For as long as long as I can remember I’ve either been drawing, painting, writing or sewing bits of scrap material together. I started my creative career by making clothes for my dolls out of my grandmothers sewing scraps and moved on to making my own school uniforms. I grew up in South Africa where we had to wear uniforms and while I always longed for a store bought one, we couldn’t afford it. I credit this part of my life for teaching me skills I would take through life and also for learning how to make do and improvise. When I was a teenager I painted flowers on my friend’s jeans and made mocassins on my grandmother’s sewing machine breaking several of her needles. She was less than impressed.

My first real job was an apprenticeship window dresser for a major retailer in South Africa and this was followed by the grand opening of my first shop at age 18. Called “Original Rags” a play on the Scott Joplin song, my shop specialised in bespoke handmade clothes made of patched together reject fabrics made unique (and cheap) by the dye’s running into each other.

In my early 20s Europe called and I worked in two London sweatshop for Greeks and Turks respectively as I tried to break into the London fashion ‘scene’. After three hard years and a multitude of adventures I returned to my native South Africa for a more sedate married life and work in the corporate world.

Personal tragedy and emigration saw me reshape my life in Australia. I got divorced, trained as a make-up artist, completed a PhD in Creative Writing and opened two florist stores. I also spent a lot of time renovating old houses.

Following my divorce I bought my first house at 40. Actually it was half a house on a busy road but I turned it into a million dollars through trial and error and styling. The sale of that house enabled the purchase of two properties on the Gold Coast where I now life. One I converted into an Airbnb and the other, my home, is a work in progress which I share with an Italian landscaper and three rescue cats. The serves as my studio, my home, my inspiration and in winter it gives me oranges.

I love flowers, flowers, flowers and even more flowers. I love the quirky, the colourful, the unloved, preloved and unique. I’m not a cookie cutter type of girl and my creative world reflects that. I’m currently working on several projects. Some books, a collection of paintings. Life is full and I’m grateful.

My art is for sale. Please reach out if you want to purchase any of it.