Studio Stories: Mags Kandis

In late March I was in Prince Edward County for pleasure and took the opportunity to visit and interview three artists, including maker and marker Mags Kandis, whose makes and marks with Indigo+Rust, and is exploring botanicals. I look forward to seeing her new work this summer at the Wellington Market.

Mags Kandis at the Wellington Market in Prince Edward County

Indigo shibori dyed pillows by Mags Kandis.

Mags also marks textiles with rust.

Botanical marking by Mags Kandis of Indigo+Rust

Listen on Amherst Island Radio on Wednesday at 6pm or Friday at 1pm for our chat about dyeing, marking, the Wellington Market, and more. You can find Mags Kandis in person at the Wellington Market (occasionally she is not there, so if you’re going specifically to see her work, contactMags first!) from May long weekend to the September (Saturdays 8am-1pm) or online on her website, Instagram @mags_kandis, and on facebook on indigonrust.

Listen anytime on the iTunes podcast or the googlePlay podcast. Amherst Island Radio show archive can be found here.

Indigo dyed shirt in the Japanese shibori method by Mags Kandis.

All photos provided by Mags Kandis and used with permission.

Studio Stories: Karen Franzen

Karen Franzen tile

In February of 2019 I was giving a workshop at Karen Franzen’s Studio Under The Trees in Beach Hill neighbourhood of Toronto so we had a chat about Karen’s ceramic art and studio.

Karen Franzen in her Studio Under the Trees in the Beach Hill neighbourhood of Toronto.

The bowl of lemons tile piece we discuss in the interview.

Works in progress in Karen’s studio

Mother Goose tea pot by Karen Franzen

Karen’s Studio Under the Trees is located at 3 Wembley Drive, Toronto. Please call for an appointment 416 465 7477. Check out Karen’s website, including her work, the workshop series, and her 506 Streetcar Project at karenfranzen.com . Find Karen and the 506 Project on facebook.

Daffodil tile by Karen Franzen

Listen to the interview on Amherst Island radio on Friday, March 15, 2019 at 1pm or on the podcast (iTunes or GooglePlay) anytime.

All images provided by Karen Franzen. Images used with permission.

Studio Stories 15: Blue Iris Studios

In January of 2019 I was visiting family in Guelph, so took the opportunity to interview potter Iris Dorton of Blue Iris Studios. Listen to the interview as we talk career changes, name homages, finding the right studio and more. Radio program will air Friday, February 15, 2019, and the podcast is up (links at the bottom of this post)!

Iris Dorton in her Guelph studio/shop © 2019 Iris Dorton

Iris makes pottery and jewellery:

Blue Iris Studios wall of mugs

Blue Iris Studios pottery includes full place settings

Blue Iris Studios jewellery combines clay and precious metal clay

Blue Iris Studios earrings of clay and precious metal clay

My new favourite of Blue Iris Studios pottery are the travel mugs!

Blue Iris Studios is located at 179 Woolwich St in Guelph, Ontario. Find more at blueirisstudios.ca, on facebook at blueirisstudios, or on instagram at @blueirisguelph.

Blue Iris Studios at 179 Woolwich St. in Guelph, Ontario

Click here for MP3 show archives.

Listen to the interview on Amherst Island radio on Friday, February 15 at 1pm (encore airing the following Wednesday at 6pm) or on the podcast (iTunes or GooglePlay) anytime.

All images © 2019 Lynn Wyminga unless otherwise noted. Images used with permission.

Studio Stories 14: mined reCreations

For episode 14, I spoke on the phone with recycled textile artist Joanne Jones of mined reCREATIONS in Cambridge, Ontario. I started following Joanne on Instagram a while back and met her in November 2017 at a Toronto show, where our fundraising plan was hatched. Hear about how Joanne got started in recycled textiles, her process, her amazing scholarship project, and a bit about our fundraising collaboration in the interview.

Joanne at work in her Cambridge studio

A one of a kind recycled textile weekend bag from mined reCREATIONS

A sneak peek at the Gord Downie | Chanie Wenjack Fund bags currently on Joanne’s work table:

See Joanne’s work in person at booth U54 at the upcoming 2018 One of a Kind Winter Show in Toronto, or visit her studio at 1916 Coronation Blvd. in Cambridge. Website minedrecreations.com, instagram @minedrecreations and facebook minedrecreations.

As promised, here’s the rug made by her grandparents that sparked Joanne’s interest in recycling textiles into beautiful, durable creations.

Joanne created an amazing weekend bag from my old university jacket, which I use all the time now. I was so excited that I posted a video of it on Instagram here.

Click here for MP3 show archives.

Listen to the interview on Amherst Island radio on Friday, Nov 9, 2018 at 1pm or on the podcast (iTunes or GooglePlay) anytime.

All images © 2018 mined reCREATIONS used with permission.

Studio Stories 13: County Studio

This summer I took a trip out to the Mountain View area of Prince Edward County to visit County Studio’s artists, and former islanders, Barb Högenauer and Terry Culbert.

Barb Högenauer & Terry Culbert (photo by Ramesh Pooran, Wellington Times)

Their painting styles are very different (see below) but listen to this fun interview to hear how they work together as well!

JOYFULL by Barbara Högenauer

SQUALLS by Barbara Högenauer

SURRENDER by Barbara Högenauer

Along the Danforth by Terry Culbert

Black & White & Red All Over by Terry Culbert

Mass Doth Endeth by Terry Culbert

Terry and Barb’s County Studio is stop #3 on the upcoming Prince Edward County Studio Tour on September 21-23, 2018 (tour map).

Find their work in person: by chance or appointment at their home studio, at Arts on Main Gallery in Picton, or SideStreet Gallery in Wellington. Find them online at countystudio.ca, on Facebook, or @barbarahogenauer and @terry.culbert on Instagram.

Click here for MP3 show archives.

Listen to the interview on Amherst Island radio on Friday, Sept 14, 2018 at 1pm or on the podcast (iTunes or GooglePlay) anytime.

Studio Stories 12: Sable Dog Paddles

This August 17, 2018 episode (12) is the second of two short interviews I did at an art show north of Kingston at Lower Brewers Lock back in June of 2018. My booth neighbour at that show was Kingston-based Veronica Lloyd of Sable Dog Paddles, who paints gorgeous paddles, some new, some used, some custom, and *almost* all of them functional (occasionally some of the used ones are beyond repair).

Sable dog paddles paints mostly artisan canoe paddles, but is happy to do oars (2 above on the right) when she can find them, too! Many are old, refurbished and refinished but some are new as well (sourced locally).

Ronnie also had a couple of axes with gorgeous painted handles.

Sable Dog Paddles gorgeous artisan canoe paddles.

You can find Sable Dog Paddles on Instagram and Facebook. Ronnie’s next show is the Women’s Art Festival in City Park on August 19, 2018. (Below is from Ronnie’s instagram feed). She also currently sells at the Cornerstone in downtown Kingston and the Skiff Café in the Ivy Lea Club.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl5fiwJFF-t/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=9&wp=432&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cjai.ca&rp=%2F2018%2F08%2Fstudio-stories-sable-dog-paddles%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A85364%7D

Click here for MP3 show archives.

Subscribe to the iTunes podcast here or the Google Play podcast here.

And for those curious about the perfect location of her booth, this was filmed before she arrived Sunday morning:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjj_JnNAVG3/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=9&wp=432&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cjai.ca&rp=%2F2018%2F08%2Fstudio-stories-sable-dog-paddles%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A85370%7D

Photos copyright 2018 Lynn Wyminga.

Studio Stories 11: Caboose Co.

In June I had the pleasure of taking part in a lovely 2 day show at the Lower Brewers Lock north of Kingston. I arrived early on the 2nd day with my microphones and sat down with two artists that day for a couple of short interviews. August 10, 2018’s episode (11) will be the first of those interviews, with Sarah Hamelin of Caboose Co.

Here’s a few photos I snapped that day.

Here we are in Sarah’s booth all hooked up to our microphones and ready to chat. (Sarah, right, was very excited to be wearing a Lavalier mic!)

Hear about Caboose Co’s birch vases in the interview

Caboose Co birch stump pottery mug or planter

Caboose Co’s silk screened pottery camp mugs

Check out Caboose Co online at cabooseco.com, on facebook, and instagram and will be at the Kingston Women’s Art Festival.

Click here for MP3 show archives.

Subscribe to the iTunes podcast here or the Google Play podcast here.

Sarah’s mentions her biggest inspiration: visual and textile artist Janet Morton.

Studio Stories 10: Peter Large & Margaret Maloney

After a good long break, it’s time for more stories from art studios! The August 3, 2018 episode features a late spring interview with Amherst Island artist Peter Large and photographer Margaret Maloney.

Unfortunately I did not receive any images from my guests, but you can check out Peter Large’s Neilson Store Museum at the neilsonstoremuseum.ca home page, and his Blandings Turtle (discussed) here (thumbnails shown below).

Also KawarthaNOW has an image of Peter’s:

As does the Ontario Archives:

Peter Large’s work can also be found in the Weasel and Easel, open seasonally at 5220 Front Road in Stella on Amherst Island.

Click here for MP3 show archives.

Subscribe to the iTunes podcast here or the Google Play podcast here.

Updated with a heavy heart: Peter passed away on April 7, 2023.  Our sincere condolences go out to Margaret and to Peter’s family.

Studio Stories 9: Chris Laffin

For the June 15, 2018 episode I visited island artist Chris Laffin in his studio in the village of Stella.

Here are some of Chris Laffin’s sketches and paintings, including ones we discuss in the interview:

View Chris’s work on the studio tour in the fall of 2018 or look him up in the book to make an appointment.

In case you’re curious, Chris mentions some influences and current artists in the interview, including: Jules Bastien-Lepage, Ilya Repin, and John Singer Sargent, Richard Schmid, and Jeremy Lipking.

Click here for MP3 show archives.

Subscribe to the iTunes podcast here or the Google Play podcast here.

Studio Stories 8: Vera Bobson

For the June 1, 2018 episode I took a detour on a trip to Toronto in early April to visit abstract watercolourist Vera Bobson. I met Vera at an art show in Toronto earlier this year and was struck by her vibrant use of colour, bold geometric shapes, and particularly the way she used watercolours. So I asked her then and there if she might consider being on my little island volunteer radio show, and contacted her a couple of months later to do so.

Here is Vera’s bright and cheerful 2nd floor Toronto studio:

A couple of Vera Bobson’s watercolour works that we mention in the show, the more representational right and the more abstract left.

Vera herself (taken from her Instagram @verabobson):

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfBdQ2BgEPj/embed/?cr=1&v=8&wp=432&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cjai.ca&rp=%2F2018%2F05%2Fstudio-stories-vera-bobson%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A118979%7D

A couple more of Bobson’s watercolours (and to see more, follow the links below):

As mentioned in the episode, Vera Bobson’s gallery will be a part of Toronto’s West End Art Collective Studio Tour Friday June 1 through Sunday June 3, 2018. Find out more at arttourcollective.com.

Also mentioned in the episode, three pieces of Vera’s work are currently in an online exhibition of the Society of Canadian Artists (Wrapped, Green Quad, and Three Squares, shown above), several in the Koyman Gallery in Ottawa, and at Latitude 44 Gallery in Toronto.  You can also visit Vera Bobson’s home gallery on the west side of Toronto (contact first). Visit the website at verabobson.com or follow Vera Bobson on Instagram @verabobson.

Click here for MP3 show archives.

Subscribe to the iTunes podcast here or the Google Play podcast here.

In case you’re curious, Vera mentions some contemporary artists in the interview, including Jake Mol, Margaret Roseman, Christopher Schink, John Lennard, Doris McCarthy, Katherine Chang Liu, Skip Lawrence, and I mention sculptor and art teacher Dorsey James.

All images used with permission of the artist.