about
I have practised in the international arts,
culture and design arena for thirty years.
In concert with my individual arts practice,
I mobilise creative projects that promote
positive change in communities.
what I do
I am a curator and visual artist — a painter, a muralist and installationist. And I am an experienced designer, researcher and educator with a track record of mobilising projects in creative fields, and a natural team leader, with an engaging style and a unique combination of knowledge and capabilities in design, arts and culture development.
I make projects work by bringing different interest groups together and synthesising complex problems, creating strategies and helping people find their source of inspiration. I use my creativity and my ability to mentor creative endeavours, and build the capacity of a community — whether a specific community of common interest or shared space, or one that links various communities and stakeholders.
my background
I received my MA (Design) from Curtin University and BA (Interior Architecture) from the University of Manitoba. I was born in England and have lived in Tanzania, Canada and the UK. I am based in Australia. My experience in spatial design and theories about place making, community building and nature influence my paintings, murals and mixed media installations. I have edited books, curated exhibitions and set up mentoring programs to develop visual arts and design practitioners. In 2001 my teaching, mentoring and program development skills were recognised when I was a finalist in the Australian Awards for University teaching.
In Canada and the UK, I was the Founding Director of a 15 person design office, and I ran interior projects with construction, furnishing and art budgets of up to 20 million dollars. In Australia, at Curtin University I established and built the Interior Architecture Department, and established offshore programs in Singapore and Malaysia.
who I am
I’m fun loving, a people person, physically active and adventurous. I love travel especially in natural environments, remote and rural. I’m family oriented and share my home-work-life with partner Jack and husky Mucky. My ideal is simple living, surrounded by arts, design, craft, garden, animals, people and nature.
My Sea Circus exhibition told in images of my life as an adventurer, an artist, a gypsy, from a long line of migrators with creative spirits. My work is about releasing the adventurous and creative self and having fun.