THE AUCTION WILL BE LIVE DECEMBER 3rd AT 8 AM AND END DECEMBER 8th AT 7 PM
These beautiful ornaments have all been hand crafted by 24 local artists who have generously donated them to Roots to Harvest for our online auction fundraiser. When you see an ornament you like, simply click on the "Bid Now" button to the left of the ornament and you will be taken to the online auction site. In order to bid, you need to start an account, but you don't need to provide any payment information. Check back frequently to see how you're doing on your bid! The Christmas Ornament Auction starts on Tuesday, December 3rd at 8 am and closes on Sunday, December 8th at 7 pm. If you are the successful bidder, we will contact you and arrange for delivery or pickup or shipping and payment.
Thank you so much to the local artists for donating these beautiful items. When we had this idea we never dreamed how beautiful, different and incredible they would all look! If you love local art, please make sure to contact these folks to create something beautiful for you (We can help you get in touch with them).
If you have any questions please email us at info@rootstoharvest.org or call 807.285.0189.
Good luck bidding!
Thank you so much to the local artists for donating these beautiful items. When we had this idea we never dreamed how beautiful, different and incredible they would all look! If you love local art, please make sure to contact these folks to create something beautiful for you (We can help you get in touch with them).
If you have any questions please email us at info@rootstoharvest.org or call 807.285.0189.
Good luck bidding!
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Amy Vervoort / Olives and Bananas uses wool, fibre, wood, and beads to create needle felted and crochet sculptures, hats, mobiles, and keepsakes.
A lifelong resident of Thunder Bay, Amy is inspired daily by the beauty of northwestern Ontario. Elements of nature, her love of gardening, birds, and the boreal forest appear in her whimsical work. Follow Amy at www.olivesandbananas.com Instagram: @olivesandbananas Facebook: Olives and Bananas Twitter: @amygardenerd |
The Story of the Pagoda
Thunder Bay Tourist Pagoda National Historic Site of Canada.
Build in 1909 the Pagoda is a treasured landmark in Thunder Bay. Read about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_Bay_Tourist_Pagoda
The building was designated a historic site in 1986. The article here: https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx… tells the story of the building but is missing the full story. When it says “its future remained in doubt” it should actually say that city council at the time had decided to demolish the building. It was the work of LACAC, the City’s heritage advisory committee, that saved the building by having it designated a heritage site.
It was an ordeal at the time - the people versus the council, filled with strong debates and feelings. I remember the events well because my mother was one of the members of LACAC, and she fought passionately to save the Pagoda.
In order for the building to be named a heritage site, and save it from demolition, it had to be restored to its original condition. This meant the beloved polka dots (originally an act of harmless, humorous vandalism) had to be removed. The polka dots had defined the building for many years, a much loved addition and provided young children like myself city pride because clearly that was where the Polkaroo lived. People were upset when they were removed and to this day it remains a hot debate. Most people want the polka dots back, though most are unaware of the real reason they were removed.
Thunder Bay nearly lost this unique, special building. As much as I loved the polka dots, I choose to appreciate the building more without them for its incredible story of survival. My mother loved it without the polka dots because it represented the effort that went into restoring it.
She’s now recognized by the City of Thunder Bay as one of the most influential women: https://www.thunderbay.ca/…/city-hall/patricia-vervoort.aspx
https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx…
Thunder Bay Tourist Pagoda National Historic Site of Canada.
Build in 1909 the Pagoda is a treasured landmark in Thunder Bay. Read about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_Bay_Tourist_Pagoda
The building was designated a historic site in 1986. The article here: https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx… tells the story of the building but is missing the full story. When it says “its future remained in doubt” it should actually say that city council at the time had decided to demolish the building. It was the work of LACAC, the City’s heritage advisory committee, that saved the building by having it designated a heritage site.
It was an ordeal at the time - the people versus the council, filled with strong debates and feelings. I remember the events well because my mother was one of the members of LACAC, and she fought passionately to save the Pagoda.
In order for the building to be named a heritage site, and save it from demolition, it had to be restored to its original condition. This meant the beloved polka dots (originally an act of harmless, humorous vandalism) had to be removed. The polka dots had defined the building for many years, a much loved addition and provided young children like myself city pride because clearly that was where the Polkaroo lived. People were upset when they were removed and to this day it remains a hot debate. Most people want the polka dots back, though most are unaware of the real reason they were removed.
Thunder Bay nearly lost this unique, special building. As much as I loved the polka dots, I choose to appreciate the building more without them for its incredible story of survival. My mother loved it without the polka dots because it represented the effort that went into restoring it.
She’s now recognized by the City of Thunder Bay as one of the most influential women: https://www.thunderbay.ca/…/city-hall/patricia-vervoort.aspx
https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx…
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Amy Vervoort / Olives and Bananas uses wool, fibre, wood, and beads to create needle felted and crochet sculptures, hats, mobiles, and keepsakes.
A lifelong resident of Thunder Bay, Amy is inspired daily by the beauty of northwestern Ontario. Elements of nature, her love of gardening, birds, and the boreal forest appear in her whimsical work. Follow Amy at www.olivesandbananas.com Instagram: @olivesandbananas Facebook: Olives and Bananas Twitter: @amygardenerd |
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Jessica Tratnik is the owner of Spruce Pond Woodburning, where she uses locally grown wood cookies to create coasters,
ornaments, wall hangings, trivets, key racks and more. She has always had a passion for different tree species, and the unique grain that each possesses - her aim is to enhance and embellish this grain in her products using the art of pyrography. Jessica works as a forest technician here in Thunder Bay and is constantly inspired by nature. Follow Spruce Pond on... Instagram: @sprucepond Facebook: www.facebook.com/sprucepond |
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boy Roland lives and works as a freelance artist in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He received his HBFA in fine arts from Lakehead University, with a focus on painting and sculpture, studied Digital Art and Graphic Novels at OCAD University, and completed a two week Residency at the San Bao Ceramic Art Institute in Jingdezhen, China. He is the assistant co-ordinator of the Die Active Art Collective, leading professional, collaborative graffiti arts projects for the past eight years. He is also an active board member of Definitely Superior Artist Run Centre, and the Thunder Bay arts community as a whole, always working towards a more vibrant, cultured and supportive city. He has been voted Best Visual Artist in The Walleye Magazine’s Best of Thunder Bay for both 2015 & 2016. His first solo exhibition, Odeum, debuted February 5th, 2016 at Definitely Superior Art Gallery. He really likes dill pickles.
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Raeghan Howard Judge was born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario. While she has no formal training in art, she has always had a creative side, a passion for the natural beauty of Lake Superior, and a love for family. The Family Stone (art created from treasures found on the shores of Lake Superior) was inspired by treasure-hunting trips with her two sons on the shores of Superior.
Samples of her work: @thefamilystoneart on Facebook the_family_stone on Instagram. Her work can be found at The Creative Art Gallery on Algoma. Custom family portraits and other unique pieces available. Contact rhjdesigns@gmail.com |
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Raeghan Howard Judge was born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario. While she has no formal training in art, she has always had a creative side, a passion for the natural beauty of Lake Superior, and a love for family. The Family Stone (art created from treasures found on the shores of Lake Superior) was inspired by treasure-hunting trips with her two sons on the shores of Superior.
Samples of her work: @thefamilystoneart on Facebook the_family_stone on Instagram. Her work can be found at The Creative Art Gallery on Algoma. Custom family portraits and other unique pieces available. Contact rhjdesigns@gmail.com |
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Merk is an artist from & residing in Thunder Bay. He creates graphic novels (3 self published books, 'Nowadays' with Kurt Martell and 'Victor's Legacy' with Sookram/Jowett and 'Season of the Dead Hours' done all by himself), illustration, photography, greeting cards, mixed media fine art, crazy t-shits and artistic mischief wherever he goes. His work & online store can be found at www.merkasylum.ca . He is also a regular at the Thunder Bay Country Market, upstairs as part of the Octilius Group! He can also be found wandering dazed and aimlessly around town. Be nice to him. Speak softly. No sudden movements.
**This is a special set! There is ONE ornament, double sided, and there is ONE ornament, especially for your cat to play with!! |
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Merk is an artist from & residing in Thunder Bay. He creates graphic novels (3 self published books, 'Nowadays' with Kurt Martell and 'Victor's Legacy' with Sookram/Jowett and 'Season of the Dead Hours' done all by himself), illustration, photography, greeting cards, mixed media fine art, crazy t-shits and artistic mischief wherever he goes. His work & online store can be found at www.merkasylum.ca . He is also a regular at the Thunder Bay Country Market, upstairs as part of the Octilius Group! He can also be found wandering dazed and aimlessly around town. Be nice to him. Speak softly. No sudden movements.
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Heather Cranston-Lesniewski (Pulp + Paper) is a Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Printmaker – and beekeeper! – in Thunder Bay, Ontario. She describes herself as an artist first and a designer second. Armed with an eye for type, a rustic spirit, and a curiosity for anything vintage - you can win her over with anything printed pre-1960.
**This is ONE ornament, double sided. |
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Heather Cranston-Lesniewski (Pulp + Paper) is a Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Printmaker – and beekeeper! – in Thunder Bay, Ontario. She describes herself as an artist first and a designer second. Armed with an eye for type, a rustic spirit, and a curiosity for anything vintage - you can win her over with anything printed pre-1960.
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Christian Chapman (b, 1975) is of Anishinabe heritage from Fort William First Nation, Ontario. Christian uses storytelling as a main theme in his practice to create his images. The act of storytelling has been an important part of his life: it has informed him of his culture by shaping his identity, personal experiences, and worldview. Recent exhibitions include “ Ziibaaska'iganagoodayan-Jingledresses,” Station Gallery, Whitby, ON (2019) and "Anishinaabeg: Art and Power," Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON (2017). He has received numerous awards, such as the Hnatyshyn Foundation Reveal Art National Award Prize (2017), the Ontario Premier's Award for Excellence in the Arts as Emerging Artist of the Year (2016), and the K. M. Hunter Artist Award of the Ontario Arts Foundation (2016). His work can be found in the art collections of the Library and Archives Canada, the Government of Ontario Art Collection, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, and the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, as well as in several private collections.
**This is ONE ornament, double sided (and there is another identical ornament you can bid on). |
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Christian Chapman (b, 1975) is of Anishinabe heritage from Fort William First Nation, Ontario. Christian uses storytelling as a main theme in his practice to create his images. The act of storytelling has been an important part of his life: it has informed him of his culture by shaping his identity, personal experiences, and worldview. Recent exhibitions include “ Ziibaaska'iganagoodayan-Jingledresses,” Station Gallery, Whitby, ON (2019) and "Anishinaabeg: Art and Power," Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON (2017). He has received numerous awards, such as the Hnatyshyn Foundation Reveal Art National Award Prize (2017), the Ontario Premier's Award for Excellence in the Arts as Emerging Artist of the Year (2016), and the K. M. Hunter Artist Award of the Ontario Arts Foundation (2016). His work can be found in the art collections of the Library and Archives Canada, the Government of Ontario Art Collection, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, and the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, as well as in several private collections.
**This is ONE ornament, double sided (and there is another identical ornament you can bid on). |
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Remy Chinook is a tattoo artist who was born and raised in Thunder Bay. He is co-owner of Identity Tattoo and Piercing. He gets his inspiration from classic American tattoo designs, as well as traditional Japanese prints and tattoos. When he’s not busy drawing or tattooing, he enjoys going for hikes with his rescue dog, Ruxpin.
**This is ONE ornament, double sided. |
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Michel Dumont is a queer Metis two spirited disabled artist. He currently resides in Thunder Bay. He enjoys breathing new life into discarded vintage tile by making mosaic pieces. He also works in wearable art, using packing tape, mylar, cellophane and LED lights. He's shown at Queer Landscapes, Queer Intersections at the John B. Aird in Toronto, and the Queer and Peace Vernissage, Dawson College, Montreal. Recently completed two art residencies with the intergenerational lgbt residency in Toronto and a visual arts ceramic residency with the Banff Centre of Arts and Creativity
IG @madbear67 |
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Michel Dumont is a queer Metis two spirited disabled artist. He currently resides in Thunder Bay. He enjoys breathing new life into discarded vintage tile by making mosaic pieces. He also works in wearable art, using packing tape, mylar, cellophane and LED lights. He's shown at Queer Landscapes, Queer Intersections at the John B. Aird in Toronto, and the Queer and Peace Vernissage, Dawson College, Montreal. Recently completed two art residencies with the intergenerational lgbt residency in Toronto and a visual arts ceramic residency with the Banff Centre of Arts and Creativity
IG @madbear67 |
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Julie Cosgrove's work considers concept of place, wilderness, geographies and cartographies, technologies, and process. While remaining connected to Northern Ontario, she has exhibited her work across Canada and elsewhere. She continues to explore and integrate these ideas and is currently painting, and is a visual art instructor at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. See more of Julie's work at www.juliecosgrove.com
**This ornament is two sided, with a special message on the edge! |
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Angela Gollat is an intuitive artist, creative guide, mother and mystic living in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Creator of a unique 7-week creative container she calls ‘Painting as a Spiritual Practice’, she has guided thousands of women through the process of discovering and creating their own visionary paintings.
In addition to painting, Angela spends much of her time creating transformative spaces for groups and individuals though retreats, mindful consulting and strategic planning, visioning, conflict resolution, as well as facilitating ongoing mindfulness practices within organizations. Angela’s approach to her work and art centres around the cultivation of personal awareness and self care through contemplative and creative practices, and is rooted in a deep belief in the interconnectedness of all of life. |
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Angela Gollat is an intuitive artist, creative guide, mother and mystic living in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Creator of a unique 7-week creative container she calls ‘Painting as a Spiritual Practice’, she has guided thousands of women through the process of discovering and creating their own visionary paintings.
In addition to painting, Angela spends much of her time creating transformative spaces for groups and individuals though retreats, mindful consulting and strategic planning, visioning, conflict resolution, as well as facilitating ongoing mindfulness practices within organizations. Angela’s approach to her work and art centres around the cultivation of personal awareness and self care through contemplative and creative practices, and is rooted in a deep belief in the interconnectedness of all of life. |
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Shelby Gagnon is an Anishinaabe artist from Aroland First Nation but has lived in Thunder Bay for most of her life. Shelby is a graduate of Lakehead University in the Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts program where she explored the reclamation of identity and traditions of being an Indigenous woman in Canada. Through involvement with community-engaged organizations and projects, she uses multi-disciplinary mediums to express and share her holistic feelings. Currently, she is working with CRE as a community animator and the Indigenous Food Circle to support and build food sovereignty projects in Northern Indigenous communities. By working with youth and other artists, she is dedicated to expanding her knowledge and contemporary take on traditional methods of art and healing practices for the community.
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Denise Smith is an artist who likes to build things from clay. Born in Thunder Bay but drawn elsewhere for school and work, she is thrilled to be in Northern Ontario again and back in the boreal forest. Denise is interested in the flora and fauna that exist in the periphery of the urban landscape; the plants and animals underfoot and out of sight that still survive and thrive among us. A graduate of the HBFA program at Lakehead University, and the MFA program at the University of Regina, Denise now works as the Education Coordinator at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. She has participated in several international artist residencies and has exhibited her artwork across Canada as well as internationally. denisesmithart.com
**This is ONE ornament, double sided |
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Kim Hewitt is a self taught, multi media artist from Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Through Shattered Light Landscapes Kim Focuses on glass art, preserving Canadian landscapes and wildlife in stained glass. Kim chose this medium as she considers it to be just as fragile as our Canadian terrain. Kim operates Shattered Light Landscapes out of the Thunder Bay Country Market, as well as a second location at Pacific Arts Market in Vancouver BC. Follow Kim at Instagram: @shatteredlightlandscapes Facebook: Shattered Light Landscapes |
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Kim Hewitt is a self taught, multi media artist from Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Through Shattered Light Landscapes Kim Focuses on glass art, preserving Canadian landscapes and wildlife in stained glass. Kim chose this medium as she considers it to be just as fragile as our Canadian terrain. Kim operates Shattered Light Landscapes out of the Thunder Bay Country Market, as well as a second location at Pacific Arts Market in Vancouver BC. Follow Kim at Instagram: @shatteredlightlandscapes Facebook: Shattered Light Landscapes |
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Ken Crawford was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He attended local schools and worked as a teacher until his retirement in 2002. His preferred medium is watercolour and his main inspiration is the rugged landscapes found around the north shore of Lake Superior. Ken Crawford's original paintings and reproductions are available at Gallery 33, where he also teaches a watercolour course for beginners.
*This auction item is one ornament, double sided. |
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Ken Crawford was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He attended local schools and worked as a teacher until his retirement in 2002. His preferred medium is watercolour and his main inspiration is the rugged landscapes found around the north shore of Lake Superior. Ken Crawford's original paintings and reproductions are available at Gallery 33, where he also teaches a watercolour course for beginners.
*This auction item is one ornament, double sided. |
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Tuija Hansen is a textile artist and instructor living and working in Thunder Bay, Ontario. She learned felting, dying, and weaving at Kootenay School of Arts, and majored in printmaking at Lakehead University. Her works of art depict place and location, physically and conceptually. Working with traditional textile mediums allows the possibility to engage with her Scandinavian ancestry via meditative, concentrated, and tactile processes while reflecting on the significance of place, migration, and location. Hansen forages for plant materials (flora, mushrooms, lichens) in the urban and rural environments of her surroundings. Using these materials she creates plant-dyes to alter new and recycled materials: clothing, wool, hemp, silk and found fibres to create unique, sustainable works of art and clothing. Hansen recently participated as an artist in residence in both Finland and Iceland, resulting in exhibitions in Canada and internationally. www.tuijahansen.com
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Barbara Benwell is an artist, educator and mother from Thunder Bay, which is seated on the traditional lands of Fort William First Nation,
Signatory to the Robinson Superior Treaty. She is grateful to live, work, complete school and raise a family on this land. She recognizes that this acknowledgement is not enough, and that she needs to actively work against colonialism. Barbara has an Honours Bachelor of Fine Art, a Bachelor of Education and recently completed her Master's in Social Justice with a specialization in Women’s Studies from Lakehead University. Through her work, she likes to explore social issues, lived experiences, emotions and the whimsical. For a closer look at her master's work visit: www.barbarabenwell.com Contact: barbarabenwell@gmail.com |
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'Favourite Winter Days'
The Art of Exploration comprises the original artwork of Trisha Wilson. Nothing makes Trisha more nostalgic than the places where memories are made, which is why most of her artwork reflects the stunning landscapes and notorious sites found between Thunder Bay and Rainy River. You can’t find more of Trisha‘s work on Instagram and Facebook (@the.art.of.exploration). Trisha’s favourite Christmas ornaments are the ones that hold a story. This ornament, titled “Favourite Winter Days” is reminiscent of days spent snowshoeing with her family, during the holiday season. |
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Laura Paxton was born and raised in Thunder Bay. She consciously makes time (even if it's snippets here and there) to create on a regular basis. Her main medium is photography, but she also loves working with different materials: paint, inks, clay, precious metals and stone. You can find her work by following her on instagram at @flashbackphoto_tbay @mossberrymoon
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Dayna Slingerland enjoys working with felt, be it needle felting, wet felting, or nuno felting. Her experience includes creating art pieces using natural materials as well as engaging with textiles. Currently working in the realms of artist and teacher she honors the process of art making as well as the final product.
www.procraftinations.ca IG @feltedprocraftinations |
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Dayna Slingerland enjoys working with felt, be it needle felting, wet felting, or nuno felting. Her experience includes creating art pieces using natural materials as well as engaging with textiles. Currently working in the realms of artist and teacher she honors the process of art making as well as the final product.
www.procraftinations.ca IG @feltedprocraftinations |
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Aaron Veldstra is an inter disciplinary artist who's practice investigates the experience of being a fine artist as well as a laborer. His work engages themes of natural resources and "the North" revealing hidden or ignored aspects of both tropes. He has worked in forestry, mining, and transportation sectors of the economy and as such has a broad experience of the the myth of the Canadian wilderness and how this national identity is often skewed and masked version of reality.
**This item is one ornament, double sided. |
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Sam Shahsahabi was born in Iran. He obtained his BFA from Azad University in Tehran (1993). In the mid-1990s, Sam’s satirical cartoons were exhibited in the prestigious international caricature exhibitions: Nasreddin Hodja and Yumiyury Shimbun. He also worked as a graphic designer and cartoonist for Jonge-Sanaat Magazine, and Film Magazine. After completing his MFA at York University (Toronto) in 2002, he moved to Elliot Lake, Ontario to teach at White Mountain Academy of the Arts. He also served as the Director and Curator of the James K.Bartleman Art Gallery at White Mountain Academy. Sam is currently an assistant professor at Lakehead University where he has taught painting and drawing since 2009. Shahsahabi also specializes in public art, community art projects, and kinetic and mechanical installations. His artworks exhibited in Canada, Iran, Turkey, France and Japan. In 2016Sam Shahsahabi was “K.M Hunter Artist Award Finalist”. For his contributions to higher education and maintaining the cultural diversity he received the Cultural Educator Award by Thunder Bay Arts & Heritage in 2015. http://www.samshahsahabi.com/
**This is ONE ornament double sided. |
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Sam Shahsahabi was born in Iran. He obtained his BFA from Azad University in Tehran (1993). In the mid-1990s, Sam’s satirical cartoons were exhibited in the prestigious international caricature exhibitions: Nasreddin Hodja and Yumiyury Shimbun. He also worked as a graphic designer and cartoonist for Jonge-Sanaat Magazine, and Film Magazine. After completing his MFA at York University (Toronto) in 2002, he moved to Elliot Lake, Ontario to teach at White Mountain Academy of the Arts. He also served as the Director and Curator of the James K.Bartleman Art Gallery at White Mountain Academy. Sam is currently an assistant professor at Lakehead University where he has taught painting and drawing since 2009. Shahsahabi also specializes in public art, community art projects, and kinetic and mechanical installations. His artworks exhibited in Canada, Iran, Turkey, France and Japan. In 2016Sam Shahsahabi was “K.M Hunter Artist Award Finalist”. For his contributions to higher education and maintaining the cultural diversity he received the Cultural Educator Award by Thunder Bay Arts & Heritage in 2015. http://www.samshahsahabi.com/
**This is ONE ornament double sided. |