I paint for three main reasons; to preserve a moment in time when I have been touched by  beauty or mystery, moved by the rhythm of sea grasses or shadow patterns on beach rocks, by the glow of morning light on a child’s cheek or the texture of crumbling brick; to challenge myself to transform my vision into technically strong artworks and finally to relish the pure pleasure of moving pencil or paintbrush over a surface.

Having discovered the love of watercolour with Chris Wootton (Wootton Studio, Campbell River)  more than two decades ago,  I now paint primarily in acrylic and oil, savouring each medium for its power: for the unexpected movement and transparent layering of watercolour, the building of surface and texture in acrylic and the marvelous melding of colour in oils. 

My subject matter is eclectic. The coast and islands of Vancouver Island are my home and inform and inspire my art- the vanishing of large tracts of forest and wild coastal areas are in my mind as I create my landscapes. Another subject I never stray far from is the figure, primarily women and children. Travels in Europe inspire many architectural renderings. Recently I have been moving towards more nonrepresentational work, exploring more playful and loose interpretations of the natural world -mixed media, oil and cold wax, encaustics and collage play into this journey. 
 
For the last 10 years I have taught painting from my home studio: classes in watercolour and acrylics, workshops in mixed media and encaustics, and open drop-in sessions. To enable others to enjoy their creativity and develop technically strong skills is enormously rewarding.

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