About Me

I have worked as a visual artist and graphic designer for over 20 years, having received a Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts) from Newcastle University, majoring in Plant and Wildlife Illustration.

I worked freelance as an illustrator for publishers in Sydney, before moving to Western Australia in 2000. Whilst working as a graphic designer for CLE Town Planning and Design, I did some planning of a different sort, creating WA’s very own national art prize – The Lester Prize (previously the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture).

As its founder and Executive Director for ten years, I was delighted to see it grow into Australia’s third richest portrait prize and the only one of its kind in WA.

In 2013 I was awarded the City of Perth Premiers Active Citizenship Award for my contribution to the arts and in 2018 I was honored to become a Patron of the prize. The Lester Prize is now proudly exhibited at the Art Gallery of WA each year with more than 10,000 visitors viewing the portraits on display.

Following its success I resigned in 2017 to return to my own creative practice.

In 2023 I was honoured to receive a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for my contribution to the arts.

I now live in a rainforest with my partner Matt Ottley in a small village in the Northern Rivers, NSW, and spend time moving between painting, drawing, writing, curating, creating children’s books … and drinking chai!

I am inspired by nature, people and the world at large.