About

Horse mad and art focused my parents gave me a ‘How to Draw Horses’ book for my 7th birthday. I distinctly remember being firmly occupied for hours attempting to follow the visual instructions. Pencil on paper, I was so frustrated at being unable to get close to the clean lines and fine shading illustrated in the book. However perseverance and determination was rewarded by eventually being able to capture the likeness of these fabulous animals. To this day I have never had the control or patience to replicate those 'How to draw' illustrations but I have developed my own style - sort of like my own handwriting applied to paper and canvas.

Born in Montreal, Canada my adopted family moved frequently due to my father's career. I figure I attended 6 schools and lived in 8 different houses by the age of 16 - both in Canada and here in England. In hindsight it probably was quite an unsettled upbringing but my family life was secure and loving and it opened my eyes to a wider aspect of people and places. During this time art was always my constant friend, chosen subject in school and pastime at home.

I began my higher education in Fine Art at university. After some consideration, I opted for a more practical route to a career by studying Visual Communications at the Alberta Collage of Art. On graduation I moved to Toronto and worked in the art departments of several magazines before starting my own freelance graphic design business in 1990.

My husband Doug came into my life a few years later and I moved to a new home in the Scottish countryside. Unfamiliar with my environment I began drawing and painting animals. I enjoyed the mass migration of geese whooping and hollering across a farm yard, the full-eyed stare of a sheep and the constant fuss and movement of chickens. They were positive, happy and full of energy as I was adjusting to life in a new country.