---

I am a working artist, art instructor and published author.

My preferred artistic language is line though I am also a printmaker. Drawing communicates directly with viewers, often more quickly and intuitively than speech. My drawings focus on simplification, abstraction and exaggeration to facilitate design and flow of line; moving away from the representational to focus on beauty of line. The subject evokes the inspiration to put the line on paper.

Foci of my drawings are: Studies of gesture and related contour; Relationships between subjects in a drawing; Reduction of subjects to one or a few lines (edited line); Interplay of interesting lines, overlapping lines; Variations within lines.

I work primarily with ink and graphite creating lines and their variations, sometimes using conté or adding color to benefit the composition. Subjects of drawings are living things, plants and animals, wild and domestic, and the human figure. Subject descriptions are simplified to a few lines describing gesture, action and connection with others in the drawing. I draw animal portraits; also animal, horticultural and human subjects that inspire line creation. I create the drawings with reductive line, using the line's variation and flow. In some drawings a major line or lines is/are supported by secondary lines defining the subject. Recently I have also been making paper cut pieces, using color-contrasting papers as part of the design.

My works are exhibited and sold through commissions, solo, group, juried, club, and gallery collective exhibitions, also art rental and sale programs. They hang in collections in Scandinavia, Great Britain, China, the USA and Canada.

Original art works plus reproductions and cards of my work are sold in Castlegar at Catherine White’s shop Yes Please, also in Penticton at the Arts Council shop.

As an art instructor I teach Drawing, Poster Design for Scientists, Art Appreciation for University, College, Art Gallery, Night School, Arts Council, Community Center and private students.

My book, "Butterflies and Butterfly Gardening in the Pacific Northwest" is sold at the shop Yes Please in Castlegar, Penticton Art Gallery's shop, Penticton and District Arts Council’s office, also in Salmon Arm at Buckerfield’s and Bookingham Palace Bookstore.

Grants: I have received grants from the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance, to create art collections; the most recent collection was inspired by the song "You've Got to be Carefully Taught", from the film "South Pacific".

Exhibitions include:

• Juried exhibition at Pynelogs Gallery, Invermere for 7 years in a row including 2018
• Grand Forks Gallery 2's Art Rental/Sale program.
• In Castlegar I participated annually in Kootenay Gallery's Christmas exhibition and exhibited work there.
• Castlegar's Art Walk in both solo and group exhibitions.
• I was a member of Castlegar’s Art Walk Committee and the Creative Edge Gallery collective, exhibiting and teaching through the gallery, until it left Castlegar.
• My work continues to be exhibited and sold through Yes Please in Castlegar, Penticton and District Arts Council’s exhibitions and shop. I also sell through commissions.

Exhibitions and Events separate from annual participations:

2021/22:

• Working and selling through commissions, notably a commission for the BCC (Breastfeeding Committee of Canada) creating their new image replacing the Picasso image they had used.

2019:

• Solo exhibition of collection called "Relationships" or "Connections", (completed with assistance of CKCA grant), at Place des Arts, Coquitlam.
• Continuing to exhibit year-round at Yes Please.

2018:

• Participted in Coquitlam's Place des Arts' "Positively Petite" exhibition
• Exhibiting at Yes Please year round.

2017:

• Work chosen for travelling exhibition initially shown through Kelowna Arts Center and Art Gallery for "Breast Feeding Art Expo". This show travelled until summer 2018.
• Participated in Yes Please, a Christmas shop for a second year.
• Participated in Coquitlam's Place des Arts' "Positively Petite" exhibition.

2016:

• Commissioned to demonstrate and exhibit work for Kootenay Native Plant Society's Camas Day event and exhibition.
• Artist in Residence at Nakusp Campus of Selkirk College.
• Participated in Yes Please, a Christmas shop (inaugural year) owned and run by Catherine White of Catherine's Glass.

2015:

• Artist in Residence at Nakusp Campus of Selkirk College.

2014:

• Participated in Port Moody Art Center exhibition.

2013:

• Participated in Wells, B.C.'s Imarts exhibition
• Initiated, presented and participated in an Art Benefit fund-raiser for Castlegar's Hospice Society.

As an Art Instructor I teach through galleries, for university and college courses, (for both credit and continuing education), for school board night schools including as a coordinator, also for Arts Council classes, recreation centers, community centers and privately.

I wrote and illustrated my book "Butterflies and Butterfly Gardening in the Pacific Northwest". Some photographs are mine. 6 others contributed pictures. This book is sold through the outlets mentioned above.

I also wrote, illustrated and published a cookbook.