Taking inspiration from the stunning beauty of Canada’s vast and diverse terrain, I create large-scale landscapes that employ techniques of impressionist and expressionist abstraction in order to harness the powerful emotions these spaces can evoke.
A devotion to process and materials anchors my work, which employs a range of tools—including brooms and palette knives. I apply litres of oil and acrylic paint to birch panels, along with a selection of paste media. The goal, ultimately, is to express a sympathy between my naturalistic subject matter and the constituent elements of my practice. Variety is fundamental; the work has distinct finishes, sheens, and textures ranging the full spectrum of surfaces, from a vivid shine to a tranquil matte to an energetic texture that might suggest the turmoil of a particular topography or cloudscape. Complementing these textural elements are gestural marks and rich colour palettes. What unfolds is an artistic journey in which I am guided intuitively toward the optimal form-content harmony that captures the magnificence of these natural environments.
I am inspired by the works of Georgia O’Keeffe, Lee Krasner, and Helen Frankenthaler and their commitment to the splendour of nature and to the human search for a place therein. Ultimately, my own process of discovery is shared with my viewers, who are invited to connect and engage with the work of art in both a sensorial and emotional capacity, and in turn reflect on their own investment and involvement within the profound relationship between humanity and landscape.