Palm Beach Lighthouse Painting

I have travelled extensively both as a child and an adult and I love to draw from my rustic exposure of far, remote lands to bring my art to life. I love to surf and the ocean is of great importance to me, it is my favourite subject to paint. Surrealism and the great surrealist artists, Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte have always been most influential to me since I was very young. After completing a degree in Visual Communications, I began at the National Art School for one year. Although I love this experience, I felt I was gaining more knowledge and inspiration artistically by continuing my solo adventures abroad. I went on to find a temporary home in Kamari on the small volcanic island of Santorini in Greece. Here I worked as a masseuse on the beach which allowed me to pursue and explore my artistic character, sometimes writing poetry and working as a caricaturist on the busy streets by night. My time in Greece spanned over 7 year-end many of my earlier paintings assume mythical undertones and dreamlike imagery. Now, a single mother of three children, I have settled in the idyllic suburb of Avalon Beach on the northern outskirts of Sydney. I can be found most days painting in my studio in the heart of the small beachside village.I surf most days and I draw inspiration from the beauty that surrounds me in the waves. My latest series of coastal paintings are very restrained, allowing the large empty white spaces around them to draw the viewer into the meticulous fine detail. The empty skies suffuse a modern sophisticated charm into the monochromatic seascapes. Done in a minimal style, using only a burnt umber colour, these quaint seaside images are both sophisticated and elegant. Through them, I intend to bring the joy and beauty of what I witness while I’m in the water, into our homes to enjoy each day. They are reflective of the historical sepia tone photographs that we often see in cafes by the beach. These highly contrasting images rely on the viewers own imagination to fill in the missing details, giving them an intimate relationship with their audience. I believe that this element is what makes my artworks so fascinating to people. I now work as a full time artist in my studio and on location, focusing on both personal works and commissioned paintings. I use mainly traditional methods of oil on canvas but my work is varied in both technique and medium. Realism is my specialty but I also enjoy the freedom of abstract expression.