My artistic journey

Creating has been a constant since childhood. It started with simple curiosity—asking questions, experimenting with materials, seeing what combinations would surprise me. Over the years, that child’s playfulness has evolved into a more intentional practice, but the spirit of exploration remains the same.

In my work with textiles and mixed media, I’m always asking: What if I layered this colour differently? What if I combined this texture with that one? What story could these materials tell together? Nature is my greatest teacher—the way light catches a leaf, the patterns in tree bark, the subtle shifts of colour through the seasons. I bring those observations into my studio, translating them through fabric, thread, paint, and found materials.

I am a self-taught artist in the formal sense, but I have always thought of myself as a lifelong student. One of the great joys of my practice is learning from others. I regularly attend workshops with generous textile artists whose work I admire. These experiences have stretched my skills, introduced me to new materials and techniques, and reminded me how energising it is to make alongside others.

The countryside I grew up in taught me patience — how to notice small things, how to see richness in worn and weathered surfaces, how to understand the slow passage of time in layered landscapes. Over the years, I have made time between family, work, and everyday life to keep exploring textiles and mixed media in my own way — following my curiosity, making mistakes, and slowly building a language that feels true to me.

Today, my studio in Geelong is where all of these influences meet. It is a place of quiet experiments, half-finished ideas, and slowly emerging pieces that carry threads of my past, my surroundings, and my ongoing questions about what cloth and mixed media can hold.

What inspires me

Nature is my first and deepest source of inspiration. The interplay of natural light and shadow, the living patterns of growth and change, the unexpected colour combinations I find in the world—these are my constant inspirations. I’m captivated by texture in all its forms: the roughness of bark, the softness of a petal, the subtle variations in how different fabrics catch light. These details often find their way into my work through layered surfaces, colour palettes, and small, repeated marks.

Colour and texture are the heart of my practice. I love the gentle surprise of placing an unexpected colour beside a familiar one, or pairing a delicate thread with a rough, frayed fabric. Much of my making begins with simple questions: What happens if I add just one more layer? What if this fragile cloth is stitched onto something strong and structured? What if I leave an area unresolved and let the viewer complete it in their mind?

Exploring the “What If?” is central to how I work. The freedom to experiment without knowing where I’ll end up is where the magic happens—when you release the need to have all the answers and just follow your curiosity. Each piece is a conversation between intention and accident, between careful planning and moments of letting go. I am most excited when a work surprises me, when a small decision opens up a new path I hadn’t considered. Some of my best work has come from happy accidents, from combining materials I’d never tested together before, from letting process and intuition guide me.

Exhibitions & Recongnition

Sharing my work with others is both humbling and rewarding. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to exhibit alongside other artists and to see my pieces find homes beyond my studio.

• ATASDA – Look Inside, 2023, Sydney
• Hue & Cry Gallery – Open House, 2024, Geelong
• ATASDA – A Touch of Gold, 2024, Sydney & Melbourne
• ATASDA – 50th Anniversary Collaborative Cape, 2024, Geelong
• Embroiders Guild Victoria – The Art of the Needle, 2025
• Embroiders Guild Victoria – Colour Rhapsody, 2026

Please check back from time to time as I update this space with upcoming exhibitions, workshops, and other creative projects.