Passionate, driven & accalimed
Born in the industrial and now multicultural city of Greater Dandenong, my passion for creativity and love of gardening started at a young age. I became a Secondary College arts & crafts teacher in 1971 and purchased a 10acre block of land in Gembrook that is now a botanical haven bestowing some rare trees and splendour all year round.
I have been a full-time artist since 1981, and proud to have two pieces of my work displayed in the in Melbourne State Library. I am a founding member of SECAN- South Eastern Contemporary Art Network and Cardinia Art Society (CART), and a member of the Melbourne Society of Women’s Painters & Sculptors, and was winner of their major award, the Annie Davison Oliver Award in 2019.
Today as a painter my focus is on colour, shape and simplicity. I use the camera and computer as design tools to showcase my work and capture the present.
My related art activity includes painting, judging art shows, mentoring, teaching at workshops, exhibitions & commissions.
I have recently acquired the skills of a creative facilitator for disaster areas, particularly of the 2019 Bunyip State Forest area fires.
State, Municipal, Public, Company and Private collections including a major multicultural painting in 3 panels at the City of Greater Dandenong Offices foyer.
Publications include “Post Modernism and the Visual Arts,” AEVJournal, No.3 2004 “The Character of Nineteenth Century Dandenong,” in book and CD ROM form, an historical architectural survey begun as a student paper in 1971.
2019 Winner MSWPS Annie Davison Oliver Award. Judge: Lesley Harding, Director Heide Gallery
2019 Art Show Pakenham- Best in show
2019 Noble Park Art Show, runner up
2019 Finalist- Maritime Art Award, Docklands, Melbourne
2019 Open Studio at Gembrook for City of Casey Winter Arts
2019 Member of Cardinia Shire Arts and Cultural Reference Group
2018 Art Show Gippsland - Best oil
2018 Emerald Art Society- Best oil
2017 Constance Wu Award-Co Winner.Melb.Society of Women Painters and Sculptors (MSWPS) judged by fellow artists
2017 Judge: Art Show Pakenham
2016 Mentor , Emerson School.Art Advisor. Albany Rise Primary School
2014 Finalist, Shirley Hannan Portrait Prize, Bega, (NSW)
2014 Finalist, Gallipoli Prize, Sydney
2014 Artist in Residence, Multicultural Mural, Beaconhlls College
2013 Winner, Portrait Prize, Australian Water Colour Society, exhibited at Montsalvat
2013 Finalist, Eutrick Contemporary Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour
2013 Finalist, South Eastern Melbourne Business Awards
2013 Finalist, Gallipoli Prize, Sydney
2013 Photographer for Cardinia Shire’s new offices .7000 images
2012 Best Painting in Show, Art Gippsland- Warragul
2012 August, Finalist in Polish Art Foundation’s – Urban Spaces
2012 Portrait of photographer Maggie Diaz purchase by State Library of Victoria
2011 Finalist – Eutrick Contemporary Still Life Prize, Coffs Harbour, N.S.W.
2011 Photographer for “Face to Face” project, Springvale, Victoria
2010 Exhibition Community Access Gallery, Latrobe Regional Gallery
2009 Contracted photographer shopping precincts and new development, City of Greater Dandenong
2008 Finalist, Maritime Art Award (A.N.L.) Melbourne
2008 Finalist John Leslie Prize for Environmental Art, Sale
2008 Finalist, Gallipoli Prize, Sydney
2008 Winner, Cardinia Shire Business Awards, Home Based Business
2007 Finalist Gallipoli Art Prize Sydney