A story to why I paint.

Im an evolving painter. 

I have completed open art classes in acrylics and oils at Canberra school of Art. 

I have several decades of creative artistic expression that has taken many forms. 
As a child I loved everything about art and studied it right through school.  They say you often return to what you loved as a child.  I grew up with a mum who was always making thrifty crafty items and her industry definitely rubbed off on me.  She loved arranging flowers as her artistic expression.  My older brother went to Art school to paint and he has always been a mentor.

In my 20’s creativity was in the form of painting with my young children who are so free to express themselves and are the best teachers. I now love to paint and create with my grand kids. I also dabbled in workshops of folk art, decoupage and taught some workshops from my home.  

The next 2 decades life ramped up-
Gaining qualifications in Interior Design/Decorating led to designing the banners for the Old Bus Depot Markets, a  Canberra institution. The banners still hang down from the ceiling today in the colours I chose a quarter of a century ago!  

At market stalls I painted to sell 100's of commissioned hand painted murals on canvas floor mats and revamped second hand furniture.  I made hundreds of colourful lamps glowing with my artwork. I painted goldfish on a toy shop floor, sunflowers for a daughters bedroom and a backdrop for Bruce Springsteens green room.  I held some joint exhibitions at local cafes.

That all evolved into The Hive Gallery which was both studio for me to paint, make and sell products and a wonderful art space that sold other artists work. This had various reincarnations usually in unconventional premises.  I curated nearly 60 exhibitions in support of emerging artists for a decade until it sold in 2008 when my business had thrived but my own art practice waned.  

I rested to focus again.  I spent more time with my family, travelled to rejuvenate my soul and worked for some stella art institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia shop.

I took 18 months of workshops with Helen Aitken Kuhnen to learn the art of gold and silversmithing.  I started my own jewellery line Handsomepretty to sell online, at markets and wholesale supplying some amazing shops.  

Travelling 27 000 km in a canvas sided pop up camper around Australia with my husband in our 40's really opened my eyes to a whole new world and palette while being immersed in the beauty of our ancient land. Those vast starry skies and being alone with only mother earth really embedded in my psyche. 

I was tempted back to retail and felt ready to get my teeth into something creative again.  I opened another store called Handsomepretty where I would sell my jewellery and focus on curating a range of products with a difference.  I created an amazing colourful space with woven shop fittings that glowed.  A throw back to my earlier lighting design. I had this for 8 years until I closed it down to move to the beautiful South Coast. 

Now I see that my journey has been a continual art practice and learning to where I am now.

I have slowed down and I paint in my cottage by the sea.

I have time to really notice and see beauty.

I like these thoughts about life...
We are human beings not Human doings.
Choose Joy!
You get smaller and smaller losing ego to be able to get through the tiny hole of death (as he ripped a small hole in a huge piece of paper) Leunig when asked about death..ABC documentary