"Art is a kind of innate drive that seizes a human being and makes it its instrument. The artist is not a person endowed with free will who seeks their own ends, but one who allows art to realize its purpose through them. As a human being they may have moods and a will and personal aims, but as an artist they have a higher sense—they are the "collective human"— the ones who carry and shape the unconscious, psychic forms of humankind."                                     Carl Jung 

I was born in Cape Town South Africa, but lived in London and now in Lake Forest, Illinois. Art has always been part of my life. Indeed, some of my earliest memories are sitting in my grandfather’s art studio. It was the smell of turpentine, mixed with linseed oil, combined with the aura of quiet deliberation that made me aware of art's ability to create a space that was different to the world out there - a place where my heart beat was in sync with my psyche.  I started painting in oils at the age of 10; by age 12, I dissembled my wooden bed to create my first large stretched canvas! 

I never studied art, but made a living selling art at markets, to friends and eventually private collectors, a few restaurants and a hotel.  I became interested in Psychology during this time and in my early 30’s returned to University full time, completing an MA in Clinical Psychology in 2000 and  an an MSc in Clinical Neuropsychology soon after. 

For a while I continued both art and psychology, but eventually psychology won! And now, after a 20 year career as a Neuropsychologist, two children and three continents later, I am able to return to my first love, art, and explore this in a way I was never able too before. 

My love for large format oils remains, but I am also experimenting with smaller, more funky art pieces in acrylic on paper. These images draw from baroque interiors, luscious wallpaper and flower art, to create images that are rich in personal symbolism and universal archetypes. These pieces are about storytelling, play, having fun, abandoning rules and returning to art with a childlike joy that is freeing and unencumbered. 

The oil on canvas works are where I ponder larger, existential questions. Whether its thick impasto paints, sensitive shading and delicate layering with glazes, the aim is to create a specific feel or mood.

Despite the differences in style, both mediums share a narrative of transformation - the moss-covered trunks and brambles of the Forest Collection tells a story of passing time, decay and regeneration. The mood is pensive and quiet, as if waiting. The oversized flowers speaks of the abundance in nature; femininity and the transience of beauty. The bright, florals and animal motives of the acrylic works reflect themes of abundance, freedom, joy, and a lightness of being.  Overall, my work explores narratives of loss, regeneration and transformation.

The aim is to create objects of beauty, bringing a sense of abundance to our lives whilst simultaneously grappling with deeper, perhaps more spiritual aspects  associated with inner growth.