Gail began painting in high school, taking a class at the Banff School of Fine Arts one summer. Subsequently at the University of Alberta, she majored in Sociology and minored in Art, where she studied painting, sculpture, design and art history.
During her adult life, Gail has taken numerous courses studying weaving, watercolors, acrylics, mixed media and oil painting. In the 70's and 80's, Gail and her husband Ronald Douglas owned and operated a craft and gift store in Edmonton for 12 years, called Handworks Gallery where she sold her weavings and Ron's pottery.
Moving to Victoria from Edmonton in 1991, her focus was in community development work. For the last ten years at the City of Victoria, Gail coordinated the City of Victoria Public Art Program, meeting many artists and sculptors in the region. As a volunteer, she also coordinated the First Nations Sno'uyutth totem pole project at the Oak Bay High school along with other members of the Community Association of Oak Bay.
After retirement, Gail has been painting with much enthusiasm. Now focusing primarily on using vibrant colors in acrylics, her subjects include representational images as well as abstracts. Using collage and other mixed medium such as cold wax, the works have become colorful places to play and experiment.
Her latest series is of chickens, roosters and chicks, giving her new playful subjects to explore.
