Artists - Rene Deerheart
It is possibly a state of enchantment I am in when my hands explore Earth’s forms with innocence and awareness.
I live just 15 minutes west of Duncan, B.C., in an area called Sahtlam where the “old road” (Cowichan Lake Road) links Duncan to western communities and rugged routes to the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island. It winds its way past rural acreages, home based businesses, horse stables, stands at the end of driveways selling cut flowers, free range eggs, home grown fruit, veggies, or preserves. The further you travel west the deeper you’ll enter the wilderness of towering trees and denser the rain coast terrain becomes. This is where I feel alive, peaceful, and creative.
I studied Applied Art in University and learned the basics of Weaving, Spinning, Dyeing, Fabric Printing, Interior Design, Jewelry, Woodturning, and Enameling; but my degree program was simply Design. Outside of academia I attended Haystack Mountain School of Design. The casual and intimate residential program on the coast of Maine inspired me further. Famous artists teaching there were Fred Woell, Dale Chihuly and Olga de Amoral.
After I immigrated to Victoria, I opened a gallery with an artisan and friend. We sold local pottery and imported yarns, looms, and tools from all over the world and also held classes and gallery exhibitions. I married and had my son. Five years later I went back to university.
About that time I began to make handmade paper. I came to it by way of spinning raw fibres to make yarn rather than by way of watercolour or printmaking. I create what I call Assemblages, which are constructed bas-relief designs using handmade paper and found objects. I had a solo exhibition at the Saint Albert Civic Centre in Alberta and later a show at the Talking Stick Gallery in Gastown, Vancouver, B.C. I have taught papermaking for various groups, guilds, and the Victoria Art Gallery.
Then my life path took another turn and I moved to Tofino into the rustic beach cabin of my carving mentor and partner, Henry Nolla. I was again drawn by the simplicity of life close to Nature. I learned the designs of First Nations people and techniques of carving from Henry and friend, Roy Vickers, as well as other carvers who gathered at Henry’s End (the beach where nudity was the norm) to carve, swim, and sunbathe.
The next phase was spent establishing my own creative profile by carving for the Wickaninnish Inn, selling to local art galleries, and doing commissions.
Finally I found this charming semi-rural acreage where I live and work. Studio One is for carving, copper work, construction, jewelry, and carving workshops with each student having their own workbench and access to my shop tools and a small library of books. Studio Two is for textile work, handmade paper assemblages, Precious Metal Clay, designing, classes, gallery display, and running my business, Deerheart Studios.
