Catherine A. Brock was born in Chatham, Ontario in 1960.

Her mother Sonia Evelyn Fricker was already associated with the creative and performing arts. Her grandmother Phyllis Fricker was well known for her pottery and supplied most of southern Ontario with her unique creations.

Sonia's sister, Catherine's aunt was at that time beginning a successful career in music. Sylvia Fricker soon to become Sylvia Tyson became well known as a foundation in the Canadian Music scene with the duo, Ian & Sylvia, and later as Sylvia Tyson, and currently with Quartette; featuring Caitlin Hanford, Cindy Church, and now Gwen Swick.

Catherine's father was a house accompianist at the Apollo theater, a highly sought after and respected position in the world of Jazz music. The relationship between her parents did not last and he returned to New York without her mother.

Sonia's mother was a writer, musician and songwriter. She moved to New York City when Catherine was still a child, so Catherine grew up in New York City. This made a very big impression on Catherine. On the Lower East Side of New York there were many tensions, it was the sixties and very dark turbulent times. "I remember as a child seeing a great degree of suffering, there was extreme poverty. Every day there was a different demonstration for some cause. There were so many issues and they were all so important. There was the Vietnam issue and the Hippies would demonstrate and a riot would insue often because the construction workers would resent their left wing philosophies. There were Human Right's issues, the deaths of both Martin Luther King and President Kennedy. There were the feminist marches and Hells Angel Bikers and the drug culture with it's own tragedy's. It was pretty intense. But in between there was this undercurrent of deep dissatisfaction and a desire for change, the hope for Utopian ideals to manifest and become reality is seemed as if everyone "Had A Dream" not just Martin Luther King.

The experience of New York, the extreme poverty and the turbulence may have been the catalyst, but Catherine became very interested in spiritual ideals, philosophies, religion, art, nature, and specifically iconography related to religious art even as a small child. She had the good fortune of coming from a creative family that supported her interests. Her Godfather Hughie Lee Smith was well known as an American Surrealist and Realist Artist. Hughie devoted quite a lot of time showing Catherine the ins and outs of basic watercolour techniques, painting materials and just generally supported her artistic interests all around. At the age of 12 years, Catherine's mother decided that the city was too rough to continue living there, she missed her family and decided to move back to Canada, specifically Toronto.

Catherine proceeded to continue her artistic interests in a less aggressive environment. She attended Central Technical School and attended Northern Secondary focusing on Fine Arts, and Craft. She found her niche under the tutelage of the great figure drawing master Warren Lucock. She studied Stained Glass, Calligraphy, Fine Art, Figure Drawing, Art History, Printing, Sign Writing, Illustration & Design.

From there she worked and studied as an apprentice in the field of Traditional Eccliesiastical Glass Painting under the direction of Walter Anderson, Edward Low, and Fred Bushinger at Robert McCausland Ltd.. While at Robert McCausland Ltd. Catherine taught Glass Painting for Sheridan College. After 4 years of training, studying and working in the field, Catherine had taken part in producing hundreds of windows and had her windows all over Canada. Because of the need to continue to grow and learn Catherine left Robert McCausland Ltd. And proceeded to work in various glass studios in Toronto. The goal was always to one day have her own studio, she wanted to see what was missing in the field of custom glass, what was not being done and where did she fit into the scheme of things?

After 3 years at various different glass studios and with some very generous support from her family Ondine Art Glass was born. This was a rather cumbersome dinosaur, a large expensive retail location at Yonge & Birch streets (1208Yonge Street). This venture had the approach of a retail store selling hand crafted items from around the world with a focus on Canadian glassblowers and featuring the custom glasswork of Catherine A. Brock. This lasted from 1986 to 1990. At which point Catherine had a great deal of exposure, but the store was too expensive to run and it had taken a great toll on Catherine health due to the long hours of running a retail location. "I felt at this time that I had not kept in line with the principals that had inspired me to create my spiritual ideals and the need to realize my vision were not being met. I was part of a rat race of expensive storefronts and the unending need to be in the public interest to survive".

At this point Catherine took a sabbatical from her work. She focused on her spiritual path, she took the vows of a Buddhist nun in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition.
With her spiritual practice under the tutelage of Khenpo Sonam Tobgyal Rinpoche of Riwoche Temple (Toronto), (a highly respected lama from Tibet) she continued with renewed strength and the direction which she had sought. Catherine returned to Robert McCausland Ltd. for a period of 4 more years. Greatly improving her techniques, while ever seeking greater depth in her spiritual creativity. "I decided that if I were to have a studio again I would do so as an artist, not as a storekeeper. I wanted to service the needs of my clients on an empathetic level. I wanted to leave behind landmarks in my craft, memorable works of art that heal and touch the heart of all sentient beings. That is where I stand today, with a vision of something I guess you could call it utopian.

P.S. "I was born on the same day as Abraham Lincoln, under the astrological sign of Aquarius. When I read his life story I had to laugh, he had gone bankrupt and failed so many times, that I actually lost track. It makes my life seem rather tame in comparison. In the end he triumphed and became one of the most memorable characters of human history for the right reasons.

Catherine A. Brock aka Ani Jamyang's work can be seen throughout Canada. She currently works with many studios including her own Yulokod Studio as well as Artistic Glass and Quality In Glass to create the highest level of quality and design in the field of glass painting and design.