How long have you been a practising artist?
I went straight to Art School after I gained my Higher School Certificate. I have been a practicing artist ever since, however with family and work commitments there were times where I was struggling to find time to paint. It has really been the last 5 years that I have had the time to commit to my Art.

Do you have any formal training? 
I attended Newcastle College of Advanced Education and gained a Diploma of Art in 1980. This course was later replaced with the Bachelor of Art Visual Arts. I returned to Newcastle University and received my Bachelor of Arts Visual Arts in 1996 with the aim of then completing a Diploma of Education but I did not get time to do that course due to family commitments. 

Do you belong to any other artist groups? galleries?
Apart from Art Studios Cooperative I am an exhibiting member of Art in Sync. We are a group of Newcastle and Central Coast Artists that exhibit together in Galleries in Newcastle and the Central Coast. We work on themed exhibitions. I also exhibit my paintings at The Design Gallery Terrigal in group shows.

Have / do you exhibit elsewhere? Online promotion?
I am always seeking opportunities to exhibit elsewhere and that has resulted in participating in community events and group shows. I am yet to fully explore online galleries, I have an artist page on Facebook and I have recently opened an Instagram account. I do have some paintings on The Colour in Your Life Website.

Have you received any awards, been a finalist in any art awards / art prizes?
Artist Bio
I have been a finalist in The Gosford Art Prize four times.

When and why did you join Art Studios Co-operative?
I have been a member of Art Studios Cooperative from its inception. I joined because I needed to have a permanent studio where I could come and go as I needed. I also joined so I could interact with likeminded people. Working with other artists is invaluable as it boosts your enthusiasm and creativity.

For you, what are the benefits of membership with this Co-op?
The benefits of The Co-op are a permanent studio space, that is set up and ready for me to come in and start work immediately. It is also close to home which means I can quickly get to my studio. I enjoy sharing ideas with other artists. I find working in a creative environment stimulates my creativity and enthusiasm. Often opportunities to exhibit or to be part of events are offered to members. The Australian Spirit project is a great example of artists working with the community to benefit a great cause and bring fascinating stories to the attention of the public.

Have you gained any new skills in your time at the Co-op?
I have learnt how to hang an exhibition and how to coordinate my own exhibition. I have gained some knowledge about Facebook. How to coordinate people from different disciplines to come together and work on a common goal, Australian Spirit, poets artists photographers and veterans.