My Story
I was born in Myrtleford, Victoria in 1965. My parents owned a Dry Cleaning business in the town of 3000 people. Myrtleford is nestled in the Ovens Valley where the Buffalo and Ovens Rivers combine the waters of the Alpine Country. I grew up playing tennis and golf and exploring the surrounding mountains and rivers. I have many fond memories of crystal clear creeks and waterfalls and cliffs of granite surrounded by thick native bushlands.
The idol in my life was my older brother Ian who nurtured my love of the countryside and especially art. He studied Fine Art/ Painting and Drawing and the walls at home were always covered with his creations. Being ten years older than me I always had a great respect of his skills and loved the school holidays when he came home from Melbourne in a car loaded in artwork and keen to get out in the bush to explore and draw. He is currently living in Scotland teaching art and printmaking and his wife, Sue Jane Taylor, also an artist, is documenting the construction of wind generators in the North Sea.
Most of my 20’s was spent in Adelaide blowing glass at the Jam Factory, exploring the Adelaide hills, learning to rock climb and camping up in the Flinders and Gammon Ranges. These areas had a huge impact on me because they are so picturesque and never before had I been able to see so clearly the processes involved in the formation of the landscape.
In 1993 Marguerite and I decided to move to the sunshine Coast to work with Chris Pantano. I found a great artistic talent, a sympathetic design sense and strong discipline. We worked very closely for 12 years before Chris retired from hot glass and I then set up my studio in Yandina with Greg Royer. I have spent the last 5 years building the business to the point where we have 12 artists using the facilities to create their artwork.
We bought a property in Dulong which is the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. Beautiful volcanic soils and high annual rainfall enabled us to turn a bare valley into a rainforest in ten years. We have planted well over 1000 trees including many rare palms and Cycads. Our plan has been to create an environment which will inspire and nurture our creativity.