PAINTINGs

Still Life

Over the years I have continued to paint Still Lifes. I paint them not as an exact imitation of their external appearances, but for their inherent beauty and tranquil qualities. I use these attributes along with subtle colours and suffused lighting to create a calm and thought-provoking atmosphere that embraces the extraordinary and commonplace. I paint from memory as this allows me to focus on the essence of being through painterly means.

RHYTHMS AND PATTERNS

‘Rhythms and Patterns’. These paintings are fanciful in thought with a wink and a nod to daydreaming. While sitting in my garden I often find myself caught up in the natural beauty that flutters around me. The constant familiar changes that each season brings embrace their own rhythms and patterns. And we as humans embrace our own rhythms and patterns that may or not be of the same discourse as nature. Balance… acknowledging and respecting the past and present, the man-made and natural worlds. The continual flow of life.

ONCE A POND A TIME  

My continued interest in nature in all its glorious forms. Taking into account our fragile world.

Sculptures

Birdcage and Beehive [Ethereal Architectural Poems]

Whimsical, fanciful, dreamy structures created out of recycled household items, wire, beads, columns, wood, cement, marble, plastic, plaster.

Over the years I have painted birdcages on pedestals in austere architectural settings and aspects of nature i.e. fruit, birds, bees and flowers, so the idea of constructing birdcages was not a big leap. Especially since my formative years at York University as a Fine Arts student was based on installations and sculpture. I decided these birdcages had to be created out of mostly secondhand/recycled items and building supplies. The household items I chose were assigned to new purposes. For instance candlestick holders were designated as pedestal, the bowl or plate, which had to have holes around the edges became the bottom of the birdcage into which I drew wire up through the bowl or plate’s piercings. The wire became the ribs of the cage and gave the birdcage its form. [I envisage the rib cages as flying buttresses]. So I weaved and contrived the wire to be structurally sound of its own accord to keep the structure erect, and balanced. Pleased with the outcome I expanded my visual vocabulary to include beads, mirrors, feathers etc. New challenges arose with these additions. Maintaining a balanced structure, physically and visually. For me these sculptures open up an avenue of pure intuitive, inventive delight that draws on my understanding of colour, form, and conception of space.

The beehive was truly a nature inspired piece. I had this roll of copper mesh and I was very much intrigued with its soft pliability and its intimate structure. Always being one who admires nature’s architectural wonders I began creating a visual ode to one of nature’s most vulnerable and incredible creature.. the bee. I wanted to give the hive itself a flowing quality and the copper mesh afforded me this. The other building materials used were specifically employed for the purpose of anchoring and adding a concreteness to the overall construction and with their contrasting textures and densities gives the piece an intriguing visual interest.

Curios

Whimsical, fanciful, dreamy structures created out of recycled household items, broken ceramics and hot glue wax. At a break neck pace and armed with a hot glue gun, a mess of damaged ceramics, candlestick holders, and plates I use the fluidity of the hot wax in an organic flowing way to hold together the ragged edged pieces of ceramics to the sturdy metal based pedestals [candlestick holders], or onto a metal plate. The purpose was to as simply as possible create out of the shards and unwanted items free and easy objects of gentle beauty.

Bio

I was born and raised in Vancouver, surrounded by majestic mountains, lush green woodland and the serene Pacific Ocean. This allowed me to spend my childhood luxuriating in the beauty of nature. Hence my work has evolved to portray and capture the rich, calming, ethereal aspects that grace our natural world.

I moved to Toronto and completed my BFA at York University, Ontario. Upon graduation I set up my studio and continued my foray into developing work. At the same time I volunteered at various artist-run spaces such as Art Metropole and Mercer Union. Eventually I became a board member of Mercer Union and curated several exhibitions. Soon thereafter I started showing my work at several different artist-run centres, then at commercial galleries in the Greater Toronto Area. From there my work was soon purchased for corporate and private collections in Canada, United States, and Europe. During this time I have been the recipient of several grants and awards. My work has been featured in major newspapers and magazines across Canada and internationally.