For someone like myself who supports independent labels, I have always found it difficult to locate fashion boutiques that specialize in local designs by fellow Canadians. Studio Intent, located in Art Central, do just that: they are 100% Canadian!

The owner of the boutique, Chantal Barchard, has great passion for local designers and artists. The vision of Studio Intent is to feature Canadian designs and promote some of the existing talents that, in my opinion, often lacked exposure to the general public.

The boutique showcases independent labels from various designers across Canada and include  Maison by House of Spy by Toronto designer Wendy Wong, Mia Melon by Polly Green from Vancouver and Eve Gravel by designer of the same name from Ottawa.

In addition, the boutique also carries jewelry and accessory lines such as Colleen Cyca Designs by native Calgarian designer Colleen Cyca. She specializes in creating hand-made jewelry pieces out of resin.

Of course I would not forget to mention one of my favourites, Slashpile Designs by twin designers Tara and Courtney Neray from the east coast. They design some really cool and unique necklaces that resemble the actual chemical molecule structure.

Although Studio Intent currently only carries women’s fashion, I was still very impressed with the quality of each of the pieces and the designers Barchard had selected to showcase at her store. From what I saw, it came to my realization that Canada has got some great talents.

Studio Intent can be found at Art Central at #105, 100 7th Ave S.W.

Words by Vincent Law

Photography & Videography by Paul Spenard

You heard that right, currently at Shisomiso the Buy One Get One Free sale . Shisomiso are also giving you the chance to win a $100 gift certificate.

Here’s how:

1) Join the Shisomiso Facebook Group.

2) Tag yourself on the Shisomiso Logo. (Click logo to go to Image)

3) Post about the sale on your Facebook wall, with the link to the Shisomiso Blog at http://www.shisomiso.com/journal

Winners will be announced August 31st.

Shisomiso is located in Art Central #105 100 7th Avenue SW

Good Luck!

Dee Fontans in original wearable art creations.

What better way to celebrate the 5^th Anniversary celebration of Calgary’s monthly culture crawl (a.k.a.: First Thursday) than by having art walk on two legs?  Art Central, the Mecca of Calgary’s visual art scene, will literally be bringing sculpture to life when 47 pieces of Wearable-Art descend the open-air staircase in a fantastical catwalk of Galliano-proportion.

Set to hit the runway at 8pm on November 5, Art Central is saving the much-anticipated show, Regalia, for last.  Showcasing the work of ACAD’s Wearable Art – Object and Body Class, Regalia will show the work of 18 students, all guided by the force that is Calgary-based artist Dee Fontans.

Fashion designer, jeweler, enamellist, performance artist and instructor, Fontans is a multi-tasking artist who juggles her tools and her time with her own Calgary brand of Zen.  Fontans is both an ambitious entrepreneur and a mellow soul. “Mentorship is a privilege. It provides stability in my life and allows enough time for me to seek out my own opportunities,” says Fontans of how she balances mentorship with her own artistic career:  By responding to open calls or invites for exhibitions, Fontans keeps her own artistic impulses alive by ensuring she continues to articulate her own point of view; fitting about one exhibition a month into her teaching schedule.

Dee’s work is primarily “concerned with the female figure and the body, as an interactive context for garment design and performance.”
“Everything we create has an impact on people” says Fontans.  Fontans ensures that her students are aware of this by encouraging them to be socially engaged artists and reminds them that they have a social responsibility within their practice.

At the beginning of the term, Fontans brings historical references to class, overviews various materials and discusses each student’s personal practice.  Then striking while the needle and thread are hot, makes sure that the students act on their first impulse because by the second week of the class, an object is made.  “It’s very quick in terms of what’s produced,” says Fontans.

While students act on instincts, Fontans has a unique practice that ensures that they remain self-aware, every step of the way.  “They’re required to write statements about their passion for personal understanding of what they’re making.  Even though artists are communicators through their medium, the artist also needs to know who to articulate that message or point of view through words.  So writing becomes the foundation on which they create their pieces.”

And how does Dee assess the process, the artist and the art?  “I’m not a believer in perfection. Perfection can paralyze.  I believe in being a peak performer because depending on time and skill, I strive to do my best.  This is what allows me to continue learning.”

Fontans has learned a lot about herself as an artist, over the years.  She recounts her time at the Parson’s school of Design in New York City, as an example of one her biggest learning-curves.  “There was this one time, back when I was a pretty impulsive person, where I was working on a garment at 3am and I just started cutting fabric.  It was just a bad decision. I just knew I shouldn’t be a fashion designer at that point in my life. The next day, I redirected my creative studies at Parsons and went into designing jewelery as my artistic focus”.

A series of events would bring the artist back to fashion, full-circle, with a few new skills in tow.  “Jewelry making came into my life and it taught me patience with myself and my materials.  Then an accident challenged me again: I caught my hand in a machine and broke my hand in 3 places.”  The massive cast prevented her from working with clasps and chains so she let other materials be her guide. “I was making rubber necklaces that would drape to the waist and gigantic hats made out of wire.”

From playing with new materials, the romance with fashion was rekindled and Fontans began creating garments in new ways; ways that have become the backbone of her work and have infused the work of some of Calgary’s hottest emerging artists.

Words by Amy Lynn Strilchuk

For more information about Dee Fontans go to: www.deefontans.com

The Wearable Art class will present Regalia, Thursday, November 5, 2009 at Art Central.