(bio)

Me: I’m a 27-year-old self-taught artist, born and raised on unceded Anishinaabek land (Ottawa, Canada). With only a high school education, I’ve built my art practice through grit and instinct. My work is how I process a self and world that are often unsettled. For me, art is life and survival: a way of finding beauty and stillness in the chaos. I’ve had a few small shows in Ottawa, including a Solo at Possible Worlds (2018) + here’s my CV.

Artist Statement: 

I am a mixed media artist creating to make sense of the restless spaces between self and world. My practice is instinctive - shaped not by lessons but by persistence, and a need to turn uncertainty into form. I work without references or planning 99% of the time, just letting go and trusting the process. 

I also don’t typically assign a singular meaning to my work; each piece speaks differently to those who encounter it. For me, art is survival. Living with mental illness, creating has carried me through struggle toward peace, renewal, and breath.

Wherever I am, I create. It isn’t a choice - it’s who I am; and now it feels like no other choice exists, as though it’s as necessary and natural as breathing.

story:

Struggle:
I’ve struggled with mental illness and addiction for most of my life, the majority of that time anxious and uncertain, doing a lot of things that weren’t art. I spent years shifting through school, drug rehabilitation programs, and various jobs - baker, busser, janitor, housekeeper, assistant manager - just trying to build some kind of stability in my day-to-day and figure out how to keep going.

Weight:
Eventually, the emotional and psychological weight of those years became overwhelming. Feelings of shame, regret, paranoia, and disconnection made it difficult to see a way forward. At that stage, the idea of returning to creative work felt impossible, and I came to a sickly peace with fading into oblivion.

Loss, Recovery, Growth:
After the loss of my father to terminal illness, followed by two significant personal heartbreaks, I reached a breaking point. I knew I couldn’t continue living in a constant state of grief and emotional pain, and sought guidance and support from a higher power. I got an answer and found the strength to stop drinking - ending four years of daily (a.m. to p.m.) use - then instinctively returned to art with an intensity to create that I had never felt before. Everything else good in my life followed suit, and all I had to do was to do it… 

Light:
My Faith, family, and renewed artistic practice are guiding me forward each day. I’m beyond grateful for my loved ones (I <3 my mom), and can confidently say that I  wouldn’t still be here without their presence and support. Although healing isn’t linear, some days are harder than others, and the journey is undoubtedly life-long (and then some), my purpose is clear now. I can say that I’m happy, and above all, I’m grateful and excited for whatever comes next in my story!