SHS Boutique

Welcome to my corner of Australian handmade creativity!

Based in my home studio in the lush, tropical surroundings of Brinsmead in Cairns, Queensland, I bring the vibrant colours, textures, and unique Australian wildlife and landscape to life through my fine art, my photography and surface pattern design. And I also throw into the mix my german heritage - a blending of two very different cultures.

As a visual artist, educator, and designer, my creative journey is deeply rooted in a love for nature’s intricate architecture and patterns. Whether I am translating botanical specimens, rich flora, or whimsical animal portraits into repeating patterns or original paintings, every piece carries a touch of the tropics and a whole lot of heart.

My creative process is a bridge between the tangible warmth of traditional art mediums and the boundless possibilities of modern digital technology. I love exploring how physical and digital worlds can build on one another. My work often begins by hand—using fluid acrylics, charcoal, chalk pastels, scratchboard, or delicate pen and ink to capture the organic textures of flora, wildlife, and natural architecture.

When working in what I call Modern Mixed Media, I bring these traditional elements into the digital realm using tools like my Wacom Cintiq tablet, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and other specialised design workflows. I translate hand-drawn botanical specimens and mixed-media paintings into intricate repeating surface patterns, digital illustrations, and vibrant design collections.

This hybrid approach allows me to preserve the raw, emotional depth of handmade mark-making while pushing pattern design and fine art prints into fresh, modern directions.

I am so proud to be part of the Made It community, a passionate movement that champions genuine, Australian-made craftsmanship. Thank you for supporting independent artists, choosing handmade over mass-produced, and bringing a little piece of my tropical world into yours!