In 2022, we moved to Vancouver Island and began building our home — a space that would quietly become the foundation for my studio practice. At the time, I understood it as a deeply personal project. Looking back, I can see it was also the beginning of something much more formative.
Designing and building a home from the ground up invites a heightened awareness of material, light, and atmosphere. Every decision — from orientation and windows to wall finishes and garden plans — shapes how a space feels and functions. What initially felt like an ambitious life transition gradually became a grounding and creative focus during an uncertain period in the world.
We had never built a house before. The process was unfamiliar and, at moments, daunting. Yet it was also deeply rewarding. To participate in shaping the environment we would live and work within brought a new sensitivity to surface, texture, and tone — elements that now sit at the heart of my fibre practice.
This home was not conceived as a studio in the traditional sense, yet it has become inseparable from my work. The quality of light throughout the day, the quiet presence of natural materials, and the surrounding landscape of Vancouver Island all continue to influence how I approach making.
What began as a personal chapter — relocating, designing, building — ultimately laid the groundwork for a more intentional creative life. The space we built has become both shelter and studio: a place where domestic life and artistic practice intersect.
This was the beginning.
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