I was born in Sidney, B.C. and grew up on Vancouver Island. I always knew that creativity of some sort or another would be an essential part of my life. I have a BFA in Visual Arts, with a concentration in English and Art Education.
In my post-university years, and while my children were growing up, I put my art-ed experience to good use, teaching art to children in the classroom, to adults through Saanich Recreation, and privately to children and adults at my home studio.
Moving to the Nanaimo area and an 'empty nest' gave me more time to focus on my art. I helped found a small artist cooperative in Qualicum, joined the Federation of Canadian Artists and began to paint full-time. This led to numerous awards and signature status with the Federation of Canadian Artists.
My first love was the magical medium of watercolour. I love the whole "zen" experience of painting botanicals. And my more whimsical "Silverwave" series in watercolour and silver ink is just plain fun.
I also embraced the bolder language and freedom of large-format abstracts in acrylic. These paintings invited an intimate experience between art and viewer, exploring the simple and the complex, expressed in line, shadow and colour, at the point where drawing and painting intersect.
I took a temporary - but complementary - detour off the beaten path of “traditional” art and studied IT and Web Design through BCIT.
I also fell in love with the iPad. The iPad is the perfect piece of technology for artists, and I have had great fun integrating my iPad and other tech know-how into my artistic process and teaching these skills to others.
A severe back injury in 2014 put a halt to work on my large paintings, and I am no longer actively entering shows. Still, my iPad and silversmithing have filled the void, allowing me to continue creating, albeit on a smaller scale.
I also own Silverdog Publishing, a small company catering to Vancouver Island writers.
SELECT JURIED SHOWS & AWARDS
• 2014 Spilsbury Medal Show, Federation Gallery, Vancouver (Juried) *Silver Medal • 2014 Arrowsmith Chapter FCA Fall Show, TOSH, Qualicum (Juried) *Award of Excellence • 2014 FCA Success! Show, Federation Gallery, Vancouver (Juried) *Awarded FCA Signature Status • 2013 Sidney Fine Art Show, Mary Winspear Centre, Sidney (Juried) *Best Work on Paper & $1000 cash award • 2013 FCA "Canvas Unbound" Show, Federation Gallery, Vancouver (Juried ) *1st Place • 2013 FCA "Transitions" Show, Federation Gallery, Vancouver (Juried ) *1st Place • 2013 Arrowsmith Chapter FCA Spring Show, TOSH, Qualicum (Juried) *1st Place & Award of Excellence • 2013 FCA Abstract Show, Federation Gallery, Vancouver (Juried) * 2nd Place