What started as an inspiring trip around Australia with no set destinations or time frames ended after only one stop and 6 months in a caravan. To my surprise I had found my childhood fantasy of living in the mountains by the sea in Maleny QLD, Australia. Grounding myself with a purchase of a home within a truly unique community and becoming a mother has given me the freedom to express myself in ways always imagined yet never fulfilled. 
The foundation of my art starts with a moment in time that we all experience yet rarely record. In some way creating a self-portrait. Many of my pieces have been inspired by a thought, an event, an emotion, memory, phrase and/or the environment I have experienced or wish to.
At the Sydney International 2000 Teddy Bear Show I was approached by Ian Pout of Teddy Bears of Whitney and was thrilled to be given the opportunity to complete an edition for his 2001 catalogue.
During this time I developed and built a website to display and sell my work as I knew trade shows would be out of the picture for a few years with a growing family.
Becoming a mother for the first time has triggered child like qualities in my work. My bears are becoming younger with vivid colour and innocence. The birth of my son, Darcy gave me inner strength never known. I remember holding this newly born child, feeling empowered with a new found knowledge. If I could create and give birth to this amazing being, I could accomplish anything. I do have the strength within me to make my dreams come true.
My trademark faerie wings, pixie ears and fancy feet are starting to emerge. Pushing the limits in colour & pattern design. I don't really know why bears? I have a feeling it's the three-dimensional form and texture I enjoy most. A piece of art not too precious to touch or perhaps a childhood memory of imagining one of my siblings as a big brother bear.
As I sit in my studio I sometimes wonder where am I going and what am I doing? I have pieces of unfinished work, rejected experiments scattered around. The floor is covered in threads and patches of fabric discarded in a creative frenzy. The white walls reflect back at me reminding me of the blank fabric that waits. I need to satisfy my own curiosity and knowledge that I am treading on new ground.
I have wonderful people in my life, past and present, who I have been able to share my work and experience with. Every person who has supported, showed interest or approached me on my work inspires me to keep going on my journey of expressing an extraordinary world the way I see it. If I can inspire someone to imagine for themselves, then I am truly satisfied.
Wanting to learn more about myself and skills I made a commitment to see this medium through. I persevered with it and forced myself into challenging situations to learn, explore and keep my enthusiasm alive.
Never compromising and staying true to myself is what I had set out to achieve. This has stayed with me during my career. I never want to be tired in my work, so I keep pushing my own expectations to see how far I can take it.
