Hello!!!!
I’m writing this before my website is even up!… Is that a thing? Hmmm No matter, I like to get a head start. Wowza! What a journey its been to get to where I am right now.
If you had of told me on the morning of the 1st of October 2017, “not to worry about your Craniotomy this afternoon, you are going to recover and start a new career as a botanical artist”, I’m I would of laughed so hard my head would of popped open before the surgeon had a chance to get to me! My life now seems to divide in two, before brain surgery and after…. Kind of like life before kids and after!
Beforehand I was a wedding photographer for 10 years, however had to give that away due to arthritis in my spine. Devastated because I loved shooting weddings, I busied myself as a stay at home mum. It was in this time that I become really sick with constant war and sinus infections. It seemed I would just get over an ear infection then come down with sinusitis. This went on for 3 years in and out of hospital having grommets put in or removed. Six months before there was a diagnosis a clear fluid started to run out of my let ear. It was discovered to be a cerebrospinal fluid leak.
My ENT was hoping to be able remedy by doing a Mastoidectomy. A routine scan showed a mass behind my left ear. I was told at the time I needed to prepared myself for surgery. Back in my hospital room seemly a minute late I was given “good news, bad news” scenario. Luckily it wasn’t a brain tumor. Instead it was my brain!! Hmmmm,
What? Apparently a celstiatoma had grown so big it ate away my skull causing my brain to herniate. Even at that time I didn’t realise the seriousness of the situation. It wasn’t until I had my appointment with the Neurosurgeon who listed all the things I was facing having a craniotomy that give me a 10% chance of surviving the surgery unscathed, that I began to understand I might die leaving my fourteen year old daughter and eleven year old son without a mum. For the first time in my life I was truly petrified
Thankfully the surgery went way better than anyone had thought. Within 7 days I was back home to recover. I was a little slow in my thought, reactions, and speech. I remembered hearing that paining was great for exercising the brain as it required both sides of the brain. When I felt up to it and could staying awake for more than 5 minutes at a time, I jumped on the internet to see what painting courses we around.
I started with watercolour which I had always liked the look of. A very basic
class that was pretty much just pushing colour around the paper. I have
always loved flowers since I was a little kid thanks to my mother always
buying them for either work or home. I would go with her to the florist and
every now and then she would let me choose a bouquet.
I stared trolling Pinterest looking at all types of flower paintings. The ones I
gravitated to were always vintage botanical works. I particularly loved
Joseph Banks and Pierre-Joseph Redoute. I searched for botanical painting
tutorials and came across Anna Mason. I completed a number of her
wonderful classes and still being interested, wanted to do face to face
lessons which is when I found the Botanical Art School of Melbourne and
started under Jenny Phillips. I have stayed with Jen since 2018 and also
studied with some of Australia’s greatest botanical artists including Heidi
Willis, John Pastoriza Pinol, and Terry Napier.
Aside From working with Jen, I also attend class under Dianne Emery at the
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. And do online courses with Billy Showell.
I absolutely love doing classes and learning new skills or refining techniques.
I can’t imagine I will ever not go to class. I’d love to do some classes with
Margaret Best, Wendy Hollender, Vincent Jeannerot and perhaps a Diploma
in Botanical illustration with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
I know just by looking back at my 5 year body of work that I am improving
and learning all the time! I can’t wait to look back in another 5 years and see
how my artwork has changed!
Come along with me!
