Welcome to thumbnail sketches of some of my projects involving sculpture, craft, commissions, community projects, conservation and research. Click on the images for a downloadable PDF containing more information.
1. A sculptural solution to a botanical problem in my front garden including information on how I made it. Some of my recent visitors believed I had merely spray painted a real cycad.
2. Creativity comes in many forms. On a walk in an important ecological community in Canberra, I did not encounter the birds I was seeking. Rather, I discovered some delicious plump blackberries and turned to my kitchen for the afternoon. Delicious results!
3. Living in a suburban landscape on the fringe of a nature reserve, we often host unexpected birds, animals and plants. On this occasion, we played nurse to a baby blue tongue lizard.
4. Some background to one of my sculptures that began as a playful tribute to the weedy sea dragon and subsequently became the mascot for the Discover Wildlife: Art and Science 2014 symposium and exhibition at CSIRO Discovery in Canberra (14- 18 May).
5. From bush walk to speculative email invitation to international juried publication. This is the story of my lichen- inspired beads as featured in 1000 Beads by Lark Publications 2014.
6. During my time as Honorary Guest with the ANU Department of Archaeology and Natural History I was invited to join an archaeological field trip to Bywong, NSW. The field trip brought to light sediment from thousands of years ago that proved inspirational for some of my pollen artwork.
7. At times I am commissioned to produce work about which I know nothing at all. With this wedding commission, I ventured into animated movies, tropical rainforests of South America and even into avian enclosures in order to get a closer look at macaw feet.
8. Front and centre of what I do on the committee of Wildlife & Botanical Artists Inc is create opportunities for artists to contribute to scientific research endeavours. In this project I participated as an artist, helping to honour prominent entomologists for the 50th anniversary of the Australian Entomological Society.
9. In 2014, Queanbeyan Uniting Church commenced a ‘discernment journey’ during which the congregation was called to reflect on individual and community values, talents, and spiritual callings. I was invited to help the congregation express individual responses in polymer clay tiles that could be displayed in church as a visual reminder of the journey.
10. On Saturday 29 March, the Conservation Council ACT Region held a one-day Symposium titled 'Being an Effective Voice for the Environment'. The symposium preceded the ACT Region Environment Awards as well as Earth Hour activities at Parliament House. I was invited to represent an artists's perspective on how to be an effective voice for the environment.
11. In late 2013 as Vice President of Wildlife and Botanical Artists Inc, I organised the first artists’ visit to the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC). During this and successive visits, I became acquainted with the rare Bentwing Swift Moth. Not being a traditional entomological illustrator, I seek to bring different insights to my work but this is met with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Anathema was one of my experimental sculptures.
12. In 2014, after encountering the increasingly trendy phenomenon of the 'mini-house', I decided to clean up my stacks of recycled and salvaged materials and build an architectural out house.