Throughout childhood, my interest in drawing and painting persisted despite family discouragement. Winning an art prize at high school gave me a boost in confidence and the belief that I had talent.

It was not until I had graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and embarked on a teaching career that I could afford to do a Fine Art Painting Course by correspondence from Famous Artists School, USA as a hobby in the 1970s.

While the painting course gave me a proper grounding in design principles and other fundamentals of art, the geography course taught me an understanding of landforms and renewed my interest in painting landscapes, skies and the weather.

Throughout my years of high school teaching in Malaysia I continued painting.

When I migrated to Australia in 1980, while waiting for a suitable teaching position I had to earn a living by painting landscapes in acrylic for seven years. Continuing my education career, teaching high school Geography, English as a Second Language and some Art, I started painting in watercolour seriously from 1988 and have sold 300 paintings since then. My retirement after 17 years of teaching in a high school in Sydney allowed me more time to concentrate on the best-loved activity, painting.

Although I have painted in acrylic and oil, I love watercolour for its transparency, spontaneity, convenience and speed of execution. Quickly painting hundreds of small watercolours have given me very valuable practice and confidence. In every little composition I strive to incorporate some design principles, softness and hardness, and transparency. To me the beauty of watercolour is in its transparent washes and the closest resemblance to light.

My continuous learning has been from books and the occasional watercolour painting workshop. At least six art societies around Sydney, Australia, have invited me to demonstrate at their meetings.

I have participated in group exhibitions at a local Gallery a number of times and held three solo exhibitions at a high school.

From the few times that I participate in local art competitions, I have won various Art Society awards, including First Prize in Watercolour in 2004, and Highly Commended Awards many times. One painting was published in Australian Artist Magazine.

Currently I am teaching watercolour painting at ‘The White House”, Castle Hill Art Society.