My work is based mainly on still life, landscape and seascape, and comes from a love of looking.
The seascapes have evolved because I now live near the sea and am fascinated by the constantly changing light and colour.
The landscapes come from visual memories and atmosphere, from fleeting glimpses from cars and trains, from sketches and colour notes. I am interested in the way landscape painting of the past can affect our view of landscape of the present.
The still lifes are a response to sheer enjoyment of the sensuality of form, colour, and pattern.
Recently, following an earlier interest, I have started to include figures in
my work.
I studied at the Byam Shaw and Central Schools of Art in the '50s, dropped out to marry and have children, but continued painting.
Trained as a teacher in the '70s, and taught painting and drawing in schools and colleges for over 25 years. For many years I have been, and still am, a tutor with the Open College of the Arts.
In the '80s I resumed my art education and studied for a BA in Fine Art and Critical Studies at St. Martin's School of Art.
Throughout the years I have travelled widely and visited numerous museums and art galleries in many countries.
Have been involved in various community arts events, art fairs, open studios and summer schools, and have exhibited widely in galleries, arts centres and other venues; including:
South Hill Park, Bracknell; Small Mansion Gallery, Gunnersbury Park; Guild Hall Gallery, Winchester; John Madejski Gallery, Reading Museum; Spink Gallery, Bond Street(Spink Prize finalist); Pavilion Gallery, Henley-on-Thames; Lyndon's Fine Art, Portobello Road; Bell Fine Art, Winchester; 'Then and Now', Reading Guild of Artists (twice winner of the Marie Dyson Award); Portsmouth Open; Chichester Open; Artists' Harbour Gallery, Portsmouth; Third Floor Gallery, Portsmouth; Southsea Art Festival.
Most recently (2008) Bistro Montparnasse, Southsea; Southsea Open Studio; South Parade Pier, Southsea.
Have work in private collections in UK, USA, Australia, South Africa, and France. Paintings in UK include collections in Weatherspoon PLC Pubs, and in Caversham Monitoring Centre.