During the early eighties, after a jewellery /silversmithing internship in industry (Ruthin, Wales) arranged by Goldsmiths of London, I visited Kenya for three months and stayed for two years!!! That adventure resulted in my moving to Clovis, California, where most of next 18 years were spent raising two daughters.
It was during this time that I was introduced to the art of Japanese Papermaking and became involved in several arts/papermaking groups, including ‘Ramspott’ and ‘The Friends of Dard Hunter’. This method of papermaking allows me to create papers that are rich with color and texture. I really enjoy the technical element involved in the process of creating colored kozo and gampi fibers.
By developing a method of pigmenting the fibers, which results in multiple layers of colour, I then manipulated them in the sheet formation process to create papers with embedded texture and pattern. In 1999 I moved to St Cloud, Minnesota, and in 2005 moved to Minneapolis, Mn. where in the April of 2007 became part of the North East Arts community by acquiring a studio at the Northrup King Building.
In 2008 I decided to return to England to continue my studies and was accepted at Camberwell College of the Arts, London in the masters program. After receiving my Masters in Visual Arts/Book Arts I then attended University of the Arts London on the PGCE HE teaching course specialising in Arts Education.
Also in 2009 I decision to remain living in London, England permanently and reclaim my Englishness!
Work in public collections
Tate Britain, London
Camberwell College of the Arts, London
St Benedict College, Minnesota