ABOUT THE ARTIST

I’m a (mostly) self-taught Artist who grew up on our ancestral farm in South Glengarry County, Ontario. As a little kid I drew constantly. When I wasn’t drawing, I was wandered the fields, line fences, forests & local river banks. I started painting at ten, when my Dad bought brought me a set of oil paints from his summer in Kingston. In high school I started selling my paintings to friends of the family and to local Realtors who commissioned ‘home portraits’ for their clients.

Glengarry District High School had little in the way of arts programs in 1984. I had to take my final year of Art by correspondence. I was accepted into the BFA program at Queen’s University, but I only completed my first year before switching programs (twice). I finally graduated with a BA in Film Studies.

My first job out of university was as an Illustrator for Michael Mills Animation in Westmount, Quebec. But I was determined to make a career out of my film degree, and eventually did. I had a long career as a Key Dresser, Costume Designer & Textile Artist in the Toronto Film Industry, occasionally working in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary & PEI too.

Film work is ‘contract’ based, which allowed me to paint a between projects. Occasionally I would enter juried art competitions & group shows. Paintings were always interrupted by the next movie project and sometimes took years to complete.

A severe case of plantar faciitis sidelined me in late 2018/early 2019. I painted full time for the next few months - which I had really never done before. In January 2019 I applied for and was granted - ‘Active Status Membership’ in the Federation of Canadian Artists. I was so encouraged by this that I actually started to wonder if it was time to switch my focus.

Within 6 months, I bought a small ‘cottage’ on the Raisin River near Williamstown, Ontario, with the intention of renovating it to include a proper studio space. I intended to keep working in film to finance it. The renovation got out of control fast and my mother passed away suddenly in October 2019. Within 5 months the pandemic lockdown had begun. When things go wrong, they can go really wrong.

But three years later, my foot is healed (thanks to yoga), my renovation is 90% finished and I’m finally living in my little house & painting in my studio.

PAST JURIED EXHIBITIONS

2023 - Cline House Gallery (Cornwall, ON) Juried Exhibition

2021 - Federation of Canadian Artists (TO) Juried Exhibition

2010 - Cornwall Regional Art Gallery Annual Juried Exhibition

2008 - Cornwall Regional Art Gallery Annual Juried Exhibition  

2004 - Cornwall Regional Art Gallery Annual Juried Exhibition  

1993 - Cornwall Regional Art Gallery Annual Juried Exhibition    

1991 - Cornwall Regional Art Gallery Annual Juried Exhibition                      

PAST GROUP SHOWS

2023 - Merry Minis 12x12 Show, Cline House Gallery, Cornwall, ON

2023 - Apples & Art Studio Tour, Cornwall/SD&G 

2021 - Apples & Art Studio Tour, Cornwall/SD&G   

2009 - Opus 4, Abbey For the Arts, Glen Nevis, ON      

2008 - Mother Earth Show, Abbey For the Arts, Glen Nevis

2003 - Working Images Show-Mayworks Festival, Toronto City Hall       

My entry at the first Federation of Canadian Artist Toronto chapter show in Toronto, 2021.