Influenced by the ‘Beat’ poets of the 1950s and ’60s, I left my home in the UK to travel the highways of North America. Enroute I fell in love with Canada’s west coast and remain here still, living and making art in Vancouver, BC.
I failed high school art in England and didn’t even consider studying or practising visual art until 1977 in Victoria, BC. At that time I was navigating periods of deep depression and existential crisis. A concerned friend suggested I apply for the same art course she was applying for: a two year foundational Visual Arts course at a local college. I had no portfolio and little experience but was accepted with a promise to fully commit myself for two years. I did so willingly and discovered a deep and lasting passion for the visual arts.
I went on to earn a first class Honours BFA in painting and a B.Ed in Visual art.
I taught senior high school art and art history in Vancouver for 25 years.