B12 Terrace Review — Wednesday, May 9, 1990 FIMO — an art form for northerners Stephanie Rolfe shows off a new medium by Betty Barton Local artist Stephanie Rolfe (nee Johnson) returned to Ter- race last week to exhibit her ex- citing and unusual jewellery at the Spring Arts and Crafts Show held in the Terrace Art Gallery. She also conducted a FIMO workshop in cooperation. with Terrace Parks and Recreation recently. Last Saturday she opened a show and sale at Terrace’s Nor- thern Light Studio. FIMO is synthetic clay. Stephanie uses the same tech- nique as the traditional Venice glass bead makers did in ancient times. Those beads are popular- ly known as African trade beads and are becoming very rare and expensive to buy. Stephanie says she tends to hang on to her trade beads, rather than using them in her jewellery design. She learned | the craft from a master beadologist she met through the . Los Angeles Bead Society, which has an active membership of over 200. They both applied the technique to FIMO, rather than glass. _ Stephanie calls FIMO “a wonderful medium for northern artists. It is a very: self-sufficient: craft ‘in that ‘supplies’ are available’ locally, and the: few tools needed are items normally found in the home — shishka- bob skewers on which to cook the beads, hat pins to place the bits of clay and a conventional oven in which the beads are bak- ed at 250°F for 20 minutes.”’ She says “‘it takes a bit of finger strength to soften the clay - before you start to work it. But it’s wonderful hand exercise. Children are totally fascinated with this stuff, too.’” She sometimes combines the FIMO with one-of-a-kind collec- tors’ beads like silver, turquoise, amber, coral and amethyst. Stephanie goes to thrift stores and yard sales. ‘‘If a shop looks like it might have one bead in it, I goin.” She hunts high and low for them and says that beads are the perfect thing to collect — they’re small and they’re beautiful. Stephanie Rolfe forms these wonderful finds into unique works of art that can be worn: necklaces, earrings, bracelets, the possibilities are endless. Stephanie began her jewellery- creating career making fiat peyote seed earrings. One day her cat dumped all the seeds on the floor. That was her signal to explore other mediums. Stephanie is a full-time jewellery-maker, presently working out of Victoria. She sells much of her work at the Salt Spring Island summer crafts fair. She was born in Dawson City in the Yukon and came to Terrace with her family when she was eight years old. Rolfe, now 33, left Terrace 14 years ago for Vancouver. For the past 10 | years, she’s lived in the. U.S. -with her two children. . - She says, “It’s fun to come — home and visit mom. and dad.” Her mother Sylvia Johnson is a local artist and photographer. ‘‘And to come back and intro- duce my new products.’ When Stephanie was in Terrace last summer, she sold her unique tur- quoise and FIMO jewellery at the Terrace Farmers’ Market. ° Crafts still lively after 27 years Last weekend Terrace saw the 27th annual Spring Arts and Crafts show, held this year at the Terrace Art Gallery. Twenty- eight area craftspeople and ar- tists exhibited and sold their work. Despite the great weather and many other weekend events, traffic was steady and sales were brisk. Art Association represen- tative Diana English says, ‘‘We “were really pleased with this year’s show, We had a lot of new exhibitors,”’ Many of the craftspeople demonstrated their artistic abilities at the Arts and Crafts show, including Stephanie Rolfe, Rick Wiebe and numerous focal artists. Stephanie, a jewellery maker, il- lustrated the use of FIMO syn- thetic clay to craft bold and unique jewellery; Wiebe carved delicate birds of local woods, and the artists painted their water colors and oils on the library lawn. Winners of an Art Associa- tion raffle were Marion Meldrum, who won jewellery and a jewellery case donated by Ashbury’s; Charlotte Gurley, who won a popcorn popper donated by Terrace Co-op; Christine Foster, who got a silk brooch donated by Audrey. & | Elliot; and Jane Dickson, who received a brass picture frame donated by Woolworths. The Art Association looks forward to seeing patrons and artists again at their Christmas Craft Fair, Hostess appointed Karen Farrell, a new resident of Terrace, has been named Welcome Wagon Hostess for baby welcome, . bridal showers and baby — showers after completing a training course. Karen Farrell can be reached at 638-0707 for more information on the Welcome Wagon services she offers. | eee £ STEPHANIE ROLFE could be seen at the Temace Art Association spring arts and crafts sale, creating jewellery out of a synthetic clay called FIMO. Rolfe is a former Terrace resident who now makes her living 28 an artisan in Victoria. tttttines thierry Veteran n painter Wally Humphrey offered suggestions to artist Randy Penner as members of the Terrace Art Association took advantage of spring sunshine to set up in Lower Little Park during the group's 27th annual Spring Arts and Crafts Show.