APRIL WINTER

What inspired you to create this project?

For this project "Hide and Seek", I was inspired by space exploration and isolation. I wanted to create a vacuumlike space that one could shed any facade of their personality. I wanted to show the metaphorical mask as well as the physical. I started this project in 2019 before masks were a worldwide daily phenomenon so now there is this next layer of meaning to the series.

What inspires you daily?

I am very easily excited when it comes to learning about new topics and techniques to keep me inspired. I fall into some deep rabbit holes of obscure topics at night. Some tabs open on my phone right now are about purchasing custom Grillz, 1700 corset patterns, traditional embroidery, Europa, tack welding, Balinese dancers, rattan weaving, Pangolin, Bleaker House by Neil Stevens, and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne.

What are some challenges you face as an artist?

In the past 5 years, my biggest challenge and greatest weapon has been isolation. I moved to a very small island on the southwestern coast of Canada. It's a very quiet place with not much going on. Everything closes at 6. It's a great place to get work done if you're self-motivated but there isn't much of an art community. It's difficult to go out and see interesting work or meet creative people. This is also one of the reasons why I choose to work in self-portraiture.

When and how did you get started in art?

My family has always been very supportive of my creative endeavours ever since I can remember. I dabbled in art and music but I wanted to be a musician. A pivotal deciding point was when I went to boarding school. I chose to study music and in the first lesson, my teacher threw chalk at me. I immediately switched to art and had an incredibly nurturing art teacher who taught me how to immerse myself into a project, for which I am very grateful.

Any advice for aspiring artists?

Keep a notebook with you at all times. It doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to be there. A lot of my favourite creative ideas have come up in unexpected places. I'm glad that I had paper and pen with me in those situations. A forgetful memory is a creative person's worst enemy.

What are your artistic goals for the next year?

In the next year, I'll be working on a self-portrait film photography series focusing on human adornment and historically meaningful clothing. I’ll be imagining how the people of the far future will choose to present themselves as well as solving any environmental issues of their time.