I suppose I can introduce myself by sharing what art is for me. Throughout my childhood, I remember drawing, colouring outside lines in books, and painting foam heads my parents’ had (to their chagrin). Creativity has always been as natural to me as breathing. When I was looking for a career in my 20s and came across graphic design, it felt like a natural fit. And it was for 22 years plus 3 years of college.

Being a professional fine artist literally never occurred to me as being a possibility. I suspect part of that's because my mother, who was an artist, said often, "Art is a great way to live your life, but you'll never make any money at it!". At the time, there were also commercials for "Starving Artist Sales!" so you can maybe understand why I never thought it was possible to support myself as a fine artist.

In 2015, 20 years into my graphic design career, I went to a paint party. Lightning struck, and there I was, falling in love with arting!

It was a bit of a shock, really. It got me looking on YouTube, and that’s when I came across a video of a guy using acrylics to paint graffiti-style art on canvas. He had me at quirky eyes!

From there, it’s been quite a ride! My personal life took a hit in 2017 when first my father and then my mother were diagnosed with cancer. This was at a time when my son was young and my husband was flying around, keeping us afloat financially. Finding time to work on my art career was a distinct challenge.

I’m thrilled to now be at a time where I can focus on my projects—creating art and empowering fellow artists.