Here at the Arcade one of our dealers (Brenda Neal Unit 4) has a stunning sculpture by Carole Danyluk, Carole was raised and educated in Alberta and now calls British Columbia home. Her lifetime interest in the fine arts led her to a Bachelors of Art from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Art Education from the University of Calgary. She has also studied architectural drawing at NAIT.

“The thing that makes bronze different from other media is the degree of commitment and responsibility that goes with it. You have to be willing to work hard and willing to surrender sometimes. Bronze is pretty much forever.” — Carole Danyluk

Carole Danyluk’s extraordinary background has enhanced her Wildlife Bronze in marvellous ways. From art teacher, to Published Wildlife Photographer, Carole deeply knows how to capture life-like qualities, accuracy and detail in bronze.

Carole’s unique style departs from the stoic formal images so typically seen in bronze, rather portraying the animals as they really are in nature. Amazingly, her lively sculptures really appear to be in play or caught in the middle of a scratch – you feel as though you’ve truly stumbled across the creature in the wild.

Using the ancient Lost-Wax Technique, it’s incredible Carole made such a radical switch from photography to the unruly and unforgiving medium which is bronze. However, her elegant suspension and precise detail exemplifies the daring but worthy switch.

The laborious complex casting process is 125 individual steps for a single piece of a bronze addition. Once one piece is completed, Carole amazingly repeats the entire process again. The sheer hours and effort for a bronze series is extraordinary. After casting, the original clay model is photographed being split in two, guaranteeing no further additions to a series.

As a female in a male dominated medium, Danyluk brings a unique maternal, whimsical and tender quality to her pieces. She successfully captures the personality of the animal in her work. In addition, her masterful patina work, all done with acid and blow torch, portrays vivid colours typically unseen in the medium.

Carole’s distinctive sculptures are collected by and sought after by individuals from around the world. 

This month we were approached by Helen Findlay from Hungerford Primary School with a wonderful idea and small request. Helen asked if we would be interested in loaning a variety of antique or vintage items that could be used in a staff meeting some educational fun!

The idea was to have approximately 20 or so items that would be hidden from the staff in pillow cases so they couldn’t see what the item was. Firstly the staff had to try and guess what the item was or what it could be simply through feeling it in the pillow case. 

We supplied a mixture of objects for the staff to use. Some were easy to guess and some not so easy! Anything from heavy Victorian Irons, Stoneware Hot Water Bottles and Copper Bed Pans to Vintage Horse Chogs,  Ale Warmers and even a Victorian game of Quoits!

The Bed Pan being too large for a pillow case was therefore described in detail by Dave Mayer (Headmaster) to Matt Lambert (Year 4 Teacher). The idea being that Matt had to draw the item without seeing it based on the description given, then guess what the item was.

It sounds like a lot of fun was had and what a great idea for something different to do for a staff meeting.

We are delighted to have been part of this at the Hungerford Arcade and very much look forward to doing it again in the future, well done Hungerford Primary!

You can see more on Hungerford Primary School here.

We have this beautiful Native American Navajo sand picture signed by Gilbert Yazzie currently available from one of our stall holder (Chula, Unit 22). Sand paintings, as created by Native American Navajo Indians, were not made to be an “art object,” but rather were made as part of an elaborate healing ritual or ceremony. 

The artist, or in the Navajo context, the medicine man, would use naturally colored grains of sand, and pour them by hand to create these elaborate “paintings.” After the medicine man completed the sand painting, the person who needed the healing was asked to sit on top of the sand painting (scroll down to see a picture of this).

The belief was that the sand painting provided a portal so that the healing spirits could come through the painting and heal the patient. 

After removing the illness from the person, the healing spirits returned to the sand painting, and therefore the illness was believed to have been transferred over to – or was now contained within – the sand painting itself.

So once the healing ceremony was over, the painting was destroyed in order to destroy the illness as well. While one can find “sand paintings” that can be purchased as art works, they were clearly made to be art works for sale, since the paintings in healing ceremonies were destroyed as part of the ritual.

One of our regular customers, Jeanette Ellis runs her own Commercial and Editorial Styling and Photography business.

She often pops in to to source her props for her latest projects, rummaging through our Junk Shop she always comes to the desk with interesting objects that are easily overlooked:

Rusty Keys, distressed books, brass door plates, vintage linens, old bottles can all find their way into Jeanette’s photography.

A sample of which we’ve included here.

This beautiful early 20th century Austrian (marked Geschtzt) handmade cold painted solid bronze cat photo frame is a rare find indeed and we just had to show it off!

Gently peaking it’s head over the top with it’s paws holding the top and bottom of the frame with the tip of it’s curled up tail poking out underneath. Approximately 9.5″ high x 6.25″ wide and with an easel back.

This wonderful item is from our lovely dealer Ann Parker, it can be found in Unit 42P along with many other gorgeous antiques and mid century pieces. 

In December, just before Christmas, we had the lovely Liza from Pixie Pottery visit us to stock up on vintage ceramics/plates, which she uses to make her beautiful mosaics.

Our Junk Shop is perfect for her to find what she needs, it always has a ready supply of china plates for use in craft / upcycling projects.

Liza re-purposes the vintage plates to make mosaic birds, wall hangings, plaques and mirrors. She sent us some lovely pictures of her work, using what she finds here at the Arcade and other places.

You can find her at www.pixietigerart.squarespace.com

This month we had a visit from John and Susan with a rather uncanny surprise! This visit however just so happened to be for John’s 67th birthday. John and Susan have been visiting us for the last 20 years and always enjoy their time spent with us. Particularly having a coffee up in the Cosy Coffee Shop followed by some bargain hunting!

Their favourite stall in the Arcade happens to be our famous “Junk Shop” which is ran by Lou. So shortly after their coffee, John and Susan headed on down to the Junk Shop in search of any treasures or trinkets they could find! After a good rummage John was suddenly being stared in the face by what can only be described as the perfect and a must buy item with out question! It was obviously meant to be!

John was looking at a pair of silver plate goblets both stamped with a single word. One said “John” the other said “Susan”! What are the chances of that happening! A great find and we hope you enjoy your Goblets, lets see if you can beat that on your next visit!