I began to garden when I first moved to Cobourg, ON from Toronto in 1973, almost out of necessity: I missed the vast array of vegetables and herbs that were readily available in the city so I decided to grow my own. I started with tomatoes, lettuces and radishes — it seemed no one had tasted fresh radishes back then! My garden literally and figuratively grew as my family did: I had three young sons and wanted them to know what food tasted like when growing it yourself. It became a wonderful way for us to spend time together.
Thanks to my parents, I ended up in Northumberland County. They immigrated to Canada from Latvia in 1949 and quickly fell in love with the rolling hills and the simplicity of life in the countryside. They built a bed and breakfast atop one of the highest peaks overlooking Lake Ontario and named it Five Pines. (White pine trees are a common theme in my work.)
Among many of her talents, my mother, Austra, was an avid gardener and loved to grow flowers to decorate the rooms for guests. She also added edible flowers to the delicious meals she served. I have many fond memories of my time spent with her, surrounded by her garden’s sights, sounds and scents.
As my boys grew older and began to leave home for university to create memories of their own, I had more free time and felt ready to do something for myself. So, I signed up for an art class at the Art Gallery of Northumberland. I studied philosophy and fine art at McGill University but had never seriously picked up a paint brush. I was instantly hooked and formed fast and forever friendships with the other students, some of whom were successful artists already.
My garden was a natural inspiration for my paintings — and the more I painted, the more I needed to plant!
My travels to the south of France and time spent in Sante Fe, mixed with the terrain of Northumberland, resulted in a plethora of sunflowers, lavender and wildflowers.
Initially, gardening was an unconscious way to create memories, but I consciously wanted to capture them forever and share them with my family. I took photographs, sure, but they didn’t seem to do justice to what I saw or what my imagination envisioned: the bright colours exaggerated by the sun, the playful interaction of the wind and leaves and petals, the natural kaleidoscope the horizon produces. My paintings are all about having fun; I never attempt to make an impactful statement or spark intense dialogue. I want my art to be light, happy and enjoyable. As life should be.
