Born in Victoria in 1956, I spent most of the spare time during my youth preoccupied with drawing. I would sketch elaborate houses with landscaping and futuristic automobiles for hours. This favoured past time gradually transformed into geometric designs and eventually to intricate patterns using a quill tip pen. The artwork of my early teens was inspired by a passion for the art and interior decor of the early 1920's and 30's. This "Art Deco" induced style was brought about by hanging around a retro boutique called , "Deja Vu" in Victoria's unique open air courtyard, Market Square. My peers and I were all intensely absorbed in the period bric-a-brac and objects d'art that this wonderful shop possessed. The owner would scour local garage sales, thrift strores and large cities throughout North America for items from the early to mid 1900's.
My early graphics were done by hand or as it is correctly termed, cut and paste. My employment at this time was as a waiter in the hospitality industry which was an incredible opportunity to communicate with many people of varied backgrounds. In terms of my career goals during that time frame, my interest in furniture and architecture steered me towards the interior design industry where I received a Bachelor of Associate in Interior Design from Kwantlen College in Vancouver in the early 1980's. I worked as a junior interior designer with a company in Victoria and eventually ventured out on my own as a freelance interior designer and graphic artist. During this period I was teaching myself graphic design on a computer. This is when I fell in love with the visual communication field. At this time the Internet was also coming into fruition and assigned myself the task of learning how to develop web sites.
I eventually was coaxed into moving back to Vancouver to work as an office administrator for a friend of mine that owned an interior renovations company. There I utilized my skills of interior, graphics and web design as well as general office computer expertise. I then enrolled in a self employment program to start my own visual communications company. Unfortunately I suffered a set back in my career by developing tendonitis in both of my arms. Unable to continue working on a computer, I chose to utilize my past experience in interior design and secure employment in retail furniture sales.
Miraculously, and through my Buddhist faith, my arms healed and I was able to return to working on the computer and back to my most cherished program on the computer, Photoshop. It is an amazing program where my creativity goes on a rampage in creating spectacular images through the manipulation of objects. By playing with images in a rather unorthodox manner, I discovered my current abstract form of art. I soon became obsessed with the stunning colours, shapes and assymetry that were appearing. There is also an unforseen element in my work that I have no control over, independent on where I set the values of certain variables. I am fascinated by this "lack of control" or energy that is hidden but has an influence on all of us. I explain it by my belief that everything is connected and the energy of this connection alters our existence in unexplainable ways.
I am currently producing fine art "Giclee" prints and dye sublimation printed ceramic tiles or "Connectiles". Future projects that I envision creating are back lit art glass pieces and extremely large scale prints for public or private installations.
