The New Zealand landscape is what inspires me - this land which gives me a sense of home and belonging, and has shaped our identity. The idea of a beautiful untouched landscape is appealing to me and I try to portray my own interpretation of this recognisable imagery. I like to capture a sense of the familiar, but not necessarily a specific place, to convey its beauty and serenity, but also its wildness and isolation.
My desire is to explore the temporal interactions between the land, sea and sky; the changing intensities of light and colour that come with the different seasons and times of the day; the still reflective waters, morning mists, and evening skies, the cool distant headlands, bush and islands.
Trees have always been a theme of my work, and I like to show them from a birds-eye perspective giving the viewer the experience of being suspended in space or hanging over the edge of a cliff. These altered elements give a sense of the abstract to otherwise recognisable imagery.
Recently I have also been inspired by wild stormy skies and have used these as backdrops for a series of iconic New Zealand trees struggling with the elements. I like the idea of using them as a metaphor for the human condition.
Although still in the representational genre, by manipulating colour and perspective within the scene I like to play with the emotion of the paintings. Essentially I want my paintings to have their own voice.
My work is exhibited in:
Art Education
2013 Advanced Diploma of Art and Design, majoring in painting
2002 - 06 Diploma of Art and Design, majoring in painting
Exhibitions, Shows and Awards
2024 Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery, Art Salon 2024 - ArtinAugust Exhibition, Warkworth Hotel - Harbour Hospice Exhibition, Estuary Art Centre, Orewa - Mahurangi Artist Network, Members Exhibition and Studio Trail
2023 ArtinAugust Exhibition, Warkworth Hotel
2021 MAGS Artshow, Mount Albert Grammar School Art Show 2021
2019 MAGS Artshow, Mount Albert Grammar School Art Show 2019
2018 MAGS Artshow, Mount Albert Grammar School Art Show 2018 - NZ Flower & Garden Show, The Trusts Arena, Auckland
2017 Kohia Terrace School Art Exhibition, Mount Eden, Auckland
2016 Womens Centre Rodney Art Exhibition, The Woolshed, Matakana Country Park
- NZ Art Show, Wellington
2015 artMatakana Gallery, Joint Exhibition, "Coast to Coast"
- artMatakana Gallery, Joint Exhibition, “It’s the Journey”
2014 Estuary Arts Centre, “Coterie group, exhibition”
2013 Great Summer Art Exhibition, Snells Beach
- ArtMatakana Gallery, Group Exhibition,“The Creekers” Graduation Exhibition - Hungry Creek
- Top Graduating Student Award (Advanced Diploma of Art and Design 2013)
- Warkworth Rotary Art Auction
2006 Top Graduating Student Award (Diploma of Art and Design 2006)
- NorthArt Gallery, Northcote.Group Exhibition,‘In a world of their own’2004 - Finalist, Pumphouse NorthShore Art Awards, “Sources of Inspiration” exhibition
2002 - 06 Hungry Creek Art School, Group Student Exhibitions