ABOUT THE ARTIST

Exhibitions

Recent Work

Irregular Joe

Kirsten and Kari figurine

Artist statement

I grew up in a home full of portraits, sculpted by my father, and they always felt like part of the family. While everyone and everything else moved about and changed, they remained solid and constant. They were like witnesses to the life around them - always present, never judging – and I loved them for that.

When we see a portrait for the first time, we immediately recognize facial expression, posture and gesture. The fun part is getting up close, to scrutinize the face. We may lose ourselves in the encounter, and adopt the same expression in empathy with the emotion revealed there.

Creating a portrait is even more intimate. It takes time and patience, observing the model or the photos, to get a feel both for the physical features, and for character. Do the eyes seek contact, or look inward? Is this a face that smiles easily? Worries too much? Pauses in reflection?

Building up the clay to form the features is another way to study the individual from the inside out. I begin by establishing the bone structure. Then muscles are added: some are taut, some relaxed. Then hair, wrinkles, texture, and so on.

There are moments when I must be detached, for technical observation, but in the end I feel a personal connection, which I hope the viewer shares.

Arts Education

Fine Arts diploma
Central Technical School Art Centre, Toronto
Three-year Arts Special Program

Memberships

Artists’ Network of Riverdale
Colour and Form Society
Scarborough Arts Council
Sculptors’ Society of Canada (Friend)