Art

“Prairie Spring”, acrylic on canvas, 30″ x 40″. Painted by me, 2010.

Prior to farming, I studied and worked in the arts for 10 years. I was a set painter for theatre productions, an arts technician for museums, an arts educator, and a graphics production artist.

I have drawn and painted my whole life, and I continue to maintain my fine arts practice in drawing and painting. I have also been lucky to mentee under extraordinary painters at the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity and CARFAC Saskatchewan’s Arts Mentorship program. These experiences continue to influence my work.

I hold high standards for what I produce on-farm and in the studio. Great farming and great art both require: inspiration, commitment and dedication, keen observations, interdisciplinary knowledge, and technical mastery.

An Artist in the Field

Once I started farming, I learned that my aptitudes as an artist can also translate into useful strengths for farming and farm management.

Artistic creativity and a strong design sense = beautiful farm promotional materials.
Construction experience = tackling farm building projects with confidence and interest.
Creative interdisciplinary thinking = holistic farm planning and strategizing.
Visual-spatial and kinesthetic strengths = 3-D problem solving and field efficiency.

Technical Arts Production

I have had the honour to work on world-class cultural productions for arts institutions across Canada. Some were permanent works that are still available for visiting, like the Western Development Museum’s “Winning the Prairie Gamble” exhibits at 4 museums throughout Saskatchewan. It was a wonderful time being a crew member alongside artisans and trades-people of all disciplines.

Projects
  • Theatre special effects set painting
  • Constructing and painting life-size museum dioramas: a 1930’s depression-era farm house, a barn facade, an 1800’s Ukrainian settler shack, the interior of  a potash mine
  • 2-D graphic productions for museum exhibits: graphic mural prints and installation, editing 1000+ archival photos, 300+ exhibit signage, and 100+ artifact replicas
  • Fabricating museum artifacts mounts and installing exhibit displays
  • Designing and painting indoor and outdoor murals 
  • Logo design and publication layouts
Organizations
  • The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
  • Saskatchewan Western Development Museum
  • Ballet British Columbia
  • Calgary Opera
  • Ronnie Burkett’s Theatre of Marionettes
  • Factory Theatre Toronto
  • Toronto Young People’s Theatre
Design & Visual Arts

I love creating powerful imagery to help people convey their ideas, stories, products, and services. Over the years I have completed digital designs, murals, and fine arts productions.

My personal visual arts practice consists of drawing, painting, and photography. Popular themes in my work are nature, farming, outdoor adventure sports, and explorations of our internal landscapes.