Art has the power to change hearts,
and changed hearts have the power to change the world.

My Artist Statement

Inspiration

Colour, organic shapes and rhythm are key to my abstracted exploration of nature’s complexity and beauty. I’m excited by the infinite variety of colours and patterns in the world, the light in the sky and reflections in still water. Similarities in structure, such as in human and leaf veins, a river’s threaded path, and the upstretched branches of a tree fascinate me. Drawing on my experiences in Canada’s north, a lifetime around water and a love of gardening, my desire is to capture the feeling of being in nature.

Nature and my deep need to honour and preserve our environment inspire my art and my life. I hope viewers feel the joy in my artwork and share my desire to cherish and protect the natural world.

Materials

I paint primarily on canvas using acrylics, inks, charcoal, pencils and other markers, and am exploring oil, oil sticks and pastels. Occasionally, I insert flower petals, seed pods and other organic matter into the painting. The tools I choose often dictate the course that my work will take. Some favourites are scrapers, brushes, sticks, feathers, and paper to ‘print’ unpredictable shapes. Layering allows me to create depth and texture as well as nuanced colours. Scraping into, smudging and removing layers, and using washy or thick paint create different effects. Throughout my process, I minimize waste, reuse and recycle, and avoid contaminating water.

Process

I don’t have an end goal when I begin but I do vary the ways I start canvases to keep my work fresh. I allow the process to slowly reveal what the piece is wanting to express. There is such freedom in this for me, having spent years using my left brain in my career. Painting allows me to delve into my creative side which was always seeking an outlet. The process of creating, the quiet study of next steps, and seeing the work’s evolution fill me with joy. Painting also offers me a way to reflect my emotions, and especially, to manage my concerns about climate change.

Exhibitions

My paintings have been juried into a solo exhibition at the Hycroft Gallery, Vancouver and into multiple group exhibitions in Greater Vancouver.