/bio
Me, the student...
Bachelor of Design - Spatial,
Diploma of Interior Design,
Certificate in Applied Social Science,
Certificate in Community Studies.
1 Year full-time Fine Arts painting class.
But wait there's more...
An eternal student of all things creative...
Mixed Media, water colour, jewellery,
furniture making, stained glass classes.
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The Designer in me...
I LOVE designing & building & project managing reno jobs. (& parties!)
From the concept stage through to completion. I feel alive when I'm working on a decent project.
Favourite materials - stone, steel, timber. YUM!
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My Arty Beginnings...
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Once upon a time, when I was in my 20s, I picked up a pencil and drew one of my kid's shoes. It was fun - and decidedly challenging!
Deciding this drawing thing required further exploration, I enrolled for a night class to do 'Still Life Painting" since I wanted more than anything to ultimately paint people.
Arriving at the class, I set up my brand new set of oil paints & palette and waited for the model to arrive.
Imagine my surprise when the Tutor arrived & set up fishing net & buoys and told us to get painting.
I was SO excited... the model might be going to be pose as a mermaid!
After 20 minutes of inaction waiting for the mermaid to show up, I realised...
'Still Life' was NOT "Life Painting" We were there to paint fishing net & buoys 😢
I was truly gutted so I did the only reasonable thing I could think of...
I enrolled for 1 Year, full time, Fine Arts Painting class that was 90% life drawing & painting.
I was like a "pig in mud" for a whole year!


Personally Speaking... (Under the outside of me)
I am a sentimental sod & have inherited a hefty dose of Social Conscience.
I'm painfully honest. Can't lie to save myself.
Probably came from getting caught stealing my banking money when I was 12.
Apparently I'm very 'direct' - I call a spade a spade. (Can't see anything wrong with that!)
I have a tendency to be a tad 'un-PC' at times. (Might have understated that a tad.)
I am certainly a trier - (pretty sure that's what people mean when they say I am 'trying' :)
I make mistakes. Some mistakes bigger than others - and that's ok. They are never intentional. (And... I hate making mistakes!)
I am human. Just like you. (Unless you are a literatedog - then I take that back.)
I am not a huge fan of anyone who thinks they are 'above' me. I kinda figure - we are all humans - and we all do smelly poos.
I love to laugh. Life is short.
Irreverent - Irish Catholic parents + raised with Irish & Catholic Jokes = innate ability to laugh at myself - & crazy things in life.
Definitely a "deep end jumper". God only knows where I get this from - but the bigger the
challenge - the stronger my need to tackle it.
Think that's about me... Nothing special.
I am a Prolific Breeder...
with four ( yes, 4!¨) kids. FYI - the big hairy one is not mine!
(old but very cute pic)... and...
I love teaching (grown-ups)...
Making the most of my 'Know-it-all" side...
In 2013 I was convinced by a friend to join the teaching staff at the
Design & Arts College in Chch and I loved it!
For 3 1/2 years I taught Ergonomics & Spatial Design; Drawing & Presentation, Model Making; Life Drawing and Perspective drawing to Interior & Architecture Students.
I was stunned at how much I loved teaching! On a purely selfish level, I get an absolute kick out of helping draw genius out of the minds & hearts of my charges.
Discovering how much I loved teaching, I did the only reasonable thing
I could think of...
I left D&A in 2016 & built my own boutique Art school for grown ups in
Opawa called Discoveries :-)
