Biography:
I was born in Melbourne in 1946 and grew up with my 3 sisters in Coburg, Victoria.
My parents were either ill or absent in my teenage years, so I found refuge in nature, art and books.
After finishing high school I worked in numerous jobs for three years and then studied art at Prahran Technical School under such luminaries as Lenton Parr, Alun Leach-Jones, Pam Hallandal and Winston Thomas.
In 1969 I was invited by Lenton Parr and Leach-Jones to join them at the National Gallery School where I majored in painting and printmaking.
After graduating and the birth of my daughter, I taught art in Victorian Secondary Schools while continuing my passion for drawing.
I resigned from teaching to concentrate on my art and a friend suggested I earn a little extra by illustrating for the Thomas Nelson reading scheme.
This was very valuable training in accurate detail. In 1983 Robert Sessions encouraged me to illustrate my first picture book…a text by new author Margaret Wild called
“There’s a Sea in my Bedroom.”
The book won critical acclaim. I really enjoyed drawing for a young audience and developed a life long interest in visual story telling.
This is something I still love. I have illustrated many award winning texts including:
My own:
"Love From Grandma" C.B.C. Notable 2010
"Playmates." 2002. C.B.C. Book of the Year, Early Childhood Shortlist 2003.
• Sarah Brennan's "Storm Whale". CBCA Notable 2018, Australian Prime Minister's Award Shortlist 2018, Queensland Premier's Award Shortlist 2018
• Anthony Hill’s "Lucy’s Cat and the Rainbow birds." 2007. Shortlisted Children’s choice awards and C.B.C. Notable. 2008
• Margaret Barbalet’s "The Wolf." Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission, Australian Human rights Award for Literature, 1992.
- Shortlisted C.B.C. Early readers category, 1992.
• Paul Jennings’ "The Fisherman and the Theefyspray." Christian Schools Book Award, 1994. Wilderness Society Environmental Award For Children’s Literature, 1994.
• Allan Baillie’s "Drac and the Gremlin." C.B.C. Picture Book of the Year Award’ Joint winner 1989. Victorian Premier’s Literary Award Shortlist 1989.
• Margaret Wild's "There's a Sea in my Bedroom." Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlist 1985. C.B.C. Picture Book of the Year Award Shortlist 1985.