My Designs
Hi I live in Queensland Australia in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane. I love living here, surrounded by rolling hills, bordering a forest and wildlife corridors. Two years ago I finished building a house as an owner builder on a hill on my ten acre property. When not in my studio painting and sewing, I spend time in the garden and derive much pleasure from watching plants grow and the antics of wildlife, Cockatoos which come to the feeder, my mischievous cheeky fourteen Guinea Fowls, and several native Wallabies which are trusting now to freely habitat close around the house. Although my place seems fairly remote and secluded, I am only thirty five minutes’ drive to Noosa, a tourist destination with beautiful beaches, shopping and eateries. My secluded surroundings offer me the mental space to have time to explore creativity. When not at home, I enjoy traveling – mostly solo in my Motorhome, especially to the outback and remote areas of Australia where I feel inspired to paint.
As a young teenager, under the family house, I would attempt to screen print on fabric, usually on old bed sheets or scraps of cotton. I didn’t have the right tools or paint, nevertheless the creative energy and a strong tactile desire within me kept my coming back to explore ideas. I remember where I was at about age thirteen when the seed was planted in my mind- a dream to one day see my art on rolls of fabric.
Leaving school I enrolled at The College of Art in Brisbane. My lifelong passion stayed with me throughout, ever present whilst engaging in full time jobs including Advertising Agencies and twenty one years in Real Estate. In 2017 I was fortunate to realize my dream after I journeyed to Houston Quilt Market. I gathered the courage to show my previously hidden original designs to Fabric Companies and ultimately Freespirit Fabrics.
When outside at home and whilst traveling, I am open to all possibilities and to be amazed! My creativity is sparked by the feelings and mood of a place, my sensory connection to my surroundings. I absorb the colours, textures and shapes. These spark energy and I intuitively immerse myself to paint directly onto cotton fabric via mark making with various tools, sticks and sometimes charcoal from a campfire.
My current collection in stores from June 2023 is called -“Island Vacation”, inspired by a holiday to an Island in the South Pacific Ocean named Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. In this collection I have interpreted my memorable impressions, the magical atmosphere on this tropical volcanic Island. Relaxing days spent snorkelling over Coral Reefs, swimming in the turquoise tranquil calm waters. Strolling along white sand beaches picking up shells and coral. Palm Trees overhanging the waters edge. The local warm natured people, Navan’s, live in primitive thatched grass huts. The women wear bright coloured block printed sarongs and sundresses and adorn their hair with large Hibiscus. Afternoon tropical rain storms create a drenching and a balmy atmosphere. The daily villages markets are a feast of colour, excitement, bustle and noise. Produce on display on woven mats are elongated papaya, mangos, avocados and bananas. I marvel at the Nivan children sitting on the ground weaving “still green” Pandanas leaf baskets to bundle up red sweet potatoes. I feel enveloped with inspiration from this fresh vibrant Island scene.
I am excited and planning to travel to Houston in October this year to have a booth alongside Freespirit Fabrics at both Fall Market and Festival, to launch my sixth fabric Collection for Freespirit Fabrics. My Collections of designs are identified as of large scale, highly colourful and organic
Quilters who like to make large blocks or quilts with less piecing will enjoy sewing with my large scale designs. Free motion machine quilters and hand stitchers enjoy stitching the shapes and patterns in my designs as whole cloths without cutting into the fabric. The large scale prints also work well for making shirts, pants and dresses, the more simplified the patterns the best- without cutting too much into the designs. Other uses are for bags, tablecloths, serviettes and cushions. Many people have said they have bought a large piece and strung the fabric across a large Canvas and hung on the wall as Art. And another sewer said she had used fourteen metres of my design called “Forest Medley” from collection “Fancy Free” to make floor to ceiling curtains for her Sun Room.
