Artist Statement

I have a dual training as an Occupational Therapist (Dip COT 1965) and Art Teacher (Cert Ed 1970), and have developed these in parallel all my life , COMMISSIONS WELCOME.

I run independent Occupational Therapy Service assessing adults with Dyspraxia and providing head injury Rehabilitation in Kent and the Home Counties and I am fortunate to have my art studio at the bottom of the garden.

Since I was a young child I could be kept quiet for hours with paper and pencil or carving a block of salt. I still enjoy drawing and painting in a variety of mediums. At OT College  I learnt many craft skills like weaving, rug making , basketry and cane seating.

I love painting murals and making things with recycled materials. I support Fairtrade

Since 1972 I have been sculpting in wood and stone and have made some kinetic works including ‘Prism’ ,which incorporates movement colour and music.

Most recent work 2009 – Bronze cast fountain for a pond ‘Water flower’.

I occasionally teach drawing, painting or craft classes for small groups. I care about recycling materials, organic growing and moving gracefully from our seemingly unstoppable use of finite resources into a more self-sufficient, community-orientated low-carbon age; making a sustainable future for our planet. I am a core member of the Faversham Transition Town group.

I am a trustee of the Abbey Physic Community Garden , Faversham . This is a therapeutic garden open to the community which grows organic fruit and vegs.

I have a son, a daughter and two grand daughters.

Biography

1968 -70 Cert ED College of Education Brighton Art Teachers Training

1970 – 1973 Taught Art 0 and A level at Secondary School London

1973 Working and painting in Switzerland.

1973 -4 Sculpture course at Woolwich, and Painting.

1977 -1985 Teaching Adult Education evening classes in Art and Crafts

1983-4 Attended Saturday painting class at Goldsmiths College of Art, London.

1985 Awarded ‘Best in Show’ at Bexley Open Exhibition for ‘Sleeping lady’ stone carving.

1992-6 Attended Adult Education Classes in painting and part time stone carving courses at West Dean College.

2002 Working with children and Kurdish artists/film makers who were asylum seekers; helped create “Travelling Light” Art group.

2003 Exhibited with “Travelling Light” - paintings and light installation ‘Prism 1’ at The Surface Gallery Nottingham

2004 Move to Faversham Set up new business “Occupational Therapy Services “and own art studio.

2004 – 2006 Teaching Art in summer holiday classes. 2005 Exhibited Light installations and stone sculpture at Wyards Art Gallery Ospringe Road, Faversham. Made 5 minute abstract film with light and music ‘PRISM 2’

2006 Exhibition of Light Installations and Stone Sculpture at ‘Prewer and Orsborn’, Burgate, Canterbury.

2006 Developing Water Features in recycled glass and resin

2007 South East Open Studios exhibition -Polka Dot Gallery Teynham

2008 Bronze casting courses at Meltdowns Foundry, Ramsgate, with Steve Melton. Designed and cast ‘sleeping cat’ and ‘Water-flower ‘(fountain)

2009 South East Open Studios Exhibition, Faversham.