Throughout my life I have had an ongoing passion texture and for all things fibre and although my creative process has spanned many decades, my work has always been grounded in the ritual and repetition of traditional women’s handwork, seeking to elevate it to the realm of fine craft.
I have lived most of my life on the Canadian prairies, and I was blessed with a mother who loved the arts and was an avid knitter, which meant that there were always baskets of beautiful yarn and galleries to visit. She taught me to knit and embroider at an early age, and she immersed me in the arts as I grew up.
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 installations.
In 1990 I hooked my first rug, 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. Honouring the tradition of rug hooking, I use natural materials such as wool, silk , bamboo and cotton on primitive linen backing.
I create rugs that are based on memory, my lived experiences, and the various ways I see myself in the world, (real or imagined). My work is contemporary, designed using simple imagery, colour and texture.
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.