I was born and raised and am deeply rooted on Vancouver Island. For many years I have lived in Nanaimo, part of the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
The ocean and coastal forests are strong influences in my life and from my window I can see the ever-changing colours of the Salish Sea and the mainland mountains. Art and craft have always been part of our family's story and social gatherings at our home are often convened around tables heaped high with art supplies. While I have played in many different kinds of media, the tactile nature of clay - whether it is metal, earth or polymer - has won my heart.
Right now I am working primarily in metal clay. Metal clay is made up of very finely ground metal (e.g., silver, copper, bronze) mixed with an organic binder and water. I design my pieces in a sketch book and/or on the computer and use a combination of manual and digitized etching, depending on the nature of the piece. The metal clay pieces are hand constructed, sanded, shaped and then fired in a kiln at extremely high temperatures which allow the binder to burn off and the metal particles to adhere to each other into a solid metal piece. After firing the pieces go through more sanding, polishing and shaping to a final state. I’m still learning and experimenting in metal clay and think it will keep me interested and happy for many years to come!
