Artist Statement
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Feeling, risk and relationship are the
3 pillars of my art practice.
What matters to me is the process of art making, the journey of discovering what wants to be revealed and the way that acts as an authentic bid for connection with those that are meant to experience my work.
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I am profoundly influenced by nature and intimacy. My craving for Feeling, Risk and Relationship are what get me into my studio to discover and then explore what is possible.
I look for ways to balance aesthetic appeal with authentic expression; that’s the feeling. Like the busy mind, each piece goes through its “wild child” phase where it’s true essence must be harnessed and that can only be reached by taking some risks. Years of yoga and meditation have paved the way for painting to be a contemplative adventure. I seek resolutions that can be experienced by the viewer as a harmonious place to spend some time; that’s the relationship.
I work in both abstract and representational styles and hope to achieve ever more interesting blends of the two as I evolve and grow as an artist.
Each finished piece is a bid for connection. Deeply smitten by the process of painting, its language has expanded my repertoire for authentic communication and meaningful relationship, what I believe to be the essence of a rich life and a healthy world. ​
Bio
​After a 30 year obsession with all things dance and awakening consciousness, in 2020 I found my way back to a focus on the visual arts.
In my early 20's I studied fine arts in my home town of Montreal, Canada where I was introduced to the concept of the right/creative brain. Then in Florence, Italy I was immersed in the works of the legendary masters and their stories where I studied classical technique. There I was enchanted by the magic of color, form and allegory that inspired the art of the renaissance. My academic study of art in Italy was complemented by the rich meditative right brain states I'd been initiated into in Montreal. This is what brought me back to visual arts so many years later.
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I veered away from the fine arts for 30 years to develop my career in the healing arts, eco therapy, and dance. These bring a texture and depth to my creative inquiry. Though I sometimes get caught up in what I'm trying to produce, it is the presence of being that I remind myself is my highest purpose in making art. The end result is a bonus!
What inspires me
I'm fortunate to live half the year on a quiet beach on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. I chose this as my home in 2006, because like many Canadians, warm sunny weather is a dream come the Fall.
My favorite part of living in Mexico is being able to walk barefoot most of the time, and spending very little time in a car. I'm surrounded by and immersed in the elements and most of our living is outdoors. The wind, the waves and the roar of the ocean are the back drop of my days and nights. The wild woodlands of the Sierra Madres are my playground. A comedy of trees and their understory fascinate and constantly surprise me. I'm happiest when I'm outdoors, so my perch over Lake Spokane allows me to drink in the eastern, WA splendor the other half of the year where the ponderosa pine forests contrast the tropical trees of Mexico.
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Nature is very much my muse. I delight in the interplay of color, shadow and nuance that occur in the natural world. The restorative and spiritually nourishing qualities of nature have profoundly impacted my life so it doesn't surprise me that I'm drawn to commune with her through my art practice.
But I'm also very fascinated by the shapes, patterns and textures that exist in architectural settings. The elements of design and the way they dance together offer endless inspiration.
Feeling Risk Relationship
If nothing else, I want to say I danced with these three with all my being, and that they permeate what I leave behind at the end of each precious day.