Zena Rogak has been drawing and painting animals from an early age. Born and raised on the west coast of Canada, she has a biology degree from the University of Victoria and graduated from Emily Carr College of Art and Design with a major in painting and printmaking.
She lives on a small farm on Gabriola surrounded by animals including assorted chickens, a Flemish giant rabbit, a horse, a miniature donkey, a parrot, two sheep and an assertive turkey. This menagerie is the primary source of inspiration for her work.
Tony Grove is an artist driven by a boundless curiosity and a passion for creation. His artistic journey has taken him on various paths, starting with a boatbuilding apprenticeship that ignited his skills in wooden boat restoration, construction, and interior building. Working with diverse clients and companies along the West Coast, Tony has honed his craftsmanship.
His artistic talents extend beyond boatbuilding. Tony has made a mark as a commercial illustrator and artist, producing captivating work for Vancouver clients and publications. Notably, he illustrated a book for the United Nations in 1989, which has since been translated into multiple languages for global distribution.
In 1992, Tony's love for art and wood merged harmoniously, leading him to establish a successful business in custom furniture design and building. Additionally, he co-founded the "Lava group" in 1995, collaborating with the most creative furniture designer builders in British Columbia. Together, they presented an annual exhibition showcasing new furniture designs.
Education is another facet of Tony's artistic journey. He shares his expertise by publishing articles, delivering lectures, and consulting on boat interior design and construction. This rich experience prompted Tony to instruct at the Silva Bay Shipyard School, where he became the head instructor in 2003. Teaching traditional boatbuilding and designing a specialized course on ship cabinetry/joinery, he imparted knowledge to aspiring craftsmen.
Now, Tony has returned to working independently as a custom woodworker, boatbuilder, and artist. When not spending cherished moments with his family, he can be found in his home shop, nestled among the trees on Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada, immersing himself in his artistic pursuits.
tonygroveartist.com and IG tony_grove_artist/
Anita Jackel Leather Design’s soft leather bags are cherished by women who love practical and versatile designs that suit their active lifestyles—without compromising fashion. These stunning bags are available in an array of vibrant colours and unique shapes, and are guaranteed to turn heads.
Designer and owner Anita Jackel-Deggan’s passion for leather began early in life. When she was a little girl, she would sneak into her hometown tannery in Hailer, Germany and collect leather scraps from the dump to glue into little change purses. She later studied fashion design in Pforzheim, Germany, and completed an apprenticeship with a well-known leather designer, Pia Petrini, in Berlin.
When Anita immigrated to Vancouver, Canada, in 1994, the first thing she did was send for her heavy duty walking foot Pfaff sewing machine, which she’s been using ever since to make her beautiful soft leather bags.
Anita Jackel Leather Designs combine Anita’s European background with a touch of Canadian West Coast flair. All bags are created in British Columbia by a small dedicated team that includes Anita’s partner, Brian, who helps with sales and admin.
For more visit their website www.anitajackelleatherdesign.com
or find them on Facebook AnitaJackelLeatherDesign
Instagram, anitajackel_leatherdesign
Yvonne Noyon, of Veritas Silver Designs, creates individually handcrafted, unique pieces of jewellery featuring designs inspired by the natural beauty of coastal BC.
Yvonne has been creating jewellery on Gabriola Island for 22 years. Originally named SpiritSong Designs, her jewellery has evolved from beaded work to silver wire creations and finally to the intricate, multi layer, west coast inspired scenes she is well known for now.
Her designs have been displayed for sale at the Pier Gallery at Silva Bay, local markets and craft fairs and at her own studio, which has been part of the Gabriola Thanksgiving Studio Tour since 2004. As of 2020 her work has also been available internationally on her website and in her Etsy shop.
Subjects are diverse but capturing the warmth and play of light on local natural beauty is my most important mandate. - Melinda Wilde
Capturing the beauty of British Columbia in vivid creative watercolours, Melinda Wilde displays various styles of painting within the medium. You will probably have already seen some of her local public art: the electrical box at the ferry terminal, a hydro pole (ferns and frogs) on the ferry hill, the mural inside the Agricultural Hall and the mural in the Gabriola Elementary School library.
Melinda has been involved in many artistic ventures, from private and public murals to Professional Development seminars, the B.C. Ferries Artist and Speaker program, community “Art Start” workshops and after-school art programs. Her works are in private collections in Australia, Europe, Asia and throughout Canada and the U.S.
Painting and teaching watercolours for over 25 years, Melinda has a growing following of students in her spring and fall semester classes on Gabriola and in Nanaimo. Summer seminars are also available, check the website for info: www.melindawilde.com
Our House Art Studio (737 Ross Way) is where you can find more of Melinda Wilde’s art. Art cards, calendars, magnets, reproductions and original watercolours and acrylics, painted on more than just the canvas!
Artistry and Energy feed Gayla’s Soul
As a retired educator and education advocate, Gayla now enjoys a quiet life as an island artist and Certified Practitioner of Sound Therapy and Healing Touch Program®.
Working in rich fibre arts, colours, textures, and mixed media, Gayla’s funky, colourful Dances with Scarves®/DWS® and Blessing Dolls™ come to life within a sacred space filled with healing-frequency harmonics. Before setting out in the world, these Divinely Inspired Creations are infused with blessings and intentions for love, safety, abundance and health with which to enrich lives. Dances with Scarves®/DWS® make great wall art when not accessorizing a great outfit, and come in 9 colour choice combinations to support Colour Therapy for the Soul.
Gayla’s artistic talents also extend to the outdoors where a 6-year project culminated in the creation of a heart labyrinth, one-of-a-kind yard/garden and scared forest space. Visitors may experience this outdoor art project as they walk the labyrinth, tour the unique space, and spend time in quiet contemplation or journaling in the forest, before or after Rest ‘n Restore Sound experiences.
Through her art, Gayla aims to empower others on their wellness journey to honor the richness of their authenticity and depths of their complexity. Outside of the ‘societal norms box’, Gayla’s funky art supports seekers to embrace their full essence and shine their light brightly as they thrive in the splendor of their unique presence on this earth.
Gayla’s creations now enhance the lives of many locally, across Canada and world-wide as they continue the ripples of healing frequencies during these interesting times.
To see more of Gayla’s Art, including her yard, book a Wellness/Forest Sound session, or to walk her Heart Labyrinth:
Facebook: @ConnectBalanceThrive
Text: 867-445-3634
Inspired by island life, Lorna designs and creates colourful, handcrafted jewellery and art pieces from copper, enamel, silver, glass and raku.
You can reach her at 250-816-1300 or antlorna@hotmail.com.
Pat Rokosh Bio:
Pat has been working with clay since 2001, having taken most of her formal training through the Mount Pleasant Arts Centre in Calgary. Now living and working at the Island School of Building Arts on Gabriola Island, Pat also transfers her interpretation of the forest and the sea into her pieces and glaze colours. Her work is functional, whimsical and multi-layer glazed, influenced by Dr. Suess, the Hobbits and things that are useful in the kitchen.
Pat is in the process of building a wood kiln which will open the door to using all the elements in her studio: earth, fire, water and wind. In the meantime, she is creating unique, and often one of a kind, ceramic art.
Connection to my environment feels more natural to me in many ways than relationships to people. Maybe that’s why I attribute human qualities to this beloved Island. I believe Gabriola has a persona. She is a loving trickster and a sorceress. She embraces us and shows us our light and she reveals to us the dark places we fear to go.
It’s easy to romanticize full-time life on an island, imagining it is like one long vacation. It isn’t. There are challenges. Primarily being confronted with one’s self. You can run, but you wind up right back where you started eventually. You can hide, but not for long. She keeps delivering the lessons I must learn. She overloads me with so much beauty and inspiration I am frustrated with my human limitations as I attempt to capture some small piece of her. “I don’t know what I’m doing” I whine at her. “Nobody does, just keep going” she laughs.
So I’m ‘Winging it’. I’ll keep painting birds until I learn something about taking flight and I’ll keep painting trees until I grow roots.
ezramillerstudio.com, and instagram: @ezra_the_alchemist
The sewing machine is like a meditation,
It keeps me calm
It demands design !
The results: Lots of bags to sell at Pier Gallery.
Reach me at grantgoodfellow3@gmail.com
Glass blowing: art made with passion, fire, heat, fluidity, love, and movement. Partners in both life and in the hot shop, Dirk Huysman and Mary Ann Richards have been bathing in the magic of glass blowing for 20+ years; it was a gift of a glass blowing class that turned into an ongoing dance of creation together, with no end in sight.
Each of our unique pieces are filled with one-of-a-kind whimsy and created with the utmost care, attention, and creativity. Varying in colour, size, & style, we create functional and decorative pieces with the spirit that moves us. Our functional pieces range from beer mug, water glass, or wine goblet for your hand, to luxurious and classy vases for your flowers, incredibles lamps for your living spaces, and stunning centrepiece bowls for your tables. Our decorative work comes in all shapes and sizes: glass balls, spirit dancers, holiday pieces, and works inspired by imagination, place, fire, and light.
More at www.ddanceglass.ca
After a 30-year career in print, I began applying my design imagination to the glass medium, apprenticing for two years with a Quebec stained glass artist.
Predominately abstract, my art is designed for both function and décor—windows, cabinets, walls—giving traditional techniques a contemporary twist.
Anywhere the light shines through.
Reach me at catherinemargarethart@gmail.com
Susan plays well with fibre and textiles…she hardly ever runs with scissors or knitting needles! Her life long passion for textile arts includes knitting, sewing, spinning, felting, weaving and embroidery. Her creations are propelled forward by colour and texture.
Since moving to Gabriola in 2018, Susan has been revelling in her freedom to create with various fibre techniques. She is inspired by the people and landscapes surrounding her.
Marylyn lives with her husband Bill, on Gabriola Island, BC, and loves the undemanding lifestyle here. Immersed in Gabriola’s raw beauty, there is constant artistic inspiration here. Many of her baskets include natural materials which she has hand gathered and prepared, and each basket is unique in its shape, colour and design. From whimsical, to comical, to functional, to imaginative, to outrageous – every basket is made with patience and love, over a period of 10, 20, sometimes even 50 hours or more.
Growing up in an isolated part of northern Canada Maxx Duncalfe says “ I developed a closeness with the natural world as a young child” That kinship and connection is the basis of her art, in which the pattern and textures of nature are turned into strikingly realistic pieces of art. Maxx has two favourite genres that she works in.
One where she creates Felted Wool cushions and seats that echo the smooth shapes of river rocks and surf-sanded stones. The second being Resin Art on wood -using layers and layers of tinted resin Maxx creates charcuterie boards and cutting boards with an ocean/river motif; making them both beautiful and functional pieces of art.
For more, follow Maxx on instagram @designsbymaxx
Panacea Herbs, located on the beautifully pristine Gulf island of Gabriola, is an organic, homegrown skin care company. Surrounded by the clear Pacific Ocean and abundant fresh air, old growth forests and rich soils, I grow organic herbs and sustainably harvest from the diverse local flora. It is here, on this tranquil and bountiful island, that I gather my inspirations to provide the very best skin care possible.
My expertise is based on 20 years of studies in herbology, horticulture and aromatherapy as well as feedback from my customers. Of course I don’t test on animals but my kids are always happy to try something new!
For more visit www.panaceaherbs.ca and follow me on instagram @panaceaherbs
Ray works mostly in acrylics, with playful and varied themes. Large original watercolours, digital art, cards and small prints also available.
Retired Military Air Traffic Controller following a new passion for woodworking.
Instagram: com/islandviewwoodcraft
