This is the place where I do my work. I built this studio (not with my own hands, obviously) a year ago. It is the result of a life long dream, set at the back edge of our two acre property on the lower slope of Mt. H'Kusam in Sayward valley, near Kelsey Bay, north Vancouver Island.

I give occasional workshops and classes in this studio and can accommodate up to eight students at a time. It is wonderful to watch the expression on a student's face who "gets" what you're trying to tell them and give them. As I am still a student myself I can especially appreciate the feeling of elevation that learning a new skill or concept can bring. As for those who privilege me by commissioning a portrait of a loved one, I am always grateful for their trust in my ability and happy when they see the finished result and return that gratitude to me.

It is a reciprocal arrangement when you paint a portrait. It isn't just about the subject - it is about the artist and model and the dance they choreograph together.

A good portrait tells as much about the artist as the subject. Someday I may paint one that I feel is truly masterful, but until then I strive to be better with each subject and often feel humbled by how far I still have to go. I believe it was Renoir who said in his 80's or 90's that he finally felt he was beginning to know how to paint.