimentation and I still love working in mixed-media, texture always adds extra-depth and point of interest in a painting. Inspiration comes unexpectedly and frequently so I create in any means I can these days. It's an extension of my personality so something I both need and love to do. I love to share what I do so my gifts (unfortunately for some!) are always handmade, personal and made with love! When "making" is not possible, I'll scribble ideas - the children’s stories I've written and illustrated developed this way...
