When people ask what inspires me as an artist, my answer has always been:  

"Our land, the Canadian North."

Raised in a small town in the Lake Erie area of Southwestern Ontario, my earliest memories are filled with outdoor adventures.

In summers, my father would precariously strap a patch-covered canoe to rusty roof racks on top of his Plymouth Fury III and hook an old crank-up canvas tent trailer with the unique odour of pine sap to a hitch on the back of the car. That scent still lingers with me to this day. With the car fully loaded, we would embark on our northern journeys—covering many miles and many lakes—with Dad, my brother, two dogs, and, of course, Grandpa.

My grandfather knew everything there was to know about nature and the outdoors. He had attained honorary Shaman status in my childhood eyes. Through him, I learned to love the trees, the water, the wind. It was in these early years that I developed an affinity with Algonquin Park, Lake Superior, and nature; my creative side was seeded as well.

Completely by chance, I discovered a talent and artistic flair for cutting hair. The best route seemed to be to move to the nearest BIG city and enroll in beauty school, but that kind of regimented learning was not for me. I have always learned best by doing, so I quickly became a beauty school dropout and started apprenticing at one of the best salons in the city. Despite my dropout status, I somehow managed to become tops in my field.

Moving to Toronto, I immersed myself in the art of hair, photoshoots, and art direction. Within a few years, I began to make waves both nationally and internationally. I was fortunate to be named "Canadian Hairstylist of the Year" several times and was awarded the title "World Master of the Craft" by The Art and Fashion Group International in New York.

I began to travel the globe—France, Spain, England, Russia, the Caribbean, and Mexico—doing hair for the covers and spreads of major fashion magazines. My work appeared on the pages of Flare, Toronto Life, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Harpers Bazaar, Elle, and Vogue. It was also featured prominently on the runways and in advertising campaigns of major commercial clients—giants of the fashion industry, with names like Klein, Blass, Sung, Holt’s, and Absolut. I was also regularly requested to style the hair of A-list models, singers, and actors such as Liv Tyler, Britney Spears, Malin Ackerman, Daria Werbowy, and Nora Jones.  

 Around this time, I decided to create a salon environment where I could express my artistic vision.

I founded WOMAN, a company that for a time was my passion. It was a fantastic enterprise encompassing 5 of the toniest hair salons in the Toronto area, a Hair Care Line, and a Cosmetic Line worn by celebrities like Kim Basinger, Diana Krall, Courtney Love, and Janet Jackson. WOMAN Cosmetics was retailed in Holt Renfrew, The Bay, Nordstrom, and other major department stores in Canada and the U.S.  

I continued to find new ways to express my creativity. I began shooting fashion photography as a hobby and ended up being asked to photograph the covers of dozens of international trade magazines. I then produced and hosted a television program called Fashion 411 which featured top Canadian fashion designers, artists, and leaders in pop culture.

Although I was living my dream, running a large company was taking me further and further from myself. I longed to slow down and get back to my roots of nature and art.

By chance, I purchased some paint, a brush, and canvas. Almost instantly, I felt reconnected to myself and my true identity. I finally felt at home. It was like breathing again for the first time in years.

Since selling WOMAN, I have rediscovered my creative passion through oil painting. I travel north several times a season and I paint every day, when possible. In 2006, I opened a private hair studio called Privé for my VIP clients. I still love doing hair; it helps cultivate the artist in me.

My days are once again filled with nature and art. I live in Oakville, on the shores of Lake Ontario, with my family. There, I continue to feed my love of the outdoors. This time around, I am guided by my daughter, Kera—my own personal Sherpa.

Let’s see where the path takes us….