What is your artist background?
I am basically self-taught after completing a Learning Connection course in 2002.
From there, I have attended various art classes over the years with artists whom I admire. This has helped me understand different painting processes and techniques to add to my practice.
When did you start doing your art?
Art is something I have done for as long as I can remember. Countless hours spent at the kitchen table drawing horses as a child, breathing new life into old furniture when my girls were young, painting garden pots with intricate patterns and creating paint effects on walls. Weaving creativity into my everyday life is as essential to me as breathing.
When did you start your entrepreneur journey?
When my 2 daughters went to school it was the perfect opportunity to explore my artistic side. I have been painting for over 23 years now and sometimes I feel there is never going to be enough time to explore the endless ideas I want to bring to life.
Maybe that is just part and parcel of being a creative person.
How do you describe your artwork style?
My artwork is highly detailed in a contemporary style. I have introduced a whimsical element to my paintings where I invite viewers to engage with familiar subjects, in a thought provoking manner.
Have you always done your field of art or was there other types of art that you have done? If so, what types?
In my 20’s I was in newspaper advertising, planning adverts for my clients. A lot of manual cut and paste went on before computer generated images were created.
But it gave me a good sense of design and composition to fall back on.
What is the best/ideal environment for you when creating your artwork?
I create in my purpose built studio on the front lawn, overlooking the rural landscape. When I’m not totally immersed in my painting, I take a minute to ground myself in the view, and then get lost in the process all over again.
Who is your hero? / Who do you admire the most? And why?
I admire so many people but a few of the artists I admire are Rita Angus, an early NZ landscape and portrait painter. Frida Kahlo for her powerful self-portraits, despite enduring great physical suffering and Edward Hopper for his use of light and shadow in his landscapes to name just a few.
What values are important to you?
Kindness to others, honesty and loyalty, finding joy in humour and laughter, supporting local community.
Any advice for aspiring NZ artists?
Focus on your own path and progress. Keep practising, be persistent and your skills will develop from there with time. Seek out constructive feedback from artists you admire and use this to refine your work, it is invaluable. There are no shortcuts to success, just make sure you are enjoying the ride!
What was the inspiration behind your artwork for your PieceHouse puzzle?
The arrangement had not been intentional at first, just flowers in vases left to dry in my studio. I loved the way the colours faded into soft tones and the flowers elegantly curled inwards and lost their form.
The idea to blend fresh vibrant flowers with the fragility of dried blooms percolated into the series of floral paintings I am currently exploring.
Jo was the amazing artist that created Floral Delight which you can shop here.
What do you do to help keep your mental health in a positive place?
Getting out in nature and maintaining a balance of regular exercise, whether it be bike riding, walking or yoga. Fuelling my body with fresh nutritious food from our own garden and farm gives me a great sense of wellness and satisfaction.
Family and friends fill my cup with fun and laughter as working from home can be a rather solitary job.
