Ever since I was old enough to pick up a fat wax crayon I have loved to draw. I was born in Leicester and at school, art was the only thing I really enjoyed, despite being scared of my art teacher, Miss Walker!
I left to study further at North Staffs Polytechnic in Stoke on Trent – inspired by the pottery kilns and the surrounding dramatic Staffordshire landscape. I eventually took my career on another path and have worked as an accountant for a printing company for oh so many years! ….but I have never stopped being creative and continue my passion for art.
I make prints, primarily collagraphs, sometimes colourful, sometimes dark. I use a lot of colour and love the unpredictability of the collagraph process. I usually do small editions of between 5 and 10. I use a cardboard plate which is inked for each print, making every impression individual and original. I use a brush to apply the ink, and I like to mask out a small area on the plate with paper so I can add detail with watercolour later or sometimes I will screen print on top too.
I discovered that I have a family link to a now defunct printing press manufacturer, Hughes & Kimber of London. I use one of their early presses at home to produce my collagraphs. I am also a member of the excellent Leicester Print Workshop and I use their Harry Rochat press to make my larger work.
I now live in Rutland with my husband and I’m continually inspired by the beautiful Rutland landscape and our frequent trips to Thornham on the North Norfolk coast.
I rode my horse for many years on the bridleways around Launde Abbey and Tilton on the Hill in Leicestershire, spending hours in the most fabulous rural countryside. A treasure trove of ideas for prints. Being a Pisces person I also love the sea and especially in the winter when it is rough and dramatic. I am always interested in hard to reach, remote places and these feature regularly in my work.
