I have an ongoing passion for texture and fibres. Although my creative process has evolved over many decades, it has consistently been grounded in the ritual and repetition of traditional women’s handwork, seeking to elevate it to the realm of fine contemporary textile art.
I have lived most of my life on the Canadian prairies, and being blessed with a mother who loved the arts, I grew up immersed in dance, knitting, weaving, embroidery, sewing, art galleries and theatre.
We also spent time time outdoors walking, camping and exploring our local environment and the nearby forests.
These early experiences informed my artistic practice.
I learned to weave in 1970 and was a traditional weaver for years. I went on to incorporate native grasses, twigs, shredded paper, ribbon, plastics, metal, wood and found objects into my weaving and then my large installations.
I hooked my first rug in 1990 in response to the AIDS epidemic. It was a traditional WELCOME mat pattern, which I hooked using blue and pink condoms, (Permanent Collection of the Saskatchewan Arts Board).
Currently, my work is focussed on rug hooking and weaving. Honouring the tradition of these techniques, I use natural materials such as wool, silk , bamboo and cotton on primitive linen backing.
I create rugs that are based on the ways I experience my environment, including memory, myth, and my lived experiences,
My work is contemporary and designed using simple imagery, colour and texture. I has been said that I tell big stories using minimal elements
As a fibre artist in western Canada, my work has been influenced by the striking vistas, the seemingly endless expanses of land in the prairies and the amazing contrast the ever-changing seasons bring the prairies. My designs may appear simple and sparse, however, like the prairies, they are rich in texture, tradition, and colour.