Tony’s Bio

Tony was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia in 1964 to an Australian mother and Canadian father. In 1967, his family moved to Canada, where he spent five years in Alberta before living overseas in connection with his father’s oil rig work. His childhood was spent across five countries and eight different schools, including time in Venezuela, Papua New Guinea, the Canary Islands, and England.

He returned to Canada in 1982 to complete high school, and in 1983 joined the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s) in Victoria, BC as part of the Army Reserves. His military career spanned 35 years across three branches of the Canadian Armed Forces: transferring to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1994 as a Marine Engineer (stoker), and later to the Royal Canadian Air Force in 2006 as an Aircraft Structures Technician. Tony completed two tours in the Persian Gulf aboard HMCS Calgary and HMCS Regina, and a 9½-month deployment in Kandahar, Afghanistan with 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron. He was medically released in 2018 due to PTSD.

Following his military career, Tony retired to Edmonton and turned to education and art as a form of healing and self-expression. He is currently entering his sixth year in the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Design program at the University of Alberta, with an expected graduation in April 2026.

Music has also been an important part of Tony’s life. Since 1983, he has performed with military and legion pipe bands across four provinces, playing both bagpipes and drums. After taking six years away for therapy, he has recently returned to music with the Regimental Pipes, Drums, and Dancers of the RCMP (K Division) in Edmonton.

In Tony’s Own Words

My art is rooted in both light and shadow. I work in acrylics, oils, wood, metal, bronze, printmaking, and drawing as I continue my studies in fine arts. Much of my work is inspired by the beauty I see in nature, the ocean, and the landscapes that bring me peace.

At the same time, my art is also a reflection of my experience with PTSD. Through painting and sculpture, I explore humanity, memory, and emotion—translating thoughts and feelings shaped by a life of service and trauma.

Many veterans struggle with PTSD, and for me, creating has become a therapeutic process of survival and healing. As an emerging artist, my goal is to create work that is meaningful, powerful, and enduring—art that connects with others while giving voice to both the struggles and resilience of the human spirit.