a little bit about me and my art...

My art calls out to those who feel overwhelmed by life’s demands. A quiet empathy for anyone feeling the weight of expectation that they should relinquish their desires and dreams, to meet the needs of others.

Why

In 2010 my eldest brother died suddenly. The shock was devastating and in an instant our family shattered in ways that could never be repaired. We unraveled, lost in grief, struggling to understand how the unimaginable had become our reality. Our mothers heart and mind broke completely and soon she too was gone, into the mists of dementia.

Consumed by grief and thrust into an unplanned caring role, my world shifted, I was no longer in control. Weighed down by expectation and responsibility, my worth measured by how much I sacrificed, I constantly battled a deep-seated guilt around not doing what was expected. My days were governed by obligation, leaving little room for me.

In desperate need of solace and peace I turned to nature and the familiar landscapes of my childhood. There I discovered time to think and acquired the strength to break free from guilt, gradually finding a balance that allowed space for a new way of being.

My art was born from the need to escape overwhelm and is now created to inspire those, who feel the weight of that pressure, to pause and take a moment for themselves.

How

The process starts with photography. I immerse myself in nature and the landscape, capturing images that inspire the stories and emotions embedded in each piece of my art.

Back in the studio I build up many layers of paint, often using unexpected colour as a reflection of my belief that there is more than one way to see and do things. I know a painting is finished when it transports me to a feeling of peace and solace.

My art can bring that same feeling to your home and be a constant reminder that you don't have to earn the right to have time to do the things you love.

A short history

For those who want to know a little bit more


The only girl of five siblings, I grew up on a farm with with lots of freedom, open countryside to roam, trees to climb and space to dream. It was pretty idyllic. I learnt to knit and crotchet and cook, I was an avid reader from an early age, a writer of poetry and a lover of animals. I suppose I have always been creative but not in a way I thought of as artistic.

Time moved on and I became a nurse, got married and had children. Life took me on the journey I expected for quite a few years.

I rediscovered creativity later in life as a way of coping with grief and overwhelm. It fills me with joy and gratitude that I now get to do something I love every day. On the surface it is very different from what I used to do, but when I dig deeper I can see the continuation of what has gone before.

We don’t always notice the common threads running through our lives. In my work life I have always had some level of involvement in health care and an interest in how to improve wellbeing. First as a nurse and midwife, then when my children were young I trained in a number of holistic therapies - relaxation, aromatherapy, massage therapy, reflexology and baby massage. When my children went to school I worked in the charity sector providing parent support groups and teaching parents baby massage. I took a couple of years out to home educate my son who has dyslexia, before returning to the charity sector and training
volunteers to support parents within the home. In all of these roles I was learning and teaching methods to support physical and emotional wellbeing. I was helping build emotional resilience in others but also in myself. I became aware of the importance of paying attention to our own wellbeing and the benefits of taking responsibility to care for ourselves or to seek help to enable us to do this. I think this is what helped me find ways of coping when a major traumatic event happened within my own life. It is also what led me to
art and the benefits of spending time in nature.

When I realised how important art was in my life I dedicated myself to learning and developing my skills. I sought out mentors and teachers to help me. My journey started with photography and digital art. I began to combine my new skills with my poetry and in 2018 I published my illustrated poetry book Thunder in my Soul. It truly was a labour of love and remains a project I feel a strong connection to. In 2020 I discovered painting and mixed media and I now combine those with my photography. I have found my ‘happy place’.

Part of my wish for my art is to encourage others, especially those who are in overwhelm and weighed down by the expectations put upon them, to step back and allow themselves time for some self care.

Spending time in nature inspires me to create uplifting art which conveys a sense of place. Each piece is created to bring the positive aura of nature into your home and encourage you to take a moment for yourself.

N.B. the music in the video on my home page is from Bensound.com