PAST ARTISANS GALLERY

“I don’t paint to express any beliefs I have or to share a political point of view or to make a statement. I just paint because I love to paint. I love the fluid movement, I love the colour and the flow of the paint, and the feel of the brush in my hand as it moves across the canvas.

I love the soft sound it makes. It’s a very meditative and relaxing experience for me and it brings me much joy. I hope for all who see my work, that this feeling is showed through my art.” – Alana Lovone Squair

Alana uses alcohol ink on acrylic panels.  She also started painting acrylic on canvas and then sewing into handbags.

Andrée-Anne Paradis is a French Canadian artist from Calgary.  Her artwork reflects her quest for SIMPLICITY. She is inspired by the magnificent Rocky Mountains that she explores with her partner and their two kids.

Influenced by her background in graphic design, the schematic and geometric shapes give an aspect of visual identity to her creations. She features well-known mountains and peaks. The coloured gradients result from her passion for making her own COLOURS. She essentially paints with the three primary colours, black, and white. She finishes her work by tracing black lines, and contours, which makes the colours pop – always free hand, no tape, no ruler, straight lines. The purity of WHITE on the canvas is reminiscent of calm and minimalism so coveted in the chaos of our current world.

Anne-Claire’s paper-cutting poetry is entirely designed and hand cut by her in her studio in Calgary. She is inspired by nature, movement, energy, colours, and patterns. She chooses acid-free papers, draws her own personal patterns on the back, and then cuts them with meticulous care with a scalpel (Exacto knife). It takes hours to see the magic happen, and slowly the paper becomes a real lace.  She works with a professional framer and/or she frames them herself.
Some pieces can also be bought unframed so that the buyer can customize them.

Born in Moncton, Suzanne LeBlanc has always found inspiration in the outdoors. In 1989, she traded the coastal vistas of New Brunswick for those of the mountains and prairies of Alberta when she moved to Calgary. It was during the period of living in Houston that Suzanne began her artistic journey in earnest exploring different media, techniques, and textures on walls, furnishings, board, and canvas.  Returning to Calgary, Suzanne began developing her artistic expression working alone and with other artists and designers, including Paul Lavoie, McKinley Masters Luxury Homes, Brenda Rozdeba, Liba Labik, and Anna Krop.

Suzanne currently has two obsessions: alcohol inks and encaustic, as evidenced in her recent works. Both media allow her to express her love of the organic, abstract elements of the natural world.

“I have been working with alcohol inks for 10 years, I was introduced to the medium when we bought a piece of art from another local artist.  I just fell in love with the vibrant colours and wanted to work with them.   I have been working with encaustic medium for 5-6 years. I was introduced to it by a mentor, and I was excited by the possibility of creating art using a torch!  I love everything about working with this ancient medium – the way the colours blend, the luminescence, the translucency, the smell and the feel of the medium.  I have taken a number of workshops and classes to learn about the complexities of this medium. – Suzanne LeBlanc

Canadian Leathers provides functional leather goods ranging from handbags, tote bags, briefcases, duffle bags, file folders, wallets and more.  Most of the hides are naturally tanned, therefore each product has its own distinctive look.

Their products feature good quality leather, craftsmanship and carefully selected hardware, and their wallets have double stitching.  Every credit card compartment is glued and sewn, which holds the lining in place and provides long-lasting use.

In 1999 Patricia Clark started making her own 100% natural & biodegradable soaps for herself and her family. She soon realized that she could formulate her own face cream for her “dry prairie skin” using nutrient-rich ingredients and Ostrich oil, which we were producing on her small Alberta farm. Today it is her best-selling item for keeping your complexion glowing and hydrated.

Over the years, Patricia has continued to add to her natural collection of skincare products including a botanicals (plant base) line. They’ve got you covered from head to toe.

. Sustainable

. No animal testing

. Toxin free

Farah Cornely believes that art can have tremendous power over life, and she hopes that her creations will change someone’s perspective of life – giving the little strength they might need to go on, bring joy, and most of all, help focus on what matters.

To create her stunning pieces, Farah starts by preparing and then cleaning the mug. She then does her abstract art on it. It then has to dry before adding the gold lines. Once the gold is dry, she checks for any corrections and cleans it again and then applies the final coat before firing.

As for the Resin jewelry, she mixes her colours with the resin before pouring them into a mould or her free-form space. Once the resin is cured, she drills the holes and puts the earring and chains together.

“After many years of working hard and raising a family, I decided to clean out some old closets and found a lot of old needles and wool. I was looking for a change and someone whispered into my ear and said – start knitting again.

After trying many different styles and types of wool and a lot of research with respect to what works with what, I found a love for the needles, wool, fashion and creativity again.  As my passion grew and I tried new designs, creating, and experimenting with different wools, I knew that this was the direction I wanted to go.

Each piece is made with passion and pride for the comfort of keeping you fashionably warm.” – Rose Chiron-Howitt

Frostbites was born in the summer of 2010 with a promise of using predominately locally grown ingredients to make their syrups, instead of the common artificially flavoured day-glo and flavoured ones. Frostbites became known for their fresh, unique, whimsical flavours.

Pour a little into your next drink, buttercream frosting, and dessert for an instant ticket to flavour town. Their cordials instantly jazz up any recipe with bright, fresh flavours that keep food exciting.

Gina hand paints her glasses with glass acrylic paints and then bakes them in the oven to set them.

Having studied under the private direction of Joyce Anderson, a well-known Winnipeg artist, as well as formal classes at the Alberta College of Art and Design, I’ve realized my lifelong passion for painting!

Mandy Patchin uses molten glass (aka magic) to make her handmade pieces of art. She is in every step of the process from start to finish. Most items she creates on her own but will occasionally work with a small team of 1-2 people to complete some of the items in her collection.

“Working with hot glass is a theatrical dance; it’s methodical, meditative and relaxing, while other times it’s electric, fast-paced and perplexing.” Mandy Patchin

Helena designs, creates, knits, crochets, hand dyes, and sews all of her one-of-a-kind pieces. She works with natural fibres, exotic yarns for shawls and scarves, and upcycled fabrics for hip huggers.

“I love creating fun, timeless, and practical fashion accessories for women of all ages and shapes. Every year I update my collections and invent new products to add to the line.” – artist Helena Cernigoj

With a passion for fashion, art, and the environment, owner and designer Beth McKean of Hip Chick Design creates one-of-a-kind, wearable art designs that are made with the modern-day shopper in mind who wants it all: Quality, Function and Individuality.

All pieces are handcrafted using recycled or end-of-roll materials that are saved from ending up in the landfill. Other new materials that are used are eco-friendly, such as Bamboo, Hemp and Linen.

A self-taught artist and designer, Beth believes in staying funky, conscious, and comfortable in one’s clothing style and choices.

All items are designed and assembled by Beth and her small team in her Hip Chick Design Studio, located in Orillia, Ontario. This seasonal clothing line offers something for everyone with her original designs handmade with love and positive intention.

Hiveology is a sustainable Apiculture company that harvests and retails raw, unpasteurized honey and curates sustainable products including honey-based infusions and simple syrups, pollen, and honeycomb. In July/August, they harvest honey from their beehives and then filter the honey prior to bottling. Their honey infusions include Orange, Ginger & Turmeric, Truffle, Lavender, Rose, Hot Chili, and Garlic. They dehydrate the ingredients prior to infusing the honey.

Jennifer Dirks Krezan is an Apiculturist and a student of Agriculture Science – majoring in Sustainable Foods and Farming. Her studies in Entomology, integrated pest management, botany, soil science, pollinator habitat and biology heavily influenced her to establish and launch multiple apiaries in the central Okanagan region in 2018.  Brad and Jennifer are the sole employees of the company and produce the honey as well as bottle and label everything themselves.

They are proud to practice cruelty-free methods of beekeeping while employing gentle and effective sustainable organic treatments. Their goal is to raise awareness of their ecosystems and to improve the health of the honeybees while increasing their population locally. Their Beehive equipment is locally made and wax-dipped to provide the bees with a bacteria and fungal-resistant environment giving them the best chance for survival and healthy reproduction.

Holly uses a variety of palette knives on canvas and board to blend colour with passion, texture with movement, and simplicity with intrigue. Vibrant acrylics coupled with mixed media infuse each piece with personality and dimension.

“My work reflects the value of the moment, the richness of nature, the power of imagery, and the joy of discovering hidden beauty. My hope is to connect with each viewer and share in the uncomplicated pleasure I receive from painting.

Life is complicated and each day brings new challenges. In contrast, painting gives me a special comfort; a unique pleasure that invites and invigorates.” – Holly Burghardt

All Homeland Gourmet Products are created by Hope and market tested in the summer at Farmers’ Markets in Alberta. Every year thye introduce at least one new product at their craft shows. Their ingredients are quality ingredients that are sourced locally if possible. They make most of their products in a rented commercial kitchen in Central Alberta. Their spices are made by hand to ensure a perfect mix.  All our products are made with love.

Matt founded Huron Woodwork in 2015 after a friend of gifted him a single plank of wood. His friend shared that it was made out of Manitoba pine, and Matt had no clue what to do with it.

He came up with the idea to make little Manitoba-shaped blocks out of it, and that’s how it all began. Having been born in Alberta and living in Saskatchewan for a short time, Matt decided to add them to his line of products, as all three prairie provinces have had an impact on his entire life.

Wherever HOME may be to you, his aim is to continuously offer wood products that strengthen the bond between your heart and your home.

Cynthia Navarrete designs and produces all of the Jacarandá collections by using a thoughtful combination of the finest natural fibres and performance fibres to create unique pieces.

Made in their workshop and studio located in Calgary, Canada, the process starts with defining a theme for the collection. With the theme and inspiration in place, Cynthia carefully selects the colours of the collection and looks for current trends. With the pieces drawn on a board, Cynthia chose the fabrics to ensure they go well between them and keep a general line of design. After securing stock, the next process is pattern making, elaboration of samples, and then fitting the samples. Once the samples are approved, they move on to production.  Once production is complete, a quick quality check of their items is done to check for imperfections.

Artist Jen Gregoire is a self-taught photographer from Calgary who moved to a rural town and got inspired.

“I’m basically a professional road tripper and wanderer. It’s not unusual for me to spend whole days travelling down gravel roads looking for treasure – an old homestead, abandoned barn, or a vintage truck rusted with age. Finding these holds as much excitement for me as taking their photo. It’s like they have a story that I get to learn and share with everyone who sees my work.

When I’m not scouring southern Alberta for my next story, I love to travel and I’m always dreaming about the next stamp in my passport. As Dr. Seuss said, “Oh, the places you’ll go!” The beach, the country, travel the world…where can I take you today?” – Jen Gregoire

Kari Lehr lives and paints in the beautiful Crowsnest Pass in Alberta. After a  20-year career illustrating for various agencies, studios and corporations around North America, she now pursues her own vision out of her Coleman studio, working primarily in acrylic, often incorporating mixed media. When she’s not in the studio, she loves to scour the mountain countryside looking for bears and other wildlife to photograph, ponder and quietly enjoy.

“I am endlessly fascinated by the textures and layers which are found not only in the landscape but which comprise our relationships with each other and the mental and physical environment in which we live.
In this frenetic society we live in, I cherish the quiet solitude I often feel in my community which allows room for peaceful contemplation. Through my work, I seek to impart a sense of that stillness  which allows us to feel a connection to each other and the natural world.” Kari Lehr

Kari has always found comfort in the natural world, including a fascination with wild creatures and spaces.  Bears in particular have captured her imagination from childhood, where they were often present in the periphery of her dreams.  She feels a connection to bears and hopes that through her paintings the viewer too will connect to the joyful sense of respect and admiration she feels for them and all things wild. 

“KATE&FRANCES came about as I couldn’t find the style of clothing that I wanted to wear to express my true sense of Self.  Dresses that could be worn to work, out with friends, or running errands.  Dresses that moved with the body, with no restrictions and allowed me to wear heels, wear trainers or sandals and still look good.

Wrap into that a love for sustainability and normalizing Black, Brown faces into fashion campaigns, and KATE&FRANCES DESIGN was born.” – Kate Pierre

Kate designs, pattern makes, and stitches all of the stock/styles. All of this is done in her home studio in Vancouver, BC, using architecture and nature as inspiration and using natural fibre fabrication and deadstock fabrics as part of the sustainability story. Zero-waste pattern-making techniques are incorporated and this is where unique silhouettes, pleating and tucking can be seen.  This also creates minimal seaming, so it’s less irritating against your skin.