It started with the smell—the smell of freshly sharpened Derwent pencils. The shavings marked the beginning of my lifelong adventure exploring the world of art on all levels.
 

In primary school, I challenged the teachers by painting a skinny Santa Claus, to my teacher’s disbelief, won my first prize at the age of seven, and many more followed. We, moved to South Africa in 1973, where my internal combustion was taking place. Teachers could not understand why I never spoke in class and always kept to myself. My dad knew what was happening, but my mother insisted on getting me checked. They arranged a meeting with a psychologist and teacher's aide.
The psychologist had me perform various tasks, a drawing test where I drew a circle from the centre out. I kept going off the page and using various colours to their surprise. Little, did I know this was my first introduction to art therapy, and the outcome was positive.

 

Years later, we returned to Australia. I felt more like a foreigner than a natural-born Aussie.
I spoke and viewed the world differently, which became evident throughout my life. I felt I did not belong! I was punished by nuns at Sacred Heart Primary School for pronouncing words differently and painting differently than everyone else.  
 

At eleven, I remember knocking on neighbours’ doors asking for old paints. Once I got the colours I wanted, I painted a life-size mermaid on the back of my bedroom door. I was so proud and couldn't wait to show my parents. While, I was impressed with my creativity, Mum had a meltdown and insisted I remove it. I was forced to paint over it in duck eggshell wash. Yuck! 
 

Throughout high school, I was known as the girl with an amazing gift for art. Whether clay work, jewellery, painting or drawing. I had an abundance of artwork.

When I got accepted into university, I once again challenged the lecturers. One lecturer frequently challenged me with comments like "that's not going to work" "try this colour instead." Always dampening my enthusiasm, we had a competition among graphic students across all Victorian Universities with the Wool Corporation. I created a poster in black with earth tones representing indigenous colours. The lecturer told me this wouldn’t work and insisted I change it.
I refused. So, guess what? I won the competition! 

A one-year contract with the Wool Corporation and soon after various job offers upon finishing my diploma. Not bad for someone who really wanted to be a ceramist. Soon after I was offered a job in the magazine division as a graphic designer, then became an art director and production manager, all within few years. By this stage, my world of art had dissolved as I became involved in the corporate sector of magazines.

My passion for art soon disappeared, almost non-existent, nowhere to found.

In 1993, my dad passed away on Father's Day, and so did my world. For years, I didn’t look at art, painting, or creating until 1997 when I was gifted a blank canvas. Need I say more? I found solace; a healing and release took place. In 1999, I travelled to Ohio USA, where I resided with family and was encouraged to paint. There were no restrictions on canvas size or colours, and I was given the key to empower my journey forward. After my separation in 2000, with two children aged 3 and 6, I changed careers and returned to university to study Child & Youth Protection.

My world was very different now. While working in Child Protection, I met a beautiful soul. Our worlds were very different and far removed. Years prior to our meeting, Spirit had shown me we would meet, hence my painting, “Spirit Warrior.” I knew we would meet again, depending on the universe and what it had store for us. In 2006, I left Child Protection to complete yet another Diploma ... in Art Therapy, which combined well with healing, art, and therapy. This set me on a course of empowerment through art. I began to paint all my experiences—my ups and downs, my failures and achievements. I started to write my book. All these modalities began to heal my being, spanning over 25 years. In 2016, "Spirit Warrior” came back into my life, and since then, we have not been apart.
Empowering me to be my authentic self and encouraging me on, our spiritual paths.

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My desire is to open an art gallery and exhibit all my paintings while launching my book at same time, workshops, art therapy, healing, and empowerment. My work consists of very large format canvases to small illustrations/doodles. have over 100 canvased pieces and many more gifted to various family and friends. I have also completed commissioned pieces and continue painting. Some pieces withheld until my book is published, but you will have the privileged to view them in 

Mama Quilla Gallery.