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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, to then move 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 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 tools and life experience 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. 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.
When I left nursing due to my health reacting poorly to high levels of stress- I helped out in a beloved local art shop in Vancouver, BC to keep busy and proactive. Rath Art Supplies connected me with artists of all mediums and experience levels, inspiring me to commit to my own artistic practice. "Just make the art." - Stan Rath (RIP)
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 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 tools and life experience 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. 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.
When I left nursing due to my health reacting poorly to high levels of stress- I helped out in a beloved local art shop in Vancouver, BC to keep busy and proactive. Rath Art Supplies connected me with artists of all mediums and experience levels, inspiring me to commit to my own artistic practice. "Just make the art." - Stan Rath (RIP)
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- 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. 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. 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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