I was born in Abersychan, South Wales, and, although located on the edge of the coalfield, spent my early years enjoying the spectacular scenery riding horses on the surrounding hills and in the Usk and Wye valleys. I was always interested in painting and at twelve years old exhibited at the Newport Art Gallery. As a family, we always went to Tenby for our Summer holidays and I enjoyed painting the harbour and surrounding area. I was lucky enough to make an arrangement with a Gallery there to sell some of my paintings of local scenes and this financed my equestrian activities.

I trained as a teacher at Dudley College and then went to the Cardiff College of Art. I taught in Leominster and then in Newport, Gwent, for ten years before getting married. Since then I have moved around the country and had ‘one man’ shows in Poole, Greenock, Glasgow and Edinburgh. When in Scotland I decided to become a ‘full time’ artist and studied at the Glasgow School of Art.

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Eventually I returned to Wales and my husband and I had a small holding outside Dunvant. I had a purpose built studio and held classes and Day Schools there for ten years. We have moved now to Bishopston and I no longer have that facility. However I still run monthly Day Schools at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in Llanelli and give talks and demonstrations across South Wales.

 

As a member of the Royal Watercolour Society of Wales, I have exhibited with them for many years, including one with the French Watercolour Society. I have had two ‘one man’ shows at the Taliesin Art Gallery, Swansea University, and have exhibited in many other group shows both there and with the South Wales Art Society. This year (2016) I had a joint exhibition at the Taliesin and I have solo exhibitions scheduled for 2017 and 2018.

 

The images I produce are based on natural shapes and seek to capture mood and atmosphere. Colour patterns in nature fascinate me because they can also be taken as abstract forms which are designs within themselves.