Thursday, November 22, 2007

WELCOME



I was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1962. I moved to Canada in 1970 and was raised in Hamilton, Ontario.

After high school, I attended Ontario College of Art and Design in the early 1980’s and then moved to the Bahamas to try my career as a watercolour painter and to raise a family. After six years of island living, I returned to Canada with my two little girls, Sara and Rachel.

I have since explored many vocations and interests. I began my career as an Occupational Therapist by working with children both in hospital and community-based treatment settings. I then began a specialized residential treatment facility for children and young adults with acquired brain injuries, HILL Program, which has been running for over ten years (see link).

I now live with my husband in the tiny hamlet of Traverston, in Grey County, Ontario. We have named our place Gypsy Creek (see link). Here the quiet of the forest and the energy of the waterfalls, have inspired my creativity. My paintings, mostly acrylic on canvas now, involve living, animated subjects, many quite whimsical (see link).

As a Yoga Alliance certified instructor, I also now teach yoga at Gypsy Creek (see link).

My latest project has been children’s books. As both author and illustrator, I have incorporated my whimsical paintings and the stories they tell (see link). These books have been inspired by my love of little people, especially my two grandchildren, who are soon to be born.

In the realm of music, I have joined my husband in his career as a folk musician, playing guitar and piano and performing vocals. Our performances have mainly been limited to small community events, however we do plan to put an album of our own within the next year.