Gratitude

Thank you so much to all of you who came out to support your local creatives at our 12th show in December! We hope you had a peaceful and restful holiday season and that your new year has begun gracefully!

We have plans to renovate our blog this upcoming year to make it more of a year round place of interest and sharing regarding local and Canadian Handmade Culture so please stay tuned! Until then we'll leave you with a few pics from our Holiday show.

With Love,
SFM

Kari Woo

In 1993 Kari discovered her love of making jewellery literally by accident. While recovering from a snowboarding injury she enrolled in her first jewellery class - it was love at first make! Though she had always collected jewellery through her girlhood she never imagined that she would make it. Now almost two decades later she is still at it and she still loves it. After a few initial classes Kari's beginnings were largely self taught until she returned to school in 1998, receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts [hons] specializing in Jewellery + Metals from the Alberta College of Art + Design in 2003.

Since then she found a second love - collaborating to build small independent arts events and businesses. In 2003 she co-founded the Shiny Fuzzy Muddy Collective of artists and makers based out of Vancouver, B.C. - a group that still works together annually to host one of Vancouver's best curated independent arts + craft events. In 2004 Woo co-founded INFLUX Jewellery Gallery in Calgary which she co-owned and co-piloted with her business partners until March 2011 when they passed the torch on to new owners. 2004 also saw the start of the New Craft Collective - an Alberta based initiative modelled after her successful collaboration in Vancouver. In 2007 she launched Made In Canada: Calgary Artist's Market which supported local artists with a venue to show and sell their works on a monthly basis for the entire year.

During this time she has also been able to develop and maintain her own studio based business where she designs, produces and distributes an independent line of contemporary art jewellery, works closely with clients on custom pieces and occasionally instructs workshops through the ACAD Extended Studies Program.

Her work is notably understated and modern in design but with the use whimsical freehand motifs and the intentional asymmetry of form it is also warm and intriguing. Drawing her influences equally from architectural forms, human dwellings and her observations of nature Kari’s designs reference notions of space - whether they be public or private, external or internal, urban or natural, physical or metaphorical. Her mixed media work has been exhibited in the United States, Europe, South Korea and across Canada; her jewellery designs are available in high-end design boutiques and galleries across the country, online and in select U.S. locations

In 2010 Kari moved to Canmore with her husband where they have burrowed into a cozy little nest which includes her home studio. In early 2011 they became new parents and are embarking on a whole new collaborative project of new proportions… and she still designs and loves to make jewellery.

Frances Felt

Frances is a founding member of the Shiny Fuzzy Muddy Collective. Her work is a strong fusion of her experiences traveling and a utilitarian fashion sensibility. Fashion and function are both equally strong elements in her designs leaving the wearer feeling strong and feminine at once. Just the way we like it, Ladies!

Pemberton textile designer Frances Dickinson’s true love is textile design. After years of traveling the globe and becoming enthralled with the cultural heritage of textiles, she studied at three different Canadian art schools over five years before getting her BFA in textile design from the Alberta College of Art and Design. In 2002, she returned home and opened her business designing fabrics to incorporate into her clothing and accessories.

Her clothes are fun and whimsical, inspired by colour, nature, process and material. Each garment is unique with collage-like detailing hand-picked by the designer. Most of her clothes are adjustable to make fitting all body types easy.

Frances Dickinson’s work has been featured in Toronto Life and Ion Magazine, as well as the Georgia Straight and the Vancouver Province. Frances Felt participates in The Circle Craft Christmas Show (Vancouver), is a founding member of The Shiny Fuzzy Muddy Shows (Vancouver) and has recently co-founded Crafty By Nature (Pemberton).

Erin Dolman Jewellery

Anyone who is a fan of art jewellery in B.C. certainly knows Erin Dolman's unique approach to the medium. She has exhibited her work with the Shiny Fuzzy Muddy show many times and we couldn't possibly tire of her talent and unusual and sometimes rare negotioations of materials that she employs. Find hummingbird feathers mixed with vintage photos or buttons encased in boxes constructed of silver and copper. They are like time capsules or relics from another era, but don't quite equate to anything else you've ever seen. 

Jeweller Erin Dolman was born and raised in Vancouver, but eventually heard the call of the wild pulled up her city roots and now resides in a beautiful cabin in the woods of Roberts Creek, BC, Canada. Erin’s work is designed and created by the artist in her home based studio under the supervision of her Pug-Burl. When not working in her studio Erin is an avid gardener, bird watcher and amateur naturalist and these interests show as a strong influence in her jewellery. A born collector, walks in the woods surrounding her home provide a wealth of natural treasures, which are then incorporated into her one of a kind pieces.

Over the past 12 years Erin has exhibited in numerous exhibitions in both Canada and internationally. In 2004 a craft scholarship enabled her to attend the prestigious Haystack Mountain School of Crafts for a 3 week course with jeweller Marcia MacDonald. Erin has also been the recipient of a number of grants and awards including the Rosen Group’s Niche Award in 2002, one of 5 inaugural BC Creative Achievement Award in 2005, and 1^st place in the brooch category for Lapidary Journals annual Jewellery Arts Awards in 2006.

Nana Fro Textile Art

Mariana Frochtengarten is a Brazilian textile artist. She launched her company Nana Fro Textile Art in 2009, after moving to Vancouver. The artist's hand made creations include objects for the body and the home, carefully produced with the idea of adding beauty to our daily life. This is Mariana's debut at SFM. There isn't enough Beauty in this world so we are happy to host more of it at our upcoming 12th Holiday Sale. The care, love and attention put into this textile work is nothing short of wonderful. It is contemporary and classically feminine. We love it and hope that you do too.

Mariana is particularly captivated by the different kinds of resist dyeing methods in which patterns are constructed by preventing dyes or discharge agents from reaching certain areas of the cloth. In her most recent work she has been exploring elements of Japanese shibori to create a line of natural fiber scarves and children's wearables, as well as a variety of legwear including leggings and tights for children and adults. Indulging in the tactile properties of fiber, all of Mariana's creations can be described as real sensual surfaces composed of rich colours and geometric and organic forms. With a modern flair, the artist brings a contemporary approach to traditional, time-honored techniques.

Morena clothing

Morena is unique, artful, cozy, sophisticated and made with authenticity. Its a been a couple of years since we have been able to host Marcy at SFM, but we finally snagged her and are glad to have her back!

As an art student, Marcy began creating recycled t-shirts as projects; with spray painted stencil collages and drawing imagery with her sewing machine. These projects evolved into deconstructive pieces that housed as sweaters from recycled, vintage sweaters, tweed jackets, lace, doilies, fur and memory trinkets as found objects to personalize each garment. 

Marcy's line grew into Morena - meaning mix of culture or milato in Spanish - a clothing label which gives name and shape to the conglomerated form of cultures she resonates strongly with. Morena represents the women of contemporary times, the sensual blend of nostalgia and the emotions of today’s' female warriors. Morena leaped off the island after becoming one of the three finalists for B.C. Fashion Week's Generation Next competition.  Her first line was created for Spring 2008, shortly thereafter. Morena is now carried in niche stores across Canada where 'handmade' is still sacred.

MaryMary

MaryMary works with stencils.  He is motivated by pervasive mediocrity and his own grand idea of style.  Sometimes he has a sense of humour.  MaryMary is so called, thanks to his sister who used to blister his contrary opinions by announcing that he was, 'such a bloody Mary'. MaryMary makes limited runs from hand cut stencils and is always open to new roads, collaborations or commissions.  He is from Wales and now resides in Squamish, B.C.  His work is a departure from our usual warm and fuzzy but we found it intriguing so wanted to give it a go. We think our patrons will be provoked to see things from a different perspective when they see his work.

Track and Field Designs

Sasha Freeman is the gal behind Track and Field Designs. They offer a charming collection of vintage inspired accessories to protect your modern gadgets.  All of Sasha's work is handmade and silkscreened with animals, bicycles and quaint objects. A first timer with Shiny Fuzzy Muddy, we haven't offered this type of product at our shows before so we are all in for a great treat this weekend!