DEDE IS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST WITH A CENTRAL FOCUS ON REPURPOSING OF WASTE MATERIALS. AS SHE WORKS TO LIVE A “ZERO-WASTE” LIFESTYLE SHE HAS LEARNED A BOUQUET OF SKILLS TO BE ABLE TO PROCESS AND WORK WITH MANY MATERIALS OTHERWISE DESTINED FOR THE LANDFILL.

MUCH OF HER STYLE IS INFORMED BY HER LOVE FOR NOVA SCOTIA FOLK ART; IN HER YOUTH IT WAS THE BOLD COLOURS AND PATTERNS THAT DREW HER TO THE STYLE. LATER, AS AN ADULT, IT WAS THE STORYTELLING, HUMOUR, WHIMSY, AND CELEBRATION FOR THINGS ‘YOU LOVE IN FRONT OF YOU’ THAT CONTINUE TO EVOLVE IN HER WORK.

EDUCATION HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT FACET OF HER WORK, IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW TO DO THINGS FOR THEIR OWN AUTONOMY, WHILE ALSO CHALLENGING THEIR APPROACH TO MATERIAL SOURCING.