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May I intoduce myself. I am Portia Nicoletta Di Nina Maria Gertrude Willamina de la Montagne. It obvious by my names, my family is into naming with gusto. I am named after several grandmothers, my fathers' favorite sister, a character in a Shakespearean play and my godmother. My last name I take from my mothers' people, who are Cree from Northern Quebec. My fathers' family has recorded history (heralds) that start during the Charlemagne era. History! My friends just call me Portia.
I am a self-taught artist, painting as a realist wildlife artist, specializing in birds. As life unraveled for me, I found myself looking back at what started on paper with paint, and ended with gold, silver and stone. I have been workingas a goldsmith for 16 years now, accomplishing wax carving,castomg and manufacturing of jewelry. I love the physical making of things. The thought concept, the gathering of ingredients, the trail to completion. It weaves itself from the micro to the macro. But yet, there was an element that was missing... a catalysis was necessary...
My journey through the dusty ghosts of past courtly intrigues and gowns of stupendous glory adored with pearls and gold, began with a death and viewing the movie "Valmont". The death was that of an older lady who had lived here in Banff, Alberta from the beginning of the 20th century. She was a vast forest of historic references, rich in facts and observations. She became a living video of courtly manners, proper etiquette for a lady of bye-gone-era. She had all sort of tricks and talent from which to learn from. I will charish the short time I had with her, for it opened my eyes to the possibility of bringing the past into my "Modern" life. "Valmont" brought to me, my true hearts desire. To make and own a 18th century, French Polonaise Tea dress in dusty rose, or French blues or something... still learning...under construction...