My background is in printmaking and painting, and I have always had a love of gardens and travel. While studying traditional landscape painting in China in the early 1990's I discovered the folk art of Chinese papercuts - those bright red paper sillhoutte pictures and writings intended to bring happiness and fortune to a home during the lunar new year.

In my artwork I have adapted this technique to make images which combine my interest in book illustration,a graphic sensibility, my Chinese heritage and an appreciation for the beauty of form and pattern in the natural world.

Each design involves drawing, cutting, layering in colour and many trial runs. Getting to know each plant through detailed drawings out in the garden or woods is one of my favourite parts of the process, which only reminds me of the botanist I would - in another life - like to become!

I am originally from Canada's west coast, and have also travelled widely in Asia and Australia. My memory of the lushness of those places remains with me here in the Great Lakes region where I now live - where the winters are long but where each spring, as promised, warmth and colour always do return.