How It Began…

A few years ago (13 to be exact) I moved into my new condo in the Lower Lonsdale area. The walls were bare and they needed some art.

It had been my life-long dream to be an artist (from about the age of 6 when I first knew what an artist was) - well, I realized I couldn’t put it off any longer…

I’d created art throughout my school years, (and spent a year at an art school in Norway when I was 18), but then I got a little side-tracked (as one does when having children…), though I never gave up on my dream.

So when a new art studio opened up down the street from me with an artist mentorship program - I signed up!

At first I was a little nervous as it had been years since I’d done anything productive in the arts (outside of my home painting hobby), and I really felt like a beginner. Well, as soon as I began to paint again, I felt like I was nine years old and practically skipped home from my studio classes each week!

I never looked back.

195 Studios - Artists on Pemberton

After spending two years in the mentorship program and participating in my first show, it was time to move on to a new studio (first sharing with another artist, then eventually my own studio) at 195 Pemberton Studios in North Vancouver. Initially we were a small group of artists that moved into an old, empty office building, slowly transforming it into a vibrant art community with 25 artists and studios!

195 Studios - North Shore Art Crawl 2011

195 Studios - Group show at the ferry building Gallery

We had many shows in this building (and it was a lot of fun in the early days!), but times change and eventually the building was sold and bought by a new owner who was not so supportive of the arts. The atmosphere changed as artists came and went… and it was no longer what it once was. It was time to move.

Welch Street Studios

Fortuitously, it was at this time that another building down the road was bought (by a patron of the arts) who decided to turn the upstairs of the building into a new art community with eight studios. I was fortunate to be offered a space in this fabulous new building and moved into my new studio six years ago this May.

So here I am, part of a wonderful art collective of eight studios and working artists. We’re all different and have unique styles and expressions of our art, (coming and going from our studios at different times and days), but it’s always motivating and inspiring to be part of a community of like-minded and creative people that continue to motivate and inspire one another.

The Wonderful World of Art

Each spring, The North Shore Art Crawl celebrates the talent of local artists, when local studios, community and commercial galleries, and art schools, open their doors to the public to display their work and share their passion. This year, the 2021 Online North Shore Art Crawl is a month-long virtual event from March 12 - April 12, 2021. You are invited to scroll and swipe your way across the North Shore, exploring artist webpages showcasing creative processes, practices and exhibitions. This is a great opportunity for local visitors and remote browsers to meet the talented artists of the North Shore and enjoy the wonderful world of art online.

You can view our studio listing here, or visit us during one of our First Saturday Open Studio events. Welch Street Studios is open to the public on the first Saturday of every month from noon to 5 pm.