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Dozay (Arlene Christmas)  Dozay is a Wolostoq artist who was born on the banks of the St. John River in New Brunswick. Her work is well known in Atlantic Canada, as well as throughout North America and parts of Europe.
She has also owned and operated her own gallery and graphic business along with her husband Dan Christmas in Membertou, Sydney, Nova Scotia for years.
Dozay has attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design as well as Cape Breton University. She has also attended many training workshops over the years with her mural airbrushing and graphics.
more... Laura Moore  This eco-minded visual artist and designer of Finders Keepers art jewelry is best known for her work with found objects. Natural materials like seashells and leaves as well as common items like pop cans and worn out clothing all find new lives in her work.
Whether she is scouring yard-sales or hiking Cape Breton`s shores and trails, Laura is passionate about picking up things nobody else wants and asking, `how can I get one more use out of this?`
Since its introduction in 2004, her found-object jewelry has been delighting mermaids, tree-huggers and packrats everywhere! Over 30 Atlantic Canadian shops and galleries now carry Finders Keepers, allowing the artist to spend more time in the place she loves best: her workshop!
Says the artist of her work: `I do what I love for people who love what I do, thank you!`
more... Marg MacNeil  Sisters Bonnie and Marg are the artisans at Caper Glass Creations who make glass come to life. They bring their own passion, creativity, and eye for colour and texture to glass-working techniques which have been used for thousands of years. Whether a custom or standard design, every piece of stained and fused glass is carefully handcrafted, making each a unique work of art that you and your family will treasure.
Born in Cape Breton, Marg recently retired from a 26 year career in the corporate world, with many of those years spent in a management capacity, which has given her a solid foundation in her daily business practices. She is devoted to working full-time with Caper Glass Creations and the development of the business. Marg has been securing sales to date and has established channels for distribution which include wholesale and retail trade.
Born in Cape Breton, Bonnie started the business which has evolved into Caper Glass Creations. She currently works part time in the business and is looking forward to the day that Caper Glass Creations becomes her full time passion.
more... Kenny Boone  Renowned 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 Cape Breton. In recent years, his creative curiousity has spurred his exploration into many other areas including more personal figurative works. 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. When not painting on location, Kenny works from his studio in the coastal town of Dominion.
more... Barbara Longva  Barbara Longva is a designer and master seamstress who has been who enjoys spending time creating new and original designs. Along with designing wardrobes from many local stage productions, Barbara has also designed wardrobes for movies such as the Pit Pony, New Waterford Girl and the Song Spinner. Most recently, Barb`s work was featured on Sue Warden`s Craft Scapes on the Home and Garden Television Network.
more... Jitka Zgola  Jitka has been interested in pottery for over 15 years, but her art expression just took off when she moved to Cape Breton. Inspired by the environment and the desire to see her practical art at work in `good homes`, Jitka crafts unique pieces of functional pottery - art that you can use every day.
more... Virginia McCoy  Virginia McCoy has been painting for more than 30 years. She works with gouache and transparent watercolours.
Born and raised in Northern Ontario, Virginia`s father was born on the Fort William Reserve. His father was of mixed Ojibwe parents and his mother Acadian. Virginia`s mother is a war bride from England and all of her family’s stories speak of the rich experience of mixed cultures and the raw newness of the North American frontier.
Like many artists, Virginia was attracted to Cape Breton Island by the landscape and the light and the people. Here she was able to make a full-time commitment to her studies of people and place in the form of visual art. She also became active in promoting the work of and organizational support for professional artists in Inverness County.
Virginia has set her own course of study and has also been deeply involved in the community of art workers and the learning they provide one another. Her studio is in Inverness and is open to the public during the summer ‘visitor’ months.
Virginia McCoy’s colourful illustrative work has been presented in several group and solo exhibits on Cape Breton Island and the Nova Scotia mainland. Most recent solo exhibits are ‘Becoming White’ at the Cape Breton University Gallery, 2004, a study of the drift from native to white cultural orientation in and ‘Full Circle’ at the Inverness County Centre for the Arts, 2006 a survey of her work in gouache from the past 20 years as collected in and around her home in Inverness Nova Scotia. Her work is also included in many group shows.
more... Gordon Kennedy  I attended Vancouver Art School, now called the Emily Carr College of Art, in the early 70`s, where I studied painting and metal sculpture. After graduating I traveled to Europe and then returned to Vancouver and set up a studio. Feeling the need for change, I moved to Toronto in 1978. A studio in a downtown warehouse enabled me to create larger work and I began experimenting with pouring paint onto canvases stretched on the floor. In these works the interaction of colour became my main focus. It was during this time that I met my wife Carol. When she became pregnant we started looking for a place in the country outside Toronto. It turned out to be Cape Breton. At this time I was beginning to feel a need for more structure in my work. On our arrival in Cape Breton I fell in love with the landscape and so I worked in that direction for a number of years.
more... John C. Roberts  John C. Roberts is a Master Artisan as designated by Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council. He learned his craft, through work in harness shops and leather factories and self-teaching. John augmented his hands-on-learning with travel, museum study and constant reading of trade books and magazines.
A natural outcome of his interest in craftsmanship and history was his first commission from Fortress Louisbourg National Historic Park in 1975 to make leather fire buckets. Stories about John have been featured in Canadian House and Home Magazine, the TV show the Leading Edge and the book Studio Rally.
He and his wife Marion opened their store, Leather Works by John C. Roberts, in 1988 to retail a wide variety of leather goods including museum reproductions and contemporary accessories. All leather items sold in the store are made in the adjoining workshop by John and skilled staff working together, fueled by coffee and chocolate.
One of last year`s more interesting customers was a movie company that ordered leather fire buckets. Fox is making a movie set in the 18th century called Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, starring Russel Crowe.
more... Carolyn Ritchie Bedford  Although Carolyn has been known as a painter for many years, she now works primarily in clay and bronze sculpture. Carolyn and her husband, George, operate their own backyard foundry in Cape Breton where they burn their own pieces of bronze. Carolyn has been working at her art for 30 years in Nova Scotia, exhibiting in various group shows and having many solo exhibits of painting, some photography and now sculpture. This past year Carolyn completed demonstrations of the bronze pours at the Congres Mondial Acadien events and at the Pictou art gatherings where she will do workshops this year. Carolyn also completed work on a water wall sculpture for the new Port Hawkesbury Civic Center with bronze sculpture figures and is pursuing other public art projects that come along. The artist participates in The Annual NS Studio Art Rally Map welcoming visitors to her studio in the summer and is also preparing for a solo sculptural exhibit in 2006. Never still, she is now also trying her hand working in some stone or wood sculpture, and applying her self to some more paintings for the future.
more... Liam Tromans  Liam Tromans was born in Bras d`Or, Cape Breton and has been exploring and painting nature and wildlife since childhood. His great respect and love of nature is evident not only in his work but also in his lifestyle. A professional pulp cutter for 15 years, he began carving animals at the work site in forests (1977) using a self-learned chain saw technique.
more... William Roach  French Acadian born and raised in Cheticamp, Nova Scotia. William is completely self-taught and has been very interested and involved in art since early childhood. William was employed in a wide variety of occupations before becoming a full lime wood carver including carpentry, truck driver, press operator, forklift operator and many more. For many years William did his artwork and gave it away. He began making his living carving full time in 1988. So for the last 15 years he has been making his living from carving, painting and painting furniture.
more... Terron Dodd  I have been making things out of wood since I was six years old and somebody gave me a jackknife, but it is only since 1988 I have been selling them. Since 1997 I have been supporting myself solely by woodworking. I like to take a piece of wood and make something that shows the beauty that grew there, preferably something that is also useful in some way. When people ask me, `Did you make this?` I often answer something like, `Yes, I carved it, but the tree spent longer on it than I did.`
more... Janet Dawson  Janet weaves vibrantly colourful blankets, scarves, shawls, fashion accessories, home accents, and more to satisfy her love of fibre, craving for texture and fascination with colour.
`For me, weaving is all about the yarn. I love colour, texture, fibre... especially colour! I find my inspiration in my yarn room, in which all four walls are covered with yarn from floor to ceiling. It`s like a giant paint set for me; I love to take the yarn down and play with it just to see what I`ll get. That`s why I like doing custom orders: people put together colours and fibres in ways I don`t expect and I`m just as excited as they are to see what the results will be.
Weaving is also about balance. It lets me express and explore my creativity while keeping my mathematical mind active; it keeps me learning, even while I teach; above all, it lets me mix business with pleasure. What could be better than painting with yarn all day?`
Come visit Janet at her artisan-run, co-operative craft gallery on Sydney`s waterfront and choose from one of her colour palettes or design your own from dozens of colours available.
more... Rosemary and Mac MacIsaac  Rosemary MacIsaac has been making kilts since 1985 and has developed her business into a well respected and professional company that has grown primarily by word of mouth and customer referrals. Rosemary and her husband Mac now operate MacIsaac Kiltmakers as a family business and are enjoying tremendous success and growth because of their commitment to consistent workmanship, impeccable quality, and an unmatched focus on customer satisfaction.
more... Wendy Smith  Wendy Smith is a Stained Glass artist inspired by nature. Some of the designs are combined with specialty wood such as spalted maple. The Gallery also carries blown glass made on site and features 20 other glass artists who specialize in blowing, fusing, enamelling and lampworking.
Note: The Gallery is wheelchair accessible.
more... Robert and Melinda Orkish / Harvey and Linda Hyson  Bob & Melinda Orkish and Harvey & Linda Hyson have brought their individual talents together to create one-of-a-kind hand wired works of art. Seft taught in the art of wire wrapping, the quartet of artisan's work with petrified wood, beach glass, recycled glass, agate and more to create distinctive pendants.
more... Gayle Bird  More than a decade ago, a friend gifted Gayle with a stainless steel wire-wrapped necklace. She thought, `I could do that!` and proceeded to prove it. Many snarls of wire and bits of glass later, she had her first pendant. Slowly working up to precious wire and semi-precious gemstones while pioneering her own techniques in the meantime, her expertise is such now that she`s taught dozens of students in wire-wrapping classes around Cape Breton, and her work has been sought out by galleries and customers alike, from every continent!
As a graphic designer, Gayle`s eye for colour and flair for composition motivates her to match the forms of the stones she works with to the perfect combination of metals and shapes to make each piece extraordinary and appealing.
Taking inspiration from nature, mythology and the metaphysical properties of gemstones, Gayle also finds a complement to her wire designs from her forays into painting, sculpting, papercraft, and web design.
A proud Cape Breton artist, Gayle is dedicated to creating beautiful, distinctive jewellery that anybody can wear – and everybody will be talking about!
more... E. Del Zoppo  When I first met a basic drawloom I knew damask would be a major part of my weaving life. I`ve always lived next to large bodies of water - Lake Michigan and now the Atlantic - and the interplay of light, wind and water has captivated me. Damask has long been associated with functional fabrics, and the technique allows me to create elusive imagery that reminds me of the shifts of light and shadow, air and water. Weaving scarves and shawls lets me share that imagery with those who also want a warm, lightweight and durable accessory.
more... Marsha Smith  Marsha Smith is a Cape Breton quilter who makes, by hand, almost all of her quilts from traditional designs. Throughout the past years she has become professionally schooled and trained in all aspects of quilting. Her shop, the Sea Shanty, carries a range of giftware including quilts (old and new), pottery, pewter and more.
more... Linda Doyon 
Linda Doyon’s designs illustrate her love of the spectacular northern Cape Breton environment in which she lives.
She combines her 25+ years of pottery and multi-media experience to create works in clay, fibre and driftwood that are inspired by her experiences while moving through this incredible beauty on foot, by kayak, on skis and on snowshoes.
more... Janet MacInnis  Janet was born in Inverness County. Her home is on the eastern side of beautiful Lake Ainslie. She has a small home studio where she designs and produces her glass work. Glass working became a hobby for Janet about 6 years ago. After appreciating the beauty of so many types and colors of glass, she decided to expand from stained glass to fusing glass in a kiln. Janet is constantly marvelled at seeing the transformation that lies inside the kiln after the firing process.
more... Shari MacLeod  I grew up surrounded by a family full of skilled craftsmen. Quilters, rug hookers, painters, furniture makers and house builders, they provide inspiration through their beautiful homes and ingenuity in the work they`ve created. It was only natural to end up focused on creating work with my hands. I started making baskets with a class at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design in 1999 and it has been a source of great enjoyment and challenge.
more... Wayne Reynolds  Wayne Reynolds was born in Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia and resides there today. His wood working abilities were pretty much spelled out at an early age where he began by assisting his father who was in the building trade. An avid collector of antique tools, he enjoys restoring and using them. He says `There is something soothing in using a 100 year old plane and watching the shavings curl off the wood.`
Much of Wayne`s work takes on an Oriental look and this he attributes to his 35 year involvement in martial arts. Along with wood working, Wayne is involved in his community where he volunteers his time to various community projects. He enjoys acting and has appeared in movies and several television productions. Wayne also enjoys live theatre and is a founding member of the `Under the Map` theatre group.
Wayne is now building a new workshop and when completed, visitors are welcome to drop by to view his work and/or enquire about custom orders. The studio will be located approximately 2 km. from the Canso Causeway. It is expected that the new studio will be open to the public Spring 2006.
more... Robert Evans  The son of James Stanley Evans – a master cabinetmaker – Robert began his training at a very young age. By his mid-thirties he had gained considerable experience in construction, interior finish, cabinetmaking, and furniture manufacturing and design. In 1983 he was appointed an instructor of technical education, a position that he occupied for some 17 years. Many of the unique products created at Woodsmiths were designed, tested, enhanced, and refined during this period of learning, skill development, and experimentation.
Bob`s many years of woodworking and technical experience have enabled him to hone his craft to the point that he now has the freedom to focus on the creative aspects of woodworking, designing items that are unique in style and function.
In 1997, with help from many friends and associates, Bob opened Woodsmiths to bring his creations to the world. Situated on the renowned Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island, Canada, Woodsmiths Studio is where you can find Bob and his team crafting their unique creations daily on-site. Thousands of people from around the world visit the studio each year to browse, explore, and adopt Woodsmiths` creations.
more... Joyce and Chuck Nicholson  Joyce & Chuck Nicholson are not only partners in business, but partners in life….
Chuck was born and raised in Cape Breton where he has enjoyed a life of teaching at Cape Breton University for the past 25 years. He’s taught in many subjects but Geology is his true passion. His love and knowledge of the island has led him to find a very rare Petrified Wood deposit from the late Devonian Period. Chuck is presently awaiting a one year sabbatical leave from teaching to further study the nature of the petrified wood that occurs here on Cape Breton Island. His devotion to his craft fosters perfection in his work.
Joyce was born in Ontario, but spent the majority of her life on the Island as well. She has a love for business and has owned several over the past few years. Chuck and Joyce’s unique qualities were a perfect fit for a successful and dedicated business venture. Joyce has researched and studied jewelry techniques for the past 7 years to perfect their technique. Together, they intend to expand Ancient Treasures to a full time business enterprise.
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