As a visual artist working primarily with vintage photographs and watercolour materials, I explore ideas of personal and shared memory.  My work can be familiar and nostalgic, yet somewhat strange and unfamiliar.  The use of repetition, intense patterning and mark-making paired with ghost-like figures and areas of emptiness speaks to the true nature of memory--simultaneously clear yet fragmented, with only a residue remaining.  

​The work can be delicate, sometimes dark, and often humorous. The unpredictable nature of watercolour creates a push-pull effect between areas of detail and areas of randomness.  The watery stains are ambiguous and organic—produced by the natural drying process, yet there are areas that show precise control and intention.
Equally as integral to my process, is the act of collecting photographs.  I acquire photographs in three ways:
1) from personal vintage family photos prints
2) asking that photos be voluntarily submitted to me on an ongoing basis through email or social media. Connect here.
3) seeking out photos online and asking, very nicely, for permission to paint from them.
Using others' photos has become a collaborative way to open up space for discussion and the recognition of sameness.  It has been beautiful to be introduced to so many personal images and the intimate stories that go along with them.  How fascinating that an image of a complete stranger can feel familiar or even personal on some level. We often find that subtle expressions, gestures or cultural signifiers (fashions, patterns in fabric, wallpapers or objects) relate to our own memories.
“I’m interested in knowing the secrets that connect human beings. At the very deepest level, all our secrets are the same.”
David Shields. Reality Hunger: A Manifesto. New York: Random House, 2010.