Side Street News

Glass Spirit Feathers on Shaw TV

Posted on May 07, 2016 by Nigel Hayes | 0 comments

"A Spirit Feather symbolizes a New Beginning, a Spiritual Evolution, Divinity, Inspiration, and Good Fortune.

Whether you choose the Spirit Feather that catches your attention and awakens you, or your loved one chooses one for you, it is a gift that will surely enlighten you. Your Spirit Feather will always remind YOU that YOU are loved.

From the moment I conceived the idea to create Spirit Feathers, I felt an overwhelming source of enthusiasm and positive energy.I knew I had discovered a form of creating attractive combinations of vibrant colours in a form that also brought a sensation of Spiritual energy to me.I LOVE designing the Feathers and embellishing them with natural beads and leather. I LOVE the response and reactions I have been feeling from all of my encounters who have chosen their Spirit Feathers.

My Spirit Feathers are created in limited editions." Writes Loris. See more at Side Street Studio

Watch the full interview here:

Posted in bc art, gifts, glass art, glass feathers, hand made jewellery, local crafts, oak bay, shop local, side street studio, spiritual art, stained glass

A Family of Artists - West Coast Jewelry

Posted on April 09, 2016 by Nigel Hayes | 0 comments

Eron Hamill

My creative instincts have their roots in my family home in Port Townsend, Washington. My father is a writer, and our house was always filled with artists. I grew up surrounded by painters, musicians, writers, and ceramists. That early exposure to a wide variety of creative disciplines had a strong impact on my aesthetic sensibilities.

I first studied Art History at Western Washington University, and then moved to Victoria, BC to continue my education at the University of Victoria. Later, I made the decision to move to Toronto so that I could attend the Ontario College of Art and Design University. I completed four years of studies in art.

I didn’t find my passion for metal and fire until years later when I took my first silversmith course. The inherent dichotomy of metal work remains deeply satisfying. The sterling silver is rigid, but with the right tools and techniques it becomes very malleable. Creating handcrafted jewelry requires strength, sometimes brute force, and delicacy of hand. The masculine of fire and hammers becomes the feminine of the jewelry itself.

Although I am an emerging silversmith, I have participated in a number of art festivals and markets in British Columbia including the following:

Out of Hand (Victoria),
Steveston Farmers’ and Artisan Market,
Lonsdale Quay Farmers’ Market,
Burnaby Farmers’ Market,
White Rock Farmers’ Market.
Numerous small seasonal markets.

My work may be found at Side Street Studio in Oak Bay B.C.!

I live and work in Richmond, BC.

Posted in bracelets, earrings, gifts, hand made jewellery, jewellery, local crafts, necklaces, oak bay, pendants, shop local, side street studio

Sarah Sladen’s Fabulous Sass Bracelets

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Sue Hayes | 0 comments

Sarah writes, “I left the corporate world behind when my family moved from Victoria to Whistler for a one year sabbatical. That one year has turned into six and now Whistler is home for my husband, our two children and I. The natural beauty of the mountains and their ease of access is a daily inspiration”.

“I have collected, played and worked with natural things since I was able to crawl. In my teens and twenties I had a small textile company designing and creating sewn and knitted garments. After 20 years in the nursing and clinical research field, it is with absolute excitement that I am revisiting my creative side in designing and sewing leather and bead wrap bracelets“.

“These leather wrap bracelets are hand crafted using buttons and beads from around the world. I purchase the Karen Hill Tribe silver beads directly from a fair trade company in Thailand. My wide range of wrap bracelets are comfortable enough to wear on a hike but dressy enough to wear out in the evening. An earthy gem stone double wrap can be “blinged-up” by adding a wrap or two of silver, cubic zirconia or onyx. Play around with the colours, textures and sparkle to create your own unique look!”

“Beyond the dream of making jewelry for a living, I’d love to travel the world and personally collect my materials and gems from the international craftsman that cut, shape and mold them!”