Aileen was born and grew up in Auckland, New Zealand and came to the United States as a war bride after World War II. Her accent is still noticeable and is one of her most desirable traits.

She is mostly self taught in watercolor but has attended many instructional workshops and classes at Canada College in Redwood City, California and studied with Zoltan Szarbo, Daniel Umberger. She has taken short courses with Carl Purcell and Osral Allred at Snow College in Utah.

Her work is very representative of the world around her. Her landscapes, animal life and bird life reflect living in the southwestern United States environs and are her favorite subjects. Florals such as this one are prevalent in her exhibits.