Art In Situ is the marriage of my existing clothing business of 30 years with my newfound love of art, all made here in Melbourne. I grew up in rural Victoria which saw many hours consumed by drawing, painting and sewing before moving onto Bendigo to do a Diploma in Design (clothing) which broadened my love of textiles. In the early 80’s I moved to Melbourne working for various wholesalers, before leaving the comfort of a wage to setup my own label. Throughout the 90’s, I built up a party plan business with the help of my two sisters and spent the next decade assembling a community beyond us, employing a tribe of people to sell and deliver my designs. With a growing family, critical decisions had to be made instigating a transition into selling my clothes through pop-up shops several times a year. But then, my normal was upended with the passing of my sister Rhonda; this necessitated a much needed change. So, based on advice given by her, I returned to university and completed a Diploma of Visual Art; a balm for my then declining mental health. Seven years later with so many new skills, I am back starting again with this new project. By combining my knowledge of the clothing industry with my passion for portraiture painting and digital art, I am creating something that is a distinctive piece of wearable art. My hand crafted one-of-a-kind pieces, using exceptional fabrics, are influenced by the narratives from the creators of the cloth and trims found through travelling. These are sourced from a variety of merchants using both new and old techniques including upcycled elements that are all unique to a singular garment. My hope is that the joy I experience during the creative process, causes the wearer to feel radiant, rendering the piece worthy of being sustained and passed along to another who celebrates individuality. To my sisters, Heather and Rhonda, alongside my family, I thank them for their enduring love and support of my artistic endeavors.
