My life has taken me from the jungles of Borneo to the houseboats of Kashmir and from the Great Barrier Reef to the Beaufort Sea and my love of the natural world will always appear in my art. I have a passion for picking up natural objects and am a keen collector of "neat things".

    The pursuit of my artistic career led me to print and papermaking studios in Mexico, Italy, Spain and Canada, where I not only learned a variety of techniques but was able to immerse myself in different cultures. Most recently I was in residence at The Banff Centre for the Arts, in Banff, Alberta. Over the years I have taught papermaking, drawing and painting workshops and have spent time working at co-op studios, exchanging ideas and inspiration.

    My first loves are drawing, printmaking and creating unique handmade paper for my images. I also love to build rich layers of colour and texture using multiple-media. A diversity of interests means my artwork takes on different “looks” as I experiment with new ideas. I also love to bring a diversity of people together to explore new collaborations and possibilities. My current artwork involves environmental issues, migrations and the natural world. I am focusing more energy on artistic expression these days than I am on guiding, but I do emerge from my studio to lead the occasional trip.

    My work has been exhibited across the continent in a wide variety of group shows, and I have had solo exhibitions in the Yukon, Alberta and British Columbia. Several publications contain my illustrations, photographs and articles and my art also appears in collections across the country and internationally. Some of my work can be viewed at www.dawsonarts.com.