Artisans – Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design

Meet Our Artisans

What better way to learn about Cape Breton Island than through the lives and work of its artisans.

The Centre is proud to represent hundreds of professional Cape Breton craft producers. Over 100 are featured in our Gallery Shop in Downtown Sydney, or grab a copy of our Artisan Trail Map and visit their studio yourself!

Kimberley Arnold

Kimberley has been doing Celtic art for over 25 years and she resides in St. Anns, Cape Breton.
Having grown up Ontario and spending time in the UK, she found a love for Celtic art and Celtic
spirituality. One day she just sat down and her pencil started to move making the intricate designs of the Celts. She infuses all of her pieces with spiritual meaning reminiscent of the Celtic and druidic traditions. Throughout her art career she has taught several classes on the basics of Celtic art. She also paints landscapes and animals in acrylic and in pen and ink. While living in Ontario, Kimberley has curated art exhibits bringing local artists together for a local cause. Her enthusiasm for art, in particular Celtic art, and continuing the tradition of her ancestry, the Celtic people, is exemplified in each piece she creates and is, and has been, her lifelong passion.

www.kimberleyarnold.com | kimberley@kimberleyarnold.com


Jane Alderdice

Jane Alderdice

Jane Alderdice is a watercolour painter and weaver who works out of Meadowbrook Studio on beautiful Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Jane was born in Chicoutimi, Quebec and grew up on the south shore of Montreal. She graduated from the Ontario College of Art in 1985, specializing in textile design. In addition to weaving one-of-a-kind clothing, scarves, bags and throws, she creates two and three-dimensional artworks using textiles, Japanese paper and mixed media.

Jane participates in the annual Celtic Colours Fibre Festival, and holds regular shows and sales in her studio.

janealderdice.com


Peter Bauer

Peter Bauer

Silversmith Peter Bauer’s limitless imagination and innate curiosity drive his compelling designs and sensuous textures. In today’s world, when even the most expensive jewellery is mass produced, Bauer’s hand-wrought jewellery is prized for its refreshing individuality and superb handcrafting. Each piece bears his Registered Trademark and he’s authorized to use the Canadian National Mark.

peterbauersilver.com | peter@peterbauersilver.com


Carol Beaton

Carol Beaton

Carol has been involved in the craft sector for over 30 years. She operated a craft business for 13 years before becoming an arts administrator where she was inspired daily by the creativity of Cape Breton artisans. Following her retirement, Carol returned to her passion for fabric arts. Having nurtured her creative soul as a weaver and quilter, Carol is now fascinated by the creative possibilities that rug hooking presents. Interested in abstract and contemporary design, she is inspired by the Island landscapes and the work of the Impressionists.

carolbeaton@seasidehighspeed.com


Sarah Beck

Wildfire Pottery

The daughter of a British Columbia potter, Sarah has been exposed to the trends, styles and techniques of contemporary ceramics since early childhood. Her one-of-a-kind pieces take their inspiration from the natural world and her work has been described by customers as being “like nature, only better!” The majority of her creations are hand-built and raku fired and visitors can see them being made in her studio/shop on the Cabot Trail, located on the North Shore.

wildfirepottery.ca | sarah@wildfirepottery.ca


Reza Bigonah

Reza Bigonah

Reza Bigonah paintings reflect something personal. He is drawn to vast landscapes, people and objects.  Reza paints a wide variety of subjects in different styles. In every painting he strives to understand the laws of nature and how light functions, and works to achieve a convincing sense of reality while breaking the constraints of a two dimensional surface. Reza believes the responsibility of the artist is to make a unique experience for himself and the viewer. He wants his work to push and pull, to “feel” like inert coloured mud, but to open onto a vision that conveys movement, distance and atmosphere. His paintings invite the viewer into a unique, nostalgic world of imaginative imagery. It is part of the journey of understanding the self and the life we are living. He tries to make each piece of art a unique fusion of design, colour, form and composition.

rezabigonah.com


Michele Bénac Nicholson

Michele Bénac Nicholson

Michele is a wire jewellery artist who has always lived by the ocean with her husband, where they raised three children; her family has grown to embrace two daughters-in-law, son-in-law and grandbaby.

“The beach and ocean inspire me
daily. Wrapping nature in style, I use ocean polished stones and beach glass to create elegant jewellery, making one of a kind pieces. My mom says I’ve been dragging rocks home since I was two years old.

Michele uses sterling silver and 14k gold filled wire, bronze, and copper. Chains are sterling silver and gold plate.

“I like to think of my jewellery as a happy family: lots of twists and turns and ups and downs but bound together with love!”

micbenac@hotmail.com


Linda Bishop

Linda Bishop

Linda Bishop has been painting commercially for over 30 years. Originally from Squamish, B.C, she has recently moved to Cape Breton Island after purchasing her grandfather’s property. She is the granddaughter of beloved bagpiper Alex Currie. Linda has retired from 25 years as a Scenic Artist and Signwriter in Vancouver’s Film Industry. During that time she also studied oil painting under the mentorship of renowned impressionist Ron Hedrick. Linda was a founding member of The Stave Falls Artist Group. During her time in this group, she participated in group shows in BC’s Lower mainland and attended many workshops from accomplished Canadian and American artists. For 17 years, she owned a small mountainside farm outside of Hope BC. When she wasn’t working in film, she enjoyed painting “en plein air”. Linda also enjoyed being active in the community of Hope BC. She was an active member of the local artist guild and displayed her work in the Hope Art Gallery where she also held many solo shows. She was also an instructor at Hope’s community Arts Program at the Art Machine. She works in all mediums but primarily enjoys working in oil. Linda now looks forward to painting her inspiring new surroundings and engulfing herself in Cape Breton culture.

handpaintedsignage@gmail.com


Hélène Blanchet

Hélène Blanchet

Nova Scotia textile artist, Hélène Blanchet is a self-taught folk artist who specializes in colourful art quilts made by hand. A natural storyteller, Hélène brings her stories to life in the minutia of detail featured in every piece. The more one looks, the more the story unfolds to reveal delightful scenes of the everyday. The people, the sights, the colours are all captured in her signature folk art style. Fabric, needle and thread are Hélène’s first love and traditional textiles of all kinds inform her work. She draws inspiration from these traditions, the natural world, and her beloved Nova Scotia. Her unique award-winning quilts have been exhibited nationally and internationally and are represented in several galleries in Nova Scotia.

bojiwo@yahoo.ca


Victoria Bonin MacKenzie

V Pottery

V Pottery is the studio of Victoria Bonin-MacKenzie who lives and works on beautiful Isle Madame. Having grown up on the northside of the island in Poirierville and D’Escousse, her love of home has never left her heart. Victoria celebrates colour and images in her work which reflect the local history and culture. She makes functional red earthenware pottery mugs, bowls, serving dishes and platters. Stop by the studio and take home a piece of Isle Madame that you’ll enjoy for years to come.

vpotteryislemadame.com | vpotteryislemadame@gmail.com


Kenny Boone

Kenny Boone Gallery & Studio

Well-known local artist Kenny Boone was born and raised in Cape Breton. Painting professionally since the early 1990s, he quickly gained recognition for his striking watercolour images of the Island. In recent years, his creative curiousity has spurred exploration into many other areas. From a more traditional approach, his painting has evolved into a fluid and sensual form of self-expression. Kenny has exhibited extensively in private and public galleries and his paintings can be found in numerous private collections throughout North America, Australia and Europe.

kennyboone.ca | art@kennyboone.ca


Richard Boudreau

Ruff Metalworks

Richard Bourdreau is a native of Cape Breton Island., where he uses metal to preserve nature and create new and unusual objects d’art. Self-taught, he has developed the ability to give fluid shapes to solid metal. In 2009 he had the opportunity to volunteer as a blacksmith for the Isle Madame Historical Society in Arichat. This relationship inspired Richard to create Ruff Metalworks in 2016. Richard continues his relationship with the Isle Madame Historical Society. He utilizes their 17th century forge at LeNoir Landing for part of the creative process. Richard’s pieces are made with a mix of ancient and modern technology. Richard lives in Arichat with his wife, Arlene, courthouse cat Justice, and schnoodle, Mimi.

facebook.com/ruffmetalworks | skirdhu23@hotmail.com


Gerd Bruckschwaiger

Gerd Bruckschwaiger

Gerd Bruckschwaiger was born in Austria and immigrated to Cape Breton in 1960. Gerd is a self-taught artist and many do believe that he was born with a paintbrush in his hands. He started painting at the age of 8. Once seeing Cape Breton’s scenery, he tried to capture the beauty on canvas. Most of his paintings are available as high-class reproductions.

gerdsart.com


Toni Bruederich

Toni Bruederich

Being a young artist, Toni’s experience is limited in years, but he has the freedom to think without boundaries. Toni is a self-taught artist and the most important thing for Toni is the joy that comes with working on his art, on something that belongs to him. Toni is very much interested in Norse mythology, symbolism, ancient cultures and gemstones. His love for these things shows in all of his work. Through his family background, Toni is also familiar with wood construction and loves the possibilities of the material. Although his roots are in Germany, Toni finds a lot of inspiration while travelling the world, but feels the most at home in Cape Breton; it inspires and influences him to put his ideas and impressions into his carvings.


Kathleen Bunin

Kathleen Bunin

Kathleen creates one of a kind ecological prints. Her technique includes pressing plants between watercolour paper, boiling in water with iron bits and a mordant, and sometimes a natural colourant like logwood. Each print of Kathleen’s is an original and unique piece of art.

kbunin37@gmail.com


Covered by Hope

Covered by Hope

Covered By Hope started as a dream to share life-changing stories. Stories of everyday women who have found hope and inspiration. To help tell that story, we sell hand-poured goat milked soaps, soy candles, and other unique products that are made by our Covered by Hope team – graduates of the Hope House, a home and place of healing for women survivors of trauma and addiction. These amazing women also manage the marketing, sales, and product development of Covered by Hope – building skills and learning the value of entrepreneurialism every day.

cbhope.ca | info@coveredbyhope.ca


Cabot & Rose

Cabot & Rose

Cabot and Rose is a collaboration of two artists, Teena Marie Fancey, a mixed media painter and printmaker, and Shari MacLeod, basket weaving and textile artist. Each bring their specific talents and skills into the mix to produce handmade products that reflect their combined design sense, talents, and love of things vintage and of the great outdoors. Both Teena and Shari live and work in Sydney.

cabotandrose.com


Rob Calabrese

Rob Calabrese

Rob Calabrese is a cidermaker and woodworkier living in Cape Breton.  He spent much of his career working in radio in Atlantic Canada and Ontario.  His work involves pieces that mainly help to make our interactions with our high tech devices more comfortable and beautiful.  Rob lives in the tiny seaside community of Mira Gut with his partner and children where he spends time tending the vegetable garden and small gaggle of hens.

calabrese.rob@gmail.com


Lesley Carruthers

Lesley Carruthers

Lesley has been quilting since the early 80s. While embracing traditional patterns, her work has evolved over the years to include modern methods of quilting. A member of Ocean Waves Quilt Society and Tea Thyme Quilters, Lesley has participated in several exhibits, shows, and sales. Her Dresden Plate quilt was an award winner in the “Quilts of the Island” travelling in 1994. This quilt also travelled to the Mary E. Black Gallery in Halifax. In 2004, she participated in the Inverness County Centre for the Arts Textile Festival. A resident of Port Hawkesbury, Lesley’s work is featured in the Artisans Collective shop at the Port Hastings Museum.

lcarruthers@gmail.com


Nancy Chaisson

Nancy has made her home and business in Cape Breton for 20 years where she teaches classes and creates work both commercial and artistic. She successfully completed a commission in 2022 called Acadian Surfaces, a ceramic mural of the Acadians along the Shubie River. In 2014 Nancy was awarded the Grand Pre Prize from Arts NS for her residency work at the Fortress of Louisbourg. She created hand built pottery vessels inspired by eroding coastline and lost historical buildings.

586 Coxheath Road, Sydney NS B1R 1R9

nancychiassondesigns.square.site | nancychiassondesigns@gmail.com


Miranda Crabtree

Miranda Crabtree is an interdisciplinary artist born in Toronto. After attending NSCAD U in Halifax, she went on to focus on figurative painting, later exhibiting in both Toronto and Hamilton. Miranda has participated in winter residencies on Toronto Island and in Iceland; producing an exhibit of large silk paintings in Reykjavik in May 2019.

Since taking landscape painting workshops with Keita Morimoto, Miranda has embraced the medium of gouache to depict small landscapes. She represents a subject near and dear to her heart: the lush valley, ocean and forest landscapes of Margaree where she now calls home.

8269 Cabot Trail Rd, Margaree Forks, NS, B0E 2A0
She/Her


Ryan & Shannon Costelo

Groovy Goat Farm & Soap Company

At Groovy Goat, owners Ryan & Shannon Costelo takes pride in handcrafting natural, luxurious soaps and lotions. The secret ingredient? Fresh goat milk from the well-loved goats on the family farm! Goat milk contains natural moisturizing, cleansing, and soothing properties making it ideal for all skin types, especially dry and sensitive skin. Situated in Ingonish on the Cabot Trail, Groovy Goat is a great place to visit for a farm experience the whole family will enjoy.

groovygoat.ca | groovygoatsoap@yahoo.ca


Greg Davies

Greg’s work is focused on oil painting and drawing. He references historic styles and past modes of representation as a means of presenting and interpreting contemporary subject matter. This impulse stems, in part, from a belief in the sustainability of old styles. Greg’s miniature landscapes and clouds are inspired by the scenery and skies of Cape Breton. The miniatures are painted on paper tags to reflect the ephemeral nature of the subjects represented: small fleeting moments captured in oils.


Paula Davis

The Loop Maker

Paula has lived and worked in Port Hawkesbury since 1970 and has been involved with fibre arts since graduating from university. Most recently, primitive rug hooking is her “fibre of choice”. This has provided a great outlet for her love of colour and texture, producing pieces that are both functional and decorative.

loopmakerns@gmail.com


Virginia Donovan

Virginia Donovan

Virginia is a self-taught artist whose paintings and greeting card designs originate mostly from imagination focusing on colour, pattern and good cheer. As well as acrylic paintings on wood and canvas, Virginia has also created murals for various elementary schools and businesses in the local area. Along with fairytales and old illustrations, the surrounding countryside of the rural community of Leitches Creek has always been an influence for Virginia.

 

virginiadonovan@seasidehighspeed.com


Claire Drinnan

Claire Drinnan

Island born and raised, Claire Drinnan is so grateful to her mother for always finding a way to get her to the Gaelic College each summer. There Claire experienced many Scottish traditions but Weaving and Spinning really resonated with her! Instilling in her a deep love and appreciation for wool and its incredible versatility.

ewephoriafelt@gmail.com


Barry & Isabel Eisenhauer

The Opulent Alpaca

At the Opulent Alpaca studio and boutique, you will find Isabel and Barry Eisenhauer working with their alpaca fiber from their 60+ alpacas that they have been raising for more than 25 years. You will have the opportunity to visualize the process of producing our luxurious felted products and one-of-a-kind knit or woven products. You can purchase many luxurious items made from our Cape Breton raised alpacas. Some of the products include insoles, felting kits, yarns, capes, toques and scarves.

theopulentalpaca.ca | opulentalpaca@gmail.com


Robert Evans

North Shore Woodsmiths

The son of a master cabinetmaker, Bob began training at a very young age. By his mid-thirties he had considerable experience in construction, interior finish, cabinetmaking, and furniture manufacturing and design. He was an instructor of technical education for 17 years. Many of the unique products created at Woodsmiths were designed, tested and refined in those years. Bob’s products are made primarily from hardwoods harvested in the Highlands of Cape Breton: yellow birch, beech, oak, ash, maple, birdseye maple, spalted woods, cherry, apple, and walnut. Finishes are non-toxic.

woodsmithstudio.com | rjevans@ns.sympatico.ca


Teena Marie Fancey

Teena Marie Fancey

Teena Marie is a Nova Scotia visual artist working in acrylic paint and relief printmaking. Her artwork encompasses vernacular and vintage photography, nature, storytelling, and found objects. She has worked as a professional artist since the 1990s and exhibited in solo, collaborative, and group shows. Teena Marie’s work can be found in some local Galleries and shops, numerous private collections and in the Nova Scotia Art Bank (purchased 2000, Teena Marie Saunders).

teenamariefancey.com | tmfancey@gmail.com


Kristi Farrier

Flying Finch Studio

With an inspiring view of the Cape Breton Highlands and the Bras d’Or Lake, Kristi creates exciting contemporary textile art pieces working with thread, fabric, paints and dyes. When not working in textiles, Kristi brings to life traditional hand papermaking techniques to create unique and beautiful papers from locally grown plants and recycled textiles. Kristi also works with contemporary techniques to create paper sculptures and pulp paintings.

kfar@sagum.ca


Whitney Fawn MacEachern

Whitney Fawn

Whitney Fawn MacEachern is a self-taught independent artist living on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia with her husband and their Maine Coon cat. Whitney calls her drawings Soulprints, a term based on her process. With each line she draws, Whitney pours her emotions and soul onto the paper. Once she’s finished, her soul returns to her and what’s left behind looks like a fingerprint of her soul.

whitneyfawn.com | whitney@whitneyfawn.com


Jacqueline Finn

Jac-out-of-the-box Jewellery

Jacqueline Finn always had a passion for making jewellery, but when she turned her hobby to a career and started Jac-out-of-the-box Jewellery it didn’t take long for the world to take notice. Her unique pieces: wired and beaded rings, bronze and silver bracelets and earrings are based around an ancient technique that involves carving designs into cuttlefish bones, a plentiful product on the Cape Breton shoreline.

jacoutoftheboxjewelry.com


Lisa Finney

Lisa Finney Photography

Lisa is originally from Canberra, Australia, and she moved to Cape Breton in 2002. Lisa likes to be out and about, and she is rarely without her camera. Lisa captures high-quality photographs, mostly of nature, which she creates prints, calendars, cards and magnets.

somethingwithpictures.com | lisa@somethingwithpictures.com


Joanne Fitzgerald & Linda Doyon

Arts North

Joanne and Linda produce high-fired stoneware pottery in themes inspired by northern Cape Breton’s pristine environment: moose, whales, shorebirds and flowers. Joanne and Linda’s work and that of more than 20 other juried Cape Breton artists are retailed at Arts North, the Cape Breton only gallery in Cape North, designed by Joanne and Linda. 100% Cape Breton arts and crafts.

arts-north.com | office@arts-north.com


James Forsey

James Forsey

James Forsey is a nature photographer who first learned digital photography from a workshop he took at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design.  James turned to exploring Cape Breton’s pristine wilderness as means of coping with the vicarious trauma he endured from a lengthy career working in Corrections. It was only fitting he learned to capture the beauty of this island through photography. James enjoys showcasing some of the “hidden gems” and “off-the-beaten-path” views and vistas Cape Breton has to offer. James’ work has been featured by several prestigious publications from across Nova Scotia and beyond. (Bio Photo Credit:  Adam Hill)

jamesforseyphotography@gmail.com


Celeste Friesen

Celeste Friesen

Celeste’s award-winning works are in acrylic and mixed media, and reflect a wide variety of techniques, materials and improvisations. She loves to explore colours, forms, and textures. Her diverse collections present a range of exciting expressionistic/abstract styles inspired primarily from the natural world, and in particular, the wild and magnificent scenery of northern Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

celeste-friesen.fineartamerica.com | ccnikkel@gmail.com


Harold & Donna Frizzell

Piper Pewter

Piper Pewter specializes in jewellery and gifts that reflect the Scottish and Celtic culture of Cape Breton Island. Each piece is cast and finished by our skilled craftsman. Local artist Angus MacLeod designs some of our Celtic knotwork pieces including our heritage collection of Celtic and Gaelic Christmas ornaments. Pewter is a wonderful metal with a long history and has been used to make objects both decorative and utilitarian for over 3000 years.

piperpewter.com | donna@piperpewter.com


Carmel Gallant

Woven Wonders

Carmel Gallant was born and raised in Cape Breton and has always been interested in the fibre arts. Carmel learned to knit and crochet at a young age, and took her first weaving class in 1985 at the Cape Breton School for Crafts.

Carmel continues to share her talent by working as an assistant to the Weaving Instructor at the Gaelic College during the summers, and also instructs in her own studio. As part of her craft, Carmel loves playing with structure and colour and works mainly with natural fibre cottons and wool.


Dan Gee

Dan Gee

Dan is an acrylic artist who blends wildlife with quilt patterns. His style is based on his memories of watching wildlife while wrapped in his grandparents quilts. Originally from Ontario, Dan now lives in Glace Bay with his family.

https://www.instagram.com/dangeesart/


Christopher Gorey

Christopher Gorey

Christopher Gorey graduated with an Art Education degree from Massachusetts College of Art. For many summers, he had painted and vacationed in Atlantic Canada and eventually gave up his teaching career to take up painting full time in Cape Breton. Interest in his work took off with sales and exhibitions occurring throughout North America. Chris paints in oil as well as watercolour; his works reflect a feeling of light and texture and include landscapes and people of Cape Breton and other areas of Eastern Canada.

goreygallery.ca | lynnsgallery@ns.sympactio.ca


Karen Graham

Karen Graham

A lifelong resident of Cape Breton, Karen is a retired educator who has always had an interest in arts and crafts of all kinds. She is also long time member of the Centre for Craft and Design and has enjoyed learning under many wonderful instructors there. Her current passion is jewellery making, especially sterling silver. Karen thinks jewellery should be fun and enjoys seeing people wearing her work.

elizabeth-k1@hotmail.com


Leona Graham

Big Red Art & Design

I moved to Cape Breton as a child. Completing a B.A., I went on to study and work in graphic design. A semester studying Art Therapy sparked my pursuit of a B.A. in Visual Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After graduating, I stayed – working in art and design. In 2010 I returned to Cape Breton, completed a B.Ed. in Adult Education and taught art and design. Currently works as a freelance artist, my paintings and illustrations span themes ranging from our natural local surroundings to the surreal.

bigredartanddesign.com | art@bigredartanddesign.com


Dr. Michelle Greenwell

As a tea artist, Dr. Michelle Greenwell, (Ph.D. CIH), brings the essence of herbs into a special package for tea that is full of intention, taste, and look. The color of the teas enhances the sipping experience as well as the special tea rituals to set intentions. Using special herbal combinations with ingredients found locally and abroad, she is changing the way people think about, sip, and share tea. Enjoy the tea hot, warm, and cold, in baking, soups, specialty drinks, or soaking.

www.capebretontea.ca | info@dancedebut.com | 902-945-2967


Brent Harding

Metal Glass Media

Brent has been painting in watercolours and acrylics for almost 25 years. More recently, he began designing and assembling one-of-a-kind glass creations combining organic and linear forms. For many years, Brent lived in Ontario where he exhibited in several galleries and shows. He also taught classes and was artist-in-residence in the Kor Gallery in Kitchener. Brent’s paintings and glass pieces hang in private and corporate collections across North America. He now lives in Catalone where he has a studio and welcomes visitors.

metalglassmedia.com | brent.harding@metalglassmedia.com


Mervi Haapakosi

Mervi Haapakosi

Mervi is a Finnish glass and textile artist. After graduating from the University of Art and Design in Helsinki, Finland she was accepted as an artist in residence at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre glass studio for three years. She is also one of the founding members of Geisterblitz Glass Studio which operated in Toronto for 10 years from 1997 – 2007. Mervi is an avid creator in multiple media. Her whimsical driftwood pieces are well balanced and playfully East Coast inspired. Her textiles are joyful, practical and well made. Mervi is happy to call Cape Breton home.

mervi.h@outlook.com


Maskwiomin Inc.

Maskwiomin Inc.

Maskwiomin Inc. proudly introduce to you our all-natural skincare products: birch bark creams, birch bark ointment, and birch bark bar soap. Birch bark extract is the secret ingredient in all of our products as this extract was an almost forgotten Mi’kmaq medicine.With a decade of dedication to academic research, our products are carefully formulated with natural ingredients of the birch bark extract that heal and replenishes damaged and sensitive skins. Maskwiomin is licensed under Health Canada Regulations for cosmetics and skincare products and complies with all health standards. Our company was formally founded in 2020 by Tuma Young, KC and Dr. Matthias Bierenstiel. Tuma Young is a storied Mi’kmaw ethnobotanist and lawyer teaching Mi’kmaq Studies courses at Cape Breton University in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Matthias Bierenstiel is a CEO of Maskwiomin and Professor of Chemistry at Cape Breton University and studies the composition and medicinal properties of the extract. Maskwiomin is 50% Indigenous owned and proud to have strong support from the local Mi’kmaq community as the company’s mission is the ethical commercialization of an Indigenous remedy.We pride ourselves in the small-batch and handcrafted production of soaps, ointments and creams which we rigorously test. Our sought-after birch bark extract formulation is deeply rooted in thousands of years of the Mi’kmaw tradition and in balance with Mother Nature. With our few years of existence, the massive reviews from our esteemed clients have been nothing short of amazing, many have been blown away by the instant healing of damaged skin within 24 hours of using our ointment, others testified to being cured of conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

https://maskwiomin.com/


Phil and Deb Jones

The Bowl Guy

Phil and Deb Jones ended many years of offshore sailing by retiring in Cape Breton. They set up a complete machine shop and wood shop to help rebuild their home and then used the shops to do hobby projects. Over the years, they have developed very efficient methods of producing wooden bowls and other products from rescued firewood. All their products are made on site by Phil and hand finished by Deb. Their years sailing to many countries have given them a different perspective of functional art.

kiunga2@eastlink.ca | kiunga2@eastlink.ca


Iris Kedmi

Bee Happy Farm

Iris moved from Israel in 1998, relocating to Cape Breton in 2003. She holds a university degree in Business and Marketing, but her real passion is beekeeping and finding new uses for the local wild native plants that can be found growing in Cape Breton. In 2013, Iris founded Bee Happy Farm, hand harvesting, drying, infusing or distilling the plants she finds growing on her organic farm in Big Baddeck, and manufacturing health and body care products from native plants and the by-products of bees.

beehappyfarm.ca | ikedmi@yahoo.com


Satu Kimbley

The Red Raven Art Studio

Satu, a native to Finland, set her roots down in Cape Breton over 20 years ago. Surrounded by the untamed beauty of the island, Satu continues to grow and develop her artistic expression with glass. Piece by piece with patience she creates whimsical glass mosaic art as multiple hours are spent in completing each creation.

https://www.satuart.ca/ | satufineart@gmail.com


Gordon Kennedy

Iron Art & Photographs

“With different shapes, forms and colours, I try to express ideas and emotions. My intention is to touch and excite the imagination.” Gordon attended Vancouver Art School in the early 1970s, where he studied painting and metal sculpture. He had studios in Vancouver and Toronto before settling in Cape Breton with his wife, Carol. Several years ago, he began to experiment and study three-dimensional forms which has led to his most recent work, sculptures of metal, fiberglass and cement.

ironart.ca | info@ironart.ca


Dominique de Rouin Kennedy

Madame Mouton

Madame Mouton founder, Dominique de Rouin Kennedy, was raised in Quebec City. During her studies at Penninghen, l’école de direction artistique et d’architecture intérieure (ESAG) in Paris, Dominique was inspired by the amazing work of one of her teachers whom used wool as a medium. Throughout the years, Dominique has studied various techniques that have helped her cultivate her singular style. Dominique moved to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, in September 2018. She is now devoted to her art full time. For the love of the wool.

https://www.instagram.com/dominique_kennedy_ns/


L’Arche Cape Breton

L'Arche Cape Breton

L’Arche Cape Breton is a rural community of people with and without intellectual disabilities, valuing a simple life, authentic relationships, and solidarity. At L’Arche’s craft studio, artists with disabilities engage in diverse media including papier mache, weaving, paper making and painting. Each product is a genuine source of pride for the producer and allows a unique glimpse into the perspective of that individual.

larchecapebreton.org


Larch Wood

Larch Wood

The Larch Wood manufacturing plant is located in on the banks of the world-renowned Margaree River in Victoria County. Established as a manufacturer of floors, the owners of Larch Wood Enterprises decided to create cutting boards that would take advantage of the striking pattern of the end cuts of the larch tree. Over a year was spent designing and testing boards rendering a product that is beautiful, functional and durable. Since their introduction, Larch Wood Heritage Cutting Boards have become best sellers across Canada and the U.S.

larchwoodcanada.com | info@larchwoodcanada.com


Mary Larade

Mary Larade

Mary Larade is a painter and muralist working mainly in acrylic. She is a graduate of NSCAD University’s BFA program and Mount Saint Vincent University’s B.Ed. Visual Arts program. Mary’s work has been exhibited at Anna Leonowen’s Gallery in Halifax and Cape Breton University’s Art Gallery in Sydney. Several pieces of her work have been acquired or commissioned by private collectors throughout Nova Scotia. Mary is currently producing work from her home studio in Westmount, Cape Breton.

instagram.com/mary.larade.portfolio


Sara Lamond

Sara Lamond

Sara is a local girl who somehow found herself on the other side of the world 25 years ago with an IT career.  That’s where the art began for her – for the last 25 years Sara has been exploring various mediums, seeking the materials and techniques that felt right for her. In 2021 she gave up her successful career in IT to return home to Cape Breton and pursue her art full time.

Today Sara lives with her husband Brian in Fourchu, where she draws inspiration from the natural world and the way it can evoke emotional responses in us.  Through her use of various materials and techniques to create abstract works, she aims to capture the raw and visceral qualities of these emotions and translate them into visual form.

Sara is a multi-disciplinary artist, with works in mixed media abstract paintings, prints, photography, and most recently collage.  She also uses some of her artwork as a launching point for her own line of clothing and accessories.

driftwoodgallery.art | driftwood@driftwoodgallery.art


Barbara Longva

Sew Inclined

Barbara Longva started designing clothing at the age of five. She sewed doll clothes by hand and by age 10 was using her mother’s Singer treadle machine to make clothing for herself. Over the years, she altered, repaired and made clothes for friends and family. In 1993, Barbara opened Sew Inclined, on the Cabot Trail, where she designs one of a kind clothing and hats as well as historical clothing. She specializes in hats, offering up to 25 different designs. Her contemporary and historical designs are available for men, women and children.

sewinclined.ca | barbaralongva@hotmail.com


Melinda MacDonald

Melinda MacDonald

Melinda MacDonald makes contemporary cold wax paintings that are guided by intuition and inspired by her life in rural Cape Breton. Cold wax allows her to merge the visual aspects of painting with the tactility of sculpting. Melinda is a full-time artist and seasonal gallery owner in Creignish, a picturesque corner of Cape Breton Island. Melinda is inspired by the epic views of the sea, sky and fields around her historic home overlooking St. George’s Bay. Her vibrant oil, acrylic and cold wax paintings capture the energy and beauty of her surroundings and her delight in her life there. In 2018, she opened Melinda By the Sea, a studio and shop housed in a historic barn on her oceanfront property. Along with her own original artwork, which is available in giclée and studio prints, Melinda sells a curated collection of fine craft from Cape Breton, including jewelry, bags and works in wood, glass and metal.

melindabythesea.ca


Merrideth MacDonald

Hunky Dunky Dory Paper Art

Library technician by day, bartender by night, shop clerk by weekend and artist by spare time… Merrideth lives in beautiful Cape Breton and she is very lucky to be surrounded by beautiful scenery and creative people. Growing up, Merrideth tried her hand at a variety of different artistic endeavours and the paper collage is the one that she truly enjoys. Merrideth creates paper art collages using exclusively paper from magazines (yeah, recycling!), and all pieces are inspired by nature.

hunkydunkydory.com | merridethmacdonald@hotmail.com


Barbara MacIntyre

Barbara MacIntyre

Barb is a second-generation quilter with her quilts displayed on beds and walls worldwide: England, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, USA and Canada. She will customize your quilt or you can select one of her traditional or contemporary quilts. All her quilts are 100% cotton. Barb enjoys sharing her knowledge of quilt making, teaching for the Port Hawkesbury Recreation & Tourism Department, Antigonish, Inverness, Richmond Counties and local guilds. She is a founding member of the Ocean Waves Quilt Society of Cape Breton. She lives and quilts in Port Hawkesbury.

barbmacintyrequilts@gmail.com


Lynda Lou MacIntyre

Lynda Lou MacIntyre

Lynda Lou is a Sydney native and graduate of NSCAD (BFA Ed.) She studied at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School. Her goal was to teach art which she did in Cape Breton for many years. Lynda Lou works in several media including visual art, metal smithing, silk painting and printmaking. Her work is inspired by travel and nature and has been exhibited in group and solo shows. Her paintings have appeared in Nashwaak Review. Lynda Lou has given many workshops including two in Italy. She is a regular instructor at the Centre. Her work can be found across the globe!

lyndalou22@hotmail.com


Tyler MacIntyre and Anna McPherson

CB Beard Factory

We’re Tyler and Anna – Proud owners of The Cape Breton Beard Factory! Two things you should know about us: We love Cape Breton Island and we take beard health seriously. We searched from the tallest peak in The Highlands, to the bottom of the Glace Bay Coal Mines. And while we didn’t find any beard supplies, we did find plenty of inspiration. With that inspiration came a vision: To create our own beard care products and make them available for everyone in Cape Breton and beyond! After tireless research plus plenty of trial and error, we’ve carefully designed a line of high-quality, handmade products that are 100% all-natural.

cbbeardfactory@hotmail.com


Eric MacKeigan

Fretwood MacK

Having spent a lifetime in the workshop, Eric MacKeigan is now blurring the line between decorative and functional, using wood and epoxy to create items you wouldn’t otherwise see, that tell stories you wouldn’t otherwise hear.

eric@fretwoodmack.ca


Lindsey MacKinnon

Lindsey MacKinnon works primarily with resin, pigments, and wood, creating wall art and serving boards.   Having grown up in Cape Breton, the love for water has always been strong, and this has been an inspiration for her pieces.   She also preserves bridal bouquets, and memorial flowers, so these special memories can be cherished as a piece of decor in your home.
Lindsey is so grateful to have this creative outlet, and to be able to share it with others on our beloved Island and beyond.


Irene MacKinnon

Curly Girl Designs

Irene grew up in Sydney and received her BFA from Mount Allison University. She has done everything from colourizing old movies and TV shows (Gilligan’s Island), working in a photo library in London, to teaching English and Art in a private school in Greece. Working with polymer clay and making jewellery is her latest artistic passion. She loves experimenting with new techniques and working with this medium.

ijmackinnon20@gmail.com


Patsy MacKinnon

Patsy MacKinnon

Highlighting Patsy’s achievements is her 2006 election to membership in the prestigious Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour. Her creative diversity is evident by a national award for her 60′ mural design at Cape Breton Regional Hospital and national nomination for her work as an illustrator of children’s books. Patsy’s watercolours have been selected for the CSPWC Diploma Collection, Nova Scotia Art Bank and Cape Breton University. Her paintings have been shown in provincial, regional, national and international juried shows.

patsymackinnon.com


Joan MacKenzie

Needle It Rug Hooking Studio

Joan is a fibre artist born here on Cape Breton Island. She originally started working with quilting and assorted fibre art techniques and years ago added rug hooking as well. Her education in art and design has adapted to all the different areas of creative work that she enjoys. After finding rug hooking she discovered dyeing fabric increased the scope of her creativity. A few years back she opened a rug hooking shop in Sydney to sell her dyed wool and teach. She was raised in a very creative family which explains her broad interests in all things fibre related. A common thread through all Joan’s work is her use of colour. She finds that combining colours is a creative outlet all of its own.

needleitstudio.square.site/ | needleitstudio@gmail.com


Jim & Judy MacLean

Findings for Friends

Jim and Judy MacLean have been involved in the craft business for about 30 years. They started with woodworking and tole painting and in more recent years, they have been creating silver jewellery. Starting with sheets of sterling silver or wire, they make pendants, bracelets, earrings, rings and other items, often incorporating stones into the designs. Jim has been also been doing lapidary work, starting from the rough rock and ending with a polished stone to add to any piece of jewellery.
Jim and Judy live and create in Sydney.

jcjimaclean@hotmail.com


Shari MacLeod

RB Twig

Shari has worked in the medium of basketry since 1999. Since then, her body of work has expanded to included woven sculpture and multiple forms of fibre art. Each medium challenges her as an artist to strike a balance between form and functionality. Along with reflecting the simplistic beauty of organic patterns and designs, her pieces flirt with the whimsical. Shari is as much inspired by the craftsmanship, practicality, and humour of her Maritime family and friends, as she is the natural, breathtaking landscapes that pervade Island life.

redtwigbrowntwig.ca | sharimacleod@gmail.com


Jennifer MacPherson

Two Macs Gifts & Gallery

Based in North East Margaree, Jennifer MacPheron is the owner of Two Macs Gallery, where she carries the work of many Maritime artisans. Over the years, she has created works using a variety of mediums. First painting floorcloths, then creating paper cut images, she currently uses wool to create needle-felted critters and visual art. Inspired by the natural world and all of its creatures, her pieces bring smiles to their owners.

jenrmacp@hotmail.com


Donna MacRury

Boisdale Artworks

Born and raised in Cape Breton, Donna MacRury is an artist and crafter who works primarily with fibre and textiles. Since her childhood, Donna has been creating works of art, wearables and other items of utility using a variety of materials.  She occasionally combines methods and techniques to produce unique results. Over the past number of years rug hooking has been her passion in addition to other traditional work such as felting, knitting, crocheting and slow stitching. Donna works from her home in Boisdale where she lives with her husband on the shores of the beautiful Bras d’Or lakes.

damacrury@gmail.com


Tasha Matthews

Tasha Grace Designs

Natasha Matthews (Tasha Grace Designs) is a jewellery artist whose work is evocative of an enchanted forest, with pieces often having a whimsical, ethereal feel reminiscent of the Unseen World. She excels at wire weaving which is an unusual technique that produces beautiful, delicate and complex patterns with very thin wire, and lends itself well to the Art Nouveau forms she often incorporates into her work. While studying Graphic Design at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, she discovered silversmithing at this world-class institution. By the end of her first class, she was hooked forever, and considered herself to be a silversmith at heart from that day forward. It was to be her niche, her passion, and her destiny.

tashagracedesigns@gmail.com


Nancy McLean

Nancy McLean Watercolours

Nancy McLean grew up in Sydney, NS and following her graduation from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, had a rewarding career as a visual art educator in many schools throughout Cape Breton. These days Nancy has more time to work on her own art and watercolour is her medium of choice. She is drawn to contrasts of light, texture and space be it the continuous change of a flowering cycle, wave movement or beach compositions. Her yearly gardens and journeys to Cape Breton coastlines provide ample settings and inspiration enabling her to explore these elements in her painting.

nancymcleanwatercolours@gmail.com


Jessica McNeil

Scrub Inspired

Scrub Inspired is a small budding business in Cape Breton. Two young entrepreneurs – Jessica McNeil and Kiersten Hanly – are hand-making all natural body scrubs, using only the finest natural ingredients. All scrubs are made fresh to order and are free of parabens, SLS, chemicals and anything artificial. Scrub Inspired’s vision is to see change in the way products are manufactured and the way they treat our skin. They take pride in knowing that Scrub Inspired is so wholesome. Their products are so natural, some are hard not to eat! But don’t let your face, hands and feet miss out!

scrubinspired.ca | hello@scrubinspired.com


Kyle McPhee

Phee's Original Goods

Born, raised & thriving in Unama’ki / Cape Breton. Phee’s Original Goods are makers of small-batch handmade, leather and canvas goods. Each piece that leaves our shop respects the legacy of craftspeople before us while fitting squarely into the modern world and into your pocket. We make tough goods using quality materials that are built to last.

pheesoriginalgoods.ca | kyleamcphee@gmail.com


Catherine Moir

Catherine Moir

Catherine Moir is an experienced landscape artist part of the art community in Cape Breton. Born in Halifax, Catherine attended Nova Scotia College of Art and Design where she learned drawing and painting. She also studied figure drawing at St. Mary’s University and the University of Alberta. Catherine moved from Halifax in 1984 to live in Cape Breton permanently, painting the landscape, buildings and figures. She works en plein air and then in her own studio outside her home on the Morley Rd. in Eastern Cape Breton. For the past eight years, Catherine has been the coordinator for the Art of Living program which has an exhibition every summer at the Centre with established artists and cancer patients.

catherinemoir@yahoo.ca


Juana Moreland

Juana Moreland

I have been painting for 50 years. I’ve lived in Cape Breton most of my life, taking workshops from such illustrious artists as William Rogers, Chris Gorey, Iris Currie and Vernon Amos.

I ran a Bed and Breakfast for 25 years and in my retirement, have returned to my love of painting the inspiring scenes, especially the dramatic waves, of Cape Breton Island

My style is representative realism.

https://www.facebook.com/Escapetosea


Patrizia Monnerjahn

Kautzi

Kautzi is the creative outlet of Patrizia, a graphic designer based in St. Ann’s, Cape Breton. Born and raised in Germany, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication from the University of Applied Sciences in Aachen, in 2005. For more than 10 years, Patrizia has been working as a self-employed graphic designer. In 2019, she emigrated to Canada with her husband Linus. She brought her graphic design business along and continues to work for clients near and far.

kautzi.com | hello@kautzi.com


Anne Morrell Robinson

Kingross Quilts & Fibre Art

Anne Morrell Robinson has fibre in her genes. Her ancestors were quilt makers, weavers, embroiders, knitters and seamstresses. She started sewing as a child, making doll clothes and then moved on to making her own one-of-a-kind garments. The revival of quilt making in the 1970’s inspired her to start designing and stitching her own quilts. With almost 600 quilts to her credit she still finds great joy in the whole process. With what seems like an endless supply of fabric and ideas waiting to be turned into quilts and rugs the journey continues.

kingrossquilts.com | kingross@seasidehighspeed.com


Nancy Oakley

Oakleaves Native Creations

Nancy Oakley is a First Nations artist of Mi’kmaq and Wampanoag descent. She was raised in Massachusetts where her father was the grand chief of Wampanoag Nation. She decided to move to her mother’s reserve in Eskasoni First Nation to better understand her heritage. She has been involved in art all her life, attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico and NSCAD. Nancy has had her own craft business for the last 20 years, focusing on pottery and beadwork. Her pottery is stone polished and smoke fired and incorporates sweetgrass used for purification in First Nation cultures. Nancy lives and works in Eskasoni.

nanoak@hotmail.com


Anita Ouellette

Anita Ouellette

Anita Ouellette was born in New Waterford but lived in Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg before returning to Cape Breton 47 years later. Self-taught, she began painting in oils as a means of expression, capturing the beauty of the Quebec countryside and its many different lifestyles. Painting portraits came naturally and, in 1985, she painted Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, which was presented to him by Rock Lasalle. Returning to the Island that she loves so dearly, Anita settled in the historical village of Louisbourg where her passion for painting continues.

anitapainting.blogspot.com


Betty Paruch

Betty Paruch

Betty began her love of crafting over 40 years ago. After trying everything from crocheting and knitting to quilting and lampshade making, she began rug hooking. Betty has attended many rug workshops and schools and has studied with a variety of teachers. She is a member of the Down East Rug Hooking Guild and Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia and has taught at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design. Her most recent venture in craft is needle
felting, creating whimsical ornaments.

bettyparuch69@gmail.com


Lynne Pascoe & Lester Wood

Sheep's Clothing

Located in the beautiful Margaree Valley in Cape Breton, Sheep’s Clothing was established in 2002 by Lynne Pascoe and Lester Wood. This cottage-based knitwear business produces quality knitwear with an emphasis on classical design, quality materials made by hand in the cultural traditions of Cape Breton. Sheep’s Clothing has a reputation of being one of Nova Scotia’s premier knitwear producers, being recognized by product quality and distinctive classical design.

sheepsclothing.ca | info@sheepsclothing.ca


Tanya Poirier

Tat's Lace

Tat’s Lace is a company located in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia that produces and sells tatted lace items. Each piece is entirely hand made by the shuttle method of tatting. The lace itself is made with mercerized cotton with the addition of beads at times to accentuate the particular piece. We have various product lines available: jewellery, hair accessories, bookmarks, Christmas ornaments, and art deco that would appeal to any customer. So if you are looking for a unique, one of a kind item for a special occasion or to just treat yourself then come visit us to see what a ‘lost art’ can offer you!

tatslace@yahoo.com


Caitlyn Purcell

Salty Rose's & The Periwinkle Cafe

Caitlyn Rose is a jeweller inspired by the sea, shore, rocks, sticks and mountains of her birthplace, Cape Breton. Her work intends to share the energy and magic ignited by this place. Caitlyn graduated from NSCAD in 2009 with a passionate desire to make a career of jewellery design and creation. She was the Centre’s first Artist in Residence and followed that with two solo shows in Halifax. Now she can add entrepreneur to her CV, having opened her own shop, Salty Rose’s and the Periwinkle Café, in Ingonish.

saltyrosesandtheperiwinklecafe.com | saltyroses@gmail.com


Connie Rhymes

Connie's Crafts

Connie has been crafting since she was five years old, knitting children’s clothing with her mother. Sixty years later, she is a prolific creator of knitted, sewn, and crocheted pieces of her own designs. Find her felted hats and more at the Centre’s Gallery Shop, and local craft markets.


Molly Ritchie

Molly Ritchie

Molly makes knitted and crocheted fantasy creatures including fairies, unicorns, dragons and mermaids. She also makes seahorses, crabs, fish and flying pig fridge magnets, as well as crocheted dreamcatchers, mandalas and bracelets. Molly is a member of the Baddeck Quilters Guild and her creations have appeared in their two shows, the first midsummer in Baddeck and the second at the Baddeck Fibre Festival. Molly enjoys working with unusual and hand-dyed yarns.

facebook.com/mollysfairies


William Roach

Sunset Art Gallery

William is a French Acadian born and raised in Cheticamp, Nova Scotia. He is completely self-taught and has done woodcarvings and paintings since he was a child. He has been very fortunate to have been able to make his living at what he loves to do for the last 26 years. Many pieces of his work are very colourful and whimsical and all of his woodcarvings are made of pine and then painted. A number of his pieces are commissioned and the rest is left up to his creative imagination. He has work worldwide and some have also gone as far as Switzerland.

sunsetartgallery.ca | sunset.art@ns.sympatico.ca


Josephine Robinson

Josephine Clarke Textiles

Josie Robinson is a textile artist and surface designer. Growing up in the Robson Valley in BC, Josie was always surrounded by a community of makers. She accredits her creative spirit to her childhood in a small town.
 Her expertise lies in the use of plant based dyes and pigments. She uses plants that grow locally as well as sought after plants from around the world to create colour on cloth. Specifically, her work specializes in Japanese shibori, where patterns are created in the cloth by tying or by geometric woodblock clamped folding. As an artist, she sees value in use. She aims to create pieces that her customers can both use in their daily lives and cherish for their unique beauty.

josephineclarketextiles.com | josephineclarketextiles@gmail.com


William Rogers

William Rogers

Bill is an accomplished artist who has had many exhibitions and awards in Canada and USA, and signature memberships in three watercolour societies: Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, Transparent Watercolour Society of America and Societé Canadienne de l’Aquarelle. Most of his work is done from life, figures, and landscapes. Bill’s dominant medium is watercolour 
although he also works in oils in which he plays up the richness and intensity of colour. Etchings and monoprints are also a part of his repertoire. In May 2014, Bill served as the Royal Tour Artist for the 2014 Royal Tour of Canada by HRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

williamrogersart.com | billrogers@eastlink.ca


Hugh Ross

Hugh Ross

Hugh attended the University of New Brunswick, completing a degree in forestry, then moved to Port Hawkesbury to pursue a career in Industrial Forestry in which he had the opportunity to work in all aspects of forestry. Taking up woodworking as a hobby was a natural thing to do and Hugh discovered wood turning which has become his passion. It is very rewarding to start with a raw piece of wood and see it transformed into something beautiful and/or useful. Now retired, Hugh has time to devote to wood turning and to make his work available to those who enjoy turned objects.

hvross@bellaliant.net


Joanne & Ron Schmidt

Galloping Cows

Joanne and Ron Schmidt turned their dreams into reality in 1994 when they founded Galloping Cows Fine Foods. They started small, selling their delightful sauces and preserves around their home base in Port Hood. Years of hard work and dedication have transformed Galloping Cows into producers for fine foods retailers across the country. From their home kitchen, the Schmidts have perfected their unique and delicious flavours. And, true to their farming roots, they use only the freshest, ripest fruits.

gallopingcows.com | schmidtj015@gmail.com


Ann Schroeder

Ann Schroeder Studio

Ann has been making quilts for over 30 years. She took art classes in college and continued to learn through reading, workshops and experimentation. She began dyeing fabric to have a better range of colours and patterns and has branched out into dyeing silk scarves. Her work has been displayed in Mary Black Gallery and Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, and featured in Fiberarts Design Book Six, and Art Quilts: A Celebration, both published by Lark Books. One of Ann’s quilts was purchased by Nova Scotia Art Bank. Ann lives and works in Mabou.

annschroederstudio.com | ann@annschroederstudio.com


Ben Sickles

Standing Stone Silver

Ben Sickles is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation, part of the Iroquois Confederacy. He grew up in California but returned each summer to his home reserve, Oneida on the Thames, in Southern Ontario. He now resides in Eskasoni reserve in Unama’ki/Cape Breton.

Ben is a 3rd generation silversmith, beginning to learn the craft at the age of 13 from his uncle, a master silversmith. His work is a mix of traditional and contemporary ideas and designs. He creates stunning jewellery, in the style derived from the trade silver tradition of the 1760s. He draws inspiration from his life, stories, and the rich culture of the Eastern Woodland Indian jewellery style.

www.instagram.com/standingstonesilver | standingstonesilver@gmail.com


bernard siller

bernard siller

bernard siller is conceived of stardust and dreams his own quantum existence. Educated at Sydney Academy, McGill and Concordia, the poet who once battled ignorance recognizes no limits to knowledge and the multiples of relative truth to now create surreal beauty in unique objects of pure imagination contributing mixed media visual art to collections sprinkled over this continent. bernard works and lives in Sydney.

bernardsiller.com


Dawn Silver

Encore Jewellery

Dawn’s creative side goes back to her childhood. She explored art and craft especially enjoying needlework and painting. She’s taken classes and workshops along the way and discovered new materials and techniques and learned more and more about ‘form’. Dawn’s interest in making beautiful things from ‘experienced’ instrument strings is a way to relate her love of form with music. Dawn also likes the idea of recycling these shiny, durable, and well- made metal objects, saving them from going into the landfill—giving them an Encore.

encorejewel.com | dawn@encorejewel.com


Courtney Smith

Courtney Smith

Artisan, Courtney Smith, graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2014. She has since returned to her Cape Breton home and manages a local art & craft gallery in the Village of Baddeck called Victoria County Creates. Courtney’s original paintings are created using highly pigmented, crushed glass powder called enamel, mixed with water and layered on top of sheet glass. When the painting is dry it goes through fusing process in a glass kiln at a temperature of 1485°F. Commissions welcome!

instagram.com/scribblesmith.designs | scribblesmithart@gmail.com


Wendy Smith

Glass Artisans Studio & Gallery

Wendy Smith is a stained glass artist and owner of Glass Artisans Studio & Gallery located on the Cabot Trail. She is a self-taught artist with a love for glass that fueled the creation of the gallery and studios. Over 25 glass artists come and create in the studios and the gallery features their work. Falling love with Cape Breton as a visitor, then moving here in 1996 with three children and a dog, Wendy finds the Island brings out the artist and helps inspire new creations.

glassartisans.ca | glassartisans@gmail.com


Penny Steele

Colouratura Art Gallery & Cabotto Chocolates

Chocolate maker and gallery owner, Penny Steele runs the Colouratura Fine Art Gallery which is focused on providing high-quality service and customer satisfaction so visitors can enjoy your time in the Gallery. Colouratura features 30 Cape Breton artists. Cabotto Chocolates are hand crafted with fine quality calebault Belgium chocolate, liquors, nuts and flavourings. Penny makes them in small batches so they are fresh and delicious.

cabottrailart.com | penny@cabottrailart.com


Leona Sulewski

Leona Marie Designs

Leona is an artist and retired teacher living in Sydney. After many years of teaching she decided to continue her education in art education. Her other professional training includes many and varied art courses: stone sculpture, paper making, painting, life drawing. For the last 10 years, Leona main study and practice has been in the creation of distinctive, hand crafted, one-of-a-kind sterling silver jewellery in a mix of classic, modernist and contemporary designs.

leonasulewski@yahoo.com


Mel Sweetnam

Mamie's Schoolhouse

Mel combines her life-long fibre arts studies and academic studies in biology to explore and teach a vast array of plant-based mordants and dyes, and an ecological stewardship approach to all fibre arts. Mamie’s Schoolhouse was founded by ecological fibre artist Mel Sweetnam, a juried member of the Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design and the Canadian Bookbinders & Book Artists Guild, founder of the Unama’ki/Cape Breton Fibre Trail, and President of the Victoria County Arts Council. Mamie was Mel’s Mother and her first fibre arts and conservation teacher.

mamiesschoolhouse.com | mamiesschoolhouse@gmail.com


Teddy Tedford

Teddy Tedford

Teddy has always been drawn to beauty whether in nature, people or art. After retirement, Teddy returned home to Sydney and began attending classes at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design. Teddy has taken many jewellery classes and workshops and also participated in the Metal Arts Guild of Nova Scotia annual competition, winning Best Piece Open. Teddy loves creating unique pieces, especially with unusual stones and settings. She enjoys taking raw materials and melting or moulding them into one of a kind designs.

teddy@ns.sympatico.ca


Katelin Thériault

Cedar Bay Sage

Katelin Thériault uses plant dyes and natural, upcycled, or repurposed fibres to produce small batch, slow fashion and art under the studio name, “cedar bay sage.” Born to a family of craftspeople who hunt, fish, trap, sew, paint, design, build, sing, dance, knit, and stitch, making and mending came naturally to this community-made artist. Driven by a keen desire to do good by the earth, Katelin finds inspiration in healing and regeneration, mending and cycles of revival, and the still quiet of a star-filled sky. Having lived around the world, including in Aberdeen, Scotland, Katelin is grateful to now call Unama’ki / Cape Breton home.

cedarbaysage@gmail.com


Andrew Tubman

Tubman Studio

Wood provides Andrew with a medium to express himself and to share with others the beauty found within each piece. Using Cape Breton wood as the starting point, he shapes each piece to take advantage of the natural features present. From these, Andrew creates a one-of-a-kind work of art. He takes inspiration from the natural elements of Cape Breton, (wind, water and forests) to guide him as he creates functional art.

tubmanstudio.ca | andrew@tubmanstudio.ca


Kris Tynski

Tynski Photographic

Kris Tynski is a nature photographer on Cape Breton Island. His passion for the outdoors started at an early age, and through his work, he highlights Cape Breton to the world, bringing those from the Island closer to nature and home. Kris has been published in Canadian and European wildlife magazines, and various local newspapers.

kristynski.ca | info@kristynski.ca


Gundi Viviani-Finch

Gundi

Gundi works in glass and textiles. She was born in Germany and lived several years in Chile before moving to Canada in 1973. Gundi’s studio is beautifully situated in a pretty Cape Breton cove overlooking the open north Atlantic Ocean. The ever-changing nature and weather provide much of the inspiration for her unique sculptures, in particular the bright light and ice formations of the Canadian winter. Each of Gundi’s glass pieces is painstakingly created. Plate glass is cut into small pieces, then tumbled to remove sharp edges and bonded with an ultra-strong UV-activated adhesive into a multi-faceted sculpture. Art pieces can be made to order, including large-scale sculptures up to six feet tall. Gundi makes one-of-a-kind necklaces using felt, yarn, beads, buttons, metal jewellery. Her technique involves fine crocheting and embroidery.Each piece makes a striking and elegant fashion accessory.

gundi.com | gundi@gundi.com


Ann Marie Wall

Ann Marie Wall

Ann Marie Wall was born and raised in Sydney. Mainly self-taught artist, painting has been a passion of hers since a young age. She enjoys exploring the mediums of watercolour, acrylic and oil. “The world around me influences what I choose to paint. I love the challenge of trying to put on a canvas what I see in my head and feel in my heart. People, animals and moments of life that affect me emotionally eventually find their way to my canvas. I never have to wander far on Cape Breton Island to find inspiration for new creations.”

wally100@eastlink.ca


Karen Wawer

Karen Wawer Jewellery Design

Self-taught; Karen lives by the adage, “see one, do one, teach one” and rose from student to teacher in two years. She loves the process of creation, the attention to detail and the joy of seeing the final result. Her pieces are handcrafted in North Sydney and are inspired by the metal she creates. Forging, fusing, reticulation, and metal clay are used to make one-of-a-kind pieces in both silver and gold.

karenwawer.com | kawaw60@gmail.com


Kyla Dunphy Williams

Night Owl Coffee Roasters

Meet Kyla. She is a creative and oh so passionate about all things coffee. From the bean to the grind to how it’s brewed, it’s all relative. At her private roasting studio in Ingonish, Cape Breton, she handcrafts artisanal, small batch roasted, single origin and specialty blends of coffee beans ethically sourced from cooperative free & fair trade farmers from all over the globe. And when she isn’t working on sourcing beans and roasting delicious coffee, you’ll find her grinding and brewing at her family’s café, the Bean Barn in Ingonish.

nightowlcoffee.ca | nightowlroasters@gmail.com


Michel Williatte-Battet

La Bella Mona Lisa

Born in Montreal, Michel left home when he was 20 to travel the world. Many years later, he decided to explore the Maritimes with the idea of fulfilling one of his dreams of living by the sea. In 1989, he discovered and moved to St. Joseph du Moine on the western side of Cape Breton. In 1990, Michel opened a gallery La Bella Mona Lisa. Michel has been described as a “primitive and colourist like Rousseau, his work combines the naive with the surreal.” Michel’s paintings are explorations of everyday life filled with humour and passion.

labellamonalisa@yahoo.com


Linda Wright

Big Hill Pottery

Linda is a potter and visual artist who immigrated from Scotland in 1974. After graduating from Sheridan School of Craft & Design in 1985, she started her first studio in Hamilton, Ontario, then moved to Muskoka where she operated Northshore Pottery for almost 20 years. In 2009, Linda moved to Cape Breton and opened Big Hill Pottery near Baddeck. Linda loves to create with texture and form, putting much emphasis on the function of the item. A great deal of consideration is given to the total integration of each piece. All pottery can be used in the oven, microwave and dishwasher.

bighillretreat.com | lindajoycewright55@gmail.com


Jitka Zgola

Jitka Zgola

Jitka spent many years as an occupational therapist consulting about care for persons with Alzheimer’s and is still invited to speak and present workshops throughout North America. Pottery is now a passion that she indulges, constantly experimenting and exploring new techniques to produce one-of-a-kind functional pieces – art that can be used every day. Most production takes place in the serene wintry months in her studio in Wreck Cove. True to its functional nature, Jitka’s stoneware is food, oven and microwave safe.

giverny@ns.sympatico.ca