defining beyond...

I am a New Zealand based artist and work mainly in oils. 

My early work celebrated life and joy through simple pleasures. The style of painting I found myself expressing was a robust and Naïve style.  Henri Rousseau, the early 20th Century French artist, was a significant influence initially in my work. As my style developed, people's lives and the humour of what we do everyday became foremost in my art.  

In my most recent work, I have begun to push the boundaries of realist art and tried to define what is slightly beyond realism... defining beyond. The Steampunk movement has been a major influence in this, although I now find I am increasingly moving into a Disrupted Realism style.

In 2020, my work was greatly influenced by Covid19 and how many people have had to adapt to working from home and online. The move to a technological and online way of working for many has inspired my examination of what it means for humans and animals in the future. How will technology change us? How will nature be impacted? With AI technology now well underway for our future world, will we and nature eventually be ‘modified’ in some way to be more efficient and ‘useful’? These questions have informed my most recent paintings.

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I am a mainly self-taught artist, but have studied graphic Design at AUT, that lead to many years work as a graphic designer and desktop publisher. I later studied for a year in interior & architectural design at the NZ College of Design. 

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As well as painting, I also use my skills as a London trained milliner to make occasional, gorgeous, one-off hats and small lines of hand-made hats for sale.

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I hope you enjoy my work as much as I have enjoyed creating it.