Living with AuDHD, she describes herself as someone who is “always restless”, constantly seeking creative outlets.
Over the years, that drive has led her to explore a variety of art forms. But, it was a simple experiment a few years ago (drawing her first pet portrait) that sparked what would become her signature craft.
“Most of what I do now is pet and people portraits,” she explains. “Then in October this year, I tried my hand at pyrography and really enjoyed the process, so I now offer pyrography art too.”
Her commission process is intentionally simple: customers message her, choose their desired size, and send a photograph of the person or pet they’d like drawn. The clearer the photo, the more detail she can capture, but she’s also experienced at working from older, lower-quality images.
“I can merge photos together if requested,” she says. “It’s an honour to be asked to draw those who have passed on, to help cherish their memory.”
Nearly everything she creates is commission-based and fully personalised. What began as a hobby four years ago grew into steady demand two years in, and while she describes her work as more of a side hustle, the time she puts into each piece tells a different story.
“Some pieces can take me 70-plus hours,” she shares. “I do it all from home, which can be difficult to juggle in the age of social media. I’d love nothing more than to just draw, but now you
Christmas is typically her busiest time of year: “Last year, I was inundated with commissions. It was great! I love being busy and I’m always grateful for orders coming in,” she says. “It has been quieter this year, sadly, but I understand that art is a luxury. We’re all feeling the pinch.”
Still, she insists that those who choose a personalised portrait never regret the decision: “What I do is deeply sentimental and personal. I can’t tell you how many happy tears there have been after someone receives one of my portraits. It’s a special feeling to give someone that, and I truly love what I do.”
For her, handmade gifts carry a significance no mass-produced item can match.
“I’m a really sentimental person, and the gifts that mean the most to me are the ones that have had effort poured in,” she says.
“There are so many incredibly talented local artists around, I highly recommend checking out Christmas craft stalls! I would choose handmade jewellery or a handcrafted chopping board any day over something that has a thousand generic reproductions.”
Handmade pieces, she says, are unique, beautiful, and created with intention. “If I receive a handmade gift, I feel special because someone took the time to choose something meaningful.”
Among her most treasured items is a delicate necklace designed by HannahMeganJewellery—two tiny feathers, one silver and one gold. “My husband knew how much I loved her work,” she recalls. “When our eldest was just one, she helped him pick out this necklace. It means the world to me.”
Each year, she adds a local artist or jeweller to her Christmas list so her husband and now her two daughters can choose something special.
She also says that handmade gifts don’t have to be expensive, her favourites come from her young daughters: “My girls gift me their gorgeous creations all the time. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness.”
As more people seek meaningful presents in a season so often dominated by mass-produced goods, her message is simple: handmade matters.
Whether it’s a carefully crafted piece of jewellery, a lovingly burned pyrography portrait, or a hand-drawn likeness of a beloved family member or pet, a gift made by an artist carries something no factory can replicate, thoughtfulness and heart.