From 1886 she received arts training at night classes with James Ashton at his Norwood studio, then in the late 1880s at his Adelaide Academy of Arts, working at a Payneham plant nursery and assisting Ashton as a way of paying for her tuition while saving for her big ambition – to study in Paris.

She was an early member of the Adelaide Easel Club,[3] In 1896 she moved to Perth, Western Australia, where she gave private tuition and worked at a photographer's studio,[2] perhaps as a photo colorist.

It took ten years, but in 1906, by then Principal of the Perth Art School, she sailed by the Runic to Paris,[4] and there studied under expatriate Australian Rupert Bunny, developing a great love of French people and culture.

After her 1914 arrival back in South Australia, she exhibited in Adelaide and rejoined the local artistic community.

Her many students included Ivor Hele, Dora Cecil Chapman and Noel Wood.