Happy Spring!

While many of us are planting seeds in our gardens we are doing the same thing, metaphorically speaking, behind the scenes of our Shiny Fuzzy Muddy show! We are already hard at work putting together our December show. There is a reason that our patrons love to come back year after year ... and it isn't just about the free admission!

Stay tuned for updates about our featured vendors this year. Until then please enjoy some lovely visuals of our last gathering.

Heather Dahl | dahlhaus

Caroline Miller

Laura McKibbon | cul de sac design

Sonja of SML Glassworks

kari woo contemporary art jewellery

Mr + Mrs Jenn Demke-Lange of MIKIND Handmade Ceramics

Holly Cruise | Mimosa

Jasna Sokolovic is 50% of of Dear Human

Meghan Hildebrand

Elizabeth Burritt handpaints the  porcelain vessels she makes

Denise Wilson | Bronsino Leather Goods

Our happy visitors!

Julie Gibb | Sandpiper Glass

Astrosatchel's booth ... but where's Janna???

Checha of StudioChecha Jewellery

There's Janna (aka Astrosatchel girl)

Megan from Identity Home + Tees

Ulla Clark | Lu Prints

Claire Madill of heyday design

All that's warm and fuzzy

Adhesif Clothing Company

Melissa Ferreira, founder and principal Adhesif Clothing Company is a masterful upcycler of found material. All of her garments are made with vintage fabrics that provide each piece with unique qualities and can boast a sustainable material source. Impeccably constructed and tailored to flatter the curves, Adhesif clothing is made to make a statement. Find Melissa at SFM13 this weekend or afterwards at her boutique on Main Street, where she also represents and supports other local and indie brands.

Sans Soucie

Katherine continuously works towards developing new ways to modernize traditional textile techniques by producing textiles and clothing that are new and functional. she believes that reinventing pre-existing materials raises our sense of awareness, appreciation, and expresses our need for individuality. Her work with materials such as pantyhose, dryer sheets, reclaimed wool, and silk fibers has allowed for experimentation which has resulted in creating an extensive body of work over the years
 
Morena Clothing

Rebellious and sophisticated all at once. Morena clothing designer, Marcy Ross, uses a variety of approaches to building her garments. Pullover hoodies are constructed from upcycled garments, printed on randomly and finished with an applique of lace, fut and buttons. Slinky short dresses are made from new eco-materials such as bamboo. Skirts with sculptural tailoring are built to be as comfy as they are glamorous. You always make a statement when you are wearing Morena.

Funk Shui

Jessica de Haas sculpts with felt. First she dyes and makes the felt fabric out of wool and silk. A variety of techniques used on their own or in combo such as beading, applique, fabric inlay or free motion embroidery can be applied to embellish the surface. Her specialty item is hats and we are loving her new fedoras (!), but she also constructs amazing one-of-a-kind garments from her raw materials. After some time away from our show Jess returns for SFM 13 and is bringing the fuzzy!

For the Home

Known more for her men's tees and cheeky graphics which parody notions of Canadian identity, Identity Tees & Home will also be toting their home accessories collection this weekend at SFM13. Clever design is always our favorite. This time Meghan has taken her classic graphics and applied them to fabrics like old Hudson's Bay blankets to continue her visual commentary on what we value as Canadians. 

LU Prints is with us again offering up their awesome accessories for the kitchen. Patterns are designed and printed by Ulla Clark at her studio in Pemberton. Bragging rights include having had her product distributed by Indigo/Chapters recently. Her designs are always visually captivating and also play on icons of Canadian identity. We especially enjoy the snowshoe.

Dear Human : Partners in Art + Life

DEAR HUMAN is the collective studio of Jasna Sokolovic and Noel O'Connell. Very accomplished artists each in their own right, their work together goes beyond the scope of the functional object or product design, but it does not abandon these values either. Much of their focus these days is on public art projects. They are brilliant thinkers about how to transform space, interior or exterior, to provide an impactful experience on their audience that inspires optimism, joy and curiosity. This very focused intent behind their work is the perfect reflection of their union not only in art-making but as partners in life too. Their love story is one that inspires us all...but that story is for another post:)

The chosen medium is ceramics due to their extensive personal experience with the material, but they are not shy to venture into other mediums, including re-purposing objects and leftover industrial materials. Noel and Jasna have a network of other skilled professionals that they work with to bring their projects to fruition including architects, industrial designers and artists.

Most recently they unveiled a project that they have been working on for the better part of 2012 for VanCity Credit Union in Vancouver. Read more about this project entitled, Dinner with Neighbors, on their website, but here are some images of the project after it was installed.

Astrosatchel / Winterluxe

Janna Hurtzig is a self starter. Her brand, Astrosatchel, was born out of necessity but survives because of demand. Walk down any street of Vancouver and you will spot at least one hipster carrying an Astrosatchel bag. Each one is unique due to the never-ending variations of theme and color that she plays with. They are the quintessential west coast  accessory because they are waterproof, and vegan to boot!

Janna's other line of product further highlight her resourcefulness. Winterluxe is a line of upcycled cashmere accessories including scarves, mitts and hats. Definitely an A+ in the warm and fuzzy department!

Laura McKibbon / cul de sac design

Vancouver's own Laura McKibbon, original SFM member, is a courageous explorer of her chosen medium. In 2003 she was at the forefront of what has become a critical mass movement of printing on clay. She quickly became known for her simple forms and the graphic quality of her work. Today she has carved out a solid groove in the clay community as an innovator in process and design. The fact that she is largely self-taught is paramount to her ability to experiment and work by trial and error. She is not hindered by any kind of art school or master dogma.This is an enviable trait for those of us brainwashed in art school!

Laura divides her time between her home base here in Vancouver and other select [artist residency] destinations around the world. She was redesigning our website this fall and delegating organizational tasks from the comfort of her laptop in faraway places like Australia and Denmark while she was engaged in professional activities abroad. However she will be live and on site at SFM 13 this weekend. Come and ask her about her artistic adventures!

 

Strength in Numbers : Alberta's Liz Burritt and MIKIND

Elizabeth Burritt's work meets at the intersection of fine art + fine craft. Amazingly sensitive illustrations are used as surface design on modern ceramic forms providing her audience with something they have never seen before. That is not easy to do. We'd say this is a fully realized union of her background in editorial illustration and fine arts training in ceramics. Elizabeth lives and works in Medicine Hat, Alberta, which is humbly becoming a major hub for contemporary ceramics in Canada due to the revival and upgrade of the historic Medalta Potteries in that town.

Elizabeth Burritt Design

Jenn Demke-Lange of MIKIND Ceramics also hails from Medicine Hat, AB (did we mention that it is a hub for contemporary ceramics?). She is the full-time studio manager at the Medalta International Artists in Residence Program where "she is lucky to have her ceramic practice be continually inspired and flourish by the many artists filtering through the studio". She must not sleep much judging from how prolific she is in her personal work which meshes geometric patterns, vintage imagery and modern forms inspired by danish design. Totally functional and absolutely artistic, her work is undoubtedly minimal and magnificent in the humblest way.

MIKIND Ceramics

Now on their own these ladies already rock the ceramic socks off of us at SFM, but you must also check out their collaborative works. The old saying that there is strength in numbers couldn't be truer! It's a match made in ceramic heaven. And if you happened to be in Edmonton to catch their recent collaborative exhibition at the Alberta Craft Council then lucky lucky you! We can't wait to see their works in person this weekend at SFM13!

Collaborative work by Jenn Demke-Lange and Elizabeth Burritt

Bronsino

Luxurious locally made leather bags and accessories that are totally functional and practical but still look oh so good! Bronsino is the merging of Denise Wilson's fine art background in painting/printimaking with her tales of world travel and her respect for techniques of old. She works in limited editions with small batches of her specialty materials - some new and some upcycled. Absent from SFM for the last few years we are glad to have Denise back in attendance as she always draws a crowd with her fine product and lovely self.

Recently she collaborated with Adhesif Clothing Company at Vancouver Fashion Week. Check out how a Bronsino belt can be the perfect accent to an already delicious ensemble.