Wild Mind - 2020 Exhibition at Viewpoint Art Gallery, Nelson, BC

I like exploring contrasting ideas in painting. I’ve always loved fierceness and the warrior spirit. I’ve always loved gentleness, play, and the empathetic. And I absolutely love dogs. Connection being a primary element of what I paint, in this piece I explore connection to land and to the creatures around us, the spirit that lies within us in so many ways, and the joy found in the simplicity of connection.

Grief. It has a way of sneaking up on us, where the ground beneath us feels like it has suddenly disappeared and we’re now . . . falling. What saves us? What keeps us from falling, from seeking the edge and going over it? In my experience, it has been and continues to be the wild. In this piece, I explore the idea of continued pain—where something is saving us, but it continues to hurt, and it’s not so simple as being pulled up from the edge. Even the saving has a rending quality to it. And sometimes we need a group, or a community, to save us.

The ancient relationship between bear and salmon has existed since they have, each relying on the other to exist and thrive. A dance of life and death that is both beautiful and terrifying. What lies in wait for us?

The title is simple but the image is not. I was exploring the idea of life in an image I’ve explored many times. Movement and flow. Colour. All of these pieces give our life meaning. If we take the time to observe the life around us, there are hints. Deep wisdom about how we can create and live meaningful lives.

I love a good dream. Mixing my grandmothers watercolour with my acrylic helped create a beautiful dreamlike quality. And of course grizzly dreams of salmon

Fox is an expert. Expert observer. Expert listener. Expert hunter. Quiet and quick like the night fox teaches us that we can be deadly serious but at the same time, fly.

What do we face down every day? Why? When we face our fears what exactly do we see? Something to be feared? Or do we see our own fierce self reflected back at us?