Travel in the Australian outback and living in the Snowy Mountains has changed the direction of my work and are the foundation of my artwork.  The colours and marks come directly from rocks, soils, local flora and in particularly the eucalypts and acacias.  I’m marking place and using nature's pigments and turning it into art material. Dyeing with plant material, crushing and grinding rocks and soils,  provides me with a very earthy palette that references the local environment and provides for a very tactile and meditative working environment as I work.

Instead of creating marks with oils, acrylics or watercolours I create marks with the foliage, barks, rocks and soils around me occasionally incorporating other natural dyes extracts.  I am passionate and addicted to experimenting with mark making using natural dyes and printing with the actual foliage, and rusted objects.  Extracting colour from plants and soil is my way of saving colours, of finding hidden colours, and of catching nature’s range of colours and arranging it on fabric, yarn and paper.

My current work focuses on materiality.  I use silk, wool, cotton and linen fabrics as well as paper to dye and print.  I challenge myself to use the fabric and paper that I use to wrap and protect the scarves and wraps I create in the dyeing and printing processes.

Having dyed and /or printed the fabric or paper the piece will dictate how I will proceed.  I may

• leave it as is, or
• collage, piece and stitch as I focus on line, shape, form, colour and texture. or
• add definition with ink or pencil or add drawn or stitched elements.

I love the serendipity associated with using the same plant materials in different seasons and weather conditions.  Incorporation of hand stitching, a comparatively slow process, extends the contemplative environment of creating my art work.

I incorporate two diverse approaches as I work.  An initial spontaneous approach is followed by a very structured plan to execute the idea/ideas that develop in its creation.