I took up art on January 1, 2000 as my New Year's resolution for the new millennium and for me it has been a life-changing experience. I have worked in Information Technology for many years which tends to be rather left-brained so I tend to go for a complete contrast with my art.
Most of the artworks that I exhibit and sell are acrylic or mixed media paintings or, more recently, digital art (click here to see some of my latest artworks or visit our galleries). I also enjoy outdoor watercolour sketching, fast pen sketching (particularly musicians), life drawing, collage and printmaking.
My painting is an exploration of colour and texture - remaining open to the possibilities that create themselves in this process ("abstract expressionism" if it must have a label). I work purely from imagination, balancing colour and form and creating contrasts and tension within the painting whenever the chance arises. Generally my work is semi-abstract with a recurring theme of respect and concern for the beauty of the environment and life within it. I generally work on my abstract paintings all four ways and often the finished work could be viewed from any direction. Many people will see transient figures in my paintings as I like to involve my audience in my work. I prefer to work in acrylics because of their bright colours and flexibility. Steve does my framing for me (I figure that if he can make a guitar, he can make a frame!).
I am Coordinator of Atwell Gallery & Arts Centre for Melville Community Arts Association and a member of the Alfred Cove Art Society. In 2005 I have joined the world-wide Webists group of artists and the ISA (International Society of Artists) and in 2006 became a member of the Australian Network for Art and Technology. I am one of seven artists from Atwell Gallery who share Studio 5 at Heathcote Artist Studios and I normally participate in Art in the Park on the last Sunday of each month at Araluen Botanic Park. As well as being a partner in Marshall Arts, I am also involved in an arts practice with Debra Scidone called Exponential Expressions. Click here for more info about me and my art and here for my CV.
Awards (click to see award winning images)2001 Highly Commended
Rockingham Regional Art Award
Dalwallinu Creative Arts Festival
City of Melville Art Award
2002 Winner, Public Vote "Spring Fever" Exhibition at Atwell Gallery
2003 Winner, Best Contemporary Work,
Melville Community Arts Association Awards
Winner, Award of Excellence &
Winner, People's Choice Award,
Alfred Cove Arts Society Awards of Excellence
2004
Highly Commended
Beverley Art Gallery Purchase
Exhibition (Mixed Media)
Pinjarra Rotary Art Exhibition
(Oils & Acrylics)
Cockburn Art & Craft Exhibition (Oils & Acrylics)
York Art & Craft Award (Printmaking)
Winner, Best Contemporary Work,
Melville Community Arts Association Awards
Winner, Award of Excellence
Alfred Cove Arts Society Awards of ExcellenceWinner, Award of Excellence
Wongan Art Society Art & Craft Exhibition
2005 Winner
Belmont
Art Award
Highly Commended
Dalwallinu Creative Arts Festival
2006 Winner, Best Contemporary Artwork
Melville Community Arts Association Awards
Winner, Works on Paper
City of Melville Art Award
Winner, Mixed Media (Acquisitive)
National Lifestyle Village's "Celebrating Place" Art Exhibition
Highly Commended
Harvey Art Prize 2006 (Abstract)
Rockingham Region Art Award, 2006 (Oils & Acrylics)
Cockburn Art & Craft Award, 2006 (Oils &
Acrylics)
York Art & Craft Award,
2006 (Printmaking)
2007 Winner, Abstract
38th Harvey Art Prize
Winner, Mixed Media
Alfred Cove Art Society's 8th Annual Awards of
Excellence
Winner, Interesting or Unusual Design/Composition
Melville Community Arts Association Awards
Highly Commended
Dalwallinu Creative Arts Festival
City of South Perth Art Award
Cockburn Art & Craft Award, 2007 (2 separate
images)
One of 10 winners of the 2006 International Nanoart Competition (USA based
online competition)
3rd Prize, Mixed Media, Avisen-Avk International Art Competition (Denmark based
online competition)
Exhibitions (click
to see "On Display" archives)
2001 onwards - Numerous art shows and group exhibitions throughout Western Australia including regular displays at Atwell Gallery, Heathcote Artists' Studios and Araluen Botanic Park
2003 Solo exhibition at Ngala Family Resource Centre
2004 Joint Exhibitions in Jakarta and Bogor - Friendship Through Art
"Figure It Out" at Atwell Gallery, September 25 - October 10
2005 Collective Exhibition at Galeriazero.com in Barcelona, Spain - About Painting and Pixels
Group exhibition "Utopia - Working Towards a Better World" at Fremantle Town Hall
Araluen Spring Festival with Dana Shave, Debra Scidone & Lori Spencer-Neuzerling
"The Two Rivers Project" Group Exhibition at Heathcote Museum & Gallery
"Snap to Grid" - Global Collective Exhibition at the Los Angeles Centre for Digital Art
Finalist in online art competition Art Kudos in Atlanta, Georgia
Webist End of Year online art exhibition at www.lastplace.com (Hawaii)2006 Solo Displays at Health Central, Mt Hawthorn and Applecross
Part of DISA touring exhibition in Ecuador (6 major museums, March/April)
"Art on the Line", Webist group exhibition at Galerie Kalina, Regen, Bavaria, Germany
Selected as a finalist for touring exhibition in Argentina (July)
One of 6 finalists in "Global Life" competition showcased at "Artists & Illustrators" Exhibition
at the British Design Centre, Islington, London (July)
Joint exhibition with Lori Spencer-Neuzerling at Araluen2007 1st International Nanoart Festival, Kotka Photographic Centre, Finland
"Climate Change - The Impact" - Webist Group Exhibition
1) Online (Germany based)
2) The Lost Dog, Durango, Colorado USA
3) Toronto, Canada
"Snap to Grid" - Global Collective Exhibition at the Los Angeles Centre for Digital Art
"Webism - A Global Movement" - Ganserhaus, Wasserburg Am Inn, Germany