It’s been ten years since you first joined the Kira & Kira family. When you think back to the beginning, what stands out about those early days?

When I think back to those early days, I remember pure excitement and a bit of beautiful chaos. Kira & Kira had just opened its doors — founded by my wonderful friend Simone — and I was finding my way back to my roots in visual art after years in design.

I brought in my first two pieces and they sold almost immediately. From there, everything just took off. I’d drop off an artwork, and it would be snapped up almost as fast as I could get back out to the front of the store. It was surreal, thrilling, and honestly the moment my art career really launched.

Textured art was still quite new then, and my colourful, layered style seemed to arrive at just the right time. Paired with Kira & Kira’s stunning interiors, it was a perfect match from the start.

Ten years on, I’m still creating, still growing, and still so grateful. Kira & Kira — and Simone — believed in me from day one, and that support changed everything.

How do you feel your work has evolved over the past decade?

My work has evolved a lot over the past decade, even though the heart of my practice — colour, texture and my trusty palette knife — has stayed the same. In the early days my pieces were brighter and very dot-focused, but over time I’ve become more drawn to blending, gradients and the subtle transitions between colours. Each series has pushed me in a new direction, whether it’s exploring deep tonal shifts, experimenting with unexpected colour combinations, embracing more intuitive clustered forms, or venturing into structured grid-like designs inspired by mid-century modern art — right through to my latest series, where I’ve stepped away from the dot-like style to explore longer, expressive strokes. So while the foundations remain familiar, I feel like I’m constantly refining, experimenting and finding new ways to express myself — and that sense of evolution is what keeps my practice exciting.

Is there a moment or milestone from the last ten years that feels especially meaningful to you?

There have been so many meaningful moments over the past decade, but my long-standing relationship with Kira & Kira is definitely one of them. To have a partnership last ten years — and still feel as supportive and special as it did at the beginning — means a lot to me.

Beyond that, a few milestones stand out. Having my work appear on The Block in 2016 was a huge turning point and brought incredible exposure early in my career. Opening my own art gallery was another dream realised, and hosting my solo exhibition there — with Shelley Craft opening the show and Amy Shark acquiring a piece — was a real pinch-me moment.

In 2023, creating The Pixel for the SWELL Sculpture Festival was another major highlight. It was my first large-scale sculpture — an 8 x 8 metre matte-black cube with an immersive window revealing a glowing sunrise artwork inside. Watching people line up along the sand to look inside was so special, and winning the inaugural After Dark Award made it even more meaningful. My connection with SWELL has continued since, and it’s become a treasured part of my life on the Gold Coast.

When I look back, it’s not just one moment — it’s all of these experiences together that make me feel incredibly grateful for the path I’m on.

You’ve created countless pieces for the Kira & Kira community. Is there any particular one that still holds a special place for you?

That is such a hard question to answer because I’ve painted so many pieces over the years — honestly, there would be hundreds. It really does feel a bit like being asked to choose a favourite child. Every artwork is meaningful in its own way, and because I put so much love, time and effort into each one, they all feel like my little babies.

But if I had to choose one that stands out, I’d say Pebbled Beach. I remember bringing it into the store and it sold that very same day. It was still relatively early in my career, and that piece marked a slightly new direction for me — different colours, a different feel — so it was incredibly exciting to see someone connect with it immediately.

I was lucky enough to personally deliver it to the client, who happened to live just around the corner from me in Burleigh. It was such a lovely moment. And funnily enough, I bumped into her at an event recently — almost nine years later — and she came up to say hello and told me she still absolutely loves the artwork. Hearing that made my heart so full, and it's moments like that which make certain pieces unforgettable.

Has your creative process changed as you’ve grown, either personally or artistically?

I’m not sure my actual process has changed dramatically, but I’ve definitely grown — both personally and artistically — and that growth has shaped the way I create. Over the past ten years, I’ve become much more confident in myself as an artist, and that confidence has made me braver with experimenting, taking risks and trying new ideas.

Like most artists, I still have moments of self-doubt, especially when starting a new series or preparing for an exhibition. But I’ve learned to move through those feelings and trust that things will resolve, because people do connect with my work — and I’m so grateful for that. It helps me stay positive and back myself.

So while my tools and techniques may look similar, the way I approach my work has definitely evolved. I’m more open, more confident, and more willing to push myself creatively — and that keeps things exciting.