Artist Statement

My artwork symbolizes and celebrates both the soft and wild aspects of femininity.

As a woman who is childless by chance and by choice, my artwork allows me to express ways of mothering that I am not able to otherwise. It deals with finding resiliency as a woman in the power of nature — giving myself the space and permission to slowdown, rejecting society’s fast-paced industrious demands.

I come to art and nature recovering from clinical burnout and now managing chronic pain. My work explores and dismantles personal and imposed expectations around production versus domesticity, industry versus fun and rest. In doing this, I look to nature — following her ebbs and flows in the ever-changing cycles of the seasons.

My process is unhurried, going at my own pace. I start out in nature — daily tending to my vegetable, herbal and flower gardens on my rural property or hiking in nearby woods with my partner and dogs. I pay deep attention to the natural world with a sense of curiosity and openness. I allow myself to be receptive to the support that the landscape provides. I bring what nature is teaching me into my art studio, often carrying harvested plants and wildflowers along with me. I choose, where possible, natural and non-toxic art materials. I also implement waste reduction and hazardous waste mediation in my art creation process.

My choice of soft yet vibrant colour palettes, meticulous techniques, and use of plant material directly in my work — results in visually appealing artwork that evokes a sense of comfort. In the contemporary art world, beauty can be sometimes dismissed as “too beautiful”. However, I feel my role as an artist is to offer works that people find pleasing while gently encouraging a re-thinking of how we approach ourselves and the natural world.

Now more than ever, I believe we need beautiful art that can inspire wild wonder and awe, providing moments of calm and softness, while provoking the viewer to live their best life in respectful stewardship towards nature.