News and announcements

Artist Profile of the Month
Susan Jean Whyte

Susan’s fascination with the texture of trees started when she moved to Vancouver Island many  years ago from Calgary, AB.  Where the sky is the dominant natural element on the prairies, for Susan, trees are the dominant element on the Island.

Susan takes impressions from the bark of Vancouver Island’s trees. She then makes a mold and uses these molds to create the textures that she designs her jewelry around. The designs are kept simple, to keep the textures as the main focal point.

The texture is transferred onto the metal using a technique that incorporates the use of metal clay. Metal clay is an organic binder with very fine particles of metal in it. The product looks and works just like clay, thus the name. The pieces are formed, using the tree bark molds to create texture and then hand formed into pleasing shapes. The metal clay is then fired in a kiln where the binder burns off and the metal particles sinter together. Out of the kiln comes a perfect pure piece of metal. Metal clay now comes in a large variety of metals. Susan uses fine silver (99.9% silver), copper and bronze. Patinas on the metals transform the surfaces to mimic the wood. Susan’s handmade chain has a solidness to it that goes well with the tree impressions.

Island Artisans Member Catalogue

check out Island Artisans Association catalogue of Fine Craft based Artist members.  Including images and contact information for each individual member.

Our membership spans the geographic area of Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands.

MEMBER CATALOGUE

Our New IAA Logo!

The final vote to select our new logo was held at our February Meeting. Combining the proxy votes and the votes from the Feb. meeting, because the 3 choices were all so attractive, the vote was close!

ISLAND ARTISANS ASSOCIATION, FOR FINE CRAFT ARTISTS

To members and those who wish to join to be involved in possible upcoming opportunities.

As we come to the later part of what has been a lovely summer weather-wise, here is an update and an invitation. 

The update:
Your executive has been meeting and discussing two significant projects:

1.  A juried fine craft show and sale in either spring or fall of 2019

2.  A brochure that promotes and advertises the work of Island Artisans who wish to be featured. This will be an annual piece that will be available to the public to pick up around the Island.

We have looked at a number of venues, talked with graphic designers and printers, and now, the only thing left is to get your input.

Which brings us to the invitation:.

The invitation:

You are invited to the September meeting to provide input and to indicate whether you are interested in participating in either of these projects or both. If there is enough interest from members, the executive will go ahead and secure a venue for the juried show and hire a coordinator to help us organize.

With the brochure, if members wish to be featured, a graphic designer and printer will be enlisted and the work will go ahead. Of course, there needs to be enough folks who wish to be involved for either of these projects to come to life. We will make those decisions based on interest indicated at the meeting.

The Executive absolutely need your feedback so that we can go ahead with these two projects on your behalf.  Please attend this September meeting so we can have a lively discussion.   We not only need your involvement at the meeting and these projects, we will also need people to volunteer to be on committees to help make these projects work!

September Meeting

Tuesday September 4,
Cedar Hill Recreation Centre 7:00 P.M.

(refreshments provided)

Have a wonderful rest of the summer!