Artist’s Biography
I came to Perth from Africa just gone 35 years ago and took up watercolours a few years later. I fell in love with the clean, spontaneous, unpredictable medium and have been driven crazy by it ever since. I find the challenge of producing a painting, with the elements I find attractive, so enjoyable – the wet-on-wet, soft edges, dry brush, etc. For me, it’s an ongoing learning process and just when I think I’ve ‘cracked it’, I realise I still have a long way to go.
I like to vary my subject matter and will tackle street scenes, landscapes, and portraits to name a few.
In the distant past, I studied watercolour at Charles Sturt University, doing their Summer School at Bathurst, under Herman Pekel, Joseph Zbukvic and Alvaro Castagnet – three incredibly talented and world renowned watercolourists.
I have to say though, that there is nothing like practice and Plein Air painting to bring about gradual but noticeable increments of improvement.
Over the years I have participated in numerous local and regional exhibitions, enjoying the odd success by way of sales or a win – all very rewarding and exciting.
I teach watercolour at the Tresillian Art Centre and really enjoy the process of helping beginners to understand the medium and its challenges. I also belong to, and am on the committee of the Watercolour Society of WA and enjoy the camaraderie that the Society has to offer.
