seeing is believing

believing is seeing

I work as a visual artist and graphic designer. After completing a Bachelor of Fine Art at Monash University in 1999, I spent eight months in the Northern Territory as an administrative assistant at Maningrida Arts & Culture.

Since moving to the shores of Lake Wapengo on the NSW lower south coast in 2000 I have been exhibiting locally and interstate, balancing art and design, growing food and more recently motherhood into the mix of life's great passions.

In 2006 I was one of five artists selected for a mentoring program under the tutelage of Mandy Martin in conjunction with Bega Valley Regional Gallery and Arts NSW. The program culminated in an exhibition Valley to the sea: the concept of shared land which also toured regional galleries in Cowra, Orange and Moruya (Mechanics Institute).
My work is held in the New England Regional Art Museum and private collections in Melbourne, Sydney and regional NSW.

Description of work

I work in the genre of magical realism and am interested in evoking that which is real (known or familiar) with the unreal (imaginary or peculiar). The paintings use elements such as colour, scale, nostalgia and appropriation to create a sense of a mysterious and illusory world.

Inspiration

Inspired by the twentieth century surrealists such as Rene Magritte, Leonora Carrington and Frida Kahlo, I have also always been drawn to the finesse of Flemish artists such as Jan Van Eyck, Johannes Vermeer and Hieronymous Bosch.

Contemporary influences

Whilst studying at Monash University I was privileged to have the guidance from a strong cast of mentors: Euan Heng, Roger Byrt, Wendy Stavrianos, Kate Derum, Stephen Haley, Malcolm Bywaters and Andrew Sibley.  My work has been influenced by each of these artists in some way from colour mixing and glazing to composition and professional practice.
More recently I am drawn to the work of artists Helen Wright, Julie Haas and  particularly Anna Platten, for her vivid colour, meticulous detail and sublime surfaces.
Strange and peculiar, surrealist worlds intrigue me and "makes sense" to my own imaginary realm.

Graphic design

As a designer my work is informed by my artistic practice;  bringing a knowledge of colour harmonies, spatial relationships and layout into graphic design.