About
A multi-disciplined, creative, powerful artist who is a teacher, lover, and queer friend.
Artistic inspiration and artist statement
My wearable artworks span seamlessly from avant-garde art, through to costume, ending in the fun of cosplay.
With my background in fine art and fashion design, I love to create my own designs and experiment with works that are on the very edge of wearable. In cosplay, the fun is bringing to life someone else’s design, one that was probably never meant to exist in the real world. Wearable art approaches that same problem from the other direction - what art can be given form and the function of covering a body?
Making costumes, cosplay, and wearable art involves a thrilling blend of creativity and storytelling. The art of bringing characters to life through fabric, colour, and imagination requires careful thought, engineering, and experimentation. Each design is an exploration, where I delve into the essence of an object, animal, era, or theme to craft something visually captivating and iconic.
My costume work often has elements of drag, burlesque, and fantasy. My wearable art often pulls inspiration from the natural world, featuring horns, feathers, scales, or even more immersive elements. From sketch to final form, every part of the process is a step towards invoking a shamanic magic as old as humankind.
Speaking of humankind…
I’ve always been queer, although I didn’t officially come out until I left home (strongly recommend). I know what it is like to be at least partially on the wrong side of culture, and will always make space for anyone else who is, too. I’m happily married to fellow artist, LAKE, and you can see his art here: lakedoesart.com
And also animal kind!
I volunteer as a graphic designer and foster house for a local animal rescue, the Ottawa Pet Rat Rescue. They rescue abused, abandoned, and surrendered pet rats, and work to rehabilitate and rehome them, while educating the public on their care and well-being. Help by donating.
Artist statement
I work at the intersection between art and design. In particular, my practice manipulates the line between fashion, costume, wearable sculpture, industrial design, and graphic design. I think of my diverse interests as addressing a need for communication and expression, while also solving practical problems of how art can be integrated into everyday life. The natural shapes formed by animals and plants are repeating themes across these materialities. I like to defy conventions, and regularly challenge myself to incorporate new techniques and skills in order to do so. Performance art and the documentation process has also formed an important narrative.
Education
My first degree is in Graphic Design from Algonquin College (2010), where I won the most awards of any graduating student in that year, including one from the RGD. After graduating, I stayed to teach for several years.
I also have a diploma in Fashion Design from the Richard Robinson School of Fashion Design (2020) where I was awarded the Best Designer of the Year. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Ottawa (2024).
Multi-disciplinary skills
Makeup Art
I do professional makeup art as a MUA and face painter. I take on selective clients for makeup consultations, focusing on education, health, and costume/theatre techniques.
For me, this is more than just applying cosmetics; it's about transforming faces and creating art. I love to create stunning looks for wild occasions. Every client is a canvas waiting to be adorned, and the joy of seeing their dreams realized, their confidence improved or their true self shining through is truly rewarding.
Cosplay
I accidentally got hooked on cosplay in 2014, when I dressed up at my first convention. Not only was it allowed, it was celebrated! I consider myself a “Cosplay Engineer” because I love to work on things that are big enough that they need, well, engineering, to be possible.
I competed in Masquerades from 2014 until achieving Master Cosplayer status in 2016. Since then I have mostly spend time teaching, giving panels, and sharing my knowledge to help other cosplayers make the best cosplays they can is very important to me!
Fashion design
In 2018, I went back to school to polish my sewing skills at the Richard Robinson Academy of Fashion Design, one of the only schools in Canada still practicing and teaching couture techniques. I thrived, soaking up a host of new skills, from pattern making digitally and by hand, couture hand-finishing. My custom costumes, cosplays, and clothing are now perfectly tailored and technically beyond what manufacturing can achieve.
Graphic design
I graduated with a degree in Graphic Design in 2010, and have been freelancing ever since. I counted up those years recently, and it is…a lot. This is definitely a skill I’ve used extensively in my art career to produce documentation, workbooks, guides, patterns, and more.
I’ve done graphic design for almost every size of business, as well as for nonprofit, and can also design for film.
Photography
I became a photographer out of the necessity of documenting my own works - and started with one of the most difficult things possible (self-shooting photography), where I was both the model and behind the lens.
My favourite subjects to capture are artists like cosplayers, drag performers, musicians. I love to draw out their unique characteristics, and help them develop their modelling and documentation skills.
Let’s work together
If you're interested in working with me, complete the form with a few details about your project. I will review your message and get back to you within 48 hours.