About
All my life I have been involved with art and textiles. My mother was a superb dressmaker and painter who encouraged us all to attain these skills. Add to this mix life on a rural property and it’s no surprise I spend all day drawing birds and fantastic gum leaves.
emu foraging by lake
I love being outdoors, watching the birds, discovering wild flowers and enjoying the patterns in nature.
I am keen to portray the liveliness and natures of our many delightful animals with simple line drawings. Many hours are spent observing and drawing in the field, from the bush to the sea, the zoo to the mountains. Photographs are taken, colours are noted then it’s off to the art room. Here I draw and redraw, playing with size, different angles and layouts and styles as I develop my designs.
landscape in outback South Australia
These designs are used in a variety of media- screen-prints, hand-painting, embroidery, quilts and appliqué. Ideas developed in one medium often lead to another. Observing the patterns and colours on a beautiful goanna leads to hand-dyeing fabrics to reflect those textures and colours. These colours in turn inspire a new quilt design and so it goes.
My work has reached all over Australia and around the world. Many are thrilled to own a Spikey Design. Others are inspired to try themselves. Thus from handy bags to gorgeous quilts, you can find patterns and kits to create your own piece of textile art, or a unique hand-crafted gift for someone you love.
grass trees in the Warby Ranges
Check out the products on this site or be on the mailing list for new products and tutorials about the different approaches and techniques I use.
