Local Authors and Artists @ Art in the Garden,
Twenty-one Calgary artists and authors will be exhibiting and selling their work on Sunday, September 18th, from 10:00 to 4:00. in the garden, on the large deck and in the Naested Studio and garage at 1124-15th Street N.W. Calgary. The artists and authors include: Kirk Anderson (painter), Alison Bakken (stained-glass), Barb Bell (painter & pottery), Sandra Coats (tea-leaf reader), Beth Everest (poet & jewelry), Vivian Hansen (poet), Susanne Heaton (author & faeryologist), Isabelle-Hunt-Johnson (watercolour painter), Joan Jack (fabric artist), Munira Jiwa ( author & Qigong master), Beverly Kelly (painter), Sharon London (card-maker), Wendy McIvor (pottery), Joanne Morcom (poet), Irene Naested (artist & author), Lara Peters (potter), David Peyto (author), Connie Ptasinski (painter & ceramist), Donna Russell (fabric artist), Valerie Walker (author of children and YA books), and Tammy Watt (painter). More about this event and more about the artists and authors will be posted over the next couple of weeks at: www.passporttothearts.ca.
David Peyto has authored three walking guidebooks and three parks guidebooks for Calgary. He has also authored two Canadian Rockies trivia books and edited four books of his grandfather’s Banff park warden journals.
Valerie Walker is a self-published author of “The Adventures of Hedley the Hedgehog” series as well as two juvenile time-travel novels, “Mystery in the Attic“, and “The Quest for Kananaskis”. Her latest book “Looks Can Kill” is an adult/Young adult adventure thriller set in Italy in the 1950’s. She is currently working on a prequel to the Hedley series.
Joanne Morcom is a writer and the author of three poetry collections and contributor to several poetry anthologies. Her most recent publication, titled Last Year’s Leaves, is a collection of seasonal haiku and humorous senryu.
Nell Smith, author, public speaker and workshop leader, has more than 25 years experience helping individuals of all ages explore and discover new careers and meaningful life paths. In her conversational book, Nell intertwines her own story with ideas, examples, and the practical tools you need to explore and discover possibilities for your own path at midlife and beyond.
Irene Naested, is a visual artist, published author and director of Art, Nature & Meditation. Irene will be selling two of her art teaching books as well as some of her paintings in her newly completed art studio above a double car garage, overlooking downtown Calgary. Irene gleans from nature the elements and principles of composition as a pathway in becoming grounded. She approaches her teaching as a form of meditative art making, as a means toward an understanding, and a method of communication to oneself and others. Currently, Irene has published some of her poetry and is working on combining words with images into her paintings. www.passporttothearts.ca
Connie Ptasinski, painter and ceramist, is fascinated with all things trees. She began with a focus on the splintered, hollow stumps at Emma Lake in Saskatchewan. Later she became involved with Raku clay work and became interested in the various textures in the bark of the trees. Today she is studying the graceful silhouettes and their strength. She likes to create both 2D and 3D works that she hopes will touch viewer’s heart, stimulate their spirit and share in the beauty of trees.
Sharon London, card maker, has always loved Japanese paper and spotting an origami kimono in a paper art shop started her hobby as a paper artist. Moving from Japanese inspired cards to mixed media has been a fun journey. Inspiration and knowledge come from working with and learning from other artists.
Joan Jack, fabric artist, designs and sews a variety of colourful handmade fabric placements, quilted table toppers and potholders to accent breakfast nooks or dining tables.
Donna Russell, fabric artist and china painter, will be selling her individually designed and sewn table runners with different seasons on each side along with Christmas tree skirts and personalized towels.
Wendy McIvor & Lara Peters, are ceramic artists and potters, a mother and daughter team. The wonder of their artwork is that each and every piece is unique. Although some may have similar shapes or designs, the many natural elements in the clay and the glazes and even how the weather affects each firing of their outdoor kiln mean that mother nature herself puts her fingerprint on each piece. All glazes used are non-toxic and all are microwave and dishwasher friendly.
Kirk Anderson, is an artist, home designer and illustrator in Calgary. In his world of design and presentation, he has ridden the wave of change toward all-digital media. He is fond of pointing out that, not so long ago, all designers had to know how to draw; or that in a modern architect’s office you will rarely even find a pencil. When he’s not in his studio, Kirk spends time in his quaint little carpentry shop, creating quirky projects from re-purposed materials. But, for several years now, “fine art” has become his renewed obsession.
Beverly Kelly, a painter who paints with vivid colors and textures gleaned from nature. She is often drawn to water, light, and shadow, movement and abstraction. She sets out to capture their essence in her paintings. www.bevkellyfineart.com
Tammy Watt, a painter, works predominately with acrylic paint and takes pleasure in the challenges of design fundamentals and colour relationships. Her work is displayed in private and public spaces in Canada and the United States.
Barb Bell, a painter and potter, is inspired by the flora and fauna in her Bearberry acreage. She creates her pottery, paintings & collages in her meditative two-story art studio overlooking the valley.
Alison Bakken, is stain glass artist. When she is not creating with glass she raises angora goats to make yarn and breeds Fiord horses from Norway.
Isabelle Hunt-Johnson, a painter, mainly works in watercolour. Isabelle draws stimulus for her paintings from her garden in the summer and the orchids she nourishes inside her southwest Calgary home during the winter.
Beth Everest, is a writer and jeweller artist based in Calgary. Her silver work has appeared in galleries such as The Red Door and The Rubaiyat, she has a new book of poems, Silent Sister: the mastectomy poems, due out in September (2016) from Frontenac House Press.
Sandra Coats, a tea leaf reader. A 4th generation gifted tea leaf reader Sandra will provide psychic readings based on the loose tea leaves left in your cup. $20 for 10 minutes… includes a reading, your tea beverage and tea cookies
Munira Jiwa, Qigong Master, Director of Core Energy Wellness and Spreader of Qi~Joy, will be at this Art in the Garden Event demonstrating the power of Qigong movement and meditation and make available for purchase books and DVD’s.
Susan Heaton, Susanne the Sunshine Faery will be selling her award-winning children’s book, The ABC Field Guide to Faeries which has inspiring reminders of respect for self, others and the environment. Susanne will also be offering faery readings as she is a certified faeryologist through Doreen Virtue. She looks forward to connecting with your inner child and the faery energy! www.motivatedbynature.com.
Vivian Hansen, is a poet and freelance writer. Her poetry, fiction and nonfiction have appeared in a wide variety of anthologies and journals with work that has encountered women’s issues, the western landscape, work and immigration. She has received many awards and grants for her poetry. www.vivianhansen.ca