About the artist

I came to painting two years ago during a period of illness when the impact of my disabilities made it impossible to work in the field I loved. At the time, I thought it was the end of my work. But life works in mysterious ways.

My medical situation allowed for time to care for myself, both physically, emotionally ans spiritually. . I had to find a way to process the many sad and challenging moments happening around me. It marked the beginning of learning more about my body,  mind and spirit. It was also a time of deep worry as many family members and friends were facing serious health struggles. For my own family, it was a period of profound change with end-of-life care and the loss of two loved ones within the same week. 

I began painting at my lowest point as a way to cope and to use art therapy for myself and others. The work you see now grew from these experiences. It comes from grief, uncertainty, and a quiet determination to find a new way forward, to keep pushing for answers, and to find different ways of sharing what is in my heart. When I started creating Portraits of Hope, I noticed something important. Each portrait helped me focus on the positivity at a time when everything felt heavy. At the same time, it helped someone else feel special, seen, and loved. That balance of giving and receiving became a meaningful part of my own healing.

Now I am an artist, and I continue to advocate for community, inclusion, and human rights. My experience in accessibility, justice, gender equality, climate awareness, and community engagement continues to guide my work, and art has become another voice I am grateful for. This vision shapes the community art initiatives like Portraits of Hope, the ARVA Collection, and the Changemakers Series Collection. Each one honours the relationships, resilience, and shared care found within our neighbourhood.

Through my paintings, I hope to create moments of connection, spaces where people can feel seen, understood, or simply less alone. Painting became a way to heal, to listen, and to rebuild, and it taught me that belonging can grow even in the hardest moments.