MmMmMmM....smoothie!!!

Blueberrry smoothies - I LoVe ThEm!!!! What a great way to wake up.....smoothie in one hand and a fabulous DVD on a silkscreen workshop by Peach Berserk in Toronto. I took a course there way back in 1992....but always love to refresh the imagination and mind with this workshop and 'biz tips for misfits'.

Yoomi Park writes 'Kingi brings a refreshing new way of believing in yourself while encouraging people with an enthusiastic vibe to follow their dream even if their passion is not so ordinary". You can order this DVD online at www.Peachberserk.com. It's fabulous - especially when watched while sipping a smoothie from a martini glass!!!

Felting project with Christine

This is Christine te Bogt. She is a grade 11 student who is doing a mentorship program with her art class at Horton High School in Nova Scotia. She has decided to create an art piece for the wall using techniques of felting, needle felting and other embellishment techniques such as beading and embroidery. I have been instructing her through the process and we're having lots of fun - she's fabulous and has a really great eye for detail! I can't wait to see her final creation, which she will also be presenting to her art class. This program is really great as it gives students the oppotunity to meet various artists within their region....and it also gives artists the opportunity to be in touch with the great learning minds of today!

Circle Bags

This is a sample of a bag which I finally put together last night - it still needs some tweaking but my mind is already running in overdrive in terms of its many potentials. I will be posting more images as I create them....and will try to give you a real feel for what the bag looks like on all sides.

I am hoping to come up with a cute little name for this to fit within our Betty bag and Lucy Bag line. So, if you know of something that would suit this.....drop me a line. I will also include a profile of you - if you like on my website...and how you came up with this brilliant name!!!! Cheers, Lala

Nova Scotia Folk Art

As you know, I have announced by adoration of Nova Scotian Folk Art in my various posts. What can I say....I simply can't get enough. The colour, sheer humour and quirkiness of each of these pieces always gets a little chuckle out of me as I pass by them scattered throughout the house. I have met each artist personally and have gotten to understand why it is that they create what they do. You really just have to view the film "Folk Art Found Me" to fully grasp the lifestyle and whimsical characters who create these stunning pieces. This particular piece, I like to refer to as the spotted bird on a post was created by Mitchel Fancy.

"Mitchell Fancy was born in Queens County, Nova Scotia. He is the grandson of folk artist Ray Fancy and the son of Larry and Joanne Fancy, also folk artists. Mitchell started carving in late 2002. He attended his first N.S. Folk Art Festival in 2003. He grew up watching his parents and grandparents carve and paint. He has developed his own style, using lots of bright colours in his work. Mitchell is a journeyman machinist by trade during the day and artist by night. He presently lives in Lunenburg County. Mitchell's pieces can be found in collections in both Canada and the U.S". (taken from website of From the Heart Folk Art).

This stunning blue chicken was purchased at the Lunenburg Folk Art Festival in 2003. When my eyes landed across the beautiful blue...I knew I had to have this piece!!! It was created by Peter Rafuse. See below for his bio.

This spotted fish was created by Garnet McPhail - another local folk artist who's work I adore.

"Garnet McPhail was born in 1926 in the Magdelan Islands. He moved to Pictou County in 1940 and presently resides in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He worked as mail carrier and woodsman then trained in shoe repair but ended up being a chef for 16 years in Kentville. Garnet was a caretaker at Acadia University for nine years until he retired.
At 61, Garnet began carving small birds for his grandchildren during his recovery from knee surgery. His subject matter includes: chickens, roosters, turtles, fish, people and alligators. His pieces are created entirely from his own imagination. He loves carving folk art and plans to do so as long as he is able.
Mr. McPhail's work can be found in the Nova Scotia Art Gallery and in many collections across North America. He is featured in the National Film Board of Canada video "Folk Art Found Me."(artist's bio was taken from the website From the Heart Folk Art).

"Brown Critter" was created by Peter Rafuse. He lives a mere hop, skip and jump from my place to his. I spotted this piece at the Lunenburg Folk Art Festival in 2005. It was simply so0o0o0o odd and peculiar...that I just had to have it....and the name of course, says it all.

"Peter Rafuse started carving in 1991. He is 54 years old. He was born and raised on Melanson Mountain. His neighbour, folk artist Garnet McPhail, taught him how to carve. His first carvings were small and medium-sized pigs. He showed them to Garnet who thought he was talented and recommended he continue with the hobby. He looked at pictures in magazines and made things his own way. Peter carves many different animals, birds and people.
Peter uses a power hand saw, knives and many other tools. He carves in the spring, summer and fall. He doesn't carve in the winter because it is too cold. It makes him very happy when he hears that people like his work.
Peter's wife Lisa helps paint the carvings. They both communicate using sign language. They attend the Lunenberg Folk Art Festival which has helped them gain confidence with communication. Peter and Lisa now have their work in galleries in Nova Scotia and Toronto" (artists bio taken from the website of From the Heart Folk Art).