I actually remember drawing on the back of our brown sofa with my grandmother’s dark red lipstick. I was about four. I was given a few early felt-pens when I was six and I started copying cards and book illustrations. My favourite book was Heidi (my eldest daughter’s name) and I drew all the characters in the book, cut them out with nail scissors and was allowed to glue them on the kitchen wall by my mother. At nine I created my own illustrated mail-order catalogue and went door to door getting the neighbours to order, and pay in advance (to my mother’s horror, money returned..). It was fairly obvious that I wanted a career in art, so after a foundation course, at the age of nineteen I moved to London to study Fashion and Textile design at St. Martin’s School of Art. Three years later I graduated and moved immediately to Sweden in 1980. I started my own illustration firm and I’ve worked as an artist and freelance illustrator since then. I met my husband Peter and we married in 1983, and have now three children, Freddie, Heidi and Gabbie, and three grandsons.
At art school I loved mixing mediums. In fashion drawing I used markers, pastels, graphite and water-soluble pens and pencils. I found that mixing them up made for some really exciting effects. In the late 80’s I discovered acrylics - so much better than oils in my opinion for fast drying and versatility. Mixing those with oil pastels, water-soluble pencils and textured grounds has become my favourite medium. I need to draw or paint every day to feel good, just to sit down and play for half an hour enriches my life.
In 1988 I became a Christian - I mean it seriously changed my life. My faith in God is a huge part of who I am and how I view my life and work.
As for teaching, I started it to pay the bills - I began teaching what I knew, which was drawing, fashion illustration and oil-painting but as the years have gone by I have realised how important it is for me to share my discoveries - new exciting materials or techniques I have tried and tested and I just have to show someone else or I’ll burst. I think of myself as an inspirator, an encourager, as well as a tutor and apart from teaching the actual technical side of drawing and painting which is of course important, my main aim is to inspire my students to be as enthusiastic about creating as I am!
