my husband says that i am a lebenskuenstler. it’s one of my two favourite german words (the other one is ‘augenweide’). ‘leben’ means life and a ‘kuenstler’ is an artist…..so ‘lebenskuenstler’ is an artist of life.

the german dictionary defines lebenskuenstler as ‘a person who has mastered the art of life and makes the best out of every situation’.

for me a lebenskuenstler is also someone who can approach everything in an artistic way. this requires creativity, imagination and sometimes courage. for example, instead of experiencing house work as a chore you can turn it into an artistic activity by creating a beautiful environment, a nourishing meal or learning how to make things yourself instead of buying them….for me part of being a lebenskuenstler is being a homemaker.

I’m also a mother, wife, artist, sometimes teacher… I was born in Germany and grew up partly in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, where I was introduced to a more independent, fiesta-going, windsurfing lifestyle.

In my early 20s I lived in Bali where I met my Australian husband. we lived there for a few years in the late 80s, built a little house and a cafe. Paul studied balinese music and dance, i learned reflexology – it was our ‘university of life’.

in the early 90s we spent four years in germany and switzerland while paul studied the alexander technique.

in 1994 we moved to australia with a three-month-old baby, a futon and a box full of books and photos. and that is how I have ended up here in beautiful Western Australia.

i love to live in the moment and be present in an artistic impulse – to be imbued with creativity and imagination. all my work arises out of this space and in return enlivens me.