Forge Craft Designs is owned and operated by Adam Bateman, a coppersmith and artisan located in Victoria, British Columbia. Having worked in wood and metal for over fifteen years, Adam makes everything in his workshop in Esquimalt, just across the harbour from downtown Victoria.
Artist’s Website: www.forgecraftdesigns.com
Artist’s Hometown: Victoria, BC
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Ba-Hung Tran is a self-taught origami artist. He immigrated to Canada from Vietnam in 1981, and has made his home in Saskatoon, SK since.
During the 1990s, he renewed his childhood passion for paper folding. His unique art includes framed works, greeting cards, flowers, vases, and Christmas ornaments in addition to his painstaking jewelry.
Artist’s Hometown: Saskatoon, SK
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Mark & Jane Bateman have been making glass pieces, like the items you see before you, since they arrived in Victoria in 1978.
Each sculpture is crafted by Mark from high-fire borosilicate glass, in an open flame of propane and oxygen.
The technique is variously known as Flame-working or Lamp-working; an ancient art form, practised by many cultures for thousands of years Jane puts the finishing touches on each figurine to prepare them for final display.
Artist’s Hometown: Victoria, BC
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Born in Italy Frank grew up in Calgary and now resides just outside of Calgary.
In 2006 he began sculpting as a hobby after admiring an Invermere B.C Artists Bear sculpture (Jerry Kohurst). He was fascinated with the way it was carved and how powerful this rock looked in his hands. He located the Artist, who opened up the door to a whole new experience for him. The Artist generously gave him a few pieces of rock to experiment with. Well, at that point he was hooked. Once he got the hang of the power tools (Chisels, angle and die grinders, files, sanders, polishing wheels) the pieces he worked on became more detailed.
“It is truly uplifting when you can transform a raw piece of rock into an object of beauty.”
After a few years working with Anhydrite rock he attended a 5-day workshop that was put on by Zimbabwe born Artist Chaka Chikodzi. The rock he chose to work with was called African lemon opal from Zimbabwe. No power tools were used on this sculpture just chisels and rasps. His first soft stone carving was a Turtle, weighing 90 lbs with the dimensions of 24 x 18 x 8 inches. Working with the softer stone allowed him to put more detail in his sculptures. For him the best part of rock sculpting is when you sand your treasure and see the colors come to life when you polish them. Every rock he works on is a little different and always special in some way.
“I would recommend this hobby to everyone, it’s a great escape and truly rewarding.”
Frank is always out exploring for new rocks to sculpt with and prides himself on continually looking to make improvements and finding new uses for the rock he works with. In 2015 he discovered a way to draw a beautiful picture on a special rock by using a small piece of sandpaper and a few drops of water and he named it Mystic Mountain Beauty then re-named the process Sand n Sketch.
Artist’s Web Site: www.onepennyrocksculpting.com
Artist’s Hometown: Calgary
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Chris Jones has always had an eye for composition, form and detail.
A degree in cinema led to a career running an independent theatre where his critic’s eye ensured that only the best of Canadian and international films were played. His love of excellence in art broadened with his role as Member Services Coordinator for the Saskatchewan Craft Council. Directing the jury process meant ensuring that craft standards as well as a focus on creativity were achieved. Chris received the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal for his work in the Arts in 2005.
Chris purchased SMALL SCULPTURES from friends and craftspeople David and Marilyn Goldsmith in 2010. He loved the original elegance and simplicity of the pieces. He has broadened the range of images; updated matte choices, and he continues to create an all Canadian product.
In 2011,through a serendipitous series of events, he moved the business from the Canadian Prairies to Invermere on the Lake in the Columbia River Valley of British Columbia. The mountain vistas inspire him and the relaxed lifestyle and his backyard studio allow him to continue to apply his attention to detail and high production standards.
SMALL SCULPTURES are based on original designs and are sculpted in fine pewter. The final finishing, framing and packaging is done by hand to ensure you a quality work of art for generations to come.
Artist’s Web Site: http://sculpturesinpewter.com/
Artist’s Hometown: Invermere, BC
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Leslie Rowe-Israelson and her twin sister, Melanie Rowe-Prosser spent their childhood in Victoria. For the last twenty years, the twins have lived and worked in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. The beauty of the mountains, particularly in Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, is their passion and inspiration.
It was in the mountains that they discovered their other shared passion. Glass would come to consume their thoughts and dreams.
Through dedication, this passion became their visual language. Part of the dedication has been training and dialogue with other glass artists. From 1985-1994, Leslie and Melanie attended the world-renowned Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington. Both sisters say, Pilchuck Glass School was a wonderful atmosphere to share ideas and experiences with people from around the world. Pilchuck provided an environment where they could contribute to and learn from the triumphs and failures of top calibre glass artists. The sisters also received training from the Alberta College of Art, Andrighetti Glassworks, Colton Glass School and the Vancouver College of Art.
To express their artistic voice, their visual language has required the development of unusual techniques involving sand-casting, mosaic and pate de verre. Because of the time consuming nature involved in the creation of each piece, it becomes a contemplative process which both Melanie and Leslie find rewarding. As an extension of this contemplative process, Leslie often writes poems relating to the pieces that the twins are working on.
Artist’s Web Site: http://www.twinvision.fusedglassartists.com
Artist’s Hometown: Invermere, BC
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