About Colleen

I have had a varied, artsy life and some would say I’m still bohemian. I graduated in photography (Visual Communications) and was about to come full circle. I bought a digital camera, went to Ireland and took some fun photos. I was still learning the camera but began to think that I should see about getting the better ones into some stock photo places. And then, four months after I bought the camera, my place was broken into and camera stolen. I have a new camera and am still taking photos and starting to explore possibilities with the images.

I also later graduated with a degree in Creative Writing. That’s two BFAs; maybe I can trade them in for a Masters. Should I ever go back to school it’s as likely I’ll go for a religious studies masters or anthropology as one in writing. There is a lot of interesting stuff out there and not enough time to take it all.

I have a strong sculptural design aspect. My ex was a cold-glass artist and I became more involved in the glass arts. I loved glassblowing but really couldn’t afford to continue there. I did make this giant slug out of broken pieces of glass and had it coming out of a old wooden box. It was titled, “It Came From the Glass Studio” and was actually juried into an art show at the Vancouver Public Library. I never took a picture of it–stupid me, and I gave it to a different ex-boyfriend. I’m sure it’s moldered back to its original form by now.

I also made 1/4 of a six-foot pomegranate, seeds and all. It was put on a wood and chicken wire frame and then I covered it in foam and upholstery fabric of the slightly leathery type. I then painted over this. As well, I cut foam into large (about ten inches) seeds and covered each one into red, transparent cellophane. I put these down the middle slit. And then I took the thing over the border to a festival in the US. Again, I don’t have more than one picture of this. (What’s wrong with me?) and it now resides in the enshrined basement of a friend in Snohomish.

I keep making jewellery of late: watches, earrings and necklaces…and then I don’t sell them. It’s just beading but it’s another creative outlet from the wordcrafting.

One of my major loves is writing, obviously. (You probably never thought I’d get to this.) And I seem to be opinionated…hmmm. I’ve been drawing since I was six when I knew I wanted to be an artist. I started writing around twelve, with poetry. I hid it for years until I took it off somewhere for a critique in my early twenties. Then I started taking writing courses. My “Muse” and “Worlds of What-if” blogposts talk more about those early inspirations.

These days I still do some freelance editing (not enough) and writing. I’m a past online poetry and fiction editor and slush manuscript editor. I might take those mantles up again should the opportunity come along. I have edited many first-time novels for individuals as well as working with publishers and magazines. I’ve co-edited two anthologies Tesseracts 17 and Playground of Lost Toys, and 2018 saw me editing Alice Unbound: Beyond Wonderland through Exile Publishing.

2018 also saw my collection A Body of Work published by Black Shuck Books, UK. I work on several stories at the same time and a few poems. I also have a novel, a collection of poetry and other stories in the works. In 2017-2018 the Canada Council gave me a grant for writing and I thank the Council for their support.

I think the world is an intricate and inherently beautiful place. I try to remember the sheer variety and ingenuity of humans when it seems that everything goes dire. It’s important to balance against the constant media deluge of doom and gloom. No wonder we have a depressed society. I still believe there is more good than evil in the world, yes, even if I write tales of dark times.

This, like my life, is a work in progress…