My inspiration comes from walking, sitting and observing the colours, shapes, textures and changing light around me. Making drawings in my sketchbook I capture the spirit and essence of place. My painting 'Bayside' is a Sydney foreshore close to home. In my Rozelle studio my first brush strokes on the canvas are energetic and expressive, exploring the relationship between place and memory. I work in an intuitive, gestural way, putting who I am into the painting and allowing a sense of freedom to guide me. The painting becomes a dialogue; each new layer a response to the one before, building meaning and emotion through this ongoing exchange.