Kia Ora
(or "Hi There")

	Born 1975 in Christchurch, NZ to a Scottish father and Kiwi mother,
(making me a 'Skiwi') I came to Scotland in 2003 to find my extended family, 
discover my Scottish roots and to continue exploring my artistic career. 

Music

	Music has always featured strongly on both sides of my family with my
father, mother and brother all involved in various aspects of music and theatre,
an award winning cousin in the New Zealand music scene and my great grandfather 
a well renowned member of the Forfar Operatic Society. 
	My first ever performance was as the Virgin Mary at Woodend Primary 
at the tender age of eight. From there it was school choirs, school productions and 
concerts until 1988 when I was cast in the North Canterbury Musical Society's 
amateur production of "Annie". That marked the beginning of a strong involvement
with the Society, where I went on to do seven more shows and numerous reviews. 
It was there, while playing the narrator in Joseph and The AmazingTechnicolour
Dreamcoat in 1993 that I found out that I had been cast as Snow White in a
professional Australian production touring New Zealand for four months.

	On my return, and after much wise guidance from my friends and family, 
I decided to put aside plans of University and a career in psychology and further my
training in the arts. Later that year I was accepted into the inaugaral year at the
(National) Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts although I was till two years below
 the age criteria. Over the next two years I was fortunate to be tutored by some truly
 incredible and well renowned figures in their fields, an experience I am thankful for
to this day.

	After graduating in 1995 I went on to work in Dunedin at the Fortune 
Theatre, in Christchurch at the Court Theatre, and independently in television, radio, 
theatre, corporate entertainment, music, short films and training.

	But one of my more unusual but most satisfying roles came about when I 
crossed paths with a well known Funeral Director in North Canterbury, a musician 
himself who, over the years, would become a very dear friend of mine. Through 
working with him I became an official "Funeral Singer"and for the next six years, on 
and off, I was priveleged to work with several Canterbury funeral firms as a singer 
and celebrant. Another experience I will be forever grateful for.

	In 2003, I took the leap and moved my life to Scotland, spending six 
and a half months working as a waitress and barmaid in Aberdeen, 
before settling in Glasgow. In my time here I have found people to be incredibly 
friendly and welcoming, while the music scene is rich and varied with many 
opportunities for a singer/songwriter such as myself.

	In fact it was moving to Glasgow that led me to becoming a songwriter
in the first place. My partner convinced me to go along to a folk session at one of the 
local bars, where I discovered a wealth of traditional music and loads of talented 
musicians. It soon became apparent that after many years as an actress, singer 
and poet I was going to have to teach myself the guitar again, something I hadn't 
really played since I was 11. Beacuse I had never had an instrument other than
my voice, I had never thought to turn my poetry into songs, and it was the 
kind lending of my partner's guitar and my father's 60th birthday in 2005 that 
inspired me to try. Since then not a day goes by that I don't write a line, a verse 
or an entire song, though I still love covering songs by my favourite musicians.
Art 



	So while my musical career was growing and changing I was aware that 
I needed to 'augment' my income (as all musicians experience at some time in even 
the most flourishing career). So, having received some encouraging comments about my artwork
from friends and family, I decided to start painting again.

	Again, I hadn't really put brush to paper for about 5 years, so in effect 
I was learning from scratch. I found it incredibly liberating as it allowed me to change 
mediums from acrylic and paper to oil and canvas. I also felt more free to experiment 
with subject matter, meaning I could delve into my spirituality and New Zealand 
roots.