Writer, Artist

Through research-driven storytelling and lived experience, I craft non-fiction that connects the personal to the communal, tracing how individuals find or lose 'home.'

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My work investigates narrative belonging: rooted in a practice of 400 interviews, and treats listening as a creative act in itself that challenges and deepens my own emotional truths and memories.  Intentional listening can shift perspectives, open space, and build bridges between people who might never otherwise discover commonalities.

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As a little girl growing up in a small town in Nova Scotia, I would often take refuge in the forest behind my home to talk to the trees. The trees became my trusted confidants. They helped me to feel connected. Many decades later, I wanted to create and share that feeling of belonging and connectedness, and began the creation of a 1200 sq ft forest of 17 seven-foot high trees. Each with a story to tell. The project took two and a half years to create.

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The Illuminative Forest  -  is a wondrous interactive exhibit designed for adult participants. It combines technology, storytelling, natural elements, and visual arts, and explores the human spirit and our sense of belonging on this planet together. The Forest is a change-making experience, perfect for corporate spaces, galleries, or community centres in rural and urban locations. I hope you have the opportunity to share in it.  To have your community partner with the Illuminative Forest, please reach out. 

As a story seeker and teller, I've made countless meaningful connections in my travels to 14 countries. What a privilege to hear and share the stories of those with diverse life experiences. From northern Uganda to remote villages in India and Cambodia, to every Canadian province... like the Trees in the Illuminative Forest... everyone has a story to honour. 

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Please feel free to connect.


Deb

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