Welcome to my work, which brings together two series: 

‍ ‍Play in Wartimes and Play in the Times of Post-War.

Both explore how play shapes childhood—sometimes as resilience in hardship, sometimes as joy in peace. Play in Wartimes reflects on children who find fleeting moments of play amid conflict and deprivation, expressed through stitched squares and wall pieces evoking desolate places. Play in the Times of Post-War draws on my own memories of growing up in Australia, where toys were scarce but freedom was abundant. Together, these works honour the resilience of children and the enduring spirit of play.

This artwork was included in a group exhibition called PLAY  in Gallery 76, Embroiderers Guild of NSW, Queen Street. Concord West NSW.

Close-up of worn, tattered fabric with frayed edges and loose threads, covering a surface with small perforations and some unevenness.
Close-up image of a worn and frayed fabric with pink thread stitched into it, along with several metallic nuts and bolts scattered on the fabric.

These three wall pieces reflecting the desolate environments these children endure.

A torn piece of fabric with beads sewn into it, placed on a plain background with some small rocks nearby.

To stay true to their experiences, I work with hand-dyed, recycled, distressed fabrics and scraps of mixed media—materials that embody both fragility and resilience.They are 20 x 20 cms. with a pine box frame.

Play often evokes joy and freedom, yet for children in conflict zones, it is marked by fear and loss. This series Play in Wartimes explores this contrast.

A collection of fabric swatches in neutral tones, arranged on a black surface, with visible embroidery, stitching, and various textures.
A piece of fabric with scattered brown seeds and dried plant material.

Again reflecting the desolate environments and lack of playthings.

A piece of fabric with stitched lines, a rusty washer, a patch of dark fabric, and a tangled bunch of dark threads.

To stay true to their experiences, I work with hand-dyed, recycled, distressed fabrics and scraps of mixed media—materials that embody both fragility and resilience. The small sqaures are 12 x12 cms.

These thirty small reconstructed squares in the  series Play in Wartimes  speak to treachery and deprivation.

Close-up of a blue fabric with small white decorative elements, including clusters of rolled or twisted pieces, arranged in patterns.
Close-up of blue fabric with frayed edges and small beads sewn onto it, possibly part of a craft or sewing project.

Play in the Times of Post-War. These art works celebrate that peaceful era, using indigo shibori-dyed fabrics, salt, and ink to evoke the colours and rhythm of the ocean

Close-up of distressed denim fabric with frayed holes and uneven threads, displaying a light blue and dark blue ombre coloring.

These three pieces use up-cycled chiffon, distressed recycled cotton, beads and stitch.

They are 20 x 20 cms. with a pine box frame. .

Born in 1946 and known as a post-war child, I recall a time when toys were few but freedom abundant. In Australia, we played by the sea and visited relatives—memories that inspire this series.

A paper craft sculpture of a house with black and white drawings of animals and trees on the sides, placed on a white surface.
A snow-covered outdoor scene with a weathered building in the background, a person dressed in winter gear walking, and several gulls on the snow.

Play in the Times of Post-War photo book features embellished ‘bathers’ enhancing their nostalgic charm.

A close-up of embroidered fabric with colorful thread, featuring a dog silhouette, flowers, abstract designs, and lines of stitching.

Photos of artist aged about 3 years taken on Brighton Beach, Melbourne, and with her brother Rodney and cousin Jeffrey in a sand castle boat at a Sydney North Shore Beach.

A small concertina book features black-and-white family seaside photos from 1949–1954.

A black and white dog with a black patch around one eye, wearing a red and white checkered bandana around its neck, standing on snow-covered ground with two other dogs nearby and small white objects scattered around.
A close-up of a rough, uneven concrete surface with small white objects scattered across it. In the background, there is a black railing or fence and a white wall.

Photos of artist aged about 3 years taken on Brighton Beach, Melbourne, and with her brother Rodney .

A person dressed in a red coat and dark pants walking on a narrow street with traditional houses on each side, likely in a European city.

Photos of artist aged about 3,with cousin Jeffrey at a Sydney North Shore Beach.

Photo of artist with friend Lois B. 1950 Brighton Beach Victoria.

Embroidery of a butterfly and floral designs on fabric.
A snowy scene viewed through a window with a chain-link fence in front. There is a snowy outdoor setting with buildings and parked cars, and a play area with a wire fence.

Waiting for the Batemenas Bay Ferry NSW. Early 1950’s

Embroidery of a black and white drawing on fabric with small colored embroidered details, including a red broom and green plant, and orange and brown lines at the bottom.

Photos of artist aged about 11, with brother rodney and cousin Jennifer, Dee Why Swimming Pool

Family at a North Shore Beach, Sydney, 1950’s.