This is the long story of how I started my careers in Corporate and then evolved into a mentor, not only in business but as a executive coach, soul practicioner and art therapist.
My initial studies were in, the then emerging, computer industry and psychology but the business side of me won and I spent over 35 years in business. Working for International companies, setting up distribution in the Asia Pacific area. Then as an entrepeneur setting up my own business in the early days of PC’s, sourcing reliable and known brand hardware from around the world and selling at the distributor level into Business. In 1997 the company was recognised as the 14th largest Woman Owned business in the State.
I have since then sold, bought and grown businesses from start up to profitable turnovers, mostly in the IT industry but have also been involved in the world of news and sports delivery by satellite, the holistic health industry, and coaching and consulting for small businesses. During this time, I also trained as a counsellor to become a better leader and manager. I was accredited by the Australian Institute of Company directors as a Fellow of the Institute and sat on several small company boards.
I also began focusing more on mentorship of women in Business. My company Executive Power facilitated both small groups and individuals to realise their potential by providing coaching and education as well as financial counselling. As ongoing personal development, I created and published a set of Affirmation cards called Pearls of Wisdom, using my own watercolour images. At the time I was probably ahead of the times as most sets of Divination cards were Tarot cards and so some of my challenges in getting into the broader market was having to explain the product to the wholesaler or shop.
In 2002 I went on another learning curve of designing, prototyping and then getting into the manufacturing of an innovative head massager called the HeeBeeGeeBee. My company New Vibrations took this and many more gifts and gadgets to market, selling all over the world. This enabled me to learn about the benefits and shortcomings of local vs overseas manufacturing and handling foreign logistics on a container by container level.
In the background all along, I was doing my own personal work and on a spirital journey of discovery about myself and many of the alternative therapies and “ologies” Numberology, Astrology, Reflexology, Energy Healing to mention just a few. It was my soul food while I was running businesses and interfacing with the Corporate world of balance sheets, EBITS and Compliance requirements.
In 2010 I changed direction again and went back to study Transpersonal Art Therapy. So began, what has become, my lasting passion; working with people using art as a language. After gradulating, I spend nearly 7 years working with children on the Autism Spectrum in their classrooms helping facilitate their learning, often using art as a medium through which to teach.
I have also run community art programs for people with disabilities over a number of years, including putting a number of exhibitions together to show their work and help dissolve barriers in the communities in which they live by creating a place and reason to meet and get to know one another.
I have taught holiday art programs for children and continue to work with a few young children 1:1
I have worked with foster children, young carers who live in families with disability, carers and people who are socially isolated, always providing an opportunity to make art and find our common ground and have conversations.
I have also curated a number of exhibitions and continue to do so for an artist who has an open studio weekend twice a year.
My personal journey with art has included, pottery, ceramic painting, glass making for a number of years, including teaching at a community art centre for a couple of years. I have won art competiitions and sold a lot of my art. Currently I am enjoying a really creative period mostly in multi media as it allows me to work with all the materials from watercolours, through acrylics and found objects. It allows me to embrace curiosity in artmaking.
