Your occupation, job title, artistic discipline (or very brief description of what you do).

I’m a contemporary artist working in oil paint, creating art from my much-loved studio space in my home. I’m a wife and mum to five amazing kids/young adults. It’s all very busy and fun!

What cities/towns have you lived in (or spent more than a few months in) beginning with the place of your birth?

I was born in the Waikato before moving to Tauranga where I spent my childhood in Ōmokoroa, then Lower Kaimai. When I got married we moved to Tauranga city and are now settled in Matua. So yeah, I’m a Tauranga girl for sure, I love it here and hope to stay forever!

How did you develop your distinctive style? Joyful and nostalgic…

I’ve always liked to do my own thing, so just following my curiosity and taking note of things that I’m drawn to has meant that I have developed a distinct style without really trying. Even though I love exploring many different subjects in my work, they are all tied together by my painting style, colour choices and composition decisions. I think that the more you create, the more you’ll see patterns and consistency within your work.

 

How do you deal with creative blocks, and do you have any strategies for overcoming them?

These happen quite often and I think that expecting it and knowing that it’s a normal part of the process helps. It is frustrating at times but I’ve learned to paint through it or just fill the tank with art/design books and inspiration. When I have a bad painting day I try to be glad to have the bad day out of the way so that a good one can come.

Do you find solitude essential to your creative process, or do you thrive in collaborative environments as well?

I live in a crazy busy home with my husband and four growing boys (our daughter lives down south now), so yes, solitude while I’m painting is a nice contrast. Painting does take quite a bit of concentration so I like to have a good long run of time to focus on it when I can. I love working with other artists but I can’t really paint in front of people, I find that pretty hard.

What’s your favourite Bay of Plenty landscape, park, building, location, suburb, or side street? Why?

The Tauranga harbour is a special place for me as I grew up playing, swimming and fishing in it and now I get to share that with my own kids as we live so close. Almost everyday we walk or swim or fish or go boating in it and we just love the beauty and freedom.

 

How do you want your art/work to make viewers feel?

I want my art to be stylish, special, joyful and positive. I love that we get to choose how we decorate our homes to reflect ourselves and having objects and art that make you feel good, or remind you of happy things is wonderful to be surrounded by. I love hearing stories from collectors who share how my work makes them feel when they see it and how they connect their own stories to it. I feel so privileged to be bringing these feelings to people’s homes.

If you didn’t become an artist, what would you be doing?

Making things. I have always loved to make and create things so if I wasn’t an artist I would be sewing, designing spaces, making jewellery or doing up furniture… Definitely something creative. It comes out in everything that I do and I love it.

How do you know when an artwork is finished?

When I pull out the cotton buds. Seriously, that’s how I know. I get to a point where I start putting on a tiny touch of paint and then I get out the cotton buds to wipe it off. I do it a few times and then I know to sign it and be done.

If you went away from the Bay of Plenty for a long time and then came back, what are the first three things you would do or visit?

I would have coffee with loved ones in the sunshine, go for a walk around the Mount and on the beach, and visit all of the op-shops I could.

What’s your favourite part of the painting process, and what’s the most challenging?

When the magic happens and it turns from a weird mess into something that you are suddenly proud of. It’s usually about three layers in. The most challenging part is when you spend all day working on a painting and you end up hating it and scraping it back to nothing. It’s super frustrating but part of the journey.

 

Looking back at your teenage self: what one sentence describes that person?

Quietly confident, contrary, creative and close to a few special people in her life.

 What is missing or lacking from your Bay of Plenty community or environment?

I’ve always thought that there should be a hydroslide coming down from the top of the Mount but that might be slightly unlikely. But seriously, a few more affordable, fun activities would be good. Like an ice skating rink or aquarium or horse riding opportunities, maybe? Not complaining though, I love it as it is.

What word of advice would you offer an aspiring creative person?

There is only one of you in the world and that’s special, so don’t try to be someone else… be you! Also, take time to experiment and play, you might surprise yourself with something exciting and different.

Oh, and if you have an idea, write it down or sketch it straight away!

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