I was brought up on a farm in rural Monmouthshire and went from there to study modern and medieval languages at Cambridge. During my time at university I started painting and went on to attend the City and Guilds of London Art School in Kennington, South London, where I was able to work in the library to pay my fees.
I was encouraged to paint by the School’s then Principal, Roger de Grey, who was soon to be elected President of the Royal Academy. I was also taught by Peter Coker, a painter whose interest in French painting from Chardin to Bonnard, reflected my own. I gained my Diploma in Painting from the school in 1978, then in 1979 received a Richard Ford Award for travel to Madrid, Spain.
During my time at Art School and since I have worked in many different jobs, both teaching and secretarial/administrative. I have always tried to work on a part time or temporary basis so that I could have more time to paint.
In 1990 I moved back to South Wales with my husband, Tony Tribe, also a painter. We were both impressed and inspired by the landscape, particularly the area around Blaenavon where we live.
My work is figurative and concerned with working directly before the subject whether that is landscape, still life or portrait. It is through drawing directly that I often work out what interests me in a subject. Drawing from the life model is very important to me and I have been a student or teacher in the life room for over forty years.
I would describe my work as being very much to do with colour and light. I mainly work in oil but draw in a variety of media including watercolour and pastel.