Medieval illumination in its time was a celebration of life and a celebration of Light, yet it also reflected a society that crucified life. My purpose in bringing this artform into the 21st century is to bring forth the Light of celebration without the shadow. Recently I began writing my own material for the illuminations, and that was when I began to see the potential of the message combined with the Medieval art. That fusion provided an opportunity that could assist people to chang‍‍‍e their lives. Ultimately, this artform is a spiritual path – an illuminated journey if you like. It is essentially a quest for redemption. This idea of redemption has been greatly misunderstood for a long time. It has nothing to do with relying on a “saviour” to redeem your sins so that you will not be judged and punished by a vengeful God. This is the shadow of redemption. True redemption is about taking responsibility for your own spiritual journey that will lead you back to the loving and compassionate Divine Source of all life.

My illuminations are gifts of Light, and provide an opportunity for healing. For aeons of time, there has been the idea that you have to conform to one set of beliefs to enter the kingdom of God. This bigotry and judgement were­ very much part of Medieval society. My purpose is to weave together the magic and beauty of this artform with the true message of redemption, to offer an opportunity for people to be healed from this negative energy that has scarred so many of us deep inside. I offer you the Light, without the shadow. My illuminations are a fusion of classical beauty and the ideas needed to help mankind come of age spiritually.  They are a bridge linking energy from a bygone era with the vibrant and powerful energies of a new era, allowing humankind to resolve old issues and move forward into a newly emerging world of awakening consciousness.

Art then for me, becomes the outer manifestation my inner journey.  I understand it to be ‘Light interpenetrating matter;’ a small part of the Divine Plan in action. I believe that art has a responsibility to encourage people to view the world and themselves in a new way.  My art is a way to share my understanding of Life with the world, and use it as a means to understand who I Am at a deeper level. It is a continual process for me then, to understand the significance of what I am producing and see how it can affect the lives of those who view and buy my art.

I am a Medieval Illuminator and Heraldic artist originally from Australia;
now living and working in Finland.

My Vision‍‍‍

My Intent as an Artist is to use Universal symbolism and Sacred words to create images that speak to people on a soul level and help them to find balance within.  My vision is that these images will inspire and challenge people to become more; to search their own hearts for the treasure that lies within. This treasure is simply an understanding of who you really are, beyond your current human perception. It is the joy of experiencing the connection to all beings, and the Divine Source of all Life.

Art has the power to strike deep at the soul. To stir … to move … to inspire …

My Story

As a young person, my love of books, art, medieval history, all things miniature and a deep connection to the Divine naturally led me to the exquisite manuscripts produced during the Medieval era. “While researching an assignment at Art College, I stumbled across a large book on medieval illuminations. As I opened it up, the images took my breath away, and I felt a connection with the past open up for me. I borrowed the book, bought myself some calligraphy pens and gold leaf then launched into copying a manuscript from the book. This artform just flowed from me like I had been doing it all my life. It was the most natural thing in the world.”

I soon began selling work at local markets and medieval festivals, and have been invited to exhibit my work at many venues including the State Museum and the State Library of Queensland. I have been Artist in Residence at St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane, the Abbey Medieval Festival ( Australia's largest medieval Festival ) and St Ives Medieval Festival in Sydney, Australia. My illuminations have been sent to The Head of the Marist Brothers in Rome, and been presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

For several years I taught Art and History to High School students. I then left teaching to pursue a solo art career. During that time I taught many adult classes and courses on Medieval Illumination through the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology and various other locations in South East Queensland. I spent eleven years doing Medieval re-enactment with various groups and found this to be a wonderfully enriching experience. Going away on Medieval camping adventures where we lived as much as possible the Medieval way of life was something that gave me a whole new appreciation of people back then. I loved learning to carve bone, work with horn and a host of materials that are rarely used in our western society. My beloved grandmother taught me to embroider as a child, and re-enactment provided the perfect opportunity to use this skill. I used to spend around one year making each dress – embroidering in my spare time, and learning how to card weave to make my own braid.

As you may have guessed, I have very strong connections to this time period. In 2000 I began exploring spirituality, and a whole new world opened up for me. Images began pouring into my head, and I realized that my art had a higher purpose. I started producing more contemporary images that chronicled the spiritual path I now walked. Pencil sketching, then digital art were my means of expression. I joined an Order of Mystics and studied with them for seven years, then joined a Mystery School studying under the Masters, all the while gaining knowledge and wisdom through my life experiences.

A fusion of medieval imagery and contemporary spiritual messages

After a break of about eight years, I came back to illumination with a new passion, and a growing understanding of the important part that it still plays in our modern world. All energy works in a spiral, and I have come full circle back to this art form, with a higher level of understanding. I see it as an energetic bridge that links the past and the future. ‘Sacredness’ is something that has become rare in today’s world, and is a necessary ingredient in creating a future world where people understand the true nature of themselves. I am not speaking of religion, but the development of a relationship with self that allows you to understand that you are far more than you think you are. I believe that this sacred art can speak to people at a soul level, and allow the Divine Light within them to make its presence felt.

About ‍‍‍me