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Hi! I'm Fiona.
Life is a wild game, full of constant adapting.
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A bit more about me...
My creativity has been encouraged all of my life. When I was a young child, I watched my mum paint meticulous little winter scenes on sun-dried sand dollars that my 3 brothers and I would help collect each summer on Hornby Island. I advanced from elementary school to attend a high school across town, with flexible studies and an extensive fine arts department. From there I graduated with honors, and then moved on to work full-time as a makeup artist for many years.
Since then, I've done many things. I try my best to always just keep moving forward, in any way possible. After navigating the beauty industry for so many years and dabbling in modeling, film & television- I took a detour to excel in nursing school. Once graduated, I worked as an office manager in low-income property management. This gave me the tools to push forward into a position as the lead nurse of the first low-income women's-only palliative nursing facility, for women in the Downtown Eastside. Upon moving on from this, I juggled doing nursing care in the Downtown Eastside, work in the boat repair and fiberglass world, and also returned to film & TV where I had some very interesting experiences.
Since then, I've done many things. I try my best to always just keep moving forward, in any way possible. After navigating the beauty industry for so many years and dabbling in modeling, film & television- I took a detour to excel in nursing school. Once graduated, I worked as an office manager in low-income property management. This gave me the tools to push forward into a position as the lead nurse of the first low-income women's-only palliative nursing facility, for women in the Downtown Eastside. Upon moving on from this, I juggled doing nursing care in the Downtown Eastside, work in the boat repair and fiberglass world, and also returned to film & TV where I had some very interesting experiences.
I've always just done my own thing and cannot remember a time where I wasn't making art of some sort.
Every interaction has its own impact on my art practice. New ideas are constantly born out of the experiences I have while navigating life as gracefully as possible; with the gravity of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) slowing me down (often holding me still), and always reminding me where I need to be right now.
In January of 2008, at 18 years of age, I woke up with one leg entirely paralyzed. Within 11 days I was diagnosed with MS. This bout of paralysis resolved, and returned, and resolved again. Many strengths and abilities came and went over the years, and throughout it all I used various art practices to maintain brain/body connection, dexterity and mental wellness. July of 2019 I had such a severe setback due to MS that I ended up on life support for many days, during a month-long hospital stay. Every day is a challenge, but also a blessing.
Living life as an artist shares a lot of parallels with living life with MS.
Remember with both Art and MS:
It is important to know that MS is different for everyone, but I'll share what works for me. A strong medication, careful diet, positive mental attitude, dedicated artistic practice, physiotherapy, and living with a sense of purpose are very much to thank for the amount of recovery I have had in my wild battle against MS.
In January of 2008, at 18 years of age, I woke up with one leg entirely paralyzed. Within 11 days I was diagnosed with MS. This bout of paralysis resolved, and returned, and resolved again. Many strengths and abilities came and went over the years, and throughout it all I used various art practices to maintain brain/body connection, dexterity and mental wellness. July of 2019 I had such a severe setback due to MS that I ended up on life support for many days, during a month-long hospital stay. Every day is a challenge, but also a blessing.
Living life as an artist shares a lot of parallels with living life with MS.
- Sometimes things just don't work today, that were seemingly unfaltering yesterday.
- Sometimes your visions can drastically change without notice.
- Sometimes others cannot see the struggle that it took for you to get to where you are, and the value of what the struggle produced.
- Sometimes you might get so angry with yourself for tiny setbacks, that you'll completely forget about your successes.
Remember with both Art and MS:
- Giving up will get you nowhere. Keep going or you'll never have the chance to get better.
- The same things that didn't work yesterday, may very well work today.
- Unrelentingly share your success. Being your own cheerleader is actually pretty badass.
It is important to know that MS is different for everyone, but I'll share what works for me. A strong medication, careful diet, positive mental attitude, dedicated artistic practice, physiotherapy, and living with a sense of purpose are very much to thank for the amount of recovery I have had in my wild battle against MS.
This website is for sharing my journey, the things I create, and bringing awareness to invisible illnesses.
I hope to inspire others to keep adapting, keep creating and never give up.
I can't wait to meet with you, once the pandemic has passed!
While always exploring a range of mediums, art is constantly emerging out of my private studio in Burnaby, BC.
Email me to arrange a private workshop, viewing, consultation, or with any photo shoot related questions!
Currently booking tentatively for Summer/Autumn 2020.
Email me to arrange a private workshop, viewing, consultation, or with any photo shoot related questions!
Currently booking tentatively for Summer/Autumn 2020.
Photo by Andres Vargas (yopera.com) at Cafe Dibeppe (dibeppe.com) in Gastown.
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