By Melissa Smalley
Shelley Minato says she believes art has the ability to take people on a journey.
The multi-talented artist/crafter's own journey began several years ago, with a basket-weaving workshop hosted by the 100 Mile Arts Council. Following that first craft experience, Minato took a leather braiding course from a "Saskatchewan cowboy" named Stu Robinson.
"Anything that's repetitive, I find is interesting. It's the process," Minato says from her 108 Mile Ranch art studio.
Since learning her first two crafts, Minato – who returned to the Cariboo last year after living in Saskatchewan for a number of years – has branched out into sketching, acrylic and alcohol painting and wood and soap stone carving.
She waits for inspiration to strike before switching mediums, or when her hands are too damaged from hours and hours of leather braiding.
"It's quite hard on the hands."
The common element between all of her artistic endeavours is the process by which she learned them – each new skill was gleaned through workshops, courses and seminars along the way.
All her work is also reference based, working from a photograph or an inspirational image that she recreates in her own unique style.
She's a firm believer in letting inspiration flourish naturally, pointing to a large piece of yet-to-be sculpted soap stone that she has been holding onto for a few years.
"It hasn't told me what it wants to be yet. You can't force it."
Minato cites pet commissions – paintings on rocks or canvas of a beloved deceased pet – as one of the trickiest things to do.
"The difficulty is that people are emotionally attached to their animals... so will they like it?"
Minato will be one of nearly a dozen artists participating in the South Cariboo Health Foundation' (SCHF) Studio 2 Studio tour Sept. 10. She is partnering up with neighbour and talented quilter Pamela Hall – who encouraged Minato to participate in the tour – and will be exhibiting a wide range of arts and crafts items, from paintings to braided key chains and everything in between.
One particularly special item that will be up for grabs is a children's book that Minato illustrated three years ago called A Pony Named Peanut; Minato will be raffling off the last copy of the book for the SCHF.
As a first-time participant in the tour, Minato says she is hoping the community comes out and supports the fundraising initiative – 25 per cent of proceeds of items sold during the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. self-guided tour will go to the SCHF.
The Studio 2 Studio has another great artist just added to the self-guided tour. Rob Roberts will be displaying his beautiful Welsh spoon carvings.
A list of participating artists and a map detailing the locations of the art studios at 108 Mile Ranch can be picked up at Pharmasave, Save-On-Foods, the 100 Mile District General Hospital reception desk and other health clinics and businesses in the community.
To find out more, call 250-706-2101 or visit www.southcariboohealth.com.