Join us on Thursday, September 4th at 5:30 pm for the opening – which will also be the pARTicipate Arts & Nature Festival kickoff event! Meet many of the artists, some of whom will be teaching workshops at pARTicipate.

“I like to make clothing, and I like it when it has an interesting shape or texture. I draft all my own patterns and the pieces are often historical, but sometimes not. 

I enjoy the design challenges of working with secondhand and reclaimed materials, and combining inspiration from different historical eras, as well as the natural world. It’s always exciting to try a new material or learn a new technique, and sometimes I make videos of my projects so I can share all the construction information in as much detail as possible”. Vincent Briggs

“I have been a collector of seedpods for many years, each with incredibly beautiful, intricate forms and textures. These tiny seed vessels have been rich potential for creative exploration and have become the catalyst for my recent body of work. These smoke-fired vessels have been given over to the fire to breathe life into each piece, the smoke and flame creating a quiet beauty, richly marked with visual texture and colour. 

It is my intention that these vessels evoke a sense of hope and renewal, a feeling of stillness and tranquility, reminding the viewer of the beauty of nature”. Judy Blake

“As a seamstress by trade and a passionate textile arts educator, I have nurtured a lifelong love for all
things fiber-related. Over the last few years, my daily art practice has increasingly zeroed in on bobbin
lace making. This historic craft is on the verge of dying out in New Brunswick and it is my long-term goal
to reintroduce it to the region and build a community of lace makers.
I am currently studying bobbin lace traditions from all over the world, learning multiple techniques
through online classes and creating original lace artwork. Designing a lace piece begins with loosely
sketching out ideas, experimenting with composition, and considering color. Then comes the precise
mathematical planning needed to design a lace pattern, like a puzzle that must be solved to ensure the
threads hold together and the picture takes shape as intended.
The process of bobbin lace making requires a profound level of concentration and attention to detail, as
each pair of threads is twisted and crossed in an exact order to keep the design intact and the colors in
place. Traditionally, lace designers and lace makers were separate entities, but I cherish the ability to bring
both roles together in my work. The whole process fascinates me, from the initial spark of inspiration to
the final moment when I remove the last pins and hold up the completed piece, an artwork made entirely
of threads, with more holes than solid mass yet still perfectly holding its form.
Through my work, I aim to honor and preserve the rich tradition of bobbin lace, while also bringing my
own unique vision to life, one thread at a time”. Cat Candow

Caoife Garvey is an Irish textile artist and designer currently living in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She specialises in weaving and felting techniques and works primarily with natural fibres such as linen, paper, wool and natural dyes. She uses thoughtfully chosen materials to create woven art pieces and fine craft accessories. Caoife is a graduate of the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design and currently works there as an instructor in the Foundation Visual Arts and Textile Design programmes. Her work has been shown in group exhibitions around New Brunswick and she has been the recipient of an Arts NB Creation Grant and the Charlotte Glencross Scholarship offered to an artist who is progressing in their professional development.

“My recent artistic practice blends traditional craftsmanship and contemporary exploration, using weaving and felting techniques to create works that are inspired by forms and textures observed in nature. I work with natural materials to create abstract, geometric patterns through the strategic manipulation of distinct weave structures. Most notably, I have been using yarn made from paper, a ubiquitous material made from the cellulose of trees and plants, to create weavings rich in texture and dimensionality. Building on this work, I am expanding my practice by integrating more elements of the plants themselves. Milkweed seeds and fibres provide soft stuffing, flax bast fibres are woven into fabric, and petals and bark are used for natural dyeing. I am particularly drawn to how the textures and colours found in local flora can enhance the qualities of specific weave structure, creating works that speak to both materiality and place”.  Caife Garvey

Website: caoife@gmail.com Instagram: @Caoife.Garvey

Alexa began blacksmithing in Florida in 1980. Banging on metal proved to be the perfect counterpoint to her career as a librarian. She has been moving her scrap pile northward ever since. Initially she produced small abstract sculptures for interiors. When she established Ladysmith Forge in Connecticut in 1991, she learned to make hardware suitable for 18th and 19th century buildings. In 2006, she immigrated to Canada. Today, she and her wife live on a 125 acre farm in Mt. Hanley, Nova Scotia. Alexa forges garden sculpture and private commissions under the watchful eyes of a small flock of sheep. Her work can be seen at the Tangled Garden in Grand Pré and occasionally at the Annapolis Royal Historical Garden and, virtually, on her website: AlexaJaffurs.com

“My coloured glass flowers, each a faithful replica of one of our Atlantic provinces floral emblems, embody the range of habitats and regional identities of the Maritimes. They represent our character as well as being beautiful symbols of strength, adaptation, and unity. But even more important, at a time where biodiversity is increasingly understood as central to our very survival, these flowers and their distinct ecosystems remind us of a greater purpose: caring for our precious planet. Created on a specialized propane and oxygen torch to melt borosilicate glass. Solid rods and tubes are melted and shaped to create each piece of flora”. Heather McCaig

Adam McNamara (he/him) is a wood artist known for his unique approach to wood carving, drawing inspiration from the natural world and modern design elements. Employing power carving and fine carving techniques, he achieves realistic detail, resembling intricate paintings in wood. His creative process is deeply rooted in the world outside, particularly local ecosystems and hidden treasures within them. Influenced by anatomical drawings from Darwin’s era and the impressionism movement in painting, he infuses his pieces with themes of appreciating small creatures that hold our ecosystems together. Adam’s accolades include multiple exhibitions both locally and internationally, charity campaigns, and competitions over the years, with recent collaborations include a commission by Timberland Canada for hurricane relief in Nova Scotia. Adam prioritizes sustainability by sourcing wood from forests or purchasing scraps from woodworkers, repurposing all scrap to minimize waste. His self-taught journey pushes boundaries, with each piece serving as a discovery of new techniques and practices, contributing to the evolution of wood art.

“I use natural materials—hand-dyed woolen fabrics and yarn—hooked into linen or burlap backing to create images in the same way that other artists use paint on a canvas. My inspiration often comes from nature, the landscapes, plants, and animals that I see. However, colour and form also have appeal, and I strive to highlight them in my creations”. Caroline Simpson

Nationally acclaimed Canadian plant fibre artist, Ralph Simpson has developed an innovative method of weaving and sculpting plant fibre into pleasing sculptural forms. He was raised in the fields and forests of New Brunswick along the Petitcodiac River and there developed a keen interest in plants. His personal motivation arises from a deep connection with nature and an implicit desire to promote environmental sustainability. 

Currently, he resides in Fredericton working full time in his studio there. Ralph chooses to work with locally sourced, sustainable materials and forages his own plant fibres using environmentally sustainable methods. He prefers invasive, introduced, or naturalized plant species and also native plants if they are abundant. Ralph holds an MSc. from UNB in Forest Research Biology, and a Diploma in Fine Craft from NBCCD. Informed by the sciences and his acquired technical expertise his intricately woven pieces reflect the fields and forests around him. 

Ralph is an award-winning artist with grants from Arts NB and Canada Council, short-listed for the Salt Springs National Art Prize (2021) and his work has been accessioned into New Brunswick’s permanent art collection (2023). He exhibits his work locally and internationally, attending residencies and giving workshops. 

The flora of New Brunswick informs his work and his creative process. His designs arise from his interpretations of nature and have evolved from traditional basketry, to vessels, and botanically themed sculptures. His process results in a contemporary manifestation of his connection with plants in their natural habitat. His work varies in form and style but what resonates in all his work is an underlying investigation into ways that plant materials can be used to spark interest and insight into the natural world.