Tag Archives: british columbia

How Tin Can Knits can help you learn to knit… free!

Meet Emily Wessel and Alexa Ludeman… the talented design team behind Tin Can Knits! The two British Columbia natives are now based 7,000 km apart – Alexa in Vancouver and Emily in Edinburgh, Scotland. They have produced several books of patterns, often inspired by and named for the beauty of Emily and Alexa’s respective surroundings. […]

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In the Studio with Samantha Dickie

Ceramics sculptor Samantha Dickie creates organic, abstract shapes with rustic, sometimes industrial textures. The surfaces reflect her love for the raw material; the tactility, roughness and rawness of clay. Working in multiples and focusing on installation pieces, she enjoys the dialogue between art and the space it occupies, and the way groups of objects take […]

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Who’s afraid of a little opera?

If you’ve never attended an opera but are thinking of giving it a try, a new company in Victoria, BC could make you a believer. Fear No Opera is a platform for emerging artists and professional mentors that provides a non-threatening introduction for new audiences. Their upcoming production of the comic opera Don Pasquale promises […]

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Romancing the Squirrel in the Studio

Pop surrealist painter, Carollyne Yardley, is sometimes referred to as “The Squirrel Lady.” Having decided to make a career switch a few years ago (previously she ran a successful technology company, Star Global), she taught herself to paint by copying masters such as Ingres and Raphael. She added a squirrel to the first of these […]

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Katherine Penfold Shares the Love with a New Album

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and Katherine Penfold is bringing the Love! The North Vancouver-based singer/songwriter has been singing for more than a decade, all the while establishing an expressive, genuine style. Originally from Nova Scotia, she started singing Celtic and Folk music at age 13, later branching into Funk and R&B, then Jazz […]

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It Doesn’t Matter When You Start, Only That You Start

Victoria, BC artist Deborah Leigh is completely self-taught, with the exception of one course (to learn how to apply paint). She didn’t begin drawing until age 55, with no previous creative outlets. She began by drawing playful, detailed images and within just a few years she was exhibiting and selling her work. Now represented by […]

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Elle Strauss: Teller of otherworldly tales

Elle Strauss writes time travel, chic-lit, science fiction and historical fiction for middle grade and lower Young Adults. She also writes mature YA historical and science fiction as Lee Strauss. She calls herself a late bloomer, who started writing after marrying and having four children. Her first book was published in Germany while she lived […]

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Nell Shipman: the Girl from God’s Country 1892-1970

Many artists are inspired by the legacy of those who went before, and Canada’s history is rich with talented, creative women.  This post is the first in an occasional series celebrating some of those pioneers… in the visual arts, music, film and more. Today is the birthdate of Nell Shipman (born October 25, 1892), so […]

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Sharon Dudka: Metal Rocks!

As a fan of silver jewelry, especially clean lines and designs that let the metal really shine, I’m the proud owner of more than one of Sharon Dudka’s creations. The Ladysmith, BC artist is busy keeping up with the demand for her work through her online shop, Metal Rocks. She’s had to work hard to […]

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Ellen Manning and the Victoria Emerging Art Gallery

Director of the Victoria Emerging Art Gallery, Ellen Manning brings her international experience in contemporary art to this vibrant gallery in downtown Victoria, BC. Not only a place to discover art by emerging as well as international artists, the gallery hosts a variety of workshops and, as a rental venue, is a unique space for […]

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