What are the origins of your connection to Maine?

I took an encaustic workshop in Maine a few years ago, with Dietlind Vander Schaaf (another Portland Gallery artist) and fell in love with Maine’s beautiful little towns and rugged coastline. Although I grew up in Canada my parents lived in Massachusetts while my father was going to university there. As a family we drove through New England every summer to explore a new part of the east coast and to visit friends.

Inspiration: 

It usually starts with an image, either from another art source or from a place I visited. One unique location can set me off in a whole new creative direction. I am also drawn to nostalgic imagery such as wooden docks, boathouses, Ferris wheels and the saturated colors of the 50’s and 60’s.

Medium: 

Although I studied photography and worked in the field of commercial photography for 25 plus years, I am always trying new mediums, including paint, wax and paper. All of my work begins with one of my original photographs.

Artist Hero: 

It is difficult to pick one artist who has influenced me as it changes depending on which project I am working on. Now that I am working with photo transfers I am more interested in the work of Robert Rauschenberg. He used silk screen and other films to transfer his images onto canvas, and I am using inkjet printed acetates.

Studio: 

I am lucky to have secured a beautiful sun-drenched studio in the ICB Building in Sausalito, California. It is a building full of excellent artists and we all help each other out any chance we get.

Fun Fact: 

I am learning to speak Dutch. I know it is a random language, but my husband is Dutch and we travel there often. I felt it was time for me to improve my vocabulary and learn more about his first language.

Education: 

After finishing a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Waterloo, Ontario I went back to Ryerson University in Toronto and studied photography. It was a great course as they combined still photography with film studies. After the film and photography course I worked full time for a Toronto-based commercial photographer where I learned how to run a business.