I describe my work as whimsical East Coast art with a northern twist. I grew up on the south shore of Nova Scotia, surrounded by beautiful beaches, fishing boats, and folk art. After moving to Northern Ontario I needed a way to bring the whimsy of the East Coast to my new home and returned to my roots as a folk artist.
Currently I work with acrylics on canvas, but I started out painting anything in sight, from chairs to lunchboxes to picture frames. True to my folk art background, I am self-taught and love to work in one-dimension (this leaves more time for fun details!) My pieces are low maintenance and I like to leave them unframed – they’re meant to be hung lazily on a nail in the wall and enjoyed.
I am inspired by east coast scenes of fishing boats and lighthouses, as well as the wildlife and cottage living of the north. I love to find humor in everyday situations - my ideas range from naked lovers in a canoe to a moose preparing to dash across a northern highway in his Nike shorts, but they’re all meant to make people smile. Artists that have inspired me include Maud Lewis and Joe Norris - Nova Scotian folk artists that painted quaint and colourful scenes of coastal and rural life on the East Coast. Like these artists, I love bright colours, and lots of them! My pieces aren’t complete until they’re covered from top to bottom with colour, and I usually throw in a few of my signature flowers to add the finishing touch.