Born in 1973 Scarborough, On, & then raised
on a farm in a place called Blessington. My interest in art began around the age of twelve, so
my family encouraged me. I love the country, nature & animals which I grew up with.
My father is a self taught hobbiest decoy carver whose work is in the private collection of hockey
legend Bobby Hull. I consider my father to be my largest artistic inspiration. I studied
Visual Fine Arts for two years at St. Lawrence college. My drawing teachers described my work as bold, whatever that means. I extended my artistic
interests to stained glass & photography, & actually most recently computers.
I have the most horrific time management skills of anyone I have ever met. Once
I was working on a commissioned painting for a fellow who saw my art on display & he asked me to paint a garden scene for a wedding gift in oils on a round metal found
art object. I finished it to my liking two days before he required it, drying it in front of
fans, & it was still slightly tacky when I handed it over to him. At least he was still happy
with it. More often is the case though when someone I know asks me to make them something, my
response someday, when I have time.
My first job out of college was Art Gallery Sales. I worked in a native & nature gallery for three years. I met a lot of people from all over the place, I had to talk to people in a natural informed way & that took some getting used to. I grew comfortable there & had good times with people I didn’t even know, but my shyness comes back as soon as I place myself in new situations. Painfully shy is an accurate description. I was fortunate to meet some famous artists in my years at the gallery, Norman Knott, Debi Fitzgerald, Mia Lane, Keirstead, Johannus Boots. My favourite time there, was evening when I could walk around, relax & take in everything around me. A magical spiritual place.
My most rewarding experience came one day when a friend at work urged me to show her my art, to my utter dismay. She hung it in the gallery. A customer stopped to see my piece. The customer was on vacation, & our game was to not tell her that it was my work, but that of a young unkown artist. She enjoyed it & to my surprise & delight she came back to look at it again the next day. She smiled again & said that she had came back just to look at it before she went back home as her holidays were over. So this is the greatest reward & satisfaction I have ever received.