PAST ARTISANS GALLERY

Troy Townsin is a proud Canadian! Born in Melbourne, Australia, he worked as an actor and playwright before embarking on a round-the-world backpacking extravaganza taking him to six continents. Troy has won several awards for his writing including a prestigious ‘Travel Writer of the Year’ award with TNT Magazine UK and four Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. A Moose in a Maple Tree Productions is a division of Polyglot Publishing created for children and for those who have a love for all things Canadian. The Moose in a Maple Tree collection and the exciting Canadian Monster Club series are true celebrations of Canada.

As well as writing children’s books, Troy has also co-authored a series of cookbooks based on the wineries of British Columbia. The ideas behind his books were conceptualized while he was in the process of becoming a Canadian resident. There was a period of over a year where he was prohibited from working or studying in Canada in accordance with Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s regulations. In order to keep himself engaged he began writing books. The Canadian children’s books are a celebration of him becoming a Canadian citizen – a process which took five years. Troy fell in love with a Canadian girl, married her and then fell in love with Canada, his new home.

Through their books and CDs, Troy and Polyglot aim to educate children and adults about the beauty and diversity of this great nation in a fun and entertaining way. They try to include every corner of the country in the contents of their books and CD. Their stories take readers across Canada visiting each province and territory and the musicians on their CD come from all over Canada with diverse backgrounds.

For Cecile, the process of creating a work is as important as the finished piece. Painting is a sentient experience and when she immerses herself in a canvas, she allows all of her senses to express themselves. As such, her paintings have a certain whimsical style that seeks to captivate the senses of the viewer. It is her intention to convey beauty in a multi-sensory fashion.

Cecile’s paintings are acrylic and oil on canvas and are created with the intention to convey a complete visual, emotional, and tactile experience. When she’s exploring abstract impressionism in large canvases or small, her foremost consideration is the colourful expression of the beauty she perceives in her subjects. Cecile gets her inspiration from nature. As a reference, she pulls from her memory, sketches, and photography. Her paintings are created intuitively, and the images evolve as she paints.

Jason spent much of his childhood exploring the wild. His love of nature inspired him from a young age and significantly shaped his adult life.

Jason’s artwork is authentically photographed in the wilderness of Canada. He has been a wildlife photographer for over 25 years and has participated in the One-of-a-Kind Artisan Show for many of these 25 years. 20 years ago, Jason opened All in the Wild, featuring his wildlife photographic artwork. Today, Jason’s artwork can be found across Canada in six “All in the Wild” galleries: Niagara on the Lake, Canmore, Banff, Saskatoon, Christopher Lake, and Waskesiu.

In 2010, Jason started the “All in the Wild Land Fund” to directly contribute to the conservation of nature. Since then, 6% of all his artwork sales go into this fund, to be set aside for purchasing land for wildlife conservation. All in the Wild has purchased 1,600 acres of land in several areas across Saskatchewan to date. Although small relative to the areas under threat, every contribution provides a place where nature can be nature without human interference.

Jason is a true voice and advocate for nature. His mission is to bring appreciation, awareness, respect, and enjoyment of nature and the wildlife that inhabit it.

From her studio in Montreal, artist Karla Morales Rios uses her knitting machines to create beautifully knit pieces. Karla designs all of her pieces and participates in the entire process, hiring temporary help for small tasks with an eye on all stages.

“Since I was young, I have always been attracted to the world of crafts, without realizing it at the time. I loved working with textures and colours, but most of all, I always loved the idea of making my own designs. Once my mom introduced me to knitting and crocheting, my love and passion for the craft has done nothing but grow.  All the knitting work I have made so far is the result of self-taught training and a continuous exploration of the craft. I love knitting and crocheting by hand as much as I love working with my knitting machines.

Ampara was founded as an expression of my passion for knitting and design. The word “Ampara” means “Hand” in the Aymara language. It was chosen because it represents the craftsmanship displayed in our products.” – Karla Morales Rios

Artist Amy Gaulin draws with charcoal on paper. She uses charcoal, erasers, and her hands to saturate the paper with values from crisp white to velvet black.  Adding that extra touch, Amy is also a framer and will build frames for some of her artwork. Her drawings are inspired by her own sketches, photos, and imagination.

Andrew Glazebrook is an Alberta artist who spent most of his growing-up years in the hamlet of Rosebud, Alberta. He is inspired by craftsmanship of any kind and draws from the satisfying feeling of being a maker of things which others can see, touch, feel and cherish.

Andrew has recently expanded his business to include the manufacturing of wooden kitchen products. Using the lathe as the primary design tool for each product, his line of kitchen products is intended to be functional art, yet keeping design, quality and craftsmanship in the forefront.  To remain food safe, and uniquely different to common kitchen items, many processes had to be developed further and in many cases, the machines to assist had to be made or modified.

Over the years of learning his craft, Andrew has made a name for his work and has been recognized for his high quality of craftsmanship and willingness to share his knowledge with others. Andrew has taught the art of Woodturning at many schools, universities, and conferences across North America.

Andrew currently resides in Red Deer County with his wife and three children.

At Apple Island Naturals, they believe that everyone deserves to enjoy the beauty of nature and are committed to creating special products for you using natural ingredients. All are handcrafted and never involve animal testing or synthetic ingredients. They are constantly searching for new ways to “go green” and reduce their environmental impact. They use only ethical Canadian suppliers for their ingredients, supplies, and equipment because they believe in employing Canadians. We support local businesses as often as possible.

“I still make everything in small batches so it’s always fresh. I have learned a lot more, and continue to learn, and though I’ll always miss nursing, I still get to help people with my products.  I especially like helping people with skin conditions and allergies, and getting people to switch to natural products by teaching them about synthetic ingredients which are often irritants at best – many are even cancer-causing.  There is no need for anything like that to be in our skincare.   Because I’m getting older, I’ve developed a strong interest in anti-aging ingredients as well and look forward to creating more facial products.”

We are all on this life journey together and my goal is to help as many people as I can, any way I can while also trying to be easy on our planet.  I’ve learned that change happens, that’s just life.  You can be bitter and fight against it, like I did for a while, or you can adapt to it, change yourself, go with the flow, and turn lemons into lemonade.  Apple Island Naturals is my lemonade stand and proof that you can survive and thrive as long as you don’t give up.  Follow your dreams!  If I can do it, you can too!” – Kathy Lind

Jessica designs and makes all of her pieces. She sketches and creates paper models, digitizes the patterns and cuts with a laser cutter. She cleans, sands and edges the pieces and then adds colour and polish. Some pieces are hand-stitched together and others are rivetted, some both.

“I believe with all my heart and soul in the power of accessories. They can be empowering, comforting and expressive.” – Jessica Graham

We are Neil and Tracy the spirited team behind Artrophy from Okotoks! ARTrophy is all about turning “disability” into “possibility,” blending our unique strengths to create something truly magical. Our art embodies a harmonious blend of perspectives, bridging the sighted and partially sighted worlds. Painting side by side on a single canvas, we alternate brushstrokes, weaving our visions into a seamless tapestry. In this collaborative process, individual boundaries dissolve, revealing a unified story that celebrates our shared reality and collective experiences. Neil’s eye condition, Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy, inspired the playful name ARTrophy. Just add one letter and new possibilities unfold!

Our paintings are our love letters to the world, especially the Rocky Mountains, our favourite playground. As nature lovers, we channel the beauty of the outdoors into vibrant, playful acrylic paintings that exude joy, innocence, and freedom. With exaggerated colours, whimsical shapes, and funky patterns, we reveal the familiar in delightfully unexpected ways. Painting helps us find inner peace and discover stillness amidst life’s chaos. Our journey is full of twists and turns, but art is our guiding star.

Fueled by a passion to prove that limitations are just in our minds, we use our art to spark conversations about inclusivity, collaboration, and the beauty of being unique. We’re self-taught artists who left the classroom after years of international adventures and unexpected detours. Though we’re no longer teaching, our learning never stops. This is just the beginning of our story, and there’s so much more to explore. If we’ve tickled your curiosity, come along for the ride! Our backstory will take you to places you never imagined. Visit us at www.ARTrophy.com.

Artist Olufunke Olotu has been sewing for seven years and her sustainable clothing brand is three years old. Her sustainable clothing brand uses organic fabrics to create beautiful day wear and accessories that are super soft, breathable, and comfy with a touch of heritage.

“The climate change and fast fashion negative effects, plus the birth of my last child, made me to consider how I can affect my world positively. I source eco-friendly fabrics such as bamboo from BC and ethically create in Calgary beautiful pieces that are soft, breathable and comfy.” – Olufunke Olotu

Artist Nick Deck has loved playing around with wood since he was a kid. It didn’t matter if he was carving sticks in the woods or getting underfoot in his grandfather’s workshop.  Some thirty-odd years later, and he still loves playing around with wood, only it’s in his shop now.

“I first started gathering up my own woodworking equipment back in 2012, and it didn’t take long before the hobby became an all-absorbing obsession. At the time, I was working in the oil and gas sector and spent the majority of my time on the road, living out of hotel rooms. To maximize my woodworking time, I started packing two gear bags for work. One with all my regular clothes and work gear, the other packed with hand planes, carving tools, clamps, and scraps of wood to practice with. I’m sure the hotel staff wondered about all the sawdust and wood shaving in my room, but I couldn’t go a day without tools in my hands.” – Nick Deck

In 2017, Nick took a leap of faith and quit his oilfield job to pursue woodworking full-time. Since then, he has pioneered a variety of patterns and techniques used in making elaborate end-grain designs. He started out with cutting boards that served as functional pieces of art and has recently introduced some large-scale scale not-so-functional pieces of art to his lineup of products. This year he has been exploring other uses for the intricate patterns he makes, creating everything from bookmarks to lighting fixtures and furniture pieces. Nearly everything he makes these days pulls inspiration from the landscapes in and around Calgary, cutting boards modelled after winding rivers and soaring mountains, magnetic knife holders shaped like the river rocks he used to play with as a kid along the shores of the Bow, and bookmarks inspired by the plumage of the variety of birds that call this land home.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to do what I love every day. I’m just a 33-year-old kid who loves playing in his humble little wood shop.” – Nick Deck

More than fifteen years ago, at their kitchen table, CJ’s Pampered Pets was started with their first product, Pet Bandanas. As the years passed they have expanded their “Made in Canada” line of unique pet accessories.

All of their products are sewn by artist Cindy Arsenault and the woodworking is done by her husband.

Artist Leanne Droder is involved with every element of Clayfun Creations ornaments from designing the new styles to hand sculpting each ornament. Leanne receives all the clay in bricks and everything is hand-rolled to create each piece. No moulds are used in their process.

Christine, using Soft Pastels as her medium, creates animals with character and personality, whether that be sweet and peaceful or weird and quirky! Her ultimate goal is that the viewer connects with these little souls she’s created, forging a relationship between them and the little character looking back. She is a 2-D visual artist and the work is created by her.

“I’ve always been fascinated with animals. My body of work is my often whimsical take on the beings that live amongst us, big, small, fur and feathered. I love their quirks, head tilts, little paws and soulful eyes. In my work, I strive to convey the spirit I see in these animals and give a glimpse into their character. Sometimes sweet, sometimes funny, sometimes peaceful. I hope it brings a smile to you. That’s the goal anyways…..” – Christine Normolyle

Artist Amanda Webster designs cosplay-themed aprons – princess, cartoon, anime, sci-fi, superheroes and more.  She designs the patterns and sews them together. Some have vinyl images that she adds to them.

The jewels created by Christophe Poly stand out at first glance thanks to their unique design. Their architectural compositions result from the addition of aluminum, brass, acrylic, leather and rubber. Each model is made from plates, wires and tubes. The entire collection is entirely handmade in Montreal. This artisanal production combines both tradition and innovation. Comfort, originality and avant-garde are at the heart of Christophe’s creative process.  He cuts the metal, shapes, solders, polishes and adds glass stones and aluminum accents to complete the work  Depending on the item, such as a necklace or a bracelet, different elements are used, such as stainless wire and leather cords.

Lexi Soukoreff launched DAUB as a way to explore her education and interest in colour, pattern and function of high-quality fabrics.

“Our goal as a female-founded and led company is to support women in their everyday and active lives. We create women’s clothing to inspire movement and healthy living. All our items are Canadian-made, using sustainable fabrics and working in limited editions to reduce our environmental impact. We’re known for our hand-dyed leggings, tanks and undies as well as our collection of incredible soft wardrobe basics.

We choose only the finest natural and technical materials based on what the end use of the garment will be. All of our items are designed to be worn from season to season with timeless shapes cut from quality fabric.

Our Basics line is cut from sustainable, OEKO-Tex certified bamboo/cotton blends and modal fibres. These materials not only look and feel amazing, but they also have a lower impact on the environment. Our technical fabrics for our activewear pieces are designed to move with you in your day-to-day and active moments. They keep their shape and sit close to without constraining the body. All our fabrics have a consistent softness to them.” – Lexi Soukoreff

dconstruct designs and manufactures unique, eco-friendly jewelry. Every piece is made of recycled resin.

Their work is inspired by nature and minimalist design and is handmade from leading architectural materials. Each piece contains a minimum of 40% pre-consumer recycled material. The recycled content would otherwise be waste from producers of skylights, store fixtures and vending machine covers.

Their organics and textiles are sourced from artisan communities in developing countries around the world. Through this process, they help local tradespeople in struggling communities develop their skills, their businesses, and boost their local economies. The healthier the community, the more effectively they can fight poverty, poor living conditions, and illiteracy. It’s about starting small and building a future, brick by brick.

At dconstruct they do not outsource anything. All jewelry is made in their studio in Winnipeg.

Dean McLeod is a landscape and nature photographer specializing in limited edition gallery-quality acrylic and metal fine art photography prints that are engineered to last for generations.

Dean was born and raised in Saskatchewan, where he still resides today. His wonderment of the natural world began at a very young age. A childhood filled with camping expeditions across the prairies and beyond helped to instill the deep appreciation that he holds for our natural world and its preservation.

Landscape and nature photography has enriched his life in countless ways; his self-taught exploration with the camera has brought him back full circle to the joys of his childhood, magically combining his love of nature and the creation of art.

“It is very liberating to capture a fleeting moment in time that can be preserved forever as a beautiful fine art photography print. There’s nothing like witnessing a burning sunrise or gazing up at the stars with fresh air in your lungs to help de-stress and reconnect with this amazing planet that we call home.” – Dean McLeod

Working from his home office while collaborating with award-winning master printers allows him to produce breathtaking art pieces from two to twelve feet wide at the fraction of the cost of similar prints from a gallery.

Artist Marina Ortman creates upcycled and new leather apparel and accessories. Her studio production carries a distinct design and look created by her. Her involvement in the design and production starts from scratching a design and bridging it to a final product. She also prints her artwork on fabric that they use for the production of t-shirts and accessories.