Welcome

THE PAST IS ALWAYS PRESENT. AS IN ART, SO IN LIFE.

I recently found my birth announcement, a simple handmade card drawn by my father who had a morning radio show at the time, proclaiming “A New Voice on the Prairies”. This simple card conveyed excitement and promise; I felt loved. Decades later, I feel that I am completing the circle. In 2020, I packed up my life in downtown Toronto during the global pandemic, and devoted myself to my heart’s desire.
 

I have a deep appreciation for where I have been. My worldview, my reverence for life, my joie de vivre, are all brought to my work. Nothing would mean more to me than a collector recognizing this in my creative expression. I challenge myself to say “yes” to life ...

• I wept and fell to my knees, overcome by beauty, in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

• I walked through a snake-infested forest in India by moonlight after getting separated from our guide.

• I held on for dear life to a  maroon-robed monk, whose name in Sanskrit meant 'Love Nectar' , on a wild ride to my destination through the chaotic streets of Pune on the back of his motorcycle.

•I knocked myself out leaping through a doorway to an opera crescendo.

•I lay naked in a field of buttercups on a warm spring day in the Wicklow Mountains of Ireland. 

•The roads were washed away, and the power was out on a silent yoga retreat in Ojai, California. When lightning struck and the windows imploded, I jumped into the arms of my nemesis to carry me to safety. It was a lesson in saying "yes" to being helped.

•I saved three lives.
•I survived a coma.
 

ART IS THE BIGGEST "YES" YET; THE DESIRE TO BE FULLY ALIVE.
 

I work to nurture my creativity, opening to change, imperfection and growth through different mediums … including sculpting with found objects, photography, high-level conceptual work in interior design, one-of-a-kind wearable silk art, and recently acrylic. I am drawn to the therapeutic benefits of art, how it improves my own mental outlook, and the way it encourages mindful participation of the viewer.

I have sharpened my sensitivity through meditation and mindfulness, and, as a tetrachromat, am deeply involved with colour. I start with a simple idea, a minimal composition, a restrained palette or the desire to learn about a new process or material. I use the methodology from my design career to gather information, conceptualize and plan before the execution. My idea often stems from a deep feeling or opinion I want to express. It may also be driven by the desire to connect with an individual on a deeper level. It never really goes to plan, an inner hell breaks loose and all bets are off, before some spark of inspiration saves it.
 

I have a variety of interests and that translates to my art. I am an eclectic generalist; I am excited by exploration, and learning new things. My use of acrylic lends itself to my process because it is yields quick results and lets me be spontaneous. During my process, I limit my exposure to distractions and immerse myself in the steps, the layers, the techniques, and I do so with a reverence for the universal creative flow that transports all artists. I find creative work intense, so approach it methodically. This sounds counter-intuitive to the way some artist’s work; because of my anxious mind, I find it works for me.
 

When things go wrong, I challenge myself to keep an open mind. Interesting things come from imperfection.
 

I admire artist’s who are disciplined and explore the same subject matter throughout their careers, artists who focus themselves and create a series of work with common elements. I don’t see myself doing that as I am exploring now and the ideas are coming quickly.
 

When someone appreciates my art and its meaning, it makes it worthwhile. I would like someone who collects my work to know that every ounce of energy, every experience, all the love I have, is part of the piece. From the time I get the idea, spend time researching, observing, sketching, planning, and thinking, to the time I execute it, stand back and fight the urge to burn it, pick it up and try again, I am putting all I have into it. From impetus to that sweet moment of appreciation, my soul is part of it. 

Someone who appreciates it, touches that.
 

I have come to the full-time practice late in life. It couldn’t be any other way. I look forward to growing in experience and confidence. I look forward to improving my skills and seeing the world with more clarity. I look forward to using my art to help others. Most of all, I look forward to connecting with those who appreciate my work, with authenticity.
 

Thank you for listening to the new voice on the prairies.