I have a cool little Bali vibe inspired art studio located here in Arataki where I happily create and paint.

I absolutely love being in the outdoors, beach and bush and escape into the Kaimais when a green fix is needed.
It amazes me how many beautiful waterfalls are located in those hills.
Walking up Mauao pre sunrise at least three times a week is a joy and clears the mind for a fresh new day of creativity.

The Bay of Plenty certainly lives up to its name…we have it all here.
It is an inspiring place to be living.

This love of nature, water, flowers, sea creatures and shells are imagery and colourful themes in my work.My recent pieces are on large scale canvases with a more open loose brushwork and bold energetic lines.

I enjoy using bright intense colour and sometimes light touches of copper, gold or silver to add some extra impact.
These pieces are an exciting move towards a semi abstract style to which I am enjoying the freedom it brings.

I am also experimenting with some printmaking, in particular lino cuts and screen prints.

Back in the day…..I attended Art School in Dunedin which was a great experience and I used this time to explore right down to Stewart Island, Central Otago and the Catlins. Even from this earlier life I really enjoyed getting away travelling, tramping and exploring.
I am not a bright light, big city person.

I trained as a teacher in Wellington and taught Art and Art History at two secondary schools there over the next few years.
Helping out with several murals at my children’s primary and secondary school motivated me to start offering after school art classes for children, teens and adults.
The children would come through the kitchen, living area and then up a narrow flight of stairs to a third story space which was originally my mother in laws sewing room.
The children created some beautiful pieces there and I was really proud of them.
I held my first solo exhibition in Raumati and regularly took part in the Kapiti Coast Arts Trail over two weekends in October/November.

About MountWildheart
We have been up here in Mount Maunganui since 2018 and established MountWildheart Art School here at our home in Arataki.
The art classes shifted out of the garage space two years ago when a purpose built light filled art studio was created from the ground up.
I look out onto a large vegetable garden on one side and a tranquil Bali inspired pergola and garden area on the other.
A running water feature ( mini waterfall) is on the wish list.

I offer after school art classes for children and Teens during term time and holiday art workshop programmes during the school holidays.
These holiday workshops are really popular and being two and a half hours long, we are able to really develop a great piece.
At MountWildheart we cover drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, sculpture and design.
Several of the students return each term which is amazing so we change it around each term and explore different creative ideas, mediums and techniques.

I also have one on one private sessions which are either weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
These are available for young pre school age children, right through to adult.

I have been an exhibiting artist in the last two Bay of Plenty Garden and Art festivals and I am excited to now be opening my studio to the public for the first BOP Open Studios Arts Trail weekend in February 2024.
You are more than welcome to contact me via email, website, instagram or facebook.
I also send out four MountWildheart Newsletters a year, Summer,Autumn,Winter and Spring, which have my latest art news and classes.
Feel free to ask me if you would like the latest newsletter sent to you.