Introduction
I am a trained artist by profession. In the late 70’s I commenced freelancing as a visual researcher in conjunction with my art practice. Over the years I researched for numerous design studios, most notably: Burns, Cooper, Hines, Donahue and Fleming. An early photographic series I produced, Photo Research (1985) reflects how strongly my research skills influenced my art practice.
In 1989 I searched for and found my birth family. This led to creation of The Cabinet (1994), an interactive installation which documents this search. Latterly, my family history became a consuming passion and my long hours spent at the Archives of Ontario and other repositories provided me with all the tools to become a professional genealogist.
This experience instilled an interest and respect for Ontario’s heritage, so available and waiting to be discovered. So it was with considerable confidence that in 1995 I added “Genealogical Researcher” to my list of freelance skills. I enjoy assisting clients whether they be searching for a single document or researching large family history projects.
Over the five years that it took me to create my next installation, Hannah (2000), based on the life of my great-great grandmother Hannah Burns (1835-1915) born in Bytown (present day Ottawa) my experience in genealogical research expanded beyond my immediate family and gave me a comfortable familiarity with Ontario records particularly the Loyalists and land records. The inevitable need to link these with American, Irish, Scottish and English on-line records and in local repositories such as the Toronto Reference Library became the next step.
My research has not been limited to early history: I have also worked extensively on Heir searching for the Public Trustees in Ontario, British Columbia and Southern Australia.
Simultaneously I have been working on a personal project as both artist and researcher. This work, about Toronto’s Old Chinatown, was inspired by a birds-eye view from my apartment window of what was once the epicenter of Toronto’s vital Chinatown. This is a work-in-progress. See "The Story of a Building in Old Chinatown." Lola [Toronto] No. 5, Winter 1999-2000: 14-17.
I have recently assisted with the on-line data-bases of two visual and historical research projects. The first, The Royal Alexandra Theatre: A celebration of 100 years produced by Mirvish Productions and written by Robert Brockhouse. The second is a history of The Morris Gallery in Yorkville which operated in the 70’s and 80’s.
As a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, I endeavor to uphold its high standards of conduct.