Ebb and Flow

Ebb and Flow is an exploration of mental health through the metaphor of surfing and Thalassotherapy.

Everyone has experienced the last few years to different extremes; but common themes of stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and upheaval have reached the majority of us. The positives that I have tried to focus on are the moments of reflection and shifts in perspective that the global pandemic and political upheaval has provided. One major moment of reflection for myself was to ask - what do I want my life to be like? And so, my husband and I moved to Ucluelet, British Columbia to make the life we wanted. Much like surfing, it wasn’t easy and took a lot of perseverance.

Have you ever tried to surf? It is a lot of fun! And always exhausting. And sometimes terrifying. You Squeeze into a wetsuit, maybe put on the boots and the gloves too, then you walk your board out, hop on and start paddling. This goes on for a while and then you realize you haven’t gone anywhere. Or maybe you’ve been hit by wave after wave and fallen off. This is the struggle. You need to get past the waves, out the back. Finally, you get there, sit up, breathing heavily and not sure what to do next. This is usually my favourite part. The moment of calm. You get to sit there and watch the ocean ebb and flow. And you are floating too. The sky and water meet in spectacular ways. You are enjoying this incredible view and then all of sudden - Chaos! A huge wave is coming, and it might be a good thing, but are you ready? Do you want to ride that wave? Do you have a choice? Or is it going to take you with it knocking you under the water to roll you for what seems like eternity. Or do you take the risk?! Paddle hard! And catch the wave - Pure Joy! The payoff is here - You did it! You reach the shore. You are high on the thrill of it. You are safe and you feel like that was the ride of your life! And the obsession begins.

Taking these experiences and realizing that the hardest moments are survivable, that the struggle makes for great stories, and the purest of joy can be found in moments of calm or at the end of incredibly hard work, have made all the difference for me. If you are struggling, please know you are not alone. And you can get through it. You are worth the effort.

Ebb and Flow is currently on display at the Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet, B.C.

Workshops in Ukee

Come paint with me in person!

It’s been a long time since I’ve done an in person workshop and I’m so excited to be able to do this more consistently in my new home. I’m teaching adult workshops in painting with watercolour, mixed media, encaustic options. I will be doing more and more as I get back into the swing of things so feel free to send me your requests if it’s not currently available.

You can see all the programs here: Ucluelet Community Centre

Artisan Collective

One of a kind…

You can find my work sold here as well as dozens of local artisans. There are incredible offerings such as plants, clothing, jewelry, ceramics, holistic tonics, cards and wall art. Also a great selection of second hand children’s wear. My favourite store in Pemberton by far!

Think - It - Over

An Exhibition for 2020

Think - It - Over was my brain child. This group exhibition is now on display in Whistler, B.C. I was inspired by the October daily challenge #inktober where artists get a list of words, one for each day of October, and create their own ink drawings inspired by those words. As March hit there was a drastic change to our world and a LOT to think about. I asked the community to think of words that represented the passing year and we selected 6 of those words to pose to our 4 artists.

Potential, Resilience, Justice, Intimacy, Humility, and Learning

Each artist created 6 art pieces in their own style and medium. We also had community artists submit pieces which were divided into each word on the walls of the gallery. This show truly surpassed my expectations and I am so proud of all the artists and their contributions.

Arts Whistler - October 29th - December 13th 2020