I have always had a special fascination for animals. After exploring all manner of subjects & styles, turning finally to the realistic portrayal of our faithful animal companions was a natural choice. The detail and compassion in the works of artists such as Carl Brenders, Steven Townsend and Robert Bateman have been, and remain, a constant source of inspiration. I delight in trying to create the texture of soft fur on a flat canvas, and capture spirit through the eyes the base upon which the rest of each portrait grows. Although I strive for lifelike realism which stands up to close scrutiny, I also try to preserve a certain quality of painterly effect from the nature of the oil pastels themselves.

Born in the United Kingdom, I moved to Canada as a child and now reside on the West Coast on Vancouver Island. Art has always been a constant in my life. I am largely self-taught, and sold my first commissioned portrait at the age of sixteen. Initially fascinated with graphite, and the simplicity of black & white studies, during my school years I was introduced to oil pastel - the medium I focus on today - by my art instructor, and immediately fell in love with it's colours, texture & versatility. For me, it is the perfect medium with which to capture the lifelike quality and soft detail of portraiture.

After completing a Bachelor of Arts at University, I initially pursued a career in web design. Through my experience with the Internet, I created an on-line gallery to showcase animal paintings I had done over the years. Gradually, interest in my work grew and art began to take central focus in my life. Today, painting is a full-time profession. My on-line gallery, Pets in Pastel, receives over 15,000 visitors each month and was recommended in both MTV's Cribs Book and Darlene Ardens new book, Unbelievably Good Deals & Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're a Dog. My portraits hang in private collections around the world, and have appeared on the covers of The Shepherd's Dogge, The German Shepherd Quarterly, and The Rhodesian Ridgeback Quarterly, as well as a featurette, The Artists Eye, in last years Golden Retriever Annual. My memberships include Oil Pastel Association International, The AKC Museum of the Dog Artists' Registry and The League of Animal Artists. I am honoured by my clients' trust in my ability to capture their special companions, and immensely grateful to be painting every day, doing something I love, which can at times help others to celebrate a beloved pet or to deal with the grief over their loss.

Artist Highlights

• Lives In:    Canada
• ArtWanted.com Gallery:    Fine Art
• Represented By:    self-representing