It's a team effort.

My partner in life is a committed woodworker. He is a lover of old hand tools and traditional techniques. He  also makes my frames. All the frame mouldings are handplaned and in keeping with my work we source Australian timbers including Red Cedar, Rosewood, Huon pine and various Hardwoods.

Hand planed framing angle ready for assembly.

A few planes and chisels.

The hide glue pot, warming up ready to glue up my frame.

I like the point of difference that having handmade and therefore one off frames gives to my work. I also like the fact that we are doing our bit to keep traditional techniques and processes alive in a world where things are becoming ever increasingly disposable.

Hello 2015!

Well, so far what a wonderfully busy start to 2015, my only hope is to keep up the momentum and keep working!

I had a bit of a break over Christmas/ New year, including some travelling with my family, but now that school is back it's paint brushes up and work work work.

I have just finished a painting to show for the first time with The Friends of the ANBG (Australian National Boatnic Gardens) Botanic Art Group. I only joined the group at the end of 2014 so It is lovely to be able to join the exhibition.

The Exhibition is held from 21st March- 19th April 2015 at the visitors centre, Australian National Botanic Gardens.

Stypandra glauca 2015

I have also for the first time entered some work into the Canberra show. Never having entered Artwork into a competition stlye event before, I am not sure what to expect but again it should be fun to take part and see how it goes.

I am also working on two diverse commission pieces, an exotic and some illustrations for a childrens story.

Great to be busy!

Mini-break Weekend to one of my Favourite Destinations.

The Murray river.

There's nothing like a weekend away to recharge the batteries. My folks live in a lovely rural area in the Upper Murray and it is one of my favourite places. For me it is a place rich with inspiration on many levels, the wonderful location and surrounding countryside, the garden which is full of native plants and the house which is full of bits of history.

The Home.

The homestead.

Pieces of history- A reconditioned gas light.

Ancestors.

Some most terrific objects.

More beautiful things.

A great place to be a kid.

A great place to tucker out the kid!

The Homestead, built in the early 2000's is Mud brick, built with mud from the site, recycled building materials, including all the doors and windows, even the staircase. A place full of rich colours and textures which only age can procure, it has all the wonder of a museum without the 'Do not Touch' signs.

“If the furniture of our houses could last an age or two, what notions of our fortitude must posterity have!
In the scenes of our domestic privacy and retirement, we keep our energies awake by surrounding ourselves with the most terrific objects!”

— The Sydney Gazzette, 1812

The Garden.

Brachychiton Populneus

The Kurrajong is native to the area.

Tristania conferta

Brush Box

Pandorea.

Pod.

Pandorea.

Grevillea robusta.

Silky Oak.

Grevillea robusta.

Pods.

For me the garden is a wonderful resource for painting and drawing. Every time I visit there is something different in flower. The bird life is prolific including Eastern spinebills, Blue Wrens, several varieties of Honeyeaters and Parots. On this visit it was a joy to watch the Rainbow Bee Eaters at dusk cruising around but I may have to improve my bird photography skills to capture some good images.