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ABOUT ME...
NEW IN 2026
I've been wanting to share the story behind these paintings for a while. They became much more than a collection of artwork for me—they became a record of where my heart was during a very difficult year.
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BE GOOD • BE BRAVE - Love is magic. Feeling it takes courage. This series was never something I planned.
It began with two lives lost in Minneapolis in January 2026, & with my own need to find somewhere to put the emotions I was carrying. BE GOOD came first. On January 7, Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot by an Immigration & Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis. Renee's tragic story stayed with me. I felt sorrow, helplessness & a deep sadness for a life that was suddenly gone. I needed to do something with those feelings. So I painted BE GOOD. Then, just over two weeks later, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive-care nurse, was fatally shot by a federal officer during an immigration operation in Minneapolis. Once again, I found myself struggling with the emotions surrounding another life lost. I needed to paint again. And BE BRAVE was born. These two paintings were my way of processing something I couldn't fix, couldn't change & couldn't simply put out of my mind. They became my way of feeling—and of giving those feelings somewhere to go. But... after those first two paintings, my heart needed a break from the sorrow. I couldn't keep absorbing tragedy & putting it onto canvas. So I turned toward beauty. October 20, 2022:
The Renfrew & Area Chamber of Commerce held their Community Awards Ceremony, October 20, 2022. I was invited to attend as I was nominated for the 2022 Visual Artist Award. "The award recognizes a visual artist/artisan demonstrating excellence in any or all the following areas:
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My next painting, LOVE IS... CELESTIAL, was inspired by Van Gogh's Starry Night. It became a completely different kind of emotional expression—a place to think about beauty, wonder, love & the feeling that there is still light in the world, even when our hearts are heavy.
And then came BE BOLD. When Catherine O'Hara died in January, I felt another very different kind of loss. She had been one of my favourite actresses, & Moira Rose was one of those characters who could make me laugh until my cheeks hurt. So I created a tribute to them both. Black, white and silver. Three glittering roses. And a few of the most wonderfully quirky feathers from my own feather collection—because, really, Moira Rose without feathers just wouldn't do. 😂 And somehow, the series had travelled from grief, to courage, to beauty, to laughter. That is what this collection became for me. Not a series I planned. Not a series I set out to create. Just four paintings that happened because I needed to feel something—& I needed somewhere to put it. There are two more paintings waiting to join the series. Both dealing with loss & grief, a personal loss & a global loss. They will come when the time is right. For now, I'm grateful for what these four have taught me: Love is magic. Feeling it takes courage. I so appreciate the recognition from the Chamber of Commerce & the sponsor of this particular award, Renfrew Home Hardware Building Centre. Owners Karen & Steve Maxwell are well known as major community supporters. Karen is a HUGE supporter of local artist & the arts culture. This award created in 2020 was made possible due solely to Karen's mission to acknowledge & recognize the worthy efforts, skills & expertise of an artist each year.
Thank you so very much Karen & Steve Maxwell/ Renfrew Home Hardware Building Centre & the Renfrew & Area Chamber of Commerce for this recognition. |
December 2022:
I was asked by Renfrew Victoria Hospital Foundation to create a special painting to be used for their annual Christmas Card. This is the front of the card.
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Back of the card.
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I grew up in Ottawa, Canada's capital city. I now live in Castleford, in the Ottawa Valley on the Ottawa River. An inspirational beautiful setting, very calming, soul centering, & perfectly serene. All elements conducive to creativity at it's finest.
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The creation of art has been an integral part of me since the beginning of time. The art forms have varied throughout my life but as I look back, each creative component (below) contributed to my unique path and continues to be an evolving art process.
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My life long creative process has included - Drawing - Painting - Stain Glass - Pottery Wheel Throwing - Photography Fabric Painting - Floral Design - Cake Designer/Instructor - Arts/Crafts Demonstrator/Instructor - Fine Art Picture Framer
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WHY I PAINT:
The power of painting allows me to focus fully on the now, free from distractions. I enter into the flow of creative expression for a purer deeper body mind connection where inner peace resides. A form of meditation that works for me. It is there that I easily express my true self. |
My soul satisfying process always includes vibrant color, sometimes with juicy texture achieved from palette knife & heavy body acrylics, sometimes with a depth of detail achieved from fine brushwork, & sometimes all three come together. I know I have accomplished my goal when the viewer feels the joyful energy I put into the creation!
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Graphic Design - Illustration:
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2020 – Life Transformation #2
Graphic design begins. Over 2018-2019 I delved deep into a intense graphic design college diploma program. It was an amazing opportunity to elevate my creativity with the latest in digital technology. |
I work with Photoshop, Illustrator & InDesign. I enjoy creating fantasy designs full of whimsical detail. The kind that draws you in and invites you stay awhile. |
Artist - Art Instructor - Creativity Coach
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2002 - Life Transformation #1
Life as a fine artist begins. Over the previous challenging 2 years, I came to the realization that committing to the creation of art on a full time basis was the only soulful satisfying solution. I work with vivid acrylics, brushes and palette knives. Vibrant abstracts, over-sized florals, textured Canadian vistas and whimsical kaleidoscope fantasies are distinctly recognizable of what is described as my unique joyful style and technique. Many of Ottawa’s remarkable landmarks have been immortalized in my more fanciful designs. A curvaceous signature of the Art Deco influence is often present in my abstract work. This characteristic swirl is representative of the spiritual evolution that led me to my chosen career as an artist. |
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HIGHLIGHTS:
Art Lending of Ottawa Kevin Dodds Gallery (Bank St.) Stonewall Gallery (Bank St.) Artprior Gallery (Arnprior) Art Factory Warehouse Gallery (Renfrew)
100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy. |
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