The Untamed Artist:

I grew up in Vancouver and have lived in the Comox Valley, BC since 1992. My wonderful life brings a diverse array of experiences to my art-from nursing in child psychiatry, Playworking at various Children’s Festivals, oyster farming, parenting my now grown children and doing what I love best next to creating--teaching Creative Process.

For me, art is an ongoing exploration and process of listening and responding to my inner and outer worlds.  I adore colour as well as being drawn to the simplicity of black and white.  

I call myself  an "Untamed Artist" because, with playful curiosity, I express and explore in many media from acrylics, to mixed media, collage and drawing, depending on what is calling to me the day I create. I love to be open and able to unfold to ALL possibilities in the creative realms.

While living on Cortes Island, BC in my late 20's, I took Emily Carr outreach classes with Gordon Smith, Nora Blank and ongoing drawing classes with Elena Wheeler.  Relocating to the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, with my family in the early 1990’s, I studied life drawing at NIC.  At this time, I worked in an Art Store and began teaching my Pure Process classes. Since then, I have participated in numerous art shows in the Comox Valley and in beyond. I presently live in Courtenay with my husband of 33 years. We have an adult son and daughter.

I am inspired and moved by Giacometti, Betty Goodwin, Alice Neel, Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach, Andy Goldworthy and Angela Grossman, as well as the many people I have been blessed enough to teach over the years.

Awards and Nominations:

• “Nakeestla Award-Coming Together to Make Things Right” for "5 Steps Towards Grace", Comox Valley Art Gallery, presented in partnership with the Comox Valley Justice Center, Apr 2013
• Nominated Mentor of the Year for the Arts and Culture Awards, 2006.
• Award of Excellence for painting, Comox Valley Community Arts Council, 2003
• Honorable Mention for drawing, Comox Valley Community Arts Council, 2000

Pure Process Facilitator:

I have designed and taught “Pure Process Art” for the past 15 yrs. My passion is to explore and open with others the creative possibilities within. I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of BC. After graduating, I worked in Child Psychiatry at Vancouver Children’s Hospital as well as facilitated Play Workshops for children and adults at festivals throughout Vancouver. Both these encounters inform and give a rich underlay to the work I do now as a creative process facilitator.

I guide my students through connecting to the childlike nature of simplicity, playfulness, tapping into their intuitive sense as well accessing the places within that have no words. I create a safe and non-judgmental environment for students both inexperienced and experienced to open and trust in the wonder of the creative process.  My teaching style has developed from personally experiencing the painting process in my own work, my ongoing study of process based art work and all I have learned from my many wonderful students. Helping to instill an accepting and open approach to bringing creativity into the classroom and beyond has been a major focus of my work with teachers and students. 

Presentations/ Teaching Activities:

Teacher and facilitator of community based art education including~

• 2015: Amethyst House Recovery Center for Women, Art as a Healing practice, Courtenay,BC
• 2014-2015: Berwick Intergenerational project with SD 71, teaching art to Seniors and K’s, Berwick Retirement Community, Jan 2014
• 2013: Girl’s Group in conjunction with John Howard Society- Teen art group for girls at risk, co-facilitated with Wendy Morin of John Howard Soc., Courtenay, BC
• 2012: Mural Project, “With My Own Two Hands” with Puntledge Elementary school, Courtenay, BC
• 2006-PRESENT: Navigate NIDES, Comox Valley, Naniamo and Qualicum-Facilitates 5-8 wk sessions on various art topics ie. Artist Trading Cards, Picasso inspired Portraits and other artists, Visual Journals, Printmaking, Hundertwasser inspired art, Kandinsky inspired art, Creating Art in Our Natural Environment -Andy Goldsworthy inspired, etc,  Grades K-10
• 1999-PRESENT: Pure Process: The Art of Creativity-facilitates and designs group workshops, classes and individual, one-on-ones with adults and children: exploring the creative process, working through creative blocks and healing through the art process with paint and mixed media.
• 2002-2010: Eureka Clubhouse: teaching art to adults with persistent mental illness, Courtenay, B.C.
• 2006: Creative Escape Retreat to Awaken the Senses-creative process facilitator, Quadra Island BC
• 2002-2006: Puntledge Elementary School, Grades K- 6 Facilitated various art projects (artist trading cards, mail art, visual journals, printmaking, Keith Haring insprired art,  culminating in art show/fundraiser, Courtenay, B.C.
• 2003: Mail Art: taught in conjunction with Ed Varney, Puntledge, Arden and Royston Elementary Schools grade 2-6
• 2001: Comox Valley Art Gallery: The Art of Totems, a project linking school classes to the art gallery, (with Tracy Kobus), (Grades 1,2,5,6)
• 1999-2000: Nature Printing: taught nature printing and fish printing, Courtenay,B.C.

Conferences Presented at:

• 2013 & 2014: "Creating Art in Our Natural Environment",SD 71 Teachers Conference & Huband Park Elementary Teachers, Courtenay
• 2012:  "I Can" Mandal Workshop, Puntledge Elementary Teachers, Courtenay
• 2010: Team Building, Aboriginal Education Teachers from Campbell River, Courtenay, BC
• 2008: "Art as as Response", SD71 Teachers Conference, Courtenay
• 2007: Visual Journal Workshop, CCRR Conference on Diversity, Crown Isle, Courtenay 
• 2005: Healing Through the Art Process;  Harv T Ecker: Peak Potentials: Mind of Steel, Heart of Gold;  Pemberton B.C.
• 1999, 2000, 2002: Healing Through Art Show: The Connection between art and healing, Nursing Centre, Courtenay

The real voyage of discovery

consists not in seeking new landscapes,

but in having new eyes.

~Marcel Proust