Their natural edges, wild cuts, imperfections and tool marks will bring a vibe of Cottage, Scandinavian, Mid Century or Urban Rustic to your space.
From tables to plants stands, cutting boards to candles, all work is handcrafted by me, in Fredericton, NB"
- Peter Atkinson
Browse Peter's work here
]]>She creates original art landscape wall hangings with fabric and stitch, using her sewing machine as her paint brush. Her representational fibre art works are inspired by her love of the natural world and evoke the colour, movement, and sense of place of her surroundings.
She shows her dedication to the environment by upcycling some of the textiles she uses, to create a more meaningful process.
Darcy is currently working with Barker’s Point Elementary School through an Arts Smarts Grant called “Connecting to the Environment and Place through Art”.
She has recently completed two New Brunswick-based grants: The first was a Creation Grant through ArtsNB which is titled “Beautiful New Brunswick”, where she captured the natural beauty of her home province in a series of large art quilts. In conjunction with this grant, she also worked with elementary students at Nashwaak Valley School through an Arts Smarts grant, to teach her passion and collaborate with the students to create a large textile piece for the school community.
She is a juried member of Craft NB, and a Regional Co-Rep of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA). SAQA is a dynamic community of over 3700 fibre artists worldwide.
Her successful art practice propelled her to participate in artist residencies with the City of Fredericton in 2020/21, and to exhibit at Gallery 78, Charlotte Street Art Centre, and the University of New Brunswick Art Centre. In addition to having her work in many Maritime shows and shops, her work can be found in many private collections all over North America.
Darcy is a part-time elementary school teacher. She loves teaching and has shown her commitment to the art community through online classes, speaking engagements, and her publication of numerous articles in Art Quilting Studio Magazine and other prestigious magazines. Darcy continues to learn new techniques and expand her creative process so that she can continue to grow as an artist.
Find Darcy's work here
]]>Heather Sproat received her BFA from the University of Lethbridge, Alberta majoring in Photographic Arts. After a move to the Maritimes in 2005, Heather went on to take Production Pottery courses at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design. Heather is a photographer, graphic designer and potter, and often teaches pottery.
The goal of her work is to brighten your day with a pop of colour or put a smile on your face. Heather lives in Moncton with her husband and children.
Heather's work here!
]]>Marilyn's unique designs are inspired by a life long love of silk and nature. Her hand painted images recapture the gardens of her youth and reflect the East Coast's simple beauty. The bright colours and whimsical paintings are sure to bring a smile to your face.
Her work may be seen at her home studio or craft stores and galleries throughout the Maritimes.
"Every item starts as white silk. I draw my designs directly onto the silk with a resist called "gutta" using a small squeeze bottle with a metal tip to control the flow. The resist permeates the silk and stops the dye from spreading. A steady and determined hand is needed at this stage because there is no erasing the gutta resist.
Once the resist is dry the silk is then stretched on a frame and painted with dyes for painting. The dyes are liquid and thinned with water or alcohol and flow easily across the silk until they hit a resist line.
After the painting is completed, the silk will be steamed for 3 hours to make it colourfast and vibrant. Once steamed the silk will be hand washed and ironed and is ready to wear or become a wall hanging."
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Since that time, Peter has dedicated his career to creating imaginative and innovative ceramics as well as working extensively as an educator and a consultant. His earthenware ceramics have exhibited in numerous private and public galleries throughout Canada. A selected list would include: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax, N.S., the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo, Ontario, the New Brunswick Crafts Council Gallery in Fredericton, N.B., as well as curated juried exhibitions in Scotland, England and the U.S.
Peter has been a consultant and teacher of Design and Ceramics at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design since 1984. He also taught Art Education at the Faculty of Education at the University of New Brunswick and at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.
Recently, he was the Chair of the Professional Development Committee for CHRC covering training issues in cultural sector and involvement in the development of the Sectoral Council Interprovincial Network.
Peter Thomas was the recipient of the Canada/New Brunswick Volunteer of the Year award in 2001. He has also received a Creation Grant from the New Brunswick Arts Board and a travel grant from the Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation.
]]>She has found in many things that “less is more”. Dawn’s artistic endeavours include using recycled tea bags as small canvasses and painting on old dictionary pages. These mixed media works of art on greeting cards are meant to bring joy to the recipient and the sender.
Dawn, who’s professional background is in education, is passionate about children’s rights both locally and globally, and recently started her own charity with this focus.
]]>"My work in textiles and paint is a play of colour, pattern, and texture. And play I do, drawing inspiration from nature, from traditional designs across cultures, and from the everyday objects of whimsy that surround me.
My love of paper and cloth comes naturally. Dad was a pressman at the Edmonton Journal, and paper -- especially endless rolls of newsprint -- was omnipresent in our lives. Mom, a Ukrainian farmer's daughter, sewed clothes, curtains, costumes, you name it, with fabrics that were rich, lush, sturdy, sensual, playful, patterned.
Papers and fabrics, textures and designs, colour and pattern: all have left an imprint on my work. I make cloth: woven or felted. I embellish cloth by stitching, crocheting, needlefelting, beading, etc. I paint: on paper and on eggs (Ukrainian pysanky). And sometimes I mix it all up, through paper weavings or collage.
Much of my work demands a slow and tactile process, allowing me to create art at a pace that invites contemplation and musing -- a magical meditation, really, as I am deeply moved by the sense of touch.
Two years of study at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, along with many workshops in many media, extensive travel, and long moments walking in nature have also greatly influenced my work.
I grew up in Edmonton, have lived in Quebec City, Barcelona, Montreal, Argentina, and now call Saint John NB my home."
]]>She graduated from NSCAD with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics. She received multiple scholarships that allowed her to further her education through conferences and study tours in Copenhagen, Vienna, and the Banff School of Fine Arts for three summers. She participated in a European pottery tour in England, Spain, and Italy. She has received a Creation Grant from the New Brunswick Arts Board and a Best Product Award from the Atlantic Craft Trade Show. She is a juried member of the New Brunswick Craft Council and the Nova Scotia Designer Craft Council. She is a former Head of Department (pottery) at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design. Margaret Ann exhibited regularly in group and solo exhibitions in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
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Min's Collection
]]>"This picture was taken in 1984 when I was a happy potter in Tracadie, New Brunswick, Canada."
Life then decided that we would go on a journey of discovery and for 28 years, I did everything but make pottery. But in the back of my mind always remained the thought of the pure joy of working with clay. Then in 2012 I decided to leave every other endeavor behind and become what my soul was calling for. So, starting from scratch, I opened my pottery studio on Arnold Lane in Shediac, New Brunswick, Canada.
I had no idea if I still remembered how to center a pot! I had no clue about what I wanted to make! What colors I liked, what glazes, why I needed to do this so strongly. So, I made pots, all kinds of pots, going in every direction, trying techniques to see what would speak to me now. Clay challenges me to pay attention to everything, from the thought, the making, the drying, the bisque, the glazing, to the final firing. Whether I'm making a cup, a bowl, or a flower vase, they will always be a bit different because each ball of clay has its own story to tell and I have my own thoughts about what I want to create.
My inspiration is the sea, I seek guidance from it and its ever-changing moods and movements, energy, patience and quiet contemplation. I strive for simplicity. My goal is to bring a bit of joy into your home, by means of simple decorative and utilitarian pieces enhanced by color. I call it .... cottage chic!"
Find Ginette's collection here
]]>His approach to pottery design remains purposefully understated, taking a minimalistic and modern approach that draws on aspects of the arts and crafts movement and mid-century-modern design. Andrew is drawn to clay because of its longevity, believing that every piece is a memorial of both the hands that made the piece and the people who used it.
]]>Dale approaches her work with enthusiasm when developing her concept considering the composition, light, and values. There is nothing careless in her approach. The finished work is representational blurring the lines of realism and impressionism.
Her emotional response to a subject is expressed in each painting. For Dale the greatest joy is the connection that develops between a viewer and her artwork often evoking a memory or a feeling between the two.
Dale’s works have been collected across Canada, United States, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, and Australia and is represented locally by The Artisan District.
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Topsail Canvas was born in 1991 when a local conference needed simple canvas bags for their event. Martha and Maggie took up the challenge. Their exploration of different size bags, pockets, drawstrings and zippered tops led to more bag styles. Our work was juried into the New Brunswick Craft Council in 1994. Kate joined the sewing team in 2002 and Sadie began sewing bags in 2003. New designs continued to evolve as we experimented and customers requested additional features. Kate and Martha always sewed on treadle powered industrial machines; their homes being off the grid. We worked out of our homes until 2012 when we completed a new studio building in Sadie’s yard. Currently, Topsail Canvas is run by Sadie Gagner, the daughter of founder Martha Bryan.
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Andrea is an artist who sees potential in common bits and pieces of everyday life, transforming ephemera, vintage papers and found objects with water-based mediums into her recognizable florals. From life experience, sensory memory and the act of gathering, sorting and combining she finds connectivity. She may collage, assemble or simply use paint to create artworks, letting her intuition guide the process. She also enjoys painting her seaside surroundings in oils on wood panels. Andrea hopes art viewers and collectors respond to her work by feeling the emotion of her oil painted land/seascape and the nostalgia of her mixed media floral and abstract artworks.
Born and raised in Quebec, Andrea also lived in Yukon Territory and presently calls the Maritimes home. She studied art with the University of Southern California, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design extended studies, and has taken workshops with professional artists in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
]]>"When I first drove over the crest of the hill in 1976, I saw an old vacant general store nestled on the banks of the St. John River. My visceral reaction was, "this is the right place". Greig Pottery was born in that year with one potter, one wheel, and one kiln. Many changes have taken place over the past decades: new ideas, shapes and patterns all with the same standard of innovation and high quality. The influence of the St. John River and the many local apple orchards have been the inspiration for the apple motif which has become synonymous with the name Greig Pottery. Over the years we have expanded our patterns and colours to include the Lupin, Periwinkle Blue, Frannie Green, Buttercup Yellow, Pattison Collage, Spring Green Collage and the Fiddlehead motif. We are careful to maintain our original patterns so that collectors can purchase additional pieces, as their budget permits. 2020 marked our 44th year in business and still feeling inspired. Our longevity and success is due in large part to those many loyal customers (friends) who use and enjoy handmade pottery in their daily lives. The Village of Gagetown is a beautiful, rich and supportive environment for craftspeople and I am fortunate to have discovered this gem in 1976."
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"My work is inspired by the intrinsic forms, textures, and colours found in my Nova Scotia coastal environment. Inherent in my designs are elements echoing early Inuit forms. Organic in style, my hand forged jewelry reflects the interconnection between land and sea, creating sculptural, wearable art, accenting any wardrobe."
"Working in silver, gold, red brass, and bronze, including enamel and casted embellishments, I hand-forge the fine metals, establishing unique textured surfaces. The oxidation process is the final step: warming the fine metals’ tones, and enhancing the hammers’ hallmarks."
]]>We have a reverence for glass blowing and deeply appreciate the beauty and versatility of the timeworn art. We believe glass can be very sentimental, and love to display its intrinsic properties in our pieces.
Our goal is to make beautiful, accessible work that resonates with our audience. Creating pieces that are heirloom quality and foster nostalgic feelings for loved ones has been the pinnacle force in our career as a glass blower.
With two decades of experience our skill comes from countless hours of dedication to the craft. We have developed our own signature color blends for our line of products, which are completely hand formed.
Curtis Dionne left home at a young age to pursue craft and design. He took up glass blowing with Masters from the Glass City of Guadalajara.
In 2008 he bought a homestead in rural New Brunswick with a wood-fired furnace. In the summer he would blow glass on the Cabot Trail.
Curtis and his family recently moved to Saint John, New Brunswick to start a public glass works studio.
Glass Roots has attended many juried shows including The Nova Scotia Designer Craft Council Show, One of a Kind, and the Artist Project.
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She is constantly in awe of the hidden
strength/perseverance of these seemingly fragile natural forms.
For her, it is a reminder of the duality of life – the frailty of mortality
that we must all face, mirrored by the strength of spirit to celebrate
and cherish this momentary vitality.
She graduated from York University in Toronto as a high school art
teacher. She also studied printmaking at Otis/Parsons Art Institute
in Los Angeles and Emily Carr College of Art and Design in
Vancouver. She has been creating artwork for more than forty
years.
She lived and worked in the greater Tokyo area in Japan for twelve
years and has now lived in Sackville, New Brunswick for over twenty-
five years and calls it “home”. She taught English as a Second
Language to Japanese students at Mount Allison University for 15
years before retiring in 2020.
Donna combines elements of both Japanese and Western art through
assemblages by drawing, and painting on a variety of papers and
silk kimono collaged onto wooden boxes or panels. Her work has
been exhibited in Ontario, Nova Scotia and throughout New
Brunswick. She has been a member of the Art Across the Marsh
Studio Tour since its inception over 20 years ago.
Naturally creative, Acadian artisan Marcia Poirier began her shell jewelry by chance.
Spotting a heart in a shell she plucked from a beach, she carved it out and wore it as a pendant. Requests from others led to a four-year search for better tools and methods.
Only later did she learn she was making Wampum - a lost art dating back centuries!
Today, Marcia shares her love of shells with other through her Wampum jewelry - while constantly designing new and ever-more-stunning pieces.
Marcia creates her works by sculpting the rare purple sections of the Quahog shell and the vivid pink hues of the Queen Conch. Purple Quahog shells occur only in areas where they absorb iron from the ocean floor, making them prized finds. Queen Conchs are larger shells found in tropical regions like Florida and Bermuda.
In Marcia's works, the Quahog and Conch shells are ground, carved, and sanded. Many are also accented with hand-crafted sterling silver highlighting.
Wildabout Wampum shell sculptures are the beautiful, lasting result of this lengthy and painstaking process.
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Jeneca works as a jewellery artist making one-of-a-kind pieces for those who accept and embrace natural beauty - using mostly rough, uncut, wild gems taken directly from the earth. Her jewellery is inspired by the natural world and the unseen. She works based on intuition- feeling the stones individually, embracing their flaws, textures and uniqueness.
Jeneca Klausen was born on the Bay of Fundy, Canada and her profound connection to its landscape and its natural resources have shaped her work and the philosophy she applies to her designs. Recently she has relocated to Nova Scotia where she is connecting with her new surroundings.
Originally from Brandon, Manitoba, Tim found his passion for clay about 35 years ago in Winnipeg where he took a class with some inspiring young professional potters.
His love for clay deepened in Waterloo Ontario and he became a member of the local Potters’ Co-op while also finishing a degree at the University of Waterloo that included courses in Fine Arts and Music (his other life passion).
With school behind him, he promptly bought his first wheel and kiln, and set out to make his mark in the world as a potter and ceramic artist. From the beginning, he was especially drawn to the creative and expressive possibilities in clay. He entered the world of contemporary ceramic art, exhibiting and selling his work in galleries and exhibitions throughout Ontario and beyond.
In 1992, he moved to New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy where his work has flourished.
"To this day the wild and rugged character of this coastline strongly influences my work."
Tim Isaac, Tim Isaac Pottery
View Tim's Collection Here
]]>“Since the days of childhood, I have been engrossed with New Brunswick’s rugged coastline and serine rolling hill interiors. The foggy lichen frosted forests, moss covered rocks, and jagged cliffs harness the inspiration for my work."]]>
With a dedication to exploration and experimentation, he has been awarded with consistent recognition for his art practice and professional achievements, with numerous international awards, grants, publications and exhibitions.
In recent years, Emenau has had a solo exhibition at the University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor, Maine, USA, a solo exhibition at the Saskatchewan Craft Council, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, and at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, NB. His most recent exhibition was at Jones Gallery in his home city of Saint John, NB, Canada.
“Since the days of childhood, I have been engrossed with New Brunswick’s rugged coastline and serine rolling hill interiors. The foggy lichen frosted forests, moss covered rocks, and jagged cliffs harness the inspiration for my work.
With a trained eye for traditional vessel forms, I am attracted to the Zen Buddhist philosophy of wabi-sabi, which sees beauty in imperfection. I like things that are unique, authentic and irregular. I love tinkering with familiar shapes and reconfiguring them into contemporary forms. Fascinated by how we relate to the outer surface of a vessel, yet drawn into the interior, my work has also expanded to abstract forms, which imbue nature’s essence, with little reference to known vessels.
The surfaces come to life through my constant development and exploration of the glaze surfaces. With no standards to saturation and hues, the textured surfaces bring to mind lichen, bark or the parched, cracked earth. Each work may have their surfaces added to or partially removed until I am satisfied and intrigued by the delicate surfaces of unpredictability that occurs.”
Darren Emenau, MNO Clay
]]>Patricia Goodine is a metal artist who has established herself first as a jeweller. Her work is organic with volume and form. It is also geometric and minimalist. The juxtaposition within her body of work indicates an exploration of sculpture and design.
Patricia graduated from the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design in 2013 and since then has built her studio and created a body of work.
She has taken part is several group exhibitions and Residencies and has volunteered as a board and committee member at Craft NB.
She is an Executive Member and co-founder of Art400; an artist collective in St Andrews NB.
]]>“As an artist, I enjoy two aspects of the creative process the most- the planning of the piece and the execution in clay. I can spend hours thinking of new shapes and decorating my pieces to transmit different ideas to the public”.
Maria Guevara, Maru Pottery
Maria is a Fredericton-based ceramic artist, well known for her colourful renditions of cityscapes.
She is a graduate of NBCCD with a Diploma of Advanced studies in Ceramics.
Born in Mexico City, Maria studied Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage and later received her masters in Archaeology in Mexico City at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Those teachings transcend her work, including the use of bight colours, nature, and a decorated ceramic techniques call Sgraffito. She produces elaborate ceramic forms using both the throwing wheel and slab work which offers up extended surfaces to carve and paint with coloured engobes, slips and glazes.
Maria lives in Fredericton with her husband, two children and dog and is very grateful to be part of the Craft community in New Brunswick.
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