Lois was born in Bromley Kent, just outside London. When she was 3 years old her parents took her and younger brother and set sail for South America. They arrived in Paraguay in 1967 where they worked as missionaries for the SAMS. (South American Missionary Society.) They lived in a small Indian village in the middle of the Chaco. It was very remote, the only way in was by horse, light aircraft or Unimog. Her mother ran the local trading post and my father was a very hands-on church minister.

After 3 years they moved to Rio de Janeiro and during their medicals it was discovered that Lois had tuberculosis. Subsequently it was decided that she should go back to England for treatment. So at the young age of seven Lois started at a Church of England boarding school for girls called Fernhill Manor School, where she remained until she finished her GCSE’s at the age of 15. Lois would visit her parents once a year during the summer holidays in July and August. She would fly out on her own, to Salvador, in Bahia, in the North-East of Brazil. She absolutely adored Brazil, the food, the spirit of the people, the way of life and especially their love of music and dance. She admired the beautiful coastline, fantastic scenery and the abundance of wildlife.

After school Lois moved to Somerset where her father took up a position as a vicar in a local parish church. She did her A levels at Yeovil College and spent a few months working with horses before heading off to do a degree at St. Paul’s and St Mary’s in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. She left in 1987 with a B. Ed in Biological sciences. Lois then taught for 2 years in London. She then headed off to an International school near Lisbon where she spent 12 very happy years in the Lisbon area.

Lois then got married had 2 children and enjoyed the Portuguese weather, cuisine and a fantastic expat way of life. In 2001 Lois and her family moved to Johannesburg where her husband started his business. In South Africa Lois did a bit of teaching and worked for her husband’s business but as time passed, she felt a growing need to express myself creatively, a feeling that almost became a compulsion.

In 2004 she discovered a wonderful artist and friend, Cherylee Powell who started her on her artistic journey by teaching her to draw. Cherylee then proceeded to teach Lois the basics of using acrylics which she immediately put into practice.

Lois joined the Watercolour society in 2006 and became an associate in 2010, participating and qualifying for various exhibitions and presenting several workshops. She continued working towards her higher associateship, which involves submitting work before a select jury.  Lois is also a volunteer at exhibitions with a special interest in the BLU project.

Lois has attended Carl Jeppes life drawing classes in Parkhurst and has exhibited with the group and as a result sold some of her works, some of which to the fine art collector and lecturer Gordon Froud.

Lois then attended Unisa for a year in 2009 to hone her drawing skills. She received a third prize from the Botanical association in 2011 and she has recurrently had her work auctioned by the National Horse Trust and other organisations.

Lois opened her home studio in 2013 and gave beginner watercolour and acrylic classes for a few years.

In 2016 she successfully took part in An Equine and Wildlife Exhibition in May with fellow artists Eugene Van Vrede and Gavin Doyle, followed by an Exhibition called Old Masters, New Perspectives which took place at Sue Orpen’s gallery in Muldersdrift in October and again at the same gallery for the ‘Winter Exhibition’ in June 2017