2025 An Artistic Journey
As the summer sun arrives and the Christmas decorations are hung again, I am reflecting on the year that has been.
In January 2025, my studio still smelt of freshly painted walls after a radical refit at the end of the previous year. I moved back into my new studio, feeling human - not like a bear in a dark cave. With a window and insulated walls I felt incredibly lucky and would not have achieved this without the support from my followers and collectors.
I entered the year with a new freedom, I had just one solo show scheduled for the middle of the year and our first ‘real’ family holiday booked.
I could finally share the exciting news about the collaboration with Coopers, for the ‘forever original’ campaign.
Your orders just kept rolling in through January and February, I was blown away.
Having worked incredibly hard through the first 2 months of the year, I was committed to getting through 60% of my solo show. This entails often 10 hours a day, working – whether that be painting, promoting, documenting. The workload of an artist is huge, often unseen.
In March, a refresh as we packed the family car and drove across the Nullabor. A beautiful journey that was our first real time spent together as a family, with previous years being flooded with work commitments for both myself and my partner. I lived out my dream of taking my young children to their first music festival, turns out they enjoyed the music and flashing lights just as much as I did. I will be forever grateful for this trip.
But, back to reality late March and I was straight back to the studio with some work still to be complete for my upcoming solo exhibition.
May arrived and it was showtime! I felt so much love at the opening of my “Be Treatwise” show, as I write this I am still genuinely overwhelmed by the support, the turn out was incredible. Thank you to everyone for showing up.
As always after an install and opening, time stopped and I felt at a bit of a loss, but I kept tinkering, because as an artist that is ultimately my way of processing.
June, the artwork was packed away.
I was invited to participate in as group pop up show to be held later in the year, this new subject was perfect for me, “Down To Earth” a small collection to push me out of my comfort zone and it actually really helped me move back into garden and go for walks.
Re establishing our garden beds was a huge job, laying concrete and paving, I was finally feeling better and more agile after the birth of my children. I felt myself for the first time in maybe 6 years.
My headspace was refreshed.
In 2025 my goal was to experiment and play to develop my skills and techniques.
I continued to do this all year, but in September I threw everything (including a wooden spatula from my kitchen) at diving back into printmaking. I had not printed since my high school days, it was a big risk financially, physically and mentally. It was absolutely worth it! And your support at this point was unbelievable, from this I was able to back myself to create a small range hand printed bags.
Order kept coming through, paintings kept flying out the door headed to new homes all over the country.
By October I was missing my paintbrushes, having spent the previous month dedicated entirely to printing.
Throughout October November, I painted! And I loved every minute of it!
On my 40th birthday I participated in the “Down To Earth” pop-up exhibition. It was so incredible to chat to the visitors as I sat in at Rockingham Arts Centre for the day.
This year I have added some extra merchandise to my range.
I had not anticipated this but I now have some stock in Collie Art Gallery and Midland Junction Art Centre. And now in December a new supplier at The Artisan Store Fremantle.
This year has not been without its challenges, like every other year, there have been hurdles. But something has changed, I am yet to put my finger on that, but as time moves along maybe I will work that out.
I have so, so much to be thankful for this year, my partner who took the most horrible job just so we could get some family time. He is a hero. I would be lost without him. He is my number one supporter and has my back at every turn.
I really want to thank each of you individually, in person and share a cup of tea or glass of wine with you. I know this is not practical. But please know you are the reason it is possible to continue my arts journey into 2026 and I cant wait to share it with you.
Thank You
