About
Art and self are created in endless iterative cycles - we and our work are honed over repeated processes. Each cycle, each stage in our journey offers a story to tell, imagery to share, and processes to engage with. If we are in tune to our making, we can bring the myriad of stories, images, and process from our journey, together into what we create today. I am constantly in the process of recreating, rediscovering, and redefining who I am in relation to what I make.
In my work, I use traditional women’s skills (like sewing, quilting, felting, dyeing, and weaving) in a contemporary context, incorporating ceramics, glass, and woodworking, to explore the binaries of maker vs. artist; functional vs. fine art; women’s work vs. real work.
I incorporate the human struggle - to become, to grow, to be - as a figurative element in my work. I journal and write as part of my process - some public, some private musings.
My biggest challenge as an artist is the idea that art must say something - most specifically something worth saying. In a world that devalues women’s voices, that celebrates only the visual appeal of our self and our work, that encourages us to be small and self controlled, I am striving to strip myself of the voice of the ‘other’. Making is my means to accomplish this.
Unwilling to comply with the admonition to focus, to contain, or restrain myself and my making to the singular, I use any media at hand to enrich my processes. For decades, my work stayed in tidy piles - I made clay pots, and fabric quilts, and wooden furniture. Now, I have found the freedom to cross between media, mixing them, and love sharing that freedom with others.
Curriculum Vitae
Formal Education
Ceramics: Acknowledgement of Completion, Mohawk College (2016)
Bachelor of Education: Social Justice cum laude, OISE at the University of Toronto (2005)
Bachelor of Arts: English summa cum laude, McMaster University (2004)
Visual Arts: Diploma of Continuing Education, Dundas Valley School of Art (2003)
Master of Arts: History & Philosophy of Religion cum laude, Concordia University (1998)
Bachelor of Arts: Religious Studies, McMaster University (1995)
Solo Exhibitions
Jan 2023 Regalia: Nature AdorNed, Museo Civico Archeologico Isidoro Falchi, Vetulonia IT (upcoming)
Nov 2019 Perched Together, Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre, Oakville ON
Jun 2019 Fledgling Flight, Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener ON
Jun 2019 A Rusted Development Revisited, Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener ON
Apr 2019 The Summoning, Burlington Public Library, Burlington ON
Feb 2019 The Raven’s Cry, International Institute for Social Studies, Den Haag, Netherlands
Jun 2018 A Rusted Living Room, Central Branch, Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton ON
May 2018 Warming It Up, Brampton Public Library, Brampton, ON
Feb 2018 A Series on Green, Turner Park, Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, ON
Nov 2017 John Willard Residency, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, ON
Aug 2017 A Rusted Development, In Your Eyes, Grimsby Public Art Gallery, Grimsby ON
July 2017 Working the Willard; A View Into One Artist's Process of Creating Work for Exhibition, Burlington Public Library, Burlington ON
Community Engagements
May 2019 Marks of a Maker, The Albion Hotel, Guelph ON
Nov 2017 Down Sterling Road, The Durand, Hamilton
Oct 2017 All Bundled Up, Paisley Coffeehouse and Eatery, Hamilton
Curation
Women’s Book Art Collective (#WoBoArCo)
Sep 2019, Belleville Public Library
Jun 2019, Peterborough Public Library
Apr 2019, Grimsby Public Art Gallery
Mar 2019, Brampton Public Library
Jan 2019, Burlington Public Library
Nov 2018, Warkworth Public Library
Recent Group Exhibitions
Sep 2021 Il Palio Rivisitato, Casa del Popolo, Vetulonia IT
Aug 2019 Birds: Adapted for Flight or Fancy, Teresa Seaton Gallery, Burlington ON
Apr 2019 Lore: Myths, Legends, and other Stories Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Feb 2019 Recrafted, Quest Art, Midland ON
Feb 2019 Innovations '19, Quest Art, Midland ON
Sep 2018 Sanguine, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, ON
Sep 2018 Fibre Content, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Aug 2018 60 x 60, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Jul 2018 Dialogue, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
May 2018 AGN's 40th Juried Exhibition, Art Gallery of Northumberland, Cobourg ON
May 2018 The Journey, Juried All Guilds Show, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Fate, Destiny & Self Determination/le sort, le destin et l'auto-determination, May 2018 Roscommon County Council. Roscommon, Ireland; Aug 2018 Tuchmacher Museum Bramsche. Bramsche, Germany.
Apr 2018 Tranquility - 11th Annual Contemporary Juried Art Exhibition, Museum of Northern History, Kirkland Lake, ON
Apr 2018 [[Everyone’s asking if I’m ok / No one’s asking if I’m ok]], hosted by The Icing Room, London, England
Mar 2018 La Meridiana Exposition, Certaldo Alta, Italy
Jul 2017 Peace by Piece; Stitching Together Canadian Stories, Cotton Factory, Hamilton ON
Jun 2017 Birth and its Meanings, Milk Glass Gallery, Toronto ON
Apr 2017 Into the Garden, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Mar 2017 Exhibit 23, McMaster Innovation Park, Hamilton ON
Nov 2016 A Body of Work, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Nov 2016 Exhibit 22, McMaster Innovation Park, Hamilton ON
Sep 2016 Consensus: Quest Art’s 12th Annual Juried Art Show, Quest Art, Midland ON
Sep 2016 Fibre Content, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Aug 2016 Exhibit 21, McMaster Innovation Park, Hamilton ON
Jul 2016 EMERGE, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga ON
May 2016 All Guilds Juried Show, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Recent Awards and Grants
2019 Exhibition Assistance Grant, Ontario Arts Council
2018 Honourable Mention - Fibre Arts, Art Gallery of Burlington
2018 Best Functional Award - Pottery, Art Gallery of Burlington
2018 Exhibition Assistance Grant, Ontario Arts Council
2016-7 Chalmers Professional Development Grant, Ontario Arts Council
2017 Honourable Mention - Fibre Art, Kaleidoscope
2016 Honourable Mention - Ceramics, Kaleidoscope
Residencies
2022 Firing the Anagama, The Centre of Contemporary Ceramics, La Borne, France, 2 weeks
2018 On Centre, La Meridiana, Italy, 3 months
2017 Private Residency with Robert Leatherbarrow, Kilnformed Glass, 6 weeks
2016-7 John Willard Fibre Arts Residency, Art Gallery of Burlington, 1 year
Publications
Fibre Focus, A Note from the Editor, Volume 61, Number 4, Winter 2018
Trent Hills Now, April 8, 2018. http://trenthillsnow.com/2018/04/08/a-sunday-kind-of-love/
Willard Residency Trifold, Art Gallery of Burlington, Nov 2017
ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal 21: Wild. Skybase Publishing Inc. Oct 2016
Fibre Content Catalogue, featured on cover, Art Gallery of Burlington, Sep 2016
ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal 20: Pattern. Skybase Publishing Inc. Aug 2016
Public Shows and Sales
Nov 2018 All Guild Christmas Sale, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Nov 2018 Campbellford Farmers Market Holiday Market, Campbellford ON
Oct 2018 Spin In , Campbellford ON
Apr 2018 Hands-On Demonstrator, Wayzgoose, Grimsby Art Gallery, Grimsby ON
Apr 2018 Kaleidoscope Sale, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Nov 2017 All Guild Christmas Sale, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Jun 2017 Garden Art Show and Sale, Carlisle ON
Apr 2017 Wayzgoose, Grimsby Art Gallery, Grimsby ON
Apr 2017 Kaleidoscope Sale, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Dec 2016 OCAD Book Arts Fair, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto ON
Nov 2016 All Guild Christmas Sale, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Nov 2016 Guild Display Case, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington ON
Nov 2016 Fall Ceramics Show and Sale, Mississauga Potters Guild, Mississauga ON
Sep 2016 Artisan Market, The Cove, Dundas ON
Sep 2016 Arts Market, Supercrawl, Hamilton ON
Aug 2016 Personal Booth, Art Crawl, Hamilton ON
Jun 2016 Garden Art Show and Sale, Carlisle ON
Apr 2016 Personal Booth, Art Crawl, Hamilton ON
Sep 2015 Arts Market, Supercrawl, Hamilton ON
Apr 2014 Wayzgoose, Grimsby Art Gallery, Grimsby ON
May 2013 BeetleBarrow Booth, Art Crawl, Hamilton ON
Apr 2013 Wayzgoose, Grimsby Art Gallery, Grimsby ON
Mar 2013 BeetleBarrow Booth, Art Crawl, Hamilton ON
Dec 2012 BeetleBarrow Booth, Art Crawl, Hamilton ON
Sep 2012 Marketplace, Supercrawl, Hamilton ON
Aug 2012 BeetleBarrow Booth, Art Crawl, Hamilton ON
Jun 2010 Gift Shop, Grimsby Public Art Gallery, Grimsby ON
Apr 2010 Wayzgoose, Grimsby Art Gallery, Grimsby ON
Teaching
Adult Classes
Eco Printing, Art Gallery of Burlington, May 2018. 6 participants
Natural Dyes: Rusts, Tannins, and Indigo; Art Gallery of Burlington, May 2018. 12 participants - Sold Out
Book Binding, Paris Branch, Brant Public Library, April 2018. 15 participants - Sold Out
Eco Printing, Burford Branch, Brant Public Library, April 2018, 15 participants - Sold Out
Wet Felting, St. George Branch, Brant Public Library, April 2018, 12 participants - Sold Out
Fibre Arts Workshop, BeetleBarrow Studios, fall 2017. 5 participants.
Foundations of Felting, Art Gallery of Burlington, spring sessions 2017. 6 participants
Bookbinding, County of Brant Public Library, April and November 2017. 10 and 14 participants respectively.
Bookbinding, Art Gallery of Hamilton, 2016. 9 participants.
BeetleBarrow Studios, various weekend retreats, annually 2011 - 2017
BeetleBarrow Studios, workshops, 2010 - 2016
At-Risk Youth Classes
Art Gallery of Burlington, Outreach Program, Fall 2016
Art Forms Youth Art Studio, various, 2014 - 2016
CityHousing Hamilton, various, 2011 - 2016
Other
Indigo Vat Dyeing - Spinners and Weavers Guild, Art Gallery of Burlington, October 2017
Using Natural Dyestuffs - John Willard Residency, Art Gallery of Burlington, September 2017
Eco Printing and Needle & Nuno Felting Demonstrations - Quilt of Belonging, Cotton
Factory, July 2017Eco Printing Demonstration and Workshop - Grimsby Public Art Gallery, July 2017
Trunk Show and Demo - Fibre Arts Guild, AGB, May 2017
Learn to Wet Felt Workshop - Culture Days, Hamilton Public Library, October 2016