Q&A

What role does your art have in society?
I am very encouraged that there seems to be a worldwide interest in contemporary figurative realist painting. I see it as addressing a need to identify with others and have a sense of what others are experiencing, sharing that which ties us all.

What is your background?
My father was an inventive engineer. His passion was sailing and he built boats in his spare time. My mother continued a family heritage of being a ‘maker’ of many things. I was expected to help construct a wide and varied number of things alongside my family, paired with a strong work ethic and expectations of high standards of finish. I became a Secondary School Art teacher, majoring in painting and drawing during my studies. I have been an exhibiting artist for 24 years.

Which was your breakthrough piece?
‘Waiting For Zipporah’, 2002, a portrait of Christine Anu, is one of three that I painted from sittings with the successful Indigenous Australian singer, songwriter and performer. As a mother of three myself, I embraced the opportunity to celebrate this time in Christine’s life. It was exhibited in my solo exhibition ‘Seeing Secrets’ at the Cairns Gallery, and subsequently added to the collection of the Australian National Portrait Gallery, Canberra. The portrait has been a popular inclusion in the gallery’s education program and toured nationally in the ‘Bare-Degrees of Undress in Portraiture’. It has appeared in several publications and televised shows. For me it represents a legacy I have left for future generations and in technical terms my skills were challenged and extended.

How do you work?
My process begins with a live sitting, during which I will take photos for on-going reference. I may have a particular narrative or vision, however I am always prepared for the unexpected and the need to be flexible in my approach to a piece. Due to the vastness of my country and my own location, very often I will have travelled for hours to connect with my sitter. I cannot have complete control over the conditions. I prefer natural lighting and I often say that it is lucky I can paint as I am not much of a photographer. Sometimes I reserve my ideas for the composition until I have interacted with my subject and established a connection that puts us both at ease and a creative collaboration between artist and sitter can ensue. I have been highly motivated to fight the tyranny of distance which can impact on the practice of a regionally based artist, I hope to change ‘under-represented’ to ‘underestimated’. 

What artwork in history has inspired you the most?
Growing up, I had little to no access to Art Museums, and there was no internet. When I was perhaps 8 years old, an Aunt gifted me a book on French Impressionism. I was most drawn to the figurative works by Manet, Renoir and Degas. In simple sentimental terms, this was my first exposure to a period in Art history and no doubt had an influence on me. I was captivated by the use of colour, the emphasis on the depiction of light and the glimpses into everyday lives of that time. Renoir’s ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party’, is one that looms large in my memory, and ‘A Bar at the Folies-Begere’ by Manet. For me, it was never about the landscapes, it was always about the figures - peering into the details of their stories.