Why I Do What I Do
One of my earliest memories is sitting in the bottom of a canoe, the wind in my face, the sun on the water and the joy of nature in my lungs.
In 2008 I quit my job as a teacher to pursue my passion, making nature and those who studied her my teachers. I studied the writings of Thoreau, Olsen, and Muir. I canoed into remote lakes and lived on lonesome islands.
I intentionally surrounded myself with the wild and learned the importance of silence, the necessity of struggle, and the beauty found in death and rebirth. Out of that wisdom came my acrylic work.
I also realized how much the wild has changed since my youth. I saw the impact of climate change, invasive species and reckless humans had on the wilderness I loved.
The more I witness the changing landscape the more concerned I become. Out of that concern came my ink series. Each piece depicts the delicateness of Ontario’s native species.