I grew up in a creative, nature-loving family and have been fortunate to have had excellent artistic mentors and teachers along the way. My grandmother, Salme Utsal, was a professional artist in Montreal, instilling in me the confidence that a career as a full-time artist was possible.
After studying Fine Art at Concordia University in Montreal, I worked as a studio assistant to renowned artists and photographers, including Tom Hopkins, Graeme Metson, Donigan Cumming, and Michael Flomen. My early career led me into Toronto’s film industry as a scenic artist, in which capacity I also worked on the Atlantis Casio and Resort in Nassau, Bahamas. Eventually, I was drawn westward to British Columbia, where I fell in love with the trees and the abundantly rich landscape.
Transitioning from figurative work to landscape painting was an unexpected but natural shift—trees became my people. I sought to represent the land in a personal way, exploring my emotional connection to nature through painting and drawing. My work celebrates themes of sunlight, joyful color, and expressive gestures.
