About
To begin, I was raised in an environment that fostered creativity. My mother was a potter. Both she and my grandmother were inventive and creative and could make something out of nothing all the while keeping us happy and engaged. We, myself, and my siblings, had at our disposal all the paint, and glue, seedpods, buttons, paper, string, scraps of fabric and clay one could wish for, and we made things all the time: birthday cards, presents, and ornaments all our own imaginings. What a gift.
So, my passion to make was born early in life.
When the time came, I attended art school where I gained the formal part of my art education. I may not have recognized it at the time, but now, in hindsight, this was foundational as I gained a framework for viewing and producing art of any sort. I graduated from Ontario College of Art and Design University in Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts, Illustration, and design focus. Studying under influential artist Jerzy Kolacz and others I gained an informed understanding of key tools; composition and colour and editorial illustration. To this day I admire Jerzy’s playful approach and whit and appreciate its power to engage the viewer. These things have served me well in my creative efforts. I also studied ceramics at George Brown College Toronto where under the guidance of instructors Debora Black and Nancy Solway I further developed skills that began to grow in my mothers’ studio. These courses recharged my maker impulse and opened the door to express my ideas in three dimensions.
I have been a full-time ceramic artist since 1997. primarily making decorative functional ware using wheel thrown porcelain. The botanical work that is my signature today took many years to develop. The forms grew from earlier lines that focused on the marriage of form and graphic surface decor and my desire to study and draw from nature. The resulting combination of these steppingstones, the Botanical line, is at once contemporary and nostalgic. It is in a deep sense an ode to my mother's garden, the family tradition of coffee klatch, and my love of the outdoors. The work embodies ideas of beauty, bounty, comfort, joy and sharing and through the imagery reflects the value I hold for the environment. When I am making this body of work, I enjoy the care and precision of each step. I draw from close observation of local flora and fauna for subject matter and try to include an element of whimsy. I want this work to embody celebration but also to continue to evolve.
More recently I have developed a sculptural body of work. It is hand built using dark clays with richly textured and coloured surfaces. There is no utility in the forms other than symbolic. The hand building techniques are direct, leaving marks that can carry meaning in the manner of a footprint. In this work I am concerned with expressing states of mind. I want to convey ideas that cover the full spectrum from celebration to frustration, responses to our times, turmoil, and peace. Pressure, weight, balance, obvious and subtle marks from manipulation of the material come together to convey energies and emotions. Working the clay is a satisfying and direct way to relate complex states. I embrace the challenge and the drama of this work. I am pleased with the contrast it presents to my functional work and I am excited to continue exploring this avenue.
I’ve been dedicated to my craft for many years because making is what I do best. In my mind the path has been straight, my compass fixed. Lifes events however have nudged my trajectory and acted as guardrails. Originally from a big city, I moved with my husband to a smaller center. The change of pace and the easy access to the larger art community changes and so too does the frequency of the interaction. You undoubtedly become a little more self-contained in your practice out of necessity. Slowly at first, but gradually the opportunity of my new locale revealed itself. I live in a major migratory fly way! A naturalist created of family traditions; I embraced birding as a new focus. Coincidentally I’ve got room for a garden in which I’ve encouraged many native plants and pollinators and there are nearby birding hotspots. Subject matter springs from lived life. The botanical pots began. Our local arts community is small, but there in is opportunity for teaching. It has been nearly twenty years since I joined a few others in teaching at the Chatham Cultural Centre and the ceramic community here is growing. As a teacher, I love to share design and technique, and I like to encourage students to play and enjoy the process of making not just the product. My future holds more of the same but always with new challenges as well. I have a solo show of the sculptural work coming up soon, so for the next year I’ll be diligently working towards that.
CV
Education
2008 Bachelor of Arts (illustration & design), Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto
1996 Ceramic Certificate, George Brown College, Toronto
1991 Diploma (communication & design), Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto
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Awards
2024 Carnegie Gallery solo show award for 2026
2023 Ontario Arts Council, exhibition assistance grant
2020 Craft Ontario Design award, Altered Elements, Potters’ Guild of Hamilton
2019 Award of Merit, Reflective works, Potters’ Guild of Hamilton
2012 Memorial Award, Ignite 2012, Potters’ Guild of Hamilton
2012 Best Functional work award, London Potters’ Guild
2011 Henry Goodman Best in Show Award, Fireworks, Ontario Clay & Glass Association
2011 Fusion Board Purchase Award, Fireworks, Ontario Clay & Glass Association
2010 Spectrum Award, Toronto Potters’ 15th Biennial
2009 Peoples’ Choice award, London Potters’ Guild
2002 Award of Merit, Philadelphia Buyers’ Market of American Craft
1997 Award of Merit, Ceramics, One Of A Kind Christmas Show
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Collections
2021 Thames Art Gallery
2016 Hamilton and Region Potters’ Guild
2012 Fusion, Ontario Clay & Glass Association
Commissions
2022 Private Commission
2019 Commission for On the Table, Gardener Museum fund raiser
2018 Private Commission
2016 Commission for Benefactor award, Gardiner Museum
2013 Private Commission
Exhibitions
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Solo
2023 Mind Field, four person show, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, Ontario
2022 Inside Out, two person show, Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, Ontario
2017 Native Orchids, solo feature show, The General Fine Craft, Almonte, Ontario
2017 Summer Celebration, solo feature show, Gardiner Museum Shop, Toronto, Ontario
2016 Harbinger of Spring, solo feature show, The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery Shop
2012 From the Garden, solo show, Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, Ontario
2009 Process=Product, four person show, Artspace, Chatham
2002 Solo Show, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, Ontario
Group
2024 Next, Carnegie Gallery, Dundas Ontario
2024 Ash & Barrel, invitational, Hamilton, Ontario
2024 260 Fingers, invitational, Ottawa, Ontario
2023 260 Fingers, invitational, Ottawa, Ontario
2022 Our Voices, Dundas Valley School of the Arts gallery for Hamilton Potters’ Guild
2022 260 Fingers, invitational, Ottawa, Ontario
2022 Gaining Ground, group show, Satellite Gallery, London, Ontario
2022 Art in Bloom, Carnegie Gallery, Dundas Ontario
2021 Through Her Eyes, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, Ontario
2020 Altered Elements, Potter’s Guild of Hamilton, and Region Biennial Exhibition
2019 Flora & Fauna, Black and Smith, Jerseyville Ontario
2019 Fuel, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham Ontario
2019 Fireworks, Travelling exhibition in Ontario
2018 Reflective Works, Potter’s Guild of Hamilton, and Region Biennial Exhibition
2017 Fireworks, Travelling exhibition in Ontario
2017 260 Fingers, invitational, Ottawa, Ontario
2014 Hamilton and Region Potter’s Guild Biennial, Dundas Ontario
2013 Toronto Outdoor Art Show, Toronto, Ontario
2013 Fireworks, Sheridan Gallery, Oakville, Ontario
2012 Parallel Journeys – Two Mentorships, OCC Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2012 Toronto Outdoor Art Show, Toronto, Ontario
2012 Ignite, Potter’s Guild of Hamilton and Region Biennial, Carnegie Gallery,
2012 London Potter’s Guild Biennial, London Clay Art Centre, London, Ontario
2011 Fireworks, OCC gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2011 Powerplay – Surroundings, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, Ontario
2010 Toronto Potter’s 15th Biennial Exhibition, Gardiner Museum shop
2010 Hamilton and Region Potter’s Guild Biennial, Carnegie Gallery
2010 Powerplay, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham
2008 Artspace, Chatham- Recent Work, Chatham, Ontario
2008 Nuit Blanche, Group Show Dish Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2007 Powerplay, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, Ontario
2005 Unearthed, Woodstock Public Art Gallery, Woodstock, Ontario
2004 Solid Fire, London Potters’ Guild Exhibition, The Arts Project, London, Ontario
2004 Toronto Outdoor Art Show, Toronto, Ontario
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Curatorial experience:
2023 Mind Field, guest curator at The Thames Art Gallery, Chatham
2022 Our Voices, DVSA gallery, Hamilton Potters’ Guild mentorship show
2011 Powerplay Surroundings, guest curator, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham
2011 Process=Product, guest curator Artspace, Chatham
2009 Powerplay, guest curator, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham
2007 Powerplay, guest curator, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham
Professional Teaching Experience
2024 (Ongoing) “Spark Joy” program facilitator, Thames Art Gallery
Assisting senior volunteers in the creation of programs of art appreciation & instructional
workshops relating to current gallery exhibitions, targeting isolated populations in the
community. Helping the volunteers to construct step by step demonstrations, materials
lists, scripts for zoom presentations of projects in several mediums, and corresponding
outreach kits.
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2024 Demonstration workshop, Mississauga Potters’ Guild
Surface techniques, drawing from reference material, wax mishima, special attention to
composition and how it relates to the three-dimensional form, key tips and material
handling.
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2023 Demonstration, Thames Art Gallery
Surface design, image transfer, wax mishima, execution tips and material handling.
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2020-2022 Group Mentorship for Hamilton and Region Potters’ Guild
Developed and led a program for a group of ten intermediate level students looking to refine
and expand their visual identity in clay. This included in-person sessions held once a month
in a supportive environment centered around group discussion and critique. Special
attention was paid to development of critical thinking and production of a cohesive body of
work. Exercises and practices designed to stimulate creativity and individual visual language
are a main take away.
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2019 Demonstration workshop, Brantford Potters’ Guild
2-day hands on. Focus on form and surface techniques including drawing from reference
material, wax mishima, composition, and key tips and material handling.
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2014 Demonstration workshop, Ottawa Potters’ Guild
2-day demonstration only. Focus on throwing and constructing forms, surface techniques
including slip trailing, slip transfer and sgraffito, with special attention to composition and
how it relates to the three-dimensional form.
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1999 - present, (Ongoing) Ceramic instructor, Chatham Cultural Centre
Developed curriculum for both beginner and intermediate wheel throwing. Both levels have
a technique focus with special attention to skill development and time/material critical
concerns.
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Professional memberships
Craft Ontario
Fusion, Ontario Clay & Glass Association
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