Vendor Spotlight: Fidoodle

We are very excited to have Fidoodle at our Summer Craft Fair. Jen is bringing some of the quirkiest and cutest creations that are aimed at kids and young people, although I'm sure even the oldest among us will be charmed by some of her pieces.

Melanie Senko: Tell us about yourself.

Jen Bulthuis: My name is Jen Bulthuis. I grew up in Hamilton, but have spent the majority of my adult years living in Toronto. Years ago I primarily worked with people through community arts initiatives in Toronto as I continued to develop my printmaking and general making practice, but Fidoodle has developed over the last 6 years paralleling my journey into parenthood. I have two children (age 6 and 1). We live in a great neighbourhood in Toronto and for the most part, everything that I make is built in my home studio.

M.S.: Where/when did you become acquainted with your craft?

Jen: Trained as an educator and woodblock printmaker, I’ve been developing Fidoodle out of a long running interest in art as interactive object, and in the imagination of children. My fascination with the materiality of wood evolved from printmaking to include intricate construction of traditional wooden marionettes. Printmaking led to an interest in bookbinding, then the creation of flipbooks involving stop motion animation. Years of work in the community arts, particularly with street involved youth, led me to a style shaped by drawing together, in the moment.

M.S.: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Jen: I’m inspired by the stories that we create through objects in our lives and especially the stories that children build through objects that they play with. I’m also intrigued by small details of our natural environments and by the worlds we create for ourselves. I love the feel of sanded maple in my hands and the versatility of industrial wool felt for building objects.

M.S.: What do you love most about your craft?

Jen: I’m very happy that I get to make up or invent so much of what I do. I can choose materials and I can make up processes. I love to draw and with screen-printing, I’m able to tell stories through illustration on several objects that I make.

M.S.: What are your most favourite materials to work with?

Jen: I especially love to work with wood, industrial wool felt, organic cottons. I like surfaces that I can print onto easily and materials that I can build with.

M.S.: Is there another craftsperson/designer/artist that you admire?

Jen: I admire lots of makers. Here’s a little list: The illustration of Fiep Westendorp, and Tove Jansen, the wooden dolls of Alexander Girard, furniture by Charles and Ray Eames, Trashbonbon, Brothers Dressler, ceramics by Jeremy Hatch, Rob Southcott, Coe and Waito. So many more.

M.S.: How do you get your work out in the world? Where else can one find it?

Jen: Fidoodle is out there through a variety of weekend fairs and Etsy and I sell my work in a few small boutiques in Toronto. This information is all on Fidoodle’s website.

Vendor Spotlight: Katie Walker

Next up in our Vendor Spotlight series is textile designer Katie Walker. Using gorgeous silk and cotton, Katie hand dyes and screen prints her own designs to create the most wonderful scarves, perfect for this late summer weather. Read on to learn a little bit more about Katie and her work.

Elizabeth Simpson: Tell us about yourself

Katie Walker: I am a twenty-something textile designer and lover of all things crafty! I just finished school at Sheridan, and have moved back home and started my own tiny studio in my basement. I love dyeing and silk screen printing, but also have a new found love for hand embroidery.

E.S.: Where/when did you become acquainted with your craft?

Katie: I grew up with an artistic family, and a mother who embroidered my whole life. After finishing grade 12 I moved to an arts high school, where I got to take art classes all day long for 2 years. That's when I fell in love with textiles and surface design. I had always liked fabric, but didn't really know all there was to it. At that school I got to weave, sew and print, and then decided it was what I wanted to keep doing. Then I went to Sheridan, where I fell in love with screen printing, and created my line of dyed and printed textile accessories.

E.S.: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Katie: I get inspiration from everywhere: magazines, the internet, daily life. My collection of prints right now was all inspired by urban and industrial patterns and textures. I draw and paint a lot, and also get a lot of my inspiration from photography.

E.S.: Do you have a favourite place/spot/time of day/etc. to work?

Katie: I am defiantly a night owl. I am way more productive from 8 pm to midnight than I am all day. And at the moment I have a new studio space to work in. My boyfriend and I just revamped a room in our basement into a nice little studio space for me with a print table and a sewing area.

E.S.: How do you get your work out in the world? Where else can one find it?

Katie: I just finished school and have just started up my little business, so I'm in the process of getting my work out. I have an Etsy shop online, and some of my work can be found in Bayfield at the Artsee Cafe, as well as in London at Curiosities Gift shop starting in September. And I'm hoping to do more shows like this one in the GTA, as well as London area.

Vendor Spotlight: Pinpals

We're getting so close to the show! Just a few more vendor spotlights for you! This one features the lovely ladies as Pinpals...an international craft duo with one part living in Montreal and the other in Colorado. Samantha and Sarah combine craft and illustration to create cross-stitched earrings, brooches and buttons, as well as lots of other cute goodies.



Meg Makins: Tell us about yourself.

Samantha: I'm one half of Pin Pals, and I live and work in Montreal where most of my time is spent in a corner of my studio rapidly expanding with knick knacks and craft supplies. When I'm not working you can find me thrift shopping, reading, or walking somewhere.

Sara: I'm the other half of Pin Pals (the drawing, paper puppet making half). I used to live in Montreal but I recently moved to Denver, Colorado. Now I eat green chili, camp in the mountains and drink margaritas!



M.M.: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Samantha: All sorts of places, thrift stores, craft books, folk art. Lately I've been inspired by restaurant decor of all types, and watching people.

Sara: All sorts of places. I'm inspired by movies, music videos and TV, food packaging and American grocery stores, people, the way they spend their time and the objects they surround themselves with. I like comedy and I know that gets into my drawings somewhere too. Can I be inspired by the Larry Sanders show? I think I'm inspired by the Larry Sanders show.



M.M.: What do you love most about your craft?

Sara: I can't write or act but I like stories and drawing is my creative outlet for telling stories.





M.M.: Is there another craftsperson/designer/artist that you admire?

Samantha: Some current illustrators that I admire lately are:

Riikka Sormunen
Bjørn Rune Lie
Jennifer Davis

Sara: Some of my favorite fibre based artists are:

Goodnight, Day
Suzen Green
Tara Bursey
Misako Mimoko
Jazmin Berakha



M.M.: Tell us about your process.

Samantha: I usually putter around for more time than I'd like to admit, then at some point I settle into my desk where I start counting tiny squares from graph paper and transferring them into stitches on cloth. If I'm making jewelry I'll then assemble and package everything, and if I'm working on a larger piece I'll work until my eyes have had it for the day.


M.M.: Describe your 'perfect atmosphere' for crafting...

Samantha: Sunny or rainy outside, talk radio, coffee, semi-clean desk, good lamp, glasses.


Thanks for your time, ladies!

Vendor Spotlight: Leikey Designs

 I was first introduced to Keiley Stewart's work in May of this year, when Sheridan College had its textile grad show during the James North Art Crawl, and I was able to pop over and check it out. I even wrote about it here. Keiley's work was a total showstopper - giant felted animal heads that you could try on yourself. We were thrilled when we received her application for the show, and instantly fell in love with her penchant for foxes! Consider me super impressed when I checked out her portfolio, fell in love with her whimsical Honey Do hats and saw her long list of talents, from felting and silkscreening to embroidery and cooking pretty good bacon. We're all pretty proud over here to be showcasing new craft talent.

Hollie Pocsai: Tell us about yourself.

Keiley Stewart: My name is Keiley (kee-lee) Many people confuse my name with Kylie, Kelly or Kiwi (yes, like the fruit.) I grew up in Burlington, ON and I just graduated Sheridan College from their wonderful Textile program. In 2009, I began Leikey Designs (lee-kee) where I design and make textile accessories for people to wear and share. My adorable cousin gave the nickname Leikey to me when she was just a 1yr old and is a jumbled-up version on my actual name. Since then, it’s just stuck with me.

H.P.: Where/when did you become acquainted with your craft?

Keiley: I have fond memories as a kid, knitting and sewing along side my Nanna. I was always impressed with the things she could make and also terribly disappointed that I wasn't very coordinated, but I was happy making anything. Going to school for textiles gave me a chance to hone those skills and learn some new ones too.

H.P.: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Keiley: A lot of my work incorporates animals and one of my favourites being foxes. It’s sort of an unconscious thing, not something I aim for but I don’t avoid it either. For the most part, I generate inspiration from colours and textures. I’m in a constant search for new ideas through the things I see and touch.

H.P.: What do you love most about your craft?

Keiley: Textiles is crazy versatile. There are so many applications for textiles. You can wear it or hang it and it can be durable or delicate. Also the portability. Although silk-screening isn’t terribly portable, knitting, embroidery even needle felting – you can take it anywhere and pick it up right where you leave off.

H.P.: Do you have a favourite place/spot/time of day/etc. to work?

Keiley: I am a night owl. I like to do most of my planning and set up during the day and then quietly work into the night. For smaller projects I like to work at my desk or in a comfy spot, listening to music or watching a movie. For the most part, I like to be comfortable with alittle bit of white noise in the background so I can gauge how long my work takes or should take me -like a movie egg timer!

H.P.: What are your most favourite materials to work with?

Keiley: One of my favourite materials is wool. Raw or spun, I love it. I enjoy felting a great deal too. It’s also super versatile: sculpted or flat, the applications are unlimited. Another favourite is thread. It is infinitely useful. I’ve recently starting a collection of small crochet and tatted pieces done with just regular thread. I really enjoy the look and delicate nature of crocheted thread.

H.P.: Is there another craftsperson/designer/artist that you admire?

Keiley: Everyone that makes or designs has my respect. It’s cheesy and true. Anyone that has the drive and vision to make something out of nothing amazes me. Suzanne Carlsen is a Textile/Jewelry Artist I admire. Her work is incredibly creative and innovative. Cushioned fabrics with teeny tiny hand embroidery, fitted into intricate hand-cut metalwork. Amazing! Pin Pals is another one of my favourites. I just bought a pair of their heart button earrings from White Elephant. Their paper work and cross-stitching is so lovable and the imagery I could just eat with a spoon!

Vendor Spotlight: Petra Cuschieri

I first became acquainted with Petra Cuschieri's work during the Beehive jurying process, and I can't express how greatly I am glad for it. Her beautiful pouches, each made with reclaimed or deadstock materials, were love at first sight. They are just perfect for keeping your most precious coloured pencils and pens safe, or if you're like me, your hooks and needles. Petra also prints her adorable patterns and illustrations onto greeting cards, and you can expect to find these at this weekends craft fair as well. Keep up with Petra's creative doings and everyday life here.




Elizabeth Simpson: Tell us about yourself.

Petra Cuschieri: I'm a Toronto-based graphic designer. I work part-time doing design work for a local record label. I also work part-time at a paper store, and I do freelance design work as well. I love music, cooking & baking, bicycles, furry friends...



E.S: Where/when did you become acquainted with your craft?

Petra: My dad is a tailor and he taught me to sew, so I've been sewing for most of my life. I started making bags when I was in high school, under the name Petrified Baggage. I ran that business for a few years, but it was hard to keep up in college. My mother is very talented artistically, and my grandmother was a knitting/quilting/needlework master, so I've kind of always been surrounded by people who make things. Just recently I learned how to operate a Gocco, so I've been printing my little patterns and illustrations onto greeting cards! I can't wait to start real-deal screenprinting.

E.S: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Petra: A variety of places, but I think I am most inspired when learning about creative people's process and how ideas are formed. Collaborating and feeding off of others' creative energy is always good! Debbie Millman's podcast Design Matters is one of my favourites, she asks amazing questions and really knows how to get into her interviewee's head. Also, traditional craft practises often inspire my graphic design work.

E.S: What do you love most about your craft?

Petra: I love textiles, so I love the initial stages of planning and pairing patterns and colours when designing a bag. I want to eventually design my own fabrics because I love designing patterns as well.



E.S: Do you have a favourite place/spot/time of day/etc. to work?

Petra: I usually end up doing my best work late at night. (Or i'm left with no choice, because i procrastinate!) I was the one in college who had no problem pulling all-nighters.

E.S: What are your most favourite materials to work with?

Petra: I've been using mostly reclaimed and dead-stock fabrics lately and I love the feeling of giving them another life. I like mixing heavy tweeds and denims with faded old floral prints. Also now it feels more like a treat to buy a beautiful piece of new fabric.

E.S: Is there another craftsperson/designer/artist that you admire?

Petra: There are quite a few... I love Karen Barbé's needlework. I love Luci Everett, she is a graphic designer who infuses handmade elements and collage into all of her work. Maira Kalman is another big favourite, I love her illustrations and paintings and narrative style. I also love reading about the women of the Bauhaus such as Gunta Stolz and Anni Albers... the work that they produced is amazing and so inspiring.

Vendor Spotlight: Melanie Cronyn

We are delighted to have the jewelry of Silversmith Melanie Cronyn at our summer fair. Originally from Hamilton, Melanie creates textural and graphic pieces with clean lines, largely inspired by nature. I recently spoke with Melanie to find out a bit more about her and her work.

Jenna Fenwick: Tell us about yourself.

Melanie: My name is Melanie Cronyn and I was raised in Hamilton and also spent some time growing up in the Mount Hope/Glanbrook area. After college I moved all over the province of Ontario following different jobs around. I currently live in Burlington with my husband Grant, 18 month old son Cash, and our dog Marty.

J.F.: Where/when did you become acquainted with your craft?

Melanie: I’ve always been creative and love working with my hands. I first studied Cartography (which is the art of making maps) in college and worked in the field for some time, I can’t really tell you how (without boring you to tears) but I ended up in the Engineering field with no creative outlet. Five or so years ago, I started looking for that creative outlet and discovered an intro to jewellery class at George Brown College and I was hooked. From there I started taking silversmithing classes at The Devil’s Workshop in Toronto.



J.F.: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Melanie: I am mainly inspired by nature, many of my pieces are modeled after things I see in the great outdoors such as trees & plant life & the beautiful lakes & waterways of Northern Ontario.

J.F.: Describe your 'perfect atmosphere' for crafting...

Melanie: This is something I daydream about almost daily. Currently my studio is in a teeny tiny corner of our garage which isn’t overly inspiring, so in my daydreams I first picture my little family living in a beautiful old restored home out in the country, with lots of land. I could walk out my back door and across the grass to a little studio surrounded by trees and wildflowers. Inspiration everywhere.


J.F.: How do you get your work out in the world? Where else can one find it?

Melanie: Currently you can find my work online on Etsy.

Vendor Spotlight: Oak Savanna

Today's post features the always lovely Melissa -- the amazing knitting talent and designer behind Oak Savanna. Melissa uses superfine merino wool and/or silk to create beautifully delicate, one-of-a-kind scarves, shawls and kerchiefs; all of which are crafted from her own patterns, and knit with her own two hands.


Elizabeth Simpson: Tell us about yourself.

Melissa: My name is Melissa. I have a day job as an environmental engineer and run Oak Savanna during my free time. Knitting is one of my favourite activities, along with hiking, playing board games and drinking craft beer. Also, I have a very large cat named Artemis.

E.S.: Where/when did you become acquainted with your craft?

Melissa: My mom taught me many forms of crafting in my childhood and knitting was one of them. I learned to knit for the first time when I was 10 years old, to help occupy my time at my grandparents' house during a teachers strike. I made a very chubby bookmark, too chubby for any book, and promptly lost interest in the craft. I retaught myself to knit when I was 18 and haven't stopped knitting since.

E.S.: What do you love most about your craft?

Melissa: What I love most about knitting is the flexibility you have when making something. There are so many different types of yarns and techniques available to a knitter, so it's possible to create anything you can think of (nearly). Also, if you make a mistake, you can easily undo the project, fix the mistake and continue on without any trace of the mistake in the finished product.

E.S.: What are your most favourite materials to work with?

Melissa: It's hard to pick a favourite, but yarn that is a hand-dyed merino wool or a hand dyed blend of merino wool and silk. Yarns made from natural fibres in general are a joy to work with.

E.S.: How do you get your work out in the world? Where else can one find it?

Melissa: Since my business is fairly new, my work is only available online at my Etsy shop and of course, it will be available at the Summer Craft Fair.

Vendor Spotlight: Viola Fibers

I spoke to Emily Folden of Viola Fibers about her beautiful yarns.  She hand-dyes all of her yarn and fiber in very small batches, achieving lovely variety of shades, bursts of hues and speckles and splotches of colour.  We first became acquainted with Viola Fibers fine work when our very own Bees Courtney and Elizabeth discovered her at Knitter's Frolic.

Thea Haines: Where/when did you become acquainted with your craft?

Emily Folden: I became acquainted with my craft while working in a yarn shop. The best part of this job was helping customers select colours for their projects...colour quickly became an obsession!

T.H.:  Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Emily:  I draw inspiration from dreams, water, gardens, music.

T.H.:  What is your favourite time of day to work?

Emily: My most productive time to work is the morning. I love getting up early and always get lots don't in the bright quiet of the morning...I also love the coffee!

T.H.:  Describe your 'perfect atmosphere' for crafting...

Emily:  My perfect crafting atmosphere is full of light, good music and pretty things...flowers, paint chips, antique tea cups, fabric and of course lots of yarn!

T.H.:  Tell us about your process.

Emily:  My creative process is rather wild. Creating new colours is the most fun job. I begin. With a dye stock and slowly add bits and bobs of colour until I like what I have in the pot, the more muddy and complicated the better! I love when colours surprise me - even the ones I've dyed a million times before!

Vendor Spotlight: Katie Muth

I spoke to Katie Muth about her beautiful hand printed graphic lino-cuts prints and cards. Katie is an independent artist, illustrator, and printmaker based in Toronto, Canada. She designs and prints in her home-based workshop. The lino-cut images depict things from her life that she cherishes most. Her intent is to make beautiful creations that share this joy. You can see more of Katie's beautiful work on her website.

Thea Haines: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Katie: Things in my life that I enjoy and value. I think I'm a designer at heart, so I really enjoy solving a creative problem. I like to do collections that follow a calendar year because I thrive on the framework of finding the best representation of what's good about each month.

T.H.: What do you love most about your craft?

Katie: A lot! I love the clean, binary nature of the lines in lino-cut (there is no grey - it's either printed or not printed), and the way the hand is slowed by the process of carving, making the images strong and deliberate. It's also a bit of a magic trick! You have to carve everything in reverse, so you don't know exactly what it's going to look like until the first time that you roll ink on, burnish the paper onto the lino-block, and reveal! It's pretty exciting. And finally, the BEST thing about my craft is that while it's a big investment of time and work to carve the block, you can continue making prints from it for years (unlike a painting that you have to say goodbye to when you sell.)

T.H.: Do you have a favourite place/spot/time of day/etc. to work?

Katie: I recently moved to a place with a lovely deck overlooking my vegetable garden. I used to have to heat the linoleum in the microwave to make it easier to carve, but now when I work out on my deck, the sun warms it to the perfect temperature!



T.H.: How do you get your work out in the world? Where else can one find it?

Katie: The internet is a wonderful thing. When I first started my card business, I would get a few orders in one day (from California for example) and it would be because someone blogged about my work. Mixed Media on James St. in Hamilton has been a great supporter of mine, and they carry a wide selection of my cards. I really love doing arts and craft shows though, because nothing compares to seeing all of the original prints displayed together, and the lovely tactile quality of ink on paper that can only be appreciated first-hand.

Vendor Spotlight: Rosalyn Faustino

Spotlight time! Rosalyn Faustino is another vendor in the Beehive Craft Fair this summer, and all of us are simply thrilled about it. Rosalyn is one of those crafters that seems to do a little bit of everything she can get her hands on and her blog is full inspiring pictures of new crafting skills that she is constantly picking up. White Elephant carries some of her crochet wire and thread necklaces (pictured below) and they are a huge hit. We're excited to see more of her work this summer at the fair.

Photo - Karyn Valino 

Jane LaBatte: Tell us about yourself.

Rosalyn: My name is Rosalyn Faustino, born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. I went to school at the Toronto School of Art, University of Toronto and Sheridan College focusing on Sculpture and Design. You can normally find me at the workroom or the dance floor when I'm not craftin' it up.

Photo - Karyn Valino

J.L.: Where/when did you become acquainted with your craft?

Rosalyn: I was always surrounded by craft by both my parents. My mom would always tat, sew, knit, crochet for my sister and I, and my dad always loved to assemble things. I felt that when I was in elementary and girls were chasing boys, I was too busy cross stitching. I would have taken it with me everywhere I went and while I was watching tv. I stopped crafting for awhile and focused more on my fine art practice. It wasn't until I was in my 4th year university when I discovered using my domestic techniques and altering them by using non-traditional materials. 

J.L.: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Rosalyn: Everywhere, but mainly through nature - trees, organic objects.

Photo - Karyn Valino

J.L.: Tell us about your creative process.

Rosalyn: My process involves no pre-determined conceptions as to how the overall work would become. The work manifests from the trial and errors I encounter and where every it can take me. This way of creativity has allowed me to work subconsciously

Photo - Rosalyn Faustino

J.L.: How do you get your work out into the world? Where else can one find it?

Rosalyn: I've only recently started showing my work into the world. I was a vendor with my partner Caitlyn, of COSMIC LATTE, at City of Craft in 2009. From there, I was invited to be part of the Wunderkabinet 2  in Berlin. The Beehive Fair will be my first show going solo!! I'm hoping to open up an online shop soon...so keep your eyes open!!

Photo - Karyn Valino

J.L.: What do you do when you’re not working on your craft?

Rosalyn: I like to do dancing and discovering all the little shops and eatery places in Toronto!

Vendor Spotlight: Dear Edna

Next in our lineup of wonderful vendors is a local Hamiltonian: Erin of Dear Edna. She makes gorgeous aprons (for girls and guys!), cute screen printed totes, and has a fun blog that does a great job of letting me know what's going on in Hamilton each month.

Kate Hunter: Tell us about yourself.

Erin: My name is Erin McIntosh and I’m the one-woman show behind Dear Edna, a small handmade accessories company based in Hamilton, Ontario. I was born and raised in “the Hammer”, but it wasn’t until I had spent four years at the University of Western, two years in Japan and Australia, and three years in Toronto that I decided to move back to my hometown, reignite my relationship with my sewing machine, and finally turn my life-long hobby into a creative business. When I’m not sewing, I am a full-time editor, tea fanatic, bookworm and baker.

K.H.: Where/when did you become acquainted with your craft?

Erin: I come from a long line of crafters. My grandmother was very well known for her quilting skills. I think she made a quilt for every new grandchild and every wedding in our family, and I have fond memories playing beneath her quilting frames. Many of my baby and doll clothes were handmade thanks to my aunts, and my mother’s crocheted afghans and doilies are warm reminders of home for me. I began teaching myself to sew at a very young age, when my mother inherited a sewing machine from a friend. I was immediately fascinated with it, and after practicing sewing line after line into tea towels, I progressed to creating pencil cases, skirts and dresses, and finally, home accessories. It’s only in the last year that I’ve picked up screen printing and I’m really excited about where that will take me.

K.H.: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

Erin: Hopefully it is evident in my work, but I am heavily influenced by the past – florals, houndstooth and plaid; doilies and lace; brooches and pearls; high tea and happy hour. Browsing antique stores is one of my favourite things to do and I could do it for hours on end.

I am also really inspired by the handmade tradition. Skills such as sewing, needlepoint and weaving that have been passed down for generations are now disappearing art forms. I am really eager to try my hand at many of them and find ways to incorporate them into my work.

K.H.: Do you have a favourite place/spot/time of day/etc. to work?

Erin: I live in a two-story condo with my boyfriend in downtown Hamilton. We recently created a sewing room and office that takes up almost the entire top floor and opens out onto two rooftop patios, which I just love. Words can’t describe how nice it is to have my fabric collection on display, all my tools within arm’s reach, natural sunlight and a dedicated space to just create. My favourite time of day is currently unavailable, so let’s just say it’s evenings and weekends.



K.H.: How do you get your work out in the world? Where else can one find it?

Erin: I primarily sell my work online through my Etsy store: www.dearedna.etsy.com. I also have a few pieces for sale in White Elephant.

Vendor Spotlight: Bread and Butter Pottery

Bethany Butterworth, of Bread and Butter Pottery, is one of our vendors traveling the farthest just to take part in our lil’ fair. (All the way from Halifax, Nova Scotia, guys!) Her sweet, light-hearted pottery has been delighting east-coasters for the past few years since she graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and we are more than a little excited to share her work with you all! I caught up with her over email to ask her a few questions about her work and inspiration.

Anna Taylor: How did you first get acquainted with your craft?

Bethany Butterworth: I studied at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design from 2003-2007. Somehow I knew where I wanted to be, so by the second semester I had made my way into the ceramics department, where I stayed.  

A.T.: Pottery is the kind of art/craft practice that is difficult to do in your own space and I know that you are the executive director of a co-operative pottery studio called Turnstile Pottery. How have you found working in that kind of shared environment?

B.B.: Turnstile is a co-op studio, currently there are 8 of us. We share costs and responsibilities, so what would be an overwhelming amount of things for one person to run is divided among the group. We keep a small storefront and have a working studio, and we also run workshops and classes. Working in a shared space was challenging at first, but once you get used to it, sharing studio space is a wonderful thing. The group right now is darling. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without it. Having others around to generate ideas and share experiences is a treat.

A.T.: Besides selling through Turnstile’s shop front what other ways have you gotten your work out in the world?

B.B.: I have work at a few stores in Nova Scotia  including Love, Me Boutique in Halifax, Salty Rose’s Local Craft and Trinket  in Cape Breton and the Flying Cloud Boutique which is an airstream trailer that travels across the province. I also sell at a number of craft markets including the Halifax Crafters and [now] Beehive. I’m still working out other places to sell, like the Halifax farmers market and online...

A.t.: I’m totally in love with the “North End” line your posted on your website! Can you tell us a bit about how your community in Halifax Nova Scotia informs your practice?

B.B.: Yes! The North end of Halifax is an excellent place. You always hear about how things move more slowly out here, and that is true in this neighbourhood for certain. The streets are lined with trees, neighbours talk to one another, cats prowl, things happen in backyards and spill out into the street. I’m lucky enough to live in the thick of all this, and my house and studio are less than a block apart. I’ve been inspired by the funny sass of the neighbourhood, so I’ve been trying to get that feeling into my work! I’m totally fascinated by the cats. They are so funny and weird, there are tons of them around, and they each have ‘people’ names, like Benny or Jack or Tina or Harrison. Conversations can get confusing pretty quickly.

A.T.: You did an interesting collaborative project with tumblers a couple of times in the last few years, can you tell us a bit about the project?

B.B.: The project is called Secret Tumblers, I start in November and have a release in mid-December (strategically just before Christmas, so people want to buy these tumblers!).  I ask 5 artists to collaborate with me, generally they are local artists/illustrators. I make a set number of tumblers and each of the 5 artists decorate them, usually each artist chooses a consistent idea, so last year one person drew fences, another did really lovely abstract drawings. Each artist decorates these  tumblers and at the end they each get to keep an entire set (one of theirs, one by the other 4 artists) and I sell the rest at a release party. The artists get to learn a new skill and I get to spend time with them while being inspired by new ideas. Then we all have a party to celebrate, which is always fun. This project always destroys me but it is incredibly rewarding.

A.T.: I’ve been familiar with your pottery work for some time but recently I was happy to hear you talk about taking on a more official business model for your craft. What services did you take advantage of to help you in this process?

B.B.: I have been lucky enough to participate in the government’s Self Employment Benefits program. This program is national, but each province organizes it differently. Basically if you are in this program you receive financial support and access to workshops to assist you in starting a business. It is an excellent resource and I wish everyone I know could participate in it.

A.T.: Have you found them to be helpful?

B.B.: Yes for the most part they are very helpful. Honestly the biggest help is the time.

A.T.: What advice would you have for other crafters just starting out in building a business?

Find the time to do it. It can be scary but keep your chin up and you will persevere.

Photos courtesy of Bethany Buttersworth