Arriving in Calgary at noon on Tuesday, I borrowed a bike and rode all over this flat city, which was a welcome change to having sat in an airplane for many hours earlier in the day!
I had a lovely visit with Amanda at Influx Gallery (very nice collection of contemporary Canadian jewellers!), but unfortunately got lost on my way to Rubaiyat, so that I didn’t get there until minutes before they closed.
Wednesday morning, I took the drive to Banff, and then through the gorgeous Banff National Park to Jasper. My goodness, I must say: if I lived here, I’d be making Jewellery about those mountains! They are very different from the Bavarian Alps where I grew up. The lines here are amazing, so bare in a way, which makes the eye able to observe so much! I hope you’ll indulge me: I couldn’t help but take quite a few pictures … But don’t miss the magical story at the end of this post!
- Driving into the mountains
- Serene river valleys
- The landscape kept changing
- Suddenly very different peeks!
- I love the colour of the lakes
- The Icefield!
As I was driving, I began dreaming of an artist-in-residency … I’d travel through the mountains, taking photos, and then to a makeshift studio somewhere (ideally st up in a gallery somewhere! Who doesn’t like to see an artist at work!?). At the bench, I’d create pieces to express what I had seen. And then back out to absorb more, to bring back to the studio. What a dream!
But I digress … Arriving in Jasper, the most magical coincidence gave goosebumps all around: I walked into the Mountain Gallery in the Fairmont hotel at Jasper Park Lodge, and just about fell out of my shoes when I saw a woman standing there, wearing one of my Onefooter rings!
I gasped. “Where did you get this ring?” came out of my mouth before I even knew it. “Oh”, she said, ” this is an artist from Nova Scotia. I bought the ring in Mahone Bay. I love it!”. It was a truly magical moment for both of us.
We talked for quite a while. Receiving the accolades from the Craft Council last week felt pretty good, but what really makes the flame of my passion for making burn, is how much joy my pieces bring to the wearer. It is truly touching for me to see how much people become attached to, and enjoy wearing my work.
And, I am completely thrilled to report: the Mountain Galleries at The Jasper Fairmont willbe carrying my work, starting the end of the month :)
What an excellent story, Dorothee, and well told, between the photos and text. It’s great to see your work is going to be showcased in Jasper. Congratulations!
Thanks, Andrew!
Yes, I am really excited to show the work in Jasper. Today, I was in Edmonton to look at galleries there. Just at the airport, ready to board my plane to Vancouver, where the four-day outdoor craft show starts tomorrow. Never a dull moment :)
Wow, crazy! Your pictures are beautiful and so is your jewellery of course. I love my one-footer too! xoxo