ART = life.... this is my mantra. It all started in the 5th grade when I won a drawing contest and it was posted in the San Francisco Examiner. In my teens I wanted to be a fashion designer so I took courses to that end. In my early twenties I studied Illustration and Fine Arts at the Academy of Art in San Francisco with the intention of becoming a Commercial Artist, but then as often happens, life got in the way.
I moved to Vancouver in the early 80's and had an 18 year career in the Fashion Industry and started doing Interior Design on the side for clients and friends. All this creativity fed my soul for years but when at 50 I took a course in Florence Italy thru Emily Carr studing the "The Masters" well, this was a turning point and my love for painting blossomed thru years of study here in Vancouver at the Academy of Art, which sadly no longer exists.
My work has evolved over the years and I have been lucky enough to sell to private collectors and thru some exhibits & Eastside Culture Crawl. Most of my Interior Design jobs have involved a commissioned painting. It's heartwarming for me to see my work displayed in someones home and know that to them in some way it is meaningful.
I've come to realize that the process of art making for me is about my search for self discovery . This requires peeling away layers of conditioning and judgement to find what is authentic and truthful. It requires facing your fears and resolving them. It's a very revealing, emotional and honest path. The book, Art & Fear is a great resourse.
Making art gives substance to my sense of self. It's my food for thought and expression. I love experimenting with a variety of techniques and materials. The exploration is the best part of the journey..I always have many projects on the go and these days it's my newly found love of transforming my photography into interesting images that evoke in me a sense of the spiritual and mysterious unseen realms.
Beauty and nature are the themes of my inspiration. There is so much to be learned from both. I could never imagine my life without being in the creative process.
