Other Empress Artists

Sagebrush Studios

Dean Francis captures on canvas the rolling hills and the steeply cut ravines that spread out from the banks of the South Saskatchewan River that cuts it's way through the dryland prairie landscape. Fran Francis is a potter who shares heart and hearth with Dean.

These two artists have salvaged three old churches from neighbouring communities, moved them onto their property and transformed them into spectacular galleries and workspace.

Hundreds and hundreds of natural prairie plants grow in ribbons through their yard and garden enthusiasts drive for hours to see what a real xeriscaped garden can look like.

Sagebrush Studios is open from May to the end of the September long weekend, but occasionally closes when Dean travels to shows like the Calgary Stampede. Phone 1-877-565-2039 to check hours or log on to their website at www.deanfrancis.ca to view their work.

Knarls 'n Knots

In his heart Aaron Steinley is a farmer....the kind of guy who likes to walk the landin the evening, just checking things out or taking another long breath of fresh air. But Aaron is also a furniture maker extraordinaire who, when he's not harvesting his alfalfa crop or working on renovations to his farm house, you can find most summer days working at the back of his Main Street gallery and cappucino bar.

Some years ago Farmer Aaron made a few bent willow chairs for his own use, but friends and family liked what they saw and urged him to make some for them, too. That was how is artistic career began.

Nowadays he still makes a few bent willow pieces - always unique and always sturdy and comfortable, but his passion is to construct one of a kind chairs, sofas and tables from the remains of the old elm trees that miracuously self seed in our dry prairie community. He often incorporates buffalo bones or antlers that he collects on his long walks and to complement those embellishments will upholster the piece in buffalo hide or other leathers. His chairs are simply hand carved, hand sanded...just totally handmade.

Some of the smaller tables are inlaid with cut pieces of wood in the same way that tiles are used for decoration. Aaron's wife, Laurie, lays out the patterns...moving pieces this way and that until they suit her fancy, then anchor them into place with a thick mixture of wood glue and sawdust.

The Garden Hideaway

So named because this tiny gallery is hidden in a sunken garden in a structure that was once a stable.

Owner Bev Farnden is a quilter, her sister does glass lampworked beaded jewelry and ornaments, her brother- in-law works in stained glass and her daughter is a photographer. Unfortunately they all other have full time jobs or are deeply involved in other projects, so The Garden Hideway is a part-time affair.

But it's always open for the annual Artisan Open House (which will happen this year on Saturday June 6 and Sunday June 7th) and tries to open its doors when other special events happen in our town. Call Bev at 403-565-2286 before you arrive and she'll usually try to open her doors.

Panorama Photography

Forty years ago George McWilliams made panoramic photos with a second hand Russian camera that mechanically assembled an image as it click, click, clicked its way from one end of the 180 degree view to the other. Marriage and seven children necessitated a long hiatus but he says, "When several factors converged - the evolution of digital camera technology, the development of ink jet printers that could output a product that won't fade in 100 years, and the creation of software that creates seamless panoramas with superb resolution at the same time that the kids grew up - I sprang into existence."

Helen's Handbags

Helen Markesson is a sort of Rennaisance woman. Independant to the bone she's created and re-created herself so many times, it's hard to actually say what she's really done to make a living over the years. Last summer she toured Western Canada with her sister and in the back of her mind she had an idea that it was time to get out of the renovation business in Toronto and maybe settle somewhere on the prairies. At one point he ladies were short on gas and limped into Empress. Lucky for us she was impressed with the sales job we did about the benefits of living in Empress and before returning home dropped by to question if there was a house for rent. Gary Marshall (see Rusty Trucks below) had just purchased a little house and was looking for a tenant...seemed like a match made in heaven so without ever meeting they made a deal.

Helen has settled in and set up her loom. She's had time to weave some raw silk fabric and sew some cotton bags. Her daughter Shannon is a painter, her son Torbin is a musician...both travelled from Vancouver to display/play as part of the Artisan Open House activities.

Rusty Trucks

Gary Marshall is also a Rennaisance man. He's had so many career changes that it's only with difficulty that he can chronologically tell you what he's been doing with his life. I know that at one point he had a burger joint in Bragg Creek that catered to everyone from bikers to the stars.

Presently he repairs ATMs, works part time in a dental lab (that's where his sculpting talents come into play), and he works at a Calgary company that designs and builds stage sets and installations for theme parks. He also paints "portraits" of classic cars and dabbles in various artsy endeavours (see the model 'rusty trucks' to the left).

Like many folks, he'd like to get out of the rat race and has chosen Empress as his 'retirement' destination. He's bought a little house but has big plans for it. One of the talents that he's nurtured while working with stage sets and theme parks is to carve and sculpt giant blocks of styrofoam that are sealed with some sort of expensive space age stuff that makes them impervious to the elements. The plan is to somehow embellish the house structure with themed sculptures - adobe? castle? hovel? We'll wait and see.

Gary Marshall has a few pieces of his work at That's Empressive but is available in the flesh on the Artisan Open House weekends.