Please consider me in your search for a Visual Storyteller & Editor.Telling “stories” in a variety of media has been part of my entire life.

After completing my Education degree at the University of Alberta (while also serving as a writer/production editor for the Students’ Union, Gateway), I joined The University of Calgary as a Communications Officer II. In that position, I worked with university administrators to develop and implement strategic communications plans for students, staff, faculty and the public. As co-editor of the bi-weekly, Gazette, I proofed the work of other writers and contributors and researched and wrote copy covering virtually all Faculties. I always sought to produce articles that would engage the reader. My article, New ways to slice the mapping pie and its accompanying commissioned illustration and my profile of new staff member, Beatrice Medicine, are two examples. I also supplied photography, illustration and design skills to further market the university to its various communities. As the publication of record for the U of C, I worked with the staff to archive articles and photographs.

After five years at the U of C, I accepted a position as a Journalism Instructor at Grant MacEwan, teaching newswriting, photography, graphic design and mass media. Moving to Vancouver, I served as Western Editor for Canadian Forest Industries Magazine, providing copy on all aspects of the business including harvesting, safety and milling.

Settling in Nanaimo, I freelanced as a weekly reporter for The Nanaimo Business Examiner, writing business-related articles and worked as a reporter for the Nanaimo Free Press. My Nanaimo experience also included owning and operating Val-Pak, a direct-mail advertising franchise, where I provided customers an all-inclusive service: promotion design, leaflet printing, distribution, and redemption analysis. As owner, I negotiated all sales contracts.

In Campbell River, serving as the Marketing Manager for T-MAR Industries, I promoted the company’s existing inventory of logging products from log loaders to road builders to grapples and helped promote new product additions. My duties also included conducting customer surveys; producing advertising copy, brochures and videos; purchasing company swag and launching the company’s newsletter, The T-MAR Times. I also was project coordinator for the company’s participation in DEMO 2000, a “live forestry” exhibition in the B.C. interior.

A downturn in the forest industry led to 10 years overseas teaching art and later, mathematics, in Libya, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Norway, the UAE and Japan. Highlights of this period include a number of two-dimensional works and video productions that include: a student illustrated video of my children’s story, The Apple of Albert’s Eye, in Saudi Arabia; a  short film, God is Love, made with my Emirati students in Al Ain, UAE; a documentary, Truck Logging in Africa, (which uses my voiceover skills) in Cameroon; the video introduction to a high school production of The Rocky Monster Show, in Jeddah and my video application for the position of Traveling Ambassador for Air Transat, in Dubai (which showcases my script writing, video editing and music writing abilities).

Here’s another video, this one telling the story of some pups being moved to a new location in Tripoli, Libya.

Returning to Canada in 2012, I relocated to Prince George, BC and launched my WordPress website to highlight my creative abilities in writing, photography, art, music and video production. I use my blog and twitter (now known as X) account to promote my work and my belief in a better world. I have a working knowledge of MS Office (including PowerPoint), Illustrator, Photoshop, WordPress and various video editing programs.

As a designer, I’ve loved the wonderful vibrant colors that embroidery offers, and have used the media extensively in my overall, clothing, shirt, jacket and cap designs. For my most recent pieces, overalls, I experimented briefly with the SewArt64 program to create my own embroidery files but soon learned there is more to this than just a couple of clicks of the mouse. I also love to design t-shirts that highlight my undeniably positive outlook on life. Here’s a gallery of some of my designs in a variety of media.

I have been active as a community member and artist in Edmonton since moving to the city in 2021, participating in workshops with the Latitude 53 Gallery as well as helping to paint their new space. My photograph, Spool on the Water, is on display as part of Edmonton’s juried show, FLOW. I am a member of the Alberta Craft Council and the Edmonton Interfaith Centre.

Moving to my birth city, Edmonton, in April 2021, I secured work as a janitor and joined camp caterers Horizon North, in April 2022, where I am currently employed as a camp cook near Fort MacMurray.

I’ll leave you with one last video. This music features a lot of my art set to my song, Brand New Song.

I believe I am the creative storyteller and visual artist you are looking for. Please call or contact me at your convenience so that we can discuss the contribution I could make to your endeavors.