Inspiration and Direction

Inspiration

I have currently returned to my love of painting and will likely continue to draw inspiration from a theme that I have explored for over 30 years – the relationship between humans and the natural world.
When I first moved to Vancouver Island, the natural beauty of its landscapes was an inspiration to create a series of prints. They were done in a cross-hatched drawing style that blurred the distinction between abstraction and realism. The prints experimented in using line, form, color, density and illusion to create works that are both realistic and subtly abstract.

How it all began
All my life I have drawn or made art out of whatever materials or techniques were available. In school, Art was always my best subject, but my parents expected a more secure and sensible career choice, like teaching. However, 3 years of working toward a teaching degree caused my inner artist to despair. So I left university and enrolled in the Vancouver School of Art (now Emily College University of Art & Design) Four blissful years of art school followed and I graduated with honours in 3D Design & Fabrication with a minor in Printmaking.
During art school I had also studied and performed in dance, and after graduation, I parked the visual arts for a time and co-founded a dance company with my sister and 2 other dancers. Dancing provides an endorphin high that is addictive, but a second pregnancy made it clear that it was time to return to the visual arts. I was living in Toronto at the time with lots of illustration opportunities, so I turned my love of drawing into my next career. For the next ten years I produced editorial, advertising and publishing illustrations.
By then I was a single parent and illustration gigs were not sufficient to support a family of 3, so I got a Masters degree in Planning from UBC and worked as a Resource Planner for the BC government. To maintain my sanity, I drew on lunch breaks and painted on weekends

By holding down a day-job, I was ab le to afford to build a sculpture studio in my garage and created large sculptures for the public realm in concrete, wood and steel. I also began painting again in 2013, then in 2022, then became intrigued by the idea of making prints. They are more affordable artworks and the process lends itself to the cross-hatch drawing style that I mastered as an illustrator.

Direction
I will likely continue producing large, lush oil paintings and making prints. In addition I will be exploring digital media as a vehicle for inspiraton, creation, ideas and communication.

“Art is a mercurial lover…The artists can no more ignore their art than a character can change the story they appear in, or a Greek hero outwit the fates”. -David Mitchell