About the Artist.

I have been a non-prolific artist for many years, doing fine art only for the home.

In late 2010 I took up airbrushing and did a 3 week boot camp course. I struggled with it due to a coordination problem and left the course feeling overwhelmed as I just couldn’t get my hand to do the fine motor skills required. Everyone else on the course passed and was given a certificate. I did however get a “tongue in cheek award”, this was the: "Never Say Die Award"

I was so disappointed as I’d set my heart on doing airbrushing - it was on my bucket list. The reason it was on my bucket list was because of family members who had custom painted vehicles, motor bikes, helmets etc. during the 1970’s in their business. I was so impressed with their work I kept it in the back of my mind over the years.

I was offered an opportunity to redo the course 6 months later as I’d shown my airbrush tutor some examples of my fine art and he was quite taken with it.

It was with trepidation that I embarked on the second boot camp course. While I still struggled with it I definitely fared better than the first time. Since completing the second course I have been slowly working away by myself at improving my skills.

It is still difficult for me when my trigger finger doesn’t match what my eye and brain want to achieve however the efforts paid off recently when I won the “Kate G. Fraser Award” for professional artists at the Royal NZ Easter Show (This award is only awarded once to an artist).

I had never entered an art competition before so I was absolutely grateful and thrilled to have achieved this result. It is very much of an incentive to continue on with artwork. The two pieces of art which I entered in the show both sold over Easter at the show. I have studied fine art with Tony Clarke (TC Fine Art, Pakuranga) for a number of years. I have also been a member of the Catherine Mitchell Arts Centre on Waiheke Island for many, many years having just given up doing art there as I wished to focus more on airbrushing. I have the motto “never give up” alongside my easel and when I get stuck I remind myself to push through.