Inspired by Rita Angus
First introduction to oil painting

The Beginning 

I haven’t always been an artist; I didn’t paint or draw as a child and growing up my family had very limited access to materials or classes. Due to this my interest tended towards children’s books and stories, thank goodness libraries are accessible for everyone. I had never heard of Monet, Matisse, Pollock, or Klimt, until I was in my twenties and I realised that I quite enjoyed this previously unknown world.

I remember at 21 when I saw Rita Anguses’ goddess portraits for the first time, everything changed from that moment.  I don’t know why or what it was, but they triggered a consuming and persistent passion for art and artists. Eventually I started painting myself when I was gifted a term of art classes for my birthday, I have not stopped painting since.

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My first few paintings were inspired by Rita Anguses’ goddess portraits. While nothing I completed would ever come close to her works, they were the beginning of my enjoyment in art. For four years my work remained heavily stylized. I merely enjoyed the freedom of painting simple works, far from the constrains of realism and based on what had first started my passion for art. This first set of paintings, despite their simplicity, remain some of my favourite works.