I was born in Sarnia, Ontario but grew up living in many places in Canada and a couple of places in the Caribbean. I now resides in Kingsville with my husband and son. I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do when I grew up but the arts always played a prominent role in my life. I performed in many church plays, community musicals, and school theatrical productions. This lead me to an Honours Degree in Dramatic Arts from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Education from University of Windsor. I found my love of painting after I requalified to become a special education teacher and was given the art class. I started by following YouTube tutorials for my special education classes. Then i realized I wanted more and started to study under local artist Sarah Trudell. Again, I requalified and became a Visual Arts teacher for Leamington District Secondary School.
My style of painting is still very much in its infancy as I continue to explore new techniques and methods. I learned that I love to paint when outside as I find nature an inspiring subject. With my husband as a partner, we created the YouTube channel “Paint Escape”. We create videos about our camping experiences and my painting adventures as we tour different campgrounds.
My paintings are starting to find their way into many homes in the area and have even gone home with some of the sailors on the Tall Ship HMCS Oriole. I have competed in some Plein Air competitions both locally and across the border. Some of my paintings have helped to raise money for the First Baptist Church’s mission to Bolivia, Community Living, and the Arts Society of Kingsville Joan Cotte Fund. I continue to drive my creativity through teaching and the promotion of the arts through my involvement in the Arts Society of Kingsville.
