o-CNN: Small Businesses in Canmore: Elevation Gallery and The Hive inCanmore, Alberta

Mini Business Profile

Canmore Business and Tourism encouraged the Two Cowboys to feature Canmore's up and coming businesses. We've produced a few mini-profiles to introduce you to the energy that is making Canmore such a great place to live, work, play, and ultimately launch successful businesses. We are proud to showcase the best of what is on offer in the Bow Valley.

Elevation Gallery / The Hive

Elevation Gallery is the inspiration of designer/goldsmith Cheryl Baxter. It boasts a brilliant collection of fine art by emerging and mid-career artists. It also has an eclectic grouping of fine jewellery by award-winning goldsmiths.

Elevation Gallery is about art. But, it is the space upstairs called The Hive, that caught our attention.

Not many people know about it. Above the gallery is a function venue filled with some of the most beautiful art, and with rooms ready for weddings, meetings, and small festive gatherings. It offers breathtaking views of the mountains, and sunny patios overlooking the hustle and bustle of Main Street, Canmore.

Cheryl met us as before, with a welcoming glass of wine, and bubbling enthusiasm to show us her place. The art is inspiring for sure. We expected nothing less. More so, is the experience of the spaces in the Hive. One is transferred away from the typical mountain venue setting, and taken on a world-class artistic creative journey. The art provides an atmosphere of inspiration from room to room. The glass walls gave flow and a feeling of space.

What happens at The Hive? Always something unique, we are told. We enjoyed a performance by Quartetto Gelato during the Canmore Uncorked festivities earlier in 2016. On this particular occasion, after the meal the patrons were encouraged to let their inner artist explore drawing on the tablecloths.

Cheryl collaborates with local chefs to cater to her guests, for weddings and other functions. There is a Kiddies Room for the younger guests. Although, I am not sure these guests are encouraged to let their inner artist out with crayons on the walls.

Cheryl, thank you for sharing your place with us. It is the space that inspired us. I almost want to reference the cliche: "What happens at The Hive, stays at The Hive." However, it is such a special place that everyone should know about it, and should come and enjoy.

Thank you for allowing us to show it to the world.

Hendrik van Wyk
Hive Patron

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Two Cowboys on a Journey: Galts-Goldsmith - Calgary, Alberta

Have Fun and Make Money

(Learn: * Inspire: **** Amaze: * Live: ****)
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I received a phone call early in 2015 from a fella that introduced himself as James Galts-Goldsmith. He wanted a box of my Honey Nougat for his customers to hand out as gifts. He discovered it in a store on his way to the mountains and wanted to order more. 

I was in the middle of wrestling my way through Ayn Rand's 1,000 + page book - Atlas Shrugged - shortly after I contributed to the third movie instalment: "Who is John Galt", on Kickstarter. It was eerily surprising to hear from a guy with a similar and uncommon name during this exact time. Here is someone that is the Goldsmith to John Galt? It was a funny confluence of events, if someone was not playing a very clever practical joke on me. The week after I delivered the Nougat, and that is how I met James Galts-Goldsmith. No joke.

Galts-Goldsmith is a Jewellery Design Studio and Art Gallery located in the heart of Calgary.  A heritage house built in 1912 provides the backdrop for a unique display of handcrafted jewellery along with traditional and contemporary works of art.

Established in early 1978, James has been serving Calgarians and clientele from around the world for over 3 decades with his custom jewellery, painting and sculpting. He crafts every piece completely by hand with a matchless attention to detail and unique and inspiring designs.

If you ever have to find a born maker, then James is your man. Not many people live by a mantra or statement that defines them. James does. Here it is: "Life itself gives me the inspiration to create my art and nature provides me with the raw materials.  Whether jewellery, paintings, or sculpture…..my passion is to capture the beauty around us in pieces that will last for generations. I am an Artist, a Goldsmith, a Hand Engraver and a Sculptor. "

Observations

It is difficult for artists to make a living financially. Many will tell you that they cannot do anything but be an artist, and suffer for it financially. The personal emotional reward is phenomenal. Unfortunately, they often have to supplement the joy of creating, with income from another less inspirational source. A "day" job.

It is therefore very encouraging to listen to a seasoned artist like James when he shares his lifetime story on how he discovered making, and how he tapped into the personal and financial rewards that came from sharing his production. After three decades, James has done a lot of things in the making department. You can see his rock carvings in downtown Calgary. His paintings and jewellery travels the world.

However, it is the things he doesn't sell that caught our attention. The music instruments he made and still loves to play. The customized tools. His workbench. There is so much of a maker in the room that it is encouraging to just be around James' workplace.

He draws his inspiration from nature. If he is not at his desk or in his workshop creating, you find him hiking in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. 

James affirmed a common theme we discovered with every artist we've profiled thus far: When they make something from inspiration it has immediate value. "It sells" is what they will tell you. If you try to make something for someone else, it doesn't have the same success. Trying to anticipate what people want doesn't work so well. Somehow, the true part of the artist has gone missing. True art cannot be separated from its creator. It is what they are.

James' jewellery artwork is beautiful and we enjoyed the morning with him, in his workplace very much. Now, please enjoy the video with us.

Hendrik van Wyk

Producer

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Who we are: We are a social enterprise. We are funded through donations and sponsorship. 
All our earnings are applied back to covering our costs of marketing and promoting Producers and inspiring local communities. Please support us to bring you more (www.forwardthefavour.com)

Photos

Happy Place

Tools

A Maker

Still Making

Galts-Goldsmith

o-CNN: Cowboy News Network - Canmore Uncorked, Quartetto Perfecto!

A Progressive Dinner with Raw Emotion

A perfect night, and another bottle of crisp chablis was Uncorked in the Rocky Mountain town of Canmore, Alberta.

We hit the downtown courtesy of the Canmore Uncorked food festival with twenty good friends and four world-class travelling musicians. Communitea Cafe was the start with a refreshing Vodka and salad (and some tea... I think), while we were serenaded by Quartetto Gelato.

Before we knew it, we were swinging away to Latin rhythms and reciting love poems for lovers long gone, or yet to be found.

The music was a classy touch to another innovative Progressive Dinner Tour from the organizers of this great food festival. Our palates travelled through the wonderful flavours and aroma's of Canmore's best dining establishments, and we were swept away to far away destinations and foreign cultures, by the sweet sounds of the Quartet that beautifully paired their songs with the establishments, meals and wine.

Upstairs at the Hive we were treated to Blake's White Gold cheese, factory ricotta stuffed burrata, Evoolution dill olive oil, fennel crystals, black pyramid salt, radish, Korean chilli and Canmore micro greens. If you weren't wax lyrical after this, you were then given a paint brush and a blank table cloth to express your hidden inner artist. Another cocktail or two had to follow.

This is where it all came undone. The sensory overload of the magnificent elixirs, exquisite food and breathtaking art stirred raw emotions that were amplified by the solo of the Oboe, and accompanied with nostalgic Chello and Violin. Someone shed a tear...

The tour concluded in a ruckus haze where the Buffalo Roam. Another fine night. Thank you Canmore for the privilege to call you home.

Hendrik van Wyk
The Singing Cowboy

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Photos

Tea Time! 

Promise

Focus

Somewhere Out There

Just Call it Blake

My Horse

Chablis

Make Something!

Two Cowboys: Making Things That Lasts Longer Than You at Canmore Woodcrafters, Canmore, Alberta

Things that Last

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Canmore Woodcrafters was founded by Ernst Salzgeber and Sandra Salzgeber. Ernst is originally from Switzerland and immigrated to Canada in 1974. Sandra was from Richmond BC.

In 1979 the business occupied a 600 square foot garage. The business was founded on the principals of exceptional craftsmanship, attention to detail, experience, honesty, and timeliness. It resulted in continual and steady growth. Canmore Woodcrafters Ltd. occupies 12,680 square feet of a building located in the Elk Run Industrial Park of Canmore.

Canmore Woodcrafters Ltd. Management and Staff continue to provide custom woodworking services with the same cornerstones that the business was built on in 1979.

There is no denying that Canada has a lot of trees. It is, therefore, inevitable to see a lot of wood construction. Wood is not only an excellent building material, but it also provides an outstanding opportunity for expression.

Wood is one of the most revered and versatile mediums. Many people are exposed to working with it during school when they have the chance to attend classes in wood shop. For this reason, we make a wood crafting producer one of our first stops. The art is as old as humanity itself. Canmore Woodcrafters is a business that does just that: combining construction with art. Brian and his team create one-of-a-kind pieces that are intended to outlast its makers.

The Bow Valley is world renowned for its luxury accommodation. Not only are there Multi Million Dollar homes owned by people from all around the world, but it also has iconic hotels such as the Fairmont Banff Springs, Lake Louise Fairmont Hotel, and many other. This luxury comes with a high demand for quality in construction and craftsmanship. A lot of the finishing is custom woodwork. A lot of it has been done by the Salzgebers over the last thirty plus years.

We find the people responsible for quality woodwork just down the road from our initially profiled producer: Valbella Gourmet Foods.

Impressions

Our visit with Brian and his team left us with a few outstanding gems:

"Playing in the sawdust and humming to the sound of the machines," Brian tells the story of how he grew up in the garage where his father worked. He tried to "escape" as a young adult but had to return to continue in the business. He had no choice but to answer to the producer calling and values his parents instilled in him. He made something, and still continue to do so even in his spare time.

"Making something that will outlast us." It is amazing to realise that the items and finishes that are produced by the crafters at Canmore Woodcrafters are made to last. Very few things in the world are made to last anymore. The current focus in manufacturing is of quantity and consistency. It is incredible to realise that the chair, the table, door or bar counter you sit at when visiting an upmarket establishment in the Bow Valley is likely to be there decades from now - long after the producer departed. Also, that it is unique. It is the only one of its kind.

"We've delayed fourteen years to get a CNC Machine." Brian acknowledged that while they resisted departing from the traditional handcrafting methods for making quality articles, they eventually had to invest in a computerised machine to compete in the market. It was only after making the investment that they realised the machine is not detracting from their maker values, but rather serve a similar role to the first hammer or saw. It is just a tool that helps to take the craft of the producer to the next level. It provides more possibilities. Instead of replacing people (which to some degree it does), it also brings new people into the fold that can work with the technology. It allows more people to make something. It allows more incredible things to be done.

Canmore Woodcrafters provided an unusual glimpse into an age-old craft, with young and dynamic people that produce amazing unique woodwork, destined to outlast them. What a remarkable story.

Every time I am sitting at a bar in the Bow Valley my mind wanders. I think of meeting Brian, and wonder if this is a bar the Salzgebers made. When I asked Brian which ones they've done, he wasn't very forthcoming. I think they've done many. My suspicion is that it is not the article that held the value. Rather, it was the process of making it with fellow craftsmen and women. These are producers. These are the people that are making our world. I am glad to have met them.

Facebook page for Canmore Woodcrafters

Hendrik
Producer.

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