About

Nature has always been my primary source of inspiration. Growing up on a farm in Canada followed by many years living in three different African countries has created in me a very strong connection to the natural world.

My first memories of art making reflect that and have had a clear influence on my work. As a small child I remember the excitement I felt when I found a piece of charcoal in the cold barbecue and created a simple drawing with it. In my current work, a piece of charcoal is often the first thing I reach for when starting something new. The idea of making marks with a common, natural substance still fills me with joy.

This sparked in me a life long fascination and respect for nature and it’s resources. My life and work have always had aspects of art-meets-nature ~ painting watercolour birds and animals in Africa, elements of the landscape in Canada and now in UK using my natural watercolour paints made from plants and soil.

Sometimes I do not even realise how passionate I am about nature until I create something physical to describe it. Until then, I only have a vague enthusiasm for certain aspects of nature, without knowing precisely why. Once I have the piece of art in front of me, what I am thinking and feeling about it becomes much clearer, and only then can I find the words to explain it to others. The physicality of the art I have created sparks the vocabulary to describe it in more detail.

Art helps me illustrate my passion for the natural world and care for the environment. More and more my work is not only about making something beautiful to please the eye, but also to send a clear message, usually about current environmental issues.