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I stumbled into making things with mud 25 years ago. A random sign-up for a wheel-throwing course at my local community centre had me hooked. Not right away, mind you. There was severe frustration at the start. Clay flying off the wheel, anyone?

Clay is a responsive, complex and utterly beguiling material, and ceramics a blend of art and science, skill and chance. I was completely onboard. I could see it was a path that would never run dry of possibilities.

My sights were always set on learning more. From the small mud-brick studio amongst the gums at the community centre to a large university campus and to international artist residencies, a new world unfolded, a world I didn't know existed. 

I exhibited and sold my work regularly throughout Australia, spoke on international stages, won awards and grants, had my work published and acquired by significant art collections including the Art Gallery of South Australia and the National Gallery of Victoria. 

It was all easy…. Ha! Nope. It wasn’t. I’m pulling out the best bits for you here. 

For most of those 25 years, I was in constant self-doubt, painfully shy and fearful at nearly every step. But what ya gonna do? Isn’t it infinitely worse when you give in to the fear and do not do the thing you are called to do? 

Looking back, it was the belief others had in me and their encouragement that made me slowly believe in myself. And it was the examples set by my teachers and mentors, along with the skills they passed on to me, that made me see what was possible and lit the fire in me. 

I thought I would be a wheel thrower for life, a lifer. This shifted at University when I found I couldn’t realise my ideas using the wheel. I stood up and moved to the handbuilding table, moving away from function, in the traditional sense, towards sculpture. I became interested in the extremes of a process, creating the most solid and weighty forms I could manage, to working with the finest of layers. It was this delicacy that got its grips into me. I would build up layer upon layer to create a work, taking pleasure in the time it took. I was inspired to work with the glaze as a building material, at the time a risky and experimental approach. To this day I remain committed to this way of working and I perpetually feel I am just beginning. 

Along the line, I fell into working part-time in a commercial ceramics art gallery in Melbourne, Skepsi Gallery, where I was exposed to some of the best potters, ceramicists and artists in Australia and gained a new perspective. It was a solid training ground in all aspects of gallery management, working with collectors, cataloguing collections, editing publications, and more. I’m proud to say that this relationship, now 18 years old, is still going strong - both as an assistant and an exhibiting artist.

 

In November 2018, my big sister, a successful businesswoman living in the US, floated an idea that hooked me – help artists get an artist residency. I could pool all my knowledge and experience to give them a much better shot at their dream. I knew I had the skills to do it, and importantly, I knew I would love to do it. The International Artist program was born. 

This quickly blossomed into the Evolve mentoring program, an experience spanning six months that supports artists in creating their best work in the studio and sharing it with the world. COVID landed on us, and Fresh Eyes was born from this time – a writing program for artists to build the writing muscle and use it as a tool for greater insight into their work. This year, Make Exceptional Work was launched. A program focusing squarely on the creation of better work. Everything comes from the work.

Day in and day out, I have the privilege of working with some of the most creative, intelligent, driven, and heartfelt artists in the world, who inspire me to be a better artist and person. 

One of my strengths lies in being on the same path as my artists. I am not sitting on the sidelines telling my artists what to do. Even though I do tell them what to do sometimes, firmly! I am in the arena and intimately know what it’s like to give so much to your work, share it with others, and to ride the rollercoaster.  

They say you teach what you most need to learn, and that’s absolutely true for me.

 

Four years ago, a visit to a friend living in Yuin Country on the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales was a turning point. In only a few days, I knew I wanted to make it my home. You know when you know? It’s the beauty of the place, the space, the quiet, the water, the bush, the people…

In late 2024, I officially made it happen. I now live in a small cottage with my doggo, Pippa, and am setting up my own studio space. This marks a new frontier, a new community, new friends, and a new way of living. I can hear the ocean, the bellbirds, and the kookaburras (I just heard one as I typed this), as I work with my artists online and make my art.

It’s the next adventure, and it feels right.

 

Along the line, I fell into working part-time in a commercial ceramics art gallery in Melbourne, Skepsi Gallery, where I was exposed to some of the best potters, ceramicists and artists in Australia and gained a new perspective. It was a solid training ground in all aspects of gallery management, working with collectors, cataloguing collections, editing publications, and more. I’m proud to say that this relationship, now 18 years old, is still going strong - both as an assistant and an exhibiting artist.

 

In November 2018, my big sister, a successful businesswoman living in the US, floated an idea that hooked me – help artists get an artist residency. I could pool all my knowledge and experience to give them a much better shot at their dream. I knew I had the skills to do it, and importantly, I knew I would love to do it. The International Artist program was born. 

This quickly blossomed into the Evolve mentoring program, an experience spanning six months that supports artists in creating their best work in the studio and sharing it with the world. COVID landed on us, and Fresh Eyes was born from this time – a writing program for artists to build the writing muscle and use it as a tool for greater insight into their work. This year, Make Exceptional Work was launched. A program focusing squarely on the creation of better work. Everything comes from the work.

Day in and day out, I have the privilege of working with some of the most creative, intelligent, driven, and heartfelt artists in the world, who inspire me to be a better artist and person. 

One of my strengths lies in being on the same path as my artists. I am not sitting on the sidelines telling my artists what to do. Even though I do tell them what to do sometimes, firmly! I am in the arena and intimately know what it’s like to give so much to your work, share it with others, and to ride the rollercoaster.  

They say you teach what you most need to learn, and that’s absolutely true for me.

 

Four years ago, a visit to a friend living in Yuin Country on the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales was a turning point. In only a few days, I knew I wanted to make it my home. You know when you know? It’s the beauty of the place, the space, the quiet, the water, the bush, the people…

In late 2024, I officially made it happen. I now live in a small cottage with my doggo, Pippa, and am setting up my own studio space. This marks a new frontier, a new community, new friends, and a new way of living. I can hear the ocean, the bellbirds, and the kookaburras (I just heard one as I typed this), as I work with my artists online and make my art.

It’s the next adventure, and it feels right.

 

You might be thinking, “This gal’s got tickets on herself, calling herself The Daring Artist.”

Well… I do think I’m daring in my own way.

But take a look in the mirror. Because actually… It's you.

You are The Daring Artist.

 

I work with artists who are willing to go beyond what they’ve done before, to take the risk, to stretch themselves to their edge, to ask deeper questions of themselves, and uncover what they’re not yet seeing. This takes a lot of different skills and qualities. Daring is a big part of it. Daring is what’s needed.

 

You are The Daring Artist.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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