I am for the Art that takes its form through the sight of
my spirits eye. A view without a formed beginning,
an adventure of expression through the happy accident
of lines meeting colour,
a flick, a jump,
a sigh of ahhh,
a circle of joy,
A pooling of sadness,
a stroke of love,
a bounce of comedy,
a howl of despair.......
Born London 1971 of an English man and an Australian woman I was blessed with daily visits to kew gardens,the smell of the hothouses forever lingers in my scent memory.At the age of 4 we moved to the west Coast of Scotland,where I spent the best part of my childhood, climbing the hills, sailing the lochs and exploring the Glen Fruin.
From there I spent 5 years in the Lake District, with time in Edinburgh and Glasgow.Due to my Mother I was lucky enough to visit South Australia as a child, I was overwhelmed by the immense blue skies contrasting with the rich ochres of the land.I believe it was there I became a colour junky and have been tripping on nature's pallet ever since.
On leaving school with A levels in art, geography and physics I attended the first year of architecture at Kent Institute of art and Design.I really enjoyed the course but in my heart I wanted to go to art school, so I quit and spent a year working and travelling Europe while preparing a portfolio, I then attended the following courses:
1992-93 Certificate Foundation Art, Winchester School of Art
1993-96 B.A. Hons Fine Art, Painting, University of Brighton
At age 15 I first read about art as therapy and knew immediately in my heart this was something I wanted to offer in the world.While I was studying architecture I joined an experiential group of art therapy run by a self taught art therapist and that experience confirmed my belief that this would be part of my life.
At college I was deeply interested in spiritual Shamanic and intuitive art, much against the fashion of the time for post modern intellectual based work.It was a challenging time!
In my final year I took the certificate in person centered councelling at Lewes college.I also had a need to work with wood so I took the City and Guilds furniture and craft at Brighton College of Technology.
Finally in 2000 I found the course which suited my ethics for art therapy, based on Carl Rogers belief that we all know what is best for us and can heal given the right supportive enviroment.
2001 Certificate in Person Centered Art Therapy, Crawley College.
The course was relatively new and its founder Liesil Silverthorne was in the process of writing the diploma.It was incredibly exciting and inspiring.
Since then I have moved between U.K, South of Spain and France gaining more experience and always painting.