by Laura Goldstein
Elisa Valentine of Studio Valentine is a Renaissance woman. A former casting associate for film and television (Stargate, Elf,) she is one of those rare people who combines both the cerebral process of composing the written word with the emotional expression of painting.
Some of her earliest memories of growing up in Vancouver were running through rows of raspberries on her parents’ property and to this day, immersing herself in the sensory lushness of the West Coast. Valentine brings her unique interpretations of the natural world to the inaugural Artist-in-Residence interactive programme presented by SwitzerCultCreative the first Saturday of each month from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. beginning May 4th to August (tba.) The final date will tie-in with The Armoury Design District’s summer celebration.
Entitled Access Art, “It’s a very inviting look into an artistic process, and designed to bring clientele closer to the artistic process,” Valentine explains. Closer indeed, as she will set up her easel in the window of the SwitzerCultCreative showroom, one of British Columbia’s foremost supporters of local, Canadian and international furniture, pottery, glass and lighting.
“Since opening our SwitzerCultCreative showroom in 2015, we strive to champion the exceptional talents of Canadian craftspeople especially those from the Pacific Northwest,” says founder/partner, Renee Switzer.“ Elisa Valentine is a Vancouver – based artist who brought us the idea of hosting an Artist-in-Residence programme in our space. We look forward to welcoming Elisa and the public to our showroom over the spring and summer for these special events.”
Fascinated with texture, Valentine wields her brush using built-up acrylics on raw canvas giving the impression of 3-dimensional gesso. She also employs the use of charcoal, ink and sometimes found objects in nature. “I see painting as the sensory poetry of nature,” she rhapsodizes.
Her popular Valentine’s Letters series was created using custom-made woodblocks in the style of old typewriter fonts. Using graphic design techniques, she illuminates each letter with botanical imagery then applies them to a variety of merchandise including stationery, notebooks and totes. A portion of those sales supports charitable organizations dedicated to literacy and the arts for children.
Inspired by a photograph of beach sand covered in frost by Vancouver professional photographer, Josh Neufeld, Valentine penned a short story and sent it off to him. “A few months later he contacted me and suggested we collaborate on a book,” says Valentine of the serendipitous partnership. the nature of She is a metaphorical contemplation of Mother Nature and the feminine explored through photography, poetry and short story.
Not one to rest on her laurels, Valentine also conducts pen & paint workshops at The Museum of Vancouver that combine en plein air painting with the creation of a story or poem. “I find it’s a wonderful tool for storytelling because painting evokes our memories,” she explains.
SwitzerCultCreative kicks-off the first Access Art event on Saturday, May 4th with Engage With the Artist and an opportunity to meet Elisa Valentine as she works on a large scale painting.
June 8th The Colour of Your Letters: Elisa invites clients and walk-ins to choose a woodblock printed letter from her alphabet series and choice of three acrylic colours for a one-of-a-kind-commission on canvas.
July 6th pen & paint: will welcome the summer season with a mini workshop in which clientele will spend a few hours exploring their untapped creativity through the application of writing & painting. All materials will be included. NOTE: Only 8 pre-reserved spots are available.
August date (tba) to coincide with The Armoury Design District’s Summer Celebration
SwitzerCultCreative Unit 102-1636 West 2nd Avenue, is located in The Armoury Design District, Vancouver (604) 736-3020
As co-founder, designer and photographer of
Although some wall sconces and ceiling lights became more geometric over the years like Simon Says Yes, many designs have recently come full circle like the new curvaceous Code 130 Collection’s, C1 Pendant Light. “You must look up to see them and for me, that’s the angle of optimism,” Serfaty says. It’s available in 16 spectacular silk colour combinations in the single pendant or double lantern-shaped iterations.
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Environmentally friendly and “ made from a bio plastic using corn, the shell is 3D printed, durable and watertight,” says Norouzi. It’s customizable in almost any colour that Norouzi hand-paints by airbrushing giving each iteration a metallic-like sheen.
By Laura Goldstein
“It’s amazing how greenery really warms things up,” effuses Adam Bellas, manager and partner of the luxury showroom specializing in sustainable Pacific Northwest, made-in-Canada and curated international furnishings. “Beautiful furniture truly becomes a relaxing sanctuary with the addition of plants.”
Handcrafted in their Burnaby studio, intricate framed wall art composed of spongy chartreuse preserved Reindeer Mosses and deep forest green cascading ferns, tropical potted floor plants and trees are a lush foil for real-life flora and look so alive you have to resist the temptation to water them! “All our mosses and leaves started out as real – then we preserve them with glycerin and a non-toxic treatment that won’t dry them out and they stay naturally soft,” Kessel explains.
Their 3D greenery particularly melds with the new solid wood furniture collection from ARTISAN. “We have known wood our entire lives from the forests we played in as children,” says the Bosnian company’s co-founder Fadil Ćostović.
by Laura Goldstein
Gone are the days when creative women were pigeon-holed into interior design and textile design career options only. Now they get down and dirty just like their male contemporaries, actually making the furniture they design.
A visit to Leonardo Da Vinci’s museum home in Milan in 2019 inspired her to make furniture with a proportional, rustic elegance that can fit comfortably into any space. The Lyndoe Bench (above, also available as Bar Stool & Low Seat, left) is topped with a buttery toffee or black buffalo leather slung seat and draped across blackened, bleached, greige (gray +beige) or natural ash, oiled or oxidized oak. The bench is constructed from 29 mathematically hand-turned components.
Like most makers, a temporary slow -down during Covid inspired some new pivots. “I had been experimenting with resin and cast stone,” Ratcliffe explains. My husband encouraged me to create a collection of catch-all dishes that sold out immediately and I’ve since expanded to multi-purpose vessels, candlesticks and an incense set.”
Isac Elam Kaid is about to fly to Italy for an intensive art residency outside of Florence. “I realize it’s not the best of times to travel,” he laughs,“ but it’s a fantastic opportunity to study scagliola, a 17th -century plaster technique made with selenite, glue and natural pigments that imitate the look of stone and marble,” he explains over Facetime.
Kaid works with crude, natural elements like gypsum that seems to come alive in his hands, then seals 
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In distinct contrast, Kaid created PULP WORK, a series of rugged, black tables made from discarded, non re-cyclable paper plastics which he renewed with India ink mounted on ash wood frames. Their volcanic ash appearance erupts from Kaid’s free-flow approach to sculpture and therefore no two pieces are exactly the same.
“I also love working in travertine,” Kaid admits and two of his pieces designed for Galerie Archimobilier in Paris, CONSOLE 5 and CONSOLE 6 are both studies in form and balance with striking striations of subtle natural colour and inspired by Kaid’s interest in modern Brutalist architecture.
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Although he enjoys working with the unusual grains of exotic woods, he finds that 