Moody Paintings of Interiors

The curiosity & excitement that comes when your work takes on new directions

I’ve been working my way through a self-directed online painting class. It’s supposed to be a landscape painting class, but since it’s been snowy and cold outside, I’ve been painting any and every scene I can find around our Montreal condo. It’s been an unexpected treat to have these paintings to remember our place by when we move to our farmhouse in Nova Scotia.

A hidden montreal street with colourful houses, at night, in the snow (section)

Farewell and Thank You, Montreal

A collection of painted memories of our time in this city

It has come time to say farewell to Montreal. I will miss the couple who sit on a bench in the park gently plucking their banjos, the people who ride or walk down our street singing (it happens so often we call it ‘the singing street’), the patchwork of houses and shops, frequent coffee shop windows, the tumble of gardens and green laneways…

Winter Magic: Paintings of Montreal in the Snow

The creative discoveries that come with paying attention

Montreal is so beautiful under its blanket of snow. I have been savouring every minute of our last winter here in the Plateau. You learn so much when paying close attention to something and then making work about what you’ve seen.

Daily Paintings: Memories of Walks

Uncovering patterns in your creative work

Many of my mornings over the past few months have been spent in the studio, painting. I’ve been going back to the basics – making work for myself – because I feel more alive, balanced, and grounded when I am creating images. I am keeping things simple: a few brushes, smaller loose-leaf pages, my favourite tubes of colour… and painting what interests me, for me. This has helped me to remember why I began painting in the first place and reconnect with the process of making.

Crafting Paintings from Personal Memories

Capturing the essential and filling in the gaps where no photos exist

Personal stories and memories are becoming increasingly the thread that runs through all the work that I create – whether the story be mine or a client’s.

Between Cities

A new series reflecting on loss, memory, seasons, and journeys

I have been spending much time in the studio working on a new series of landscapes. The images are based on photos, sketches, notes, and memories of the drive between Ottawa and Montreal, which I did so much of over the year that my mom was sick. While there were many different layers of that year’s experience that I could choose to represent in the work, it was the feeling of watching the seasons pass by along the road that I kept coming back to as core to my own personal story.

Mood and Colour

Capturing a sense of place

The first things I notice about anything seem to be: mood, colour, and light. I just love them – whether in life, in a movie, or in a book. Together, they have the power to draw you into an imagined world. They can create magic.

Slowing down

Being present and grounded in your life

I’ve found myself making a lot of changes this year in order to have more energy, better focus, and to live more fully and with intention. Below, are just a few shifts that I’ve found particularly impactful.

Reflections on the year

A few things I have learned about life and the creative process in 2017

Time. It takes time and space for thoughts to percolate. It takes effort to slow down. I find a need to allow for quiet, for time spent working with my hands – repotting plants, doing a puzzle, baking something delicious, or going for a long walk. Also, that time is too precious to waste not being your fullest and brightest self – your health, well-being, and energy deserve respect and care.