I am a snorkaholic. The very first time I put on a mask and experienced the magical underwater world of the reefs, I was hooked forever. It was the experience of snorkeling that really opened my eyes to the diversity of nature as a whole. I am always inspired by the astonishing color, complexity, and beauty of the wildlife I’ve observed in my years of travel to the Caribbean. My images are composed of things a nature lover might encounter on a morning walk or an afternoon snorkel.
I grew up in England, and as a girl I attended private art classes in the countryside where I created detailed wildlife studies in various media. My father, also an artist, inspired and encouraged me from the start. I started my paintings of the Caribbean in 1992 as a way to extend the afterglow of my visits to the West Indies.
I have a background in graphic design, which has helped my sense of composition, an important part of all my paintings. In graphic design/lithography I was constrained in my use of color. Painting the tropics set me free creatively. I like to work big. I rarely work smaller than 18 x 24 inches, and most of my paintings are on 22 x 30-inch, 300-pound watercolor paper.
I’m committed to nature education and conservation, which is why I donate a portion of my profits to wildlife and reef preservation projects. I hope that my artwork will both decorate and promote an appreciation of the amazing variety and fragility of the biosystems I paint. The majority of species represented here are indigenous to the West Indies, many of them endangered.