2023
Yes...7 years since my last update. Embarrassing I know. But life is...you know...life.
In 2018 our hometown, Grand Forks, B.C., experienced catastrophic flooding. Our home and studios were flooded and we spent the summer in a travel trailer being well looked after by family and friends, while cleaning up and rebuilding. Then the City announced that it would be applying for a multi-million dollar grant that would involve buying out all the residents of our neighbourhood and designating our area a riparian zone. This involved several years of heartache as we prepared to lose our beloved home and studios. But we kept our heads up and found a wonderful new location in the community of Carmi, about an hour and a half from Grand Forks. Then a year of packing up 30 years of life and renovating a building that is at least 110 years old! That plus renovating our studio spaces was a two year project. Just began to settle in when several family losses occurred that left us reeling. BUT...my husband, Dave, and I are an optimistic pair and have somehow landed squarely on our feet in a beautiful new location. Who ever said retirement would be dull! 
The property included this building. My studio is on the ground floor.
A few shots of the interior, still fairly full of the previous owner's things.
And here it is now. Kind of crowded but I've been making art. It's a little awkward with the stairs up the middle, but plans are afoot for creating a storage space for completed works. This will make more room for working.
So nice to see the art books out again.
A few other activities:An artisan fair 'warehouse sale' of paintings at Gallery 2 in Grand Forks.
I tried to tie down another rock on Rattlesnake Mountain in Grand Forks in 2016. Here's a picture of it with a cow doing a photo bomb. Interestingly, that rock just did not want to be tied down. I used rope and the birds picked at it and free it. I used airline cable and bits of it just disappeared. Finally I covered it in prayer flags and went back to find them in a tangled ball. I finally got the hint.
In the spring of 2019 I was invited by Tim van wijk, director/curator of the Grand Forks Art Gallery, to guest curate 'Post Diluvian' - an artistic response to the flood of 2018. This was the first time our annual regional art exhibit was themed - artists were encouraged to make works relating to their responses to the flood. In addition I was tasked with inviting six artists to present work in the show.
Carin Covin did a lovely knitted paper piece. Susan Klarner did the beautiful painting on the right.
Sonja Gartner created one of her signature mandala pieces and a fragile hanging tree. The tree collapsed before the exhibit opened, but we decided to leave it where it fell with its poignant new meaning.
Todd Ethier created a powerful installation in the outside space of the Gallery.
Peter Soroka's stunning photographs.
Tracey Bourrel was commissioned to compose a piano piece responding to the flood. Class after class of students toured the exhibits and without exception they sat entranced by Tracey's powerful performance on the grand piano brought into the Gallery for the duration of the exhibition.
And finally here's a little nostalgia - click on the photo below to see a short video tour of my old Grand Forks studio.
2016
To start this update I really have to look back to 2012 when I attended the Toni Onley Artists' Project in Wells, B.C. with mentors Peter Von Tiesenhausen and Sarah Anne Johnson. It was there that I became acquainted with the fabulous artist, writer and curator, Carin Covin. Carin was in the process of applying for a B.C. Arts Council grant for a curatorial project in which she wished to write about artists she felt were making interesting work in locations that are not considered 'Art World' hubs. Carin generously asked if I would be interested in being one of those artists along with Brenda Feist and Laura Widmer. Of course I was honoured and thrilled. Carin received her grant, completed her book and you can click on the following image to see an online version of the work. 
This led to Carin sending out submissions to exhibit as a trio of artists with Carin curating. In early 2016 we exhibited Local(i)ty2 at the Grand Forks Art Gallery. 
Carin Covin, Brenda Feist, Nora Curiston, Laura Widmer.
I can't leave this topic without again acknowledging the Toni Onley Artists' Project. Not only did I initially meet Carin at this project in 2012, I attended again in the summer of 2015 which provided a wonderful opportunity to develop the body of work that appears in the Local(i)ty2 exhibit. As usual the mentors, in this case Harold Klunder and Ciara Phillips, were extremely supportive. And I just love being there. It's my cup of tea. Here are some pictures of our little tent trailer (named Lilly) looking out over the wetlands below the town of Wells.
Also - a special thank you to ARTiculate Magazine for supporting me with the 2015 ARTiculate Scholarship to Attend the Toni Onley Artists' Project.
2014
Wow... it's been a long time since I reported anything on this page.
Actually I have been quite busy in the past few years so here's a quick update.
In 2013 and 2014 I was involved with design and installation of several exhibits in the Heritage Gallery of Gallery 2 Art and Heritage Centre in Grand Forks.
Here are a few photos of 'The Seventies Show' as it went up. 
And here's a photo of the 'winter wall' of the Toys Were Us Exhibit before it came down to be replaced by the 'summer wall'. That's a very old and slightly manic looking Humpty Dumpty sitting on the wall in the foreground. 
My girls' art class was very busy as well. Here are a few pictures of their exhibit at Gallery 2 in Grand Forks, and also an outdoor mural they painted for Zak Eburne. 
And even a little video clip.
In June of 2013 Dave and I went up to the music festival Sweetwater 905, in Rolla, B.C. Dave performed and I installed my sculpture 'One Step Closer to the Moon'. Here's a little slide show about that. Just click on the photo. 
Then we were straight off to Prince George to install a 'fallen sky' in the sculpture court of the Two Rivers Gallery. Click on the photo to see the slide show. 
I'm really loving my wood carving activities. Here's my latest piece 'My Arm Without Me' as a work in progress. The titles are so important to some of my sculptures that I have been trying to incorporate them in to the pieces themselves. The final version has the title stamped along the arm almost like a tattoo. 
AND!!! Dave and I were very excited to participate in Sweeterwater 905, Rolla, B.C. 2014. Here's a little video of the piece I installed there. Just click on the photo of the sculpture and Hill Mystry Cwby, who was an enormous help to me in getting it set up. 
MAY 2012
The greatest news right now is that you are reading this on my brand new website! Jack is my ‘webmaster’ and I am really indebted to him for putting up with my complete ignorance of all things technical; he was very kind in deferring to my quest for simplicity and minimalism in the website design.
Another wonderful thing is that I am in the process of having new windows and doors installed in my studio! No more subzero sessions in the studio with only a sheet of plastic between me and winter (I have had a hole in one of my windows and cracks around the doors that actually permitted it to be breezy inside). Thank you to Todd Ethier, a master carpenter who built my door and all new double glazed windows!
Studio improvements
Temporary air conditioning!
My beautiful new door
In October of 2011 I attended “Art Is Your Business” in Wells, B.C. It was wonderful to meet and work with artists from a variety of disciplines. It also gave me an opportunity to see Wells in a whole new season – cold and frosty, beautiful. My husband, Dave (singer/songwriter Dave Soroka) met me there after his performances up north with friend and singer/songwriter Raghu Lokanathan. We used the opportunity to refresh ‘tied down rock’. This time we used a heavier cable!
Paul Crawford in front of the home he shares with wife, Julie Fowler, in Wells, B.C. with the newly ‘Tied Down Rock’. October 2011.
Dave tightening the cables.
And the beast is well under control. I like the way it’s becoming part of the landscape – things accumulating around it.