Yorkton's 32nd annual Sunflower Arts & Craft Sale event was another success, attracting exhibitors from across the Western provinces and as a far as away as Ontario. With everything from unique pottery works to pet accessories, the venue had something for everyone to take in.
Among the almost 200 eye catching booths was a dazzling display of metal work created by Calgary artists Joanna Klein and partner.
Over the last ten years Klein and her husband have turned an enjoyable hobby into a full time career that takes them to shows across the country and fills their time doing something they both love.
The pair create an endless array of unique metal pieces that are as broad in design as the imagination can see.
"It all starts with a crazy idea, actually I get the crazy idea. I do a drawing on the floor in the garage and then I tell my husband - go and create it," she says with a laugh.
Each piece of metal is then either cut out by machine or hand to bring to the drawings to life.
"And then there's lots of polishing and grinding and finishing touches like painting. We also go rock picking... metal flowers with rocks are extremely popular."
Metal is either purchased new, or rescued from scrap dealers.
"We try to reuse as much as we can... we work with steel, stainless steel, copper, glass, rock... or whatever someone can come up with. There's really no limit. We see something in nature and then we try to figure out how we can recreate it through art," details Klein.
And their work is only limited to what the imagination can dream up. The Kleins will custom make virtually anything a customer suggests.
From garden decor to furniture, the pair have transformed what some would view as scrap, into coveted treasures.
Among her most memorable custom pieces is a full size bed says Klein.
"We designed a bed that looked like a tree. It had tree bottoms, tree branches as poles, a tree canopy and it was all metal... polished and clear coated. It was really artsy... that was the request so we made it."
This particular piece took about three weeks to make.
"This spring we worked on sun faces that were about four to five in diameter. They were all hand cut, hand welded and hand painted so each was was individual... there were six of them and both of working full time it took about three and a half weeks. There was a lot of work to it."
Sometimes looking at a finished piece, people can't comprehend the time and effort that go into the art says Klein but when she sees a happy customer, she says, it makes the all of the hard work worthwhile.
"I love what I do. Quite often I have repeat customers. When someone comes the year after and says how much they love the piece they have... it's very rewarding and it feels good."
And there's no end in sight. Rather than getting tired of her craft, Klein says the list of ideas for new creations is continually growing.
"The list is getting longer every year." And the pair are working away to fulfill it.
While they have no website as time doesn't permit for maintenance, anyone interested in learning more about the Kleins or their business, Creative Ironwork & Design Ltd. can do so by contacting the Yorkton Arts Council at 783-8722.
