My art expresses hope, energy and vitality. The challenges in my life made me more aware of my feelings and how to express myself. Making art has been my way of coping with various stresses and has led to a greater resilience and acceptance. It has been my form of therapy. I have learned to let go, express myself without fear of others' judgement and to keep exploring. I use podcasts and music to help me get in the "zone". I need to stand and move around when I paint. I am very messy and never really feel like I know what I'm doing. There is a lot of trial and error involved. I constantly battle with myself. I try as much as possible to make my own color mixes of acrylic paint as they tend to be richer. I select tools and colors intuitively. Sometimes, looking out the window inspires the colors I choose. Other times it is the colors or shapes in a previous exercise that gets me started. I like to paint with large dramatic strokes, and tools that allow me to keep my mind out of the process as much as possible. Usually these are spatulas, palette knives, sticks, not brushes very often. Somehow the body knows what to do. Somehow our inner selves are revealed by not stopping to question each stroke or decision. Being too timid never seems to work out. I need to start with small exercises to help me let go of my preconceptions about what the final product will look like. Once I am more detached from my thinking, I can create from a deeper part of me. The results are often very different from what was anticipated. In addition to my art, I have three sons and two dogs. I am lucky to live near trees and water. In Toronto, I'm in the Beach neighbourhood and in summer I move up to Muskoka where I'm building a studio. I was able to live in northern California for a few years, and have fond memories of its scenery and its artists.