Studio Notes

Fall 2026 — Gone Rogue

Three months ago I thought I had a plan.

It involved a particular exploration of an acrylic paint that adds translucency and an ephemeral quality- “Metallic Pearl”. I have been fascinated with this concept of “barely there” and ephemerality for years — I finally decided to give in and just make it the point of the next few months’ efforts.

Central to this effort was a focus on small-scale faces - somewhat alien looking - all staring back at the viewer and all of them holding penetrating gazes while gradually seemingly disappearing. I was set to explore this direction. Finally I would no longer deny this exploration.

Until the new studio got underway.

With the extra space, for the first time in years, I was able to resurrect what were considered to be failed works. This was rather liberating.

The cats came back!

Giant floor-to-ceiling canvases filled the walls. Penetrating cat gazes of multiple canvases surrounded me. Some of these feline creatures stayed cats as I resurrected them, others turned into something else entirely. I realized in this process — finishing does not always mean the initial concept is worth completing. Finishing is actually about deciding. And in this case, I decided they could stay cats or become whatever their wee feline hearts desired.

Meanwhile the landscapes went rogue

Inspired by trips to Newfoundland, Oxbow Lake, the Thousand Islands and local plein-air paint-outs, metallic paint found its way there too. In the studio, reworking these pieces, I discovered the joy of disrupting, covering, interfering and mark making. The landscape that had started to feel restrictive to me — became a source for me to respond to.

This way of working carried over into the cats, my giant Tall Ladies, and my face paintings. Subject matter is referenced but begins to dissolve. I think of these smaller works as the beginning of my next investigation: The Rorschach Series.

So my new work is becoming increasingly ambiguous. The tall ladies are currently Ladies in Waiting. They take up considerable psychological and physical real estate. Flowers and gold orbs have randomly appeared on them. The same mark-making has appeared and a willingness to disrupt these imposing ladies grows each day.

What actually happened?

Well, apparently, I did not follow my three-month plan. Metallic paint detoured from ephemeral faces to landscapes, cats and into new works I really hadn’t anticipated.

Letting go

“Gone Rogue” has ended up meaning much more than I anticipated. Subject matter was lost, initial plans reshaped, space reconfigured, studio transformed and after 38 years I also let go of my license as an occupational therapist. While I will still maintain my client work as a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario, I will now be governed by one fewer governing body. Different worlds, but a theme has emerged and led to this question and artist enquiry:

“What happens when I stop following a plan simply because I made it, and instead allow myself to discover what shows up when I don’t take my initial ideas or rules too seriously?”

So I guess, in going rogue

Some things got lost.

Some things got much more interesting.

Summer 2026 — New Rooms and Active Work

This summer, the work is gathering in several places at once: the basement studio, a new nearby studio space, and the walls at home where pieces that have been waiting are being stretched, framed and hung. The new studio has already changed how I see the work. Larger canvases can breathe, older rolled pieces can come back into view, and different strands are starting to speak to one another more clearly.

At the moment, I am reviewing sketches from my travels to Madeira, England, Spain, and Newfoundland; revisiting older cat paintings and gestural work; developing pearl and metallic faces and figures; and slowly returning to the Tall Ladies, which are still very much in process.

Newfoundland has also resurfaced as a strong visual impulse: rock edges, white forms, coastlines, icebergs, charcoal, ink, and large paper. Some of that may begin as more physical, two-handed drawing in the basement studio.

This page remains a loose record of what is active now: work under completion, work returning from storage, and new directions beginning to take shape.

New Studio

Loving my new studio — a two-room space for scale, storage and seeing.

Works Joining the Walls at Home

Ollie and other finished pieces are being framed and brought into daily view.

Newfoundland and Smaller works under review

Plein air pastel works on paper from Newfoundland are gathered on the basement studio wall alongside small watercolour and metallic face studies. Reviewing my smaller sketches is informing where to go next with my large scale works.