I did a favourites list back in May and had so much fun putting it together that I decided it will become a regular thing. I come across so many cool things while browsing around the arts community online that I just don't have time to do full features on every artist I see. Also, artists who I've already featured still keep coming up with amazing work! Sharing a favourites list is an easy way to showcase them by pointing readers in their direction.

(I also made a list in July, but it's in PRINT! Pick up Issue #3 of CreatedHere magazine to see it and much more, available online and in select locations)

Here is my favourites list for August - Enjoy!

Terry Graff is the curator of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, the biggest and most important art gallery in New Brunswick. He is also an artist (who knew?) and he made this. This piece is really interesting, colourful, layered, with an almost industrial feel.

2. Trish Hirshkorn's super artsy hat (made from a Value Village find!) was accepted as part of London Hat Week! That's right, this NB milliner is rolling with the big wigs. This bright and colourful hat seems to defy gravity with its waves, and the geometric triangles give it such a neat texture and movement. Congrats Trish, may your hat make it to the top!

3. I discovered the East Coast Artists' Collective on Facebook and thought, " Why haven't I heard of this?" It's because they are brand new and haven't even launched their website yet! Emerging artists Vena Carr and Nathaniel Hartley are forming a group to support and promote emerging artists in the Maritimes, including all kinds of visual art, fine craft, photography and those who work in lesser known and underappreciated mediums such as graffiti or tattoo art. More details to come on CreatedHere, in the meantime, check out their FB page!

4. Éveline Gallant Fournier is a visual artist who works in a variety of media such as sculpture, painting, digital art, installations and land art. Her land art is striking in its simplicity and elegance, adding beauty to its surroundings without tampering with the natural-ness around it. Her natural installations look like they were made by the fairies... more on her later ;)

Portes des brumes / Gate of the mist, Miscou Island, NB, 2013

5. This stunning orange felted hat with a peek of blown glass was handmade by Iddo Van DerGreer, a Dutch fibre artist who now resides in Woodstock, NB. He makes incredible felted pieces that often meander into the realm of sculpture, like hats, cuffs, scarves and skirts. Here is his FB page .

6. Wildtide Natural Soap. I know it's soap, but it's fabulous handmade super artisan soap that smells A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. These bars are handmade by a couple in St. Martin's, NB using hemp milk, olive oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil and essential oils. You can buy them in Saint John at One Princess, and at the Saint John City Market. The guy is super friendly and always up for a chat!

7. I came across these porcelain draperies on the New Brunswick Artists' Facebook page. They are by ceramic artist Martin Jarman and I love them. What a sculptural shape.

8. I discovered Nikki Heddle at the recent Fine Craft Festival in Saint John. She is an artist from PEI who works primarily with beach pebbles and found objects like rusty metal discs. She only adds occasional black lines to enhance the shapes of the objects. Her pieces are simple but eloquent, drawing out a message from familiar and normally unnoticed objects. Who knew two little stones could make a person??

9. I know it's the third one, but I like hats, ok? This one in particular makes me think of a bird of paradise in flight. It's by milliner Sabine Wieczorek who I recently featured in my most recent issue. She makes beautiful hats.

10. Issue #3 of CreatedHere magazine! Yes, I am shamelessly promoting myself. But really, it's my favourite issue so far. I taught myself Adobe InDesign while putting together this issue, and I think it paid off. I'm a huge fan of every single artist featured in it, and I was excited to be able to feature other writers and photographers for the first time. Get yours online or in select shops!

Favourites list: August 2016

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