Steve Barlow
Silver Jewellery
Steve was first a member of the Valley Artisans’ Coop from 1998-2001.
He rejoined the Coop in 2018.
Sara Carlisle
Lampwork Beads
Sara Carlisle, born in the United Kingdom in 1958, travels between her home in Deep River, Ontario, Canada, and Sheridan College in Oakville, where she is working towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Craft and Design: Glass.
Sara’s interest in art is long-standing. She has been a member of The Valley Artisans’ Co-op in Deep River since 1996. She has given several workshops on multi-media art in the local public school, and one-on-one classes in lampworked bead making. While her earlier work focused predominantly on landscapes in ink and crayon, and botanical watercolour (exhibited in Toronto at Canada Blooms (2003) and in New York at the 7th Annual International Juried Botanical Art Exhibition (2004)), she has more recently developed an interest in glass art. For several years now, she has created hand-made lampworked beads in her Deep River basement studio, but in addition, in 2017 she went back to school to learn to be a glass blower.
Sara designs and makes jewelry incorporating her own lampwork beads, semi-precious stones, sterling silver, and a variety of other glass, stone and shell beads, which she sells at the Co-op and at local markets and craft shows. She has exhibited her work at several local group exhibitions in Deep River, Ontario. Her blown glass work – paperweights, small sculptural pieces and drinking glasses – is now starting to make occasional appearances at the Co-op.
Heidi den Hartog
Sterling Silver Jewellery
Working out of her home studio in Peterborough Ontario, Heidi
makes jewellery using a variety of materials and metalsmithing
techniques. The metals you will see most often in her work are
fine silver and sterling silver, with accents of gold, and enamel
(enamelling is a process of fusing molten glass to metal). Many
of her pieces are oxidized, a natural process of tarnishing which
brings out a variety of colours, from gold, to purple or black.
Heidi’s exposure to art began at an early age, watching her
mother explore the world of creativity through oil painting, batik,
papier mâché and all manner of artisanal craft. It naturally
followed that Heidi would find herself studying and immersing
herself in this world of creativity, albeit with metal.
Throughout her life, traveling with her seafaring father to places
far from home, she was able to experience other cultures and
the beauty of diversity – its colours, textures and possibilities,
which is reflected in her work, striking a balance between
boldness and eclectic delicacy.
Her motivation comes from a philosophy of what can be
achieved through curiosity, experimentation and an open mind.
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“Cello” by Northumbria Sterling…circa: 1950…discontinued pattern…fashioned into a Leaf Pendant.
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This sterling silver wrap ring is fashioned from a teaspoon handle by Wright, Kay & Co. of Detroit and is engraved on the inside of the band with the date “1890” and the letter “H” on the outside.
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Newest piece…Creamy White Pearl…Hammered Sterling Sphere…fashioned into a Pendant from a Sterling Soup Spoon…pattern “Tudor Plain” by Birks/Ryre…circa: 1897.
Laurel Gonneau
Salvaged Silver
Vintage Spoon Jewellery
The true beauty and mystery is already there in the spoon…masterfully created by the silversmith many years ago. My intention is not to take credit for the intricate detail or charm of the spoon. My task is to re-invent its purpose taking the spoon out of the silverware case on the top shelf of the bureau. Then to ultimately transform it into an heirloom piece of silver jewelry to be worn, cherished and enjoyed by yourself or given as a gift to your loved ones. If you fell in love with the spoon jewelry in the 60’s or 70’s or your love is a new one please view my silver spoon jewelry collection and take home a vintage piece of history…whether it be a pendant, bracelet, earrings or a ring.
Enjoy and thank you for looking.
Laurel Gonneau
Laura Mayo
Scarf Jewellery
Born and raised in the Ottawa Valley, Laura is surrounded by nature and strives to capture the beauty of her environment in her wearable artwork.
A long time member of the Valley Artisans Co-op in Deep River she has honed her skills over the years working with many different mediums.
A professional fiber artist, Laura has mastered the art of Sun dyeing, also known as Heliographic Printing. Over the past 15 plus years she has been collecting interesting looking plants, seeds, flowers and nuts from nature and her own back yard gardens to imprint their images on silk, rayon and cotton. Her one of a kind scarves are sold all over the world and are often shipped to distant lands as symbols of Canada, especially the ones she makes in Autumn colours using maple leaves, sumac, wild raspberry and beech nuts.
When the summer ends and the sun is no longer strong enough to sun dye, Laura turns indoors to continue the creative process by using other dye techniques like spray, ice and snow dyeing.
Durability is an important component of Laura’s work and everything she creates is made to be washed, ironed and stands the test of time.
To expand her accessory line Laura began to fashion scarf jewelry that perfectly matches the colours in her scarves. Using a selection of thousands of different beads, crystals and stones, Laura produces individual, unique and one of a kind pieces of jewelry that are used to hold and accessorize her scarves.
The vast colours found in alcohol inks attracted Laura several years ago to explore other mediums such as paper art and home décor. Anything that is colourful and vibrant is a magnet to Laura and her pursuit of new applications is boundless.
Come visit her at the Valley Artisans Co-op in Deep River or at one of the many art shows she exhibits at around Ontario.
Boni Patterson
Beadwork Jewellery
Boni was born & raised in Hamilton Ontario, trained as a Registered Nurse in Guelph and then moved to Deep River, Ontario, on the shores of the majestic Ottawa River. She was instantly captivated by the pristine beauty and serenity of the Ottawa Valley and made it her home for the past 45 years.
Boni was employed at Atomic Energy of Canada for 30 years and retired 2 years ago to pursue her love of painting and other more personal ventures. She has always felt creative callings in many media but discovered her passion for watercolour about 20 years ago.
Boni has studied with Warren Thurston, Jack Reid, Pauol Thrane, and Art Cunanhan. She then had the good fortune to meet and work with renown Zoltan Szabo who was to become her dear friend, teacher & mentor for 15 years. He taught her to see the beauty in all that surrounds us. He taught her to see shapes and wonderful colours, to paint with her heart, and to honor nature always.
She finds solace and fulfillment in this magical elusive media, which continues to excite & mystify her with its wonderful happy “accidents”. She says “I feel I am always just on the edge of control. The paint has a mind of it’s own and usually leads me to discover new directions. I look forward to unexpected lessons when I take risks. I love the romance of the landscapes with soft lost edges but contemporary abstracts with sweeping lines & magnificent colours also appeal to my senses.”
She has exhibited in various cafes & tearooms and is a member of the very successful, From The Valley Artisan’s Co-op in Deep River. She has been a part of several Studio Tours, and Art exhibits in Peterborough area and the Ottawa Valley and has had a solo exhibit supported by the Ontario Arts Council. Her paintings, cards and jewelry are found in private collections across Canada, United States, Europe , South America and Asia.
Lexi Rivett
Stone & Sculted Clay Jewellery
Lexi has been a member of the Valley Artisans’ Coop since 2023.
Sharon Waller
upcycled Jewellery
I’m a local Artist, living in Deep River, Ontario. My inspiration is the beauty of our Northern Landscape, plein air painting in Algonquin Park, Canoe Lake, Barron Canyon. Deep River has so many beautiful Lakes and Trails! I enjoy photographing all the beauty in nature.