I've been creative from an early age. Today, I paint both as a pastime and a passion. These paintings are the result of a personal commission, a gift request, or for a charitable event. This allows me to explore and evolve as an artist and to produce works in a variety of styles, subjects, and scenarios. If you have a need for a painting as a commission, a gift or for a charitable cause, please contact me.
Finding Grace - 2026 (16" x 20" acrylic on canvas)
This painting is inspired by the novel, “Finding Grace”, written by Rocco Rossi. The piece has much symbolism and interpretation that reflects the characters, the setting, and the story. It is set on the Meseta, a time of much emotional challenge and introspection on the Camino Frances. The main character is juxtapositioned between his old life and one he has yet to define. Thus it is an image of a man wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase, but also wearing a pilgrim’s backpack. His stature also suggests he has not completely let go of his former self. The supporting character is painted as a seasoned pilgrim, guiding the main character along the way. She is painted with a stature that reflects slow and steady progress. Even the tilt of her head suggests she is patiently watchful of and attentive to her walking companion. The arrow, while larger and brighter than one would expect, is purposefully painted this way as it signifies the intensity the Camino has on one’s own self-discovery along the way. The scene is set at daybreak, where the cosmos in the distance represents unlimited possibilities in life and the rising sun represents a new beginning towards that. There is a paradox in this scene, however. The Camino Frances is (mostly) east to west, towards Santiago de Compostela suggesting this scene would be at sunset. Whereas, this scene is set easterly in the opposite direction. This was again done intentionally. While the walk “to” Santiago is logically east to west, many who have walked often discover that it is not about the walk to Santiago, but rather it is the Camino “de” or “of” Santiago. So, symbolically, while the characters are physically walking westerly, in reality their life becomes filled with the Camino, regardless of which direction they are wallkng or their ultimate physical destination. Finally, there are a few hidden symbols in the painting, which I will leave for you to discover when you read the book. May I wish you all a Buen Camino.
End of the World - 2025 (24" x 16" acrylic on canvas)
I painted this from a request of another friend and fellow pilgrim, Adam Blake from the UK. Adam and I met on the very first day of our 860km walk of the Camino del Norte in 2023. From that moment onwards, a lifelong friendship was forged. Since then we've met in Spain, Canada, Aruba, and Fisterre. The location for this painting is Muxia, referred to by pilgrims as the "end of the world". The painting is set at dusk, where the Santuario da Virxe da Barca stands tall on the west most part of Spain. It is a place where pilgrims have travelled for over a millenium after paying homage to St. James at the cathedral of Santiago de Compestela.
The Cloister at Obona - 2024 (16" x 24' acrylic on canvas)
I painted this piece based on a request from a good friend and fellow pilgrim, Rocco Rossi. Rocco and I had two intersections that connected us. First, I participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer with Rocco and his team. Second, he and I have both walked the Camino de Santiago, albeit he has walked various routes 23 times and I have walked the Camino four times.
The painting features a cloister from the Monastery of Obona on the Camino Primitivo between Tineo and Campiello. It captivated Rocco as a representation of reflecting on the past through the door to help think about the future. The painting is done in a style and colours reminiscent of the time and place of this scene.
Ride to Conquer Cancer - 2024 (20" x 16" acrylic on canvas)
In 2024, I rode in the epic Princess Margaret Hospital Ride to Conquer Cancer. It is an annual 2-day, 200km ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls to raise money for cancer research. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of my donors and raised over $12,000. As a thank you to my donors and a gift to my fellow team mates, I painted, printed, signed and numbered each giclee prints as a thank you to each person. The painting shows each cyclist as a stylized cancer ribbon, with each colour representing a different form of cancer. While each person rides with their own intentions, the peloton of cyclists represents the strength in numbers of everyone riding, enduring and fighting for a cure for cancer in our lifetime.
A Splash of Autumn - 2022 (36" x 24" acrylic on canvas)
The setting for this painting is the signature par 3 11th hole of Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ontario. Set along the Credit River, this is an autumn scene when the trees burst with colour and reflect in the water. The name of the painting is a play on words, whereby many golf balls come up short and end up splashing in the river. The original painting was donated and auctioned as part of a charity fundraiser at the club.
Love for the Children of Ukraine - 2022 (16" x 16" acrylic on canvas)
At the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, I was overcome by the impact the war was having on the people of Ukraine and especially on the children. They are the most innocent and vulnerable. The current impact is obvious, but what can you do to help the young generation deal with war and help them grow to minimize the impact of war and grow to become productive people. I discovered a charity that did precisely - they counsel and help the children affected by the war. I am Ukrainian on my maternal side of my family, so I felt compelled to do something. So, I did what I do best - I painted and fundraised for the charity. This painting reflects the Ukraine flag with much symbolism. Logically it is blue on top and yellow on the bottom. The bottom is filled with the national sunflower, the national flow of Ukraine - each flower representing a child affected by the war. The grey bottoms to the clouds presents the burden the war is placing on the children and the Hearst perching the clouds represents the love the world has to protect the children of Ukraine. Through a combination of auctioning the original and selling a limited quantity of signed and numbered gallery quality giclee prints, I raised almost $6,000 for the charity.