When I think of museums, I associate it with dead things - graveyards.
Suspended items, behind glass and access ropes, sadly manage, although barely, to cling to the last remnants of relevance. While no longer able to fulfill their intended purpose, they are relegated to serving merely as lingering remains of different times and places.
The Galt Museum & Archives in Lethbridge is refreshingly different. It is alive with enthusiastic Lethbridgians who are telling stories, creating exhibits and organizing community events that help to bridge the gap with the past by keeping it relevant in the present. They are also laying the foundations for what is to become of the community of Lethbridge.
At the impressive facility, you are educated about the human history of southwestern Alberta and the value of recognizing history for the role it plays in creating future opportunity.
It also has the best view in town.
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The number and variety of programs at The Galt (as it is known by locals) are staggering. It includes stories, art, and music. All of it is crafted around the heritage of the community. As it goes in Southern Alberta, there is always a lingering of a little alcohol around, concerning the beer and whiskey heritage of the area.
Observations
We checked in early with Dana Inkster to be ahead of the day's busy schedule at the Museum. We were glad we did because the sun rising over the gorge and the wind playing in the long green grass rewarded us with an incredible sight of the famous bridge, from the building's foyer. It is a view that promises to always be amazing, and rarely similar. The seasons change incredibly fast in this part of Alberta and tomorrow it is bound to look different than today.
This turned out to also be a metaphor for our visit.
The museum reminds you that things change and it happens faster than you expect. Yet, there are also things that remain consistent. Lethbridge is the breadbasket of the region and has been for some time. It was the core of its livelihood in the past and that which continues to define the community in future. This heritage creates a sense of comfort and belonging for Lethbridgians as they continue to lead the agricultural industries in Alberta. And the Galt Museum serves to remind us of this responsibility, every day.
Lethbridge continues to intrigue us.
Hendrik van Wyk
Old(er) Cowboy
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Fritz Sick came to Lethbridge in 1901 with $8,000 and started the Alberta Brewery. The brewery had as its 1st brew, a lager called Alberta’s Pride. This “beer without a peer” was advertised as “concentrated liquid food” and families were encouraged to serve the beverage at meals to help maintain strong digestive organs and encourage the appetite.
In 1905, the brewery began to make malt beer and changed its name to Lethbridge Brewing and Malting Co. In 1918 the brewery became Lethbridge Breweries Limited. The Brewery survived Prohibition by making Near Beer or Temperance Beer, a beer with only 2% alcohol.
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Old Style Pilsner was first brewed in 1926 by Fritz Sick at his Sick's Breweries Ltd. in Lethbridge, Alberta. Although Molson’s Breweries Limited bought the brewery in 1958, Molson’s continued to brew Lethbridge Pilsner and Lethbridge Lager Beer. The company continued brewing these brands to “suit local taste preferences with skills, modern techniques, and experience supplied by the entire country-wide organization.”
In 1989, Molson’s merged with Carling O’Keefe Operations and in 1990 operations ceased at the Lethbridge Brewery. In 1991, 90 years after Fritz Sick began brewing in Lethbridge, the brewery was knocked down.
As brewing and craft beer is experiencing a renaissance in Alberta, Coulee Brewing Co stepped in, in 2016, filling the Lethbridge brewing and beer hole left behind by the Lethbridge Brewery's departure. By doing it, they have the opportunity to reinstate the Pilsner and Lager legacy of Lethbridge Brewing and taking it a step further.
Coulee Brew Co.'s beer is now available at select bars, restaurants, and retailers throughout the area. It opened its doors to the public on Jan 16th, 2016. It is the 3 ½ year vision of craft passionate, local entrepreneurs, Deborah Pallett and Scott Crighton. Its creation was driven by their desire to restore the history of beer production in the local Lethbridge community while involving the community every step of the way.
Coulee Brew is a 16,000sq ft facility, with 2 separate brewing systems - yes it is big for a craft brewery! Lethbridgians must be a thirsty lot. A 7bbl pilot system, and a 4 vessel 30 bbl system. The tap house and grill is a full-service pub style restaurant with an open concept. Patrons can sit, eat and drink while viewing all things beer through walls of glass to the facilities production area.
Observations
Coulee has quality beers, created with respect for the history of brewing in the community, a love of craft, and pride for all things Southern Alberta offers.
Cudos to Coulee Brewing Co.'s focus on the well-known Pilsner. This was our favorite when we visited. Maybe the water in Lethbridge adds a character to a Pilsner that is unique to that part of the world. The Bear's Hump Nut Brown (named after a famous landmark in Waterton National Park, not too far away, and a favorite summer spot for us) is also go-to comfort food when we visit the Park or the brewery.
We were astonished at the size of the facility and the buzz of activity we encountered during our visit. What was even more impressive was their hospitality on the day we arrived, unannounced. This makes Coulee Brewing another local favorite for the Two Cowboys and a recommended Two Cowboys experience in Lethbridge.
Hendrik van Wyk
Pilsner Cowboy
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We are well down the path of beer liberation and beervolition by making and drinking our very own fresh beer.
It means that we are no-longer donating up to 51% in taxes and excise to non-value adding parties like local, provincial and federal government, and a further 25% in transport, packaging, branding, distribution and retailing. We've taken back our beer. We've taken control of our beverage and it saves us a huge sum of money.
To make our own beer is as simple as making a cup of tea. We do it using the help, equipment, and ingredients of WilliamsWarn. Not only is it a ridiculously simple, consistent and an almost fault-proof way of making beer, it also guarantees that our beer tastes better. It is fresh, the way bread must be fresh to enjoy it at its best.
We get to experiment with every possible traditional beer style and hops combination. We are also doing non-traditional style beer with chocolate, vanilla, fruits, and spices. If we've had enough of beer (not that it will ever happen), we do ciders with ginger, elderflower, and berries. The combinations and the options for creativity are endless.
If you have to ask us about our most important piece of equipment in our kitchens, we have to confess it is our WilliamsWarn BrewKegs. It is our path to liberation, frugality, freshness and our own great tasting freshly brewed beer!
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Others' Beer
We made another beer run Downunder in the early parts of Summer 2017 to meet more beervolitionaries courtesy of WilliamsWarn. We also got a chance to experiment with some recipes in the WilliamsWarn test kitchen in Hastings, New Zealand.
Below you will meet some of the people that we visited and get a view of our escapades.
Enjoy their stories, and let us know in the comments if you've made the move to liberating your beer.
When you are ready to join us in our beervolition, we can introduce you to the good people at WilliamsWarn and give them a reason to launch WilliamsWarn North America sooner than planned.
Hendrik van Wyk
Brew Cowboy
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When you bake bread you don't start by planting the wheat for the flour.
Rather, you set off to the local grocery or supply store to buy good quality flour. You trust the farmer and milling company to provide you with a quality base ingredient for your baking. The retailers' distribution makes it accessible. All you need to do is take it a few steps further with yeast and flavoring ingredients for a magnificently freshly baked bread.
If that is too complicated, there are even suppliers that will provide you with the frozen dough. All you have to do is pop it into the oven. Now you can do this with beer and cider too thanks to WilliamsWarn.
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The principle is that there is a value chain in any production process whereby the materials are transformed from one stage to the next by adding value until it is eventually consumed. In some instances, it is advantageous to control the entire value chain. The truth is that very few industries in the modern world still do it. It is costly, labor intensive, uncompetitive and inconvenient.
For example, for bread, the farmer plants the grain. The milling company adds value by milling, bleaching, and packaging. The food producer makes the dough and adds flavoring. The baker bakes it, brands it and the retailer distributes. The same applies to the brewing industry. The farmer plants the barley, wheat, and hops. The maltster malts. The yeast producer produces yeast. The ingredients manufacturer makes dry malts, hops, and liquid malt extracts. The brewer brews, carbonates, clarifies, brands and packages for the retailer. Some of the roles and steps in the chain may be combined. It is often done under the pretentious banner of "craft". Mostly, the value chain remains intact, and it is done more for marketing and brand differentiation.
The brewing and distilling industries are coming to terms with an increasingly fragmented value chain. New malting companies and ingredient producers are coming to market and equipment manufacturers like WilliamsWarn are simplifying the brewing processes. The traditional players in these industries have mostly been "shielded" by decades of regulation. A few dominantly large corporations succeeded (and some still do) in working in concert with lawmakers to maintain the status quo and make it difficult for new entrants.
For decades there's been an incentive for the value-chain to remain obscured from consumers through prohibition. Except for an adventurous few homebrewers, moonshiners and bootleggers, most people had no real understanding of how-to, or an incentive to brew their own beer, cider or distill their own liquor. It was labeled as a very difficult "art" or "illegal".
All this is about to change dramatically, for good reasons.
Beer Liberty
Maybe it is the emerging "hipster" value of a growing group of Generation X'ers that are yearning for authenticity or simply a rebellious libertarian streak to take back control of one's destiny. There is definitely a growing movement by more people questioning the logic that the only way to enjoy the sixth food group is through a government sanctioned licensed and excessively taxed supply chain.
There must be an easier and more empowering way to beer drinking pleasure. People have been doing it for thousands of years. Why is it so hard, now? If you knew that freshly brewed beer tastes better, is more healthy, significantly cheaper and easy to do, you will be brewing yourself. It is now possible to enjoy your beverage from the best ingredients in the world, without the government dipping their tax finger in your pint. Here's how.
If you can cook a sausage, you can brew a beer (don't tell your dress-up "craft brewing" hipster friends that you know their secret). It is time to exercise autonomy, freedom of choice, voluntarily associate, apply individual judgment and self-ownership. You can take back control of your beverage. Grow a beard. Un-invite your legislator and stop paying taxes for others' sins. Claim liberty by brewing your own beer.
If you still need a further financial incentive consider this. On 5 August 2016, the Government of Alberta directed the AGLC (Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission) to apply a standard markup rate of $1.25/L to all regular beers sold in Alberta (www.aglc.ca). Whichever way you look at this, it is the government putting their hand in your beer pocket and yanking a massive 30+% (one-third!) from your beverage budget. Add to this the manufacturing margins (which is a pitiful tax hand-back to breweries in the form of a grant), federal excise duty, recycling fees, refundable deposits, retailer and distributor margins, licenses, permits, inspections and to top it all off, GST! It is surprising that the CO2 from brewing is not also taxed through the most recent carbon (tax) levy political plaything.
Are we missing something or is someone actually giving us an incentive to brew our own beer?
Take Control
When we embarked on our journey over a year ago, we had a significant goal in mind. Empower people to take ownership of their own destiny by making something. Give inspiration by showing how others are doing it and tell of the benefits they get from being producers.
If there was ever a case to make something, then it is as simple as brewing your own beer for as little as $1.80 a litre in 4 - 6 days. WilliamsWarn and the ingredients producers make it possible. It is legal to brew and enjoy your own beer in Canada as long as you don't sell it to your friends.
Here's the real bonus. It tastes a great deal better, like home baked bread!
People have come together for thousands of years around a meal and a beverage. Through the levying of compulsory and coercive money collection (taxation) and overbearing legislative authority, the government has increasingly invited themselves to the gathering. It is time to uninvite them.
We are doing it, and you can do it too by producing your own food, and brewing your own beer.
Hendrik van Wyk
Beer Cowboy
P.S. Here is a nice resource if you want to try your hand at distilling: Mile Hi Distilling.
We are a content company. We earn our livelihood from producing great content about inspiring people and their stories. We use Patreon to help us earn from our work. It allows us to have a closer relationship with our collaborators and grow our audience.
Owning a business teaches you the hard facts of personal liberation and self-discovery. To travel is another way to do it. You quickly discover your limitations and learn to extend your boundaries. Both are expensive in commitment and cost, yet incredibly rewarding personal endeavours.
We are not talking about the "comfortable-all-expenses-paid-fake-margarita" kind of travel you do through the window of a car, coach or plane. Rather, the kind of travel that forces you to let go of your comforts, expectations, biases and requires you to actually interact with local people. The same applies to starting a real business where you are making something.
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There are similarities in the adventure of both travel and entrepreneurship. It requires a special kind of outlook in life that aligns with values such as self-respect, appreciation for originality, authenticity and anticipation.
Both cases require an unwavering commitment and a substantial effort to succeed. That is why it is easier to do it with a partner and a friend. When times are tough, which they inevitably are, it helps to have someone with similar values for support. Nothing tests the commitment in a relationship more than travel or being in business together. Both are life journeys that are better when shared.
To succeed in a partnership, it is crucial to have trust in each others’ abilities. There must be a shared understanding of each other's roles, responsibilities, and what each brings to the opportunity.
Successful partnerships are above all, guided by a shared vision and purpose. Partners have to work towards a common set of objectives. It builds trust and recognises the value and contribution each other makes. Partners must respect each other’s contributions and regard one another as equals. It promotes an atmosphere of learning and an open mindset and desire to invest in each other's skills and knowledge. If a partnership is going to succeed, there must be effective communication and constructive honesty in feedback.
It is such a partnership that we recognised when we met Matt Widmer and Keith Robinson at Wild Life Distillery in Canmore, Alberta. Both are world travellers that already shared a journey through South America. Both signed up for the wild life of entrepreneurship and making something.
Observations
According to them, everyone has an ideal life they would like to lead. It can be an overwhelming notion to commit oneself to a process that will eventually result in this dream. However, with the knowledge that there is no right or wrong way to get there, and no guarantee that one will ever achieve it, they are at least certain that doing a little bit each day will move them closer to their ideal life goal.
At Wild Life Distillery they have made this approach to lifestyle and craft distilling their personal commitment. They are in constant pursuit of personal betterment on a path of continuous learning and growth. They are passionate about what they do in their life and in their newly founded business and don't waiver in any opportunity to share it with others.
We are encouraged by the energy of Matt and Keith, and really like their first Vodka that launched the business this past winter. We are sure to see a lot more come from these two makers as they explore the wonder of a wild life as they lubricate the journey with their beverage creations.
Hendrik van Wyk
Wild Cowboy
We are a content company. We earn our livelihood from producing great content about inspiring people and their stories. We use Patreon to help us earn from our work. It allows us to have a closer relationship with our collaborators and grow our audience. If you Sponsor us on Patreon: http://www.travelingcowboys.com or Donate to our cause on GoFundMe: http://www.forwardthefavour.com we can do a lot more for you, your business, event or community.
It is a major milestone on our journey and a huge validation of our cause.
We've obtained the commitment and support of our first large, inspiring, community focused Sponsor. Cam Clark Ford is giving us a hand to bring you more stories from our producers in Southern Alberta. They are helping us to give our entrepreneurs and local businesses a big promotional hand.
We now have extra resources available to feature our people.
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It's been a year since we've launched the first content for Two Cowboys & A Camera. In this year we've promoted many local producers - people that make things. We've promoted local markets where microbusiness operate and where major businesses are validated.
We've covered festivals and events that showcase craftsmen and woman. We've told stories of people with a passion for their art and a commitment to their (often dying, yet iconic) trade. In short, we've been telling the stories of the "little guy" that often works against huge odds to feed their families and make a difference in their community.
They are the entrepreneurs that source, employ, produce and serve locally. They are also the customers of larger organisations like Cam Clark Ford. This company, who once was a small business as well, still nurtures the very important values that made it successful in the first place. It is important for Cam Clark Ford to be focussed on the success of its customers and to dedicate resources to foster healthy local communities and prosperous local businesses.
When we set out on our journey we made a commitment. Every dollar we get from Sponsors and Patrons we will apply right back to further this cause. With a minimalist outlook, we have hit the road in the second half of our lives to devote all our time and resources to find, explore and highlight the local people that fit this profile.
We've invited every one of the people we've covered or encountered to join us in this cause, by contributing to cover our expenses through Patreon and GoFundMe. Some obliged and forwarded the favour. It has helped to strengthen our resolve and boost our confidence.
What we've learned is that while we can highlight the stories of many, it is often the smallest and the ones with the least to give, that are the most appreciative of what we did for them. With the help of a major Sponsor like Cam Clark Ford we now have more resources to continue to promote these local business. They are the people that get it, that our local producers are the foundation of our economy and our communities.
More people should know about them. The Two Cowboys & A Camera will be telling their stories thanks to Sponsors such as Cam Clark Ford.
Hendrik van Wyk
Ford Driving Cowboy
We are a content company. We earn our livelihood from producing great content about inspiring people and their stories. We use Patreon to help us earn from our work. It allows us to have a closer relationship with our collaborators and grow our audience. If you Sponsor us on Patreon: http://www.travelingcowboys.com or Donate to our cause on GoFundMe: http://www.forwardthefavour.com we can do a lot more for you, your business, event or community.
Carole Beaton from An Edible Life discovered the profound impact food has on one's quality of life. For her, it has been a long lesson in the making. Since then, she's been on a journey with food, passion and healthy living that lead to her launching and operating a successful business in micro food manufacturing in Canmore, Alberta.
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Food is the pillar of any society. It defines customs, set identities and is the focal point of our social interactions. We turn to food for nourishment, comfort, leisure, creativity and inspiration. A large part of every person's day is taken up consciously or unconsciously by food. Once food becomes a conscious part of one's day, it has the potential to be even more. It has the potential for healing.
It is probably now more top of mind in our western society than ever before. Turn on the television (for those that still have one), or scour social media and the Internet and you will find it cluttered with food pictures, cooking programs and competitions. Chefs are celebrities and household names. Every cooked meal aspires to be photo ready and Instagramable. Food festivals are everywhere.
With it all comes hostilities that are proclaimed from the vanguard of food niches and fetishes. Paleo, vegan, nose-to-tail, root to leave, slow food, farm-to-table, low-fat, organic, low-carb, high-fibre, sugar-free and pre-made convenience all weigh into a never ending battle of what is better than the other. What is more healthy than the other. Then there are the labels that sound like religions of a new world order. Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Meatatarian, Fruitarian and Nutarian. Seriously! What happened to just good old hearty healthy food?
Supremacy of an argument in the world of food is hard-won territory. People's conversations have reached an almost religious pitch. Even morality is applied to food choices with little room for culture, history, preference, or personal experience. It is this personal experience in healthy eating that distinguishes Carol's small food manufacturing business from others.
Many of us, like Carol, understands instinctively that nutrition is one of the biggest building blocks of our health and happiness. However, many of us lack the in-depth knowledge and understanding of how our own bodies work with our food. We don't know how to make dietary choices with confidence or lack the skill to prepare wholesome and healthy food altogether.
Carole’s own experience in managing a hereditary kidney disease through her diet and exercise has fostered a deep belief in the value of healthy foods. She is now helping others discover the same benefits though her business. It has lead Carole to become a Holistic Nutritionist and to start An Edible Life.
Observations
We dubbed Carol's place "Canmore's Kitchen". It is the place for delicious and healthy food when eating out is not an option, fast food is not acceptable, and when there is no time for making your own. It is the kind of place you can visit to see what's cooking on the stove today. It is a no-sit-down, get-your-food-and-go place where you can trust what you eat.
There are regular favourites on the menu like Shepherd's Pie, Goji Cacao Balls (which made her famous) and Honey BBQ Pulled Pork. She also carries an extensive menu packed with soups, hearty meals and lighter fare.
We are glad that Carol made a move from construction to food and from consulting to cooking. Her meals are delicious and because of her dedication to the "good and healthy stuff", you know that whatever you get from An Edible Life is for living. It comes with all Carol's healthy care and dedication.
We are eating for a healthy life at An Edible Life. She promised us, even the Goji Cacao Balls are healthy. We are taking her word for it!
Hendrik van Wyk
Goji Ball Cowboy
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Was it the French, the Spaniards, or the Italians? Famous phrases have rung out over centuries of ongoing cultural refinement searching for this answer. Phrases such as "Joie de vivre", "pura vida" and "vivere la vita" all attempt to describe the art of perfect living.
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It is a question not to be taken lightly. Many cultures have fought centuries of war over its essence. As with most things in life, you have to lose your innocence to have an opinion. While minutes, hours, days and years are slipping away through the hourglass of our lives, it is profoundly necessary for every person to have an opinion and make up their mind. What is your art of living? Have you to tasted it, heard it, felt it, seen it. Lived it.
Today Two Cowboys dare to weigh in. In the New World, we are lucky. We can get away with borrowing a little bit of living from the Old World and supplement it with the New. With our own roots in South Africa, New Zealand and Canada, we were born into fine wine, refined cuisine and lots of cheese. For us, culinary living must also include beer, smoked brisket, lamb, chocolate, coffee, and oysters.
Life is not all about eating and drinking. It is also about loving family, good friends, fresh air, health and special moments. No matter where you are in the world. All of this is necessary to complete the perfect picture of the art of life.
Observations
Some places make it a little easier. One of those is L'Atelier du Fromage in Auckland, New Zealand. It puts you on the fast track to living. From the moment you step through the door, you are transferred to another world.
If you are from the south of France, it will feel like home. If you've never been to France, it will give you a reason to go. Until you do, Scott and his team will take care of your French culinary needs. All of them. Wine, cheese, croissants, charcuterie, eclairs, macarons and more.
If you need it fresh, resident chef Gilles stationed on his kitchen perch above the humdrum of the shop will orchestrate amazing flavours with fresh local ingredients. He will give you a simple quality meal with no equal in most of Auckland's top restaurants. I don't give out accolades like this lightly. The best pork belly ever: L'Atelier du Fromage. The best beef rib ever: L'Atelier du Fromage. Gilles is a master with flavour, texture and pairing wine. You have to take it when you get it. The menu changes every week.
Then again, I am politely reminded by Scott, this is how we do it in France. The only part that doesn't fit is that this is in Auckland, New Zealand! Maybe the New World is, after all, discovering the art of living. Maybe the French do know something about it. A visit to L'Atelier du Fromage will certainly give you an authentic and first-class taste of it. If nothing else, it will raise the bar on what to expect.
It comes highly recommended.
Hendrik van Wyk
French Cowboy
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We are a content company. We earn our livelihood from producing great content about inspiring people and their stories. We use Patreon to help us earn from our work. It allows us to have a closer relationship with our collaborators and grow our audience. If you Sponsor us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/twocowboys or Donate to our cause on GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/twocowboyswe can do a lot more for you, your business, event or community.
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People compete. Businesses compete. Regions compete with regions and countries with countries. Without competition, we won't be where we are today as a civilisation and an economy. Competition is good. It favours the agile, enterprising, and resilient members of society. The strong thrive by continually adapting and adjusting.
We are talking about all kinds of competition. Not just the "fair" and "just" competitions. The rules are not always clear or referenceable. A large part of persevering in the heat of battle is knowing which rules favour survival and prosperity, and which do not.
The "favouring" rules serve as catalysts for renewal and growth. The rules against competition contribute to the softening of a population, making it inflexible and complacent. Such a population is one step away from demise. Without the stronger members of our society persevering and growing through competition and sharing the value of their success, the survival of life as we know it may be at risk.
Here are a few benefits of competition in business:
Competition makes customer service better. If more businesses are after the same customers' spend, then customers benefit from increased focus on their needs, better pricing and more attention.
It forces innovation. With more business going after the same reward there is an incentive to find better, faster and cheaper ways to deliver to customer expectations.
Competition exposes strengths and weaknesses. With this self-knowledge, businesses have the opportunity to improve and grow.
Competition opens up new opportunities and forces learning. New products and services are invented. New markets are discovered and opened thanks to the need of business to survive and grow.
Everything businesses do every day against the constant backdrop of being in competition. By being in this mode, they often don't have a chance to take time out to reflect. The annual Westpac Business Excellence Awards provides a valuable opportunity to New Zealand businesses. It celebrates business success in New Zealand countrywide. It is also an opportunity for the competing business to learn, reflect and validate themselves with others.
11 Weeks of Focus
The Two Cowboys & A Camera took 11 weeks out this year to interview more than 180 people from more than 148 finalists, sponsors and judges, for the 4 Auckland regional award events. Just saying it is a mouth full.
The real work was producing and packaging around 200 small video clips from this content for four high-profile gala events. It is an annual affair. It is a marathon learning experience that allows us to meet and interact with some of Auckland's most progressive businesses. We cherish the opportunity every year.
There were two takeaways this year. Firstly, businesses are relying more and more on social media resources to market and engage with customers. Some industries are adopting faster than others. It is top-of-mind for everyone. The businesses that thrive incorporates video into their strategy.
The second realisation is the rise of the "Social Enterprise". Since the Two Cowboys are on the forefront of making this our contribution to our stakeholders, it was encouraging to see that more and more businesses recognise the capacity they have for investing in social capital or cause as a force in their business strategy. Companies realise that they have a responsibility in their industry and their community that goes beyond shareholder value creation.
Enjoy the video with us about the highlights of this year's awards.
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We are a content company. We earn our livelihood from producing great content about inspiring people and their stories. We use Patreon to help us earn from our work. It allows us to have a closer relationship with our collaborators and grow our audience. If you Sponsor us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/twocowboys or Donate to our cause on GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/twocowboyswe can do a lot more.
...a workshop or studio, especially one used by an artist or designer.
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In conversations with Artisans, they admit that the one hurdle they all identify is the need to take their work to market. They invest emotionally in their creations. They spend every living, breathing waking moment in making and fabricating. It takes hours, days, weeks and sometimes a lifetime for an artist or craftsman to produce their best work. This happens while there is always the delicate balance between creating something remarkable or just good enough to get it out the door for the week's rent of their workshop.
Online shopping and creator websites such as Etsy are making it easier to sell their wares. However, wouldn't it be great if creators only needed to make, while customers line up at the door?
These Artists are remarkable people. They each have a unique and often inspiring story. Their stories have the potential to exalt their creation from the mundane and routine to the exquisite and inspirational. No one will know these stories unless someone tells them. Many don't know how inspirational they are until someone discovers it.
This is where Carolyne Kauser-Abbott and Atelier Boutiques (https://atelierboutiques.com) come in. Carolyne's passion for unique, one-of-a-kind creations from outstanding artisans inspired her to create a service where she helps these makers to take their products to market and to tell their stories.
It is a marketplace with a difference.
Atelier recognizes the creative effort required by dedicated artists to learn a skill, practice a technique and experiment with materials. It creates a virtual space that opens the doors to those workshops near and far, by giving you a glimpse into the artists’ studios, a chance to read or see their stories and the ability to buy their products.
Carolyne searches for exclusive, handcrafted, high-quality, wardrobe accessories for women including jewellery, scarves, hats and sweaters. The home décor collection is carefully selected to bring artisanal showpieces and unique household gifts to market.
She invites us to meet the creators and understand their stories of how and why they are pursuing their craft. This is where our journey meets. Two quirky Cowboys & A Camera is about telling stories of people that make things. Producers. Inspirational people and beautiful things.
Please be introduced to Carolyne and her creators. Stay tuned as we jointly undertake a journey to showcase the many Artisans working away in their Ateliers across Canada. Who knows, you may just meet your neighbour.
Hendrik van Wyk
In My Atelier
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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)
Thanks to Wikipedia we know: "The word metamorphosis derives from Greek μεταμόρφωσις, "transformation, transforming", from μετα- (meta-), "change" and μορφή (morphe), "form".
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What then do you call it when you transform a hundred-year-old barn and turn it into beautiful furniture and decorative finishes? In Okotoks, they call it: "Farm to Furniture, by the Two Birds".
Clint and Robyn Pigeon (two pigeons - birds - get it?) established the business in 2013 with a helping hand from within the community. Both were raised in rural Alberta where they cultivated an understanding and value for the importance of hard work. These are farm people. They can farm where most of the year there is only snow and ice.
Their appreciation for Alberta’s heritage and a passion for their own sparked an initiative. They wanted to reclaim the beauty of historic farms and ranches by creating heirlooms from the weathered barns and outbuildings. This leads them to the recycling old lumber and turning it into quality things that will last for generations.
The natural next step for these ageing and often unsafe structures is to be burned down. Clint mentioned that this is the way he gets to know about them. The owners usually apply for a fire permit with the Town. The Pigeons step in by negotiating the opportunity to dismantle and salvage the weathered lumber from the old buildings.
They then turn the lumber from the buildings into custom, authentic, one-of-a-kind furniture and decor, that they assure me is more affordable than I expect. What is for sure is that they turn it into quality pieces that will last another hundred years.
Observations
I asked Clint about the best part of his day. His reply: "When I am out in the open with the old barn, by myself in thought, admiring the history, appreciating the character and I realise that I am merely another step in the evolution of the story that came before, and the one that will be after." The next natural step is for Clint to make something beautiful for someone to use and appreciate.
Robyn mentioned that people appreciate the furniture because it comes with a story. I think people appreciate it because it is really beautiful, solid and something one's grandchildren will still be using decades from now.
If you have ever found two pure entrepreneurs, it is Clint and Robyn. The business started naturally with love for the material, the creative processes, the hard work that goes into creating a utility from passion and recycled old wood. They turned it into useful and beautiful items for their family and friends. All that remained was to keep doing it. Get better at it, and share it with more people.
For now, you need to get to know them personally for their custom pieces they make in a new workshop in Okotoks, Alberta. However, they assure me that more standard items will soon be available for order through their website: http://www.twobirdsfurniture.ca.
We are eagerly following the story of Two Birds Furniture because we share the same values and we also have a passion and love for the history of this beautiful Province of Alberta. We will definitely be bringing you more from Two Birds Furniture in future.
Hendrik van Wyk
Birdwatching Cowboy
Get rewarded for supporting our local Producers: Receive special offers and invitations from the Two Cowboys and our Producers when you subscribe to our email list.
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)
