Creative Journey

I took up art in 2010 when I commenced water colour and acrylic classes with renowned Victorian artist Vivi Palegeorge.  Vivi remains a crucial part of my creative journey and has become a best friend and highly regarded mentor and advisor.  Having retired from a full time corporate career I found a love and passion for drawing and painting and dedicated time to pursue my  newfound hobby and learnt key fundamentals by attending classes and workshops.

I have travelled to many national and international destinations with Vivi on painting workshops and have had the benefit of her amazing teaching skills, mentorship and learnings as she shared her approach to en plein air and the creative process of painting and identification of composition and perspectives in a natural and often unfamiliar environment .

In 2013 and 2014 I attended specially designed workshops conducted by internationally acclaimed Melbourne artist David Chen.

Due to a growing passion for oils (as a preferred medium) I started lessons with Melbourne 20 award winning impressionist artist Peter Smales, and I continue to have Peter as a teacher and mentor.

Artist Statement

Caroline’s works are largely influenced by  the joy of leaving the roads and taking the trails. A saying (which was the brainchild of Pythagoras), Caroline considers the idea has huge relevance to Aireys Inlet which is her hometown and a place that significantly influences her paintings and creative journey. A place - a community; connected by trails and supported by almost invisible connections that lead through bushlands, next to still and rough waters, across soaring clifftops and along sands peppered with rockpools.

From the feathered friends of Aireys to a tapestry of local florals and the sunlit cliffs of Sandy Gully, Carolines works  show the breadth and range of things of interest within a community environment.  She hopes the works bring the viewer a  smile like that bought by being in our natural environment.

In addition to  all sizes and scales of  oil paintings and acrylic works Caroline has  created collages of images which are iconic to Aireys Inlet. A form of naïve art these paintings are  designed to showcase places and subjects  in a quirky and almost childlike style – to parade the visible connections within and trigger thoughts of the invisible connections that make a subject or place exceptional.

Caroline has participated in several local and international workshops and prefers impressionism as a style of painting. Several Caroline’s works are now owned by people across France, United Kingdom, Australia and in New Zealand