Our heritage

Our heritage

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Octopus Studios is proud to welcome Heff, Sunday 18th of November at 2pm.

ON SUNDAY 18th of November at 2 pm, during 3 day Eastside Cultture Crawl event, Octopus Studios is proud to welcome spacial guest Daniel Heffner, known as Heff, and his unique style of flamenco jazz, folk and blues! Check his website for more details about his music. : www.danielheffner.com Sneak peak to his style: http://www.danielheffner.com/Daniel_Heffners_Website/HEFF_files/01%20Heffrology%201.mp3 At age 13, after having played tunes by ear for several years, Daniel Heffner began busking at a farmer’s market in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. What began as a Jimi Hendrix-inspired childhood fancy very quickly became a very significant part of Heff’s life - and what a lucky thing that is for those who have been able to experience his indescribably unique brand of guitar (a fusion of the flamenco, klezmer classical, and gypsy styles) first-hand. As much a crowd-pleaser from the outset as he is today, Heff soon realized that when he played guitar in the flamenco style, he was able to strike a powerful chord with those listening to him busk. “When I played flamenco at the market, people always listened” Heff recalls. He adds with a smile: “They enjoyed it, so I played it.” Since those days, Heff has captivated many audiences at various venues in Calgary, such as the Cantos Music Foundation, Ironwood Stage and Grill, Soda Lounge, Cafe Monte Martre (Vancouver), and events such as Mozart on the Mountain for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (2003) Inspired by Bach, Brahms, Shostakovitch and other greats, the self-taught Heff continues to perfect his flamenco/jazz guitar technique and style, and this style has undoubtedly become his passion. Three years ago Heff was introduced to classical guitar by his friend Mike Dias. From this he was able to expand and perfect his technique. Inspired by the music of Paul Galbraith, Heff has been exploring the classical guitar style, and incorporating it into his songs. During Heff’s live performances, one cannot help but be amazed by the uncommon combination of his fiery yet refined style and his personal charm as a performer. He always leaves his audience wanting more. And more is what audiences are bound to get. Heff has just released his second full length album entitled Heffrology. This burgeoning young guitarist plans to further explore flamenco guitar, play the folk fest circuit and seek out as many opportunities as possible to perform live. “Performing,” he says, “is one of the things I really want to do more of- I love it.”

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Octopus Studios welcomes Damir Radic

Damir Radic began his career as a painter/mixed media artist over 15 years ago. Trained in art schools in Europe and Canada (including a course in alternative art in Dubrovnik, Croatia), Radic's work includes acrylic on canvas, digital photomontages, as well as surrealist interpretations of the self as an external observer of one's dreams. His current work involves mixed media of acrylic superimposed on 20th Century photo and poster photomontage. In the "Artenza" series of art works, Radic draws on the memorable legacy of the rigorous efficiency and scrupulous discipline of old European powers, and pushes these images to a new level by mixing it with vivid colours and unlikely textures. The contrast between livid mementos of a distant regime, bold strokes and striking hues speaks a loud message on its own. In his free time, Damir Radic enjoys traveling to new places and discovering different cultures and customs, whether close to home or abroad. Other interests include international films; winter sports; indie rock, electronic, and trip hop; 19th and 20th Century poetry, and German philosophy. He moved to Metro Vancouver in 1994 and, an avid coffee drinker, it is not unusual to find him sipping a double espresso in any of this city's many fine coffee shops.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Octopus Studios welcomes Kristal Viñas Díaz

Loving crafts and playing with all kind of media since she was a child, when the years passed Kristal decided to follow her heart and be a Designer by all means, so she became an Industrial Designer and later she also got a Masters in New Products Design and Development. She spends part of her time designing and making her own jewelry creations and sometimes other kind of products as well, some of them to be wearable, others just to be useful or enjoyable. Her jewelry pieces are one of kind, unique, totally designed and handmade by herself. She uses her pieces as a way to express herself,
to experiment with media and shapes, inspired by what she lives, breathes, sees, hears, learns, touches, tastes; what she ultimately feels. She will be also this year exhibiting her work during the Eastside Culture Crawls... you can't miss it.

Octopus Studios welcomes Jon Shaw

Jon’s work explores the processes of deconstruction and assemblage, informed by his experience as a graphic designer. Using a series of expressive and uninhibited paint, collage and texture applications, he creates a loose and abstract structure upon which to assemble detailed ink drawings. He selectively interprets and reworks different layers until they are harmoniously integrated. 

For Jon, this is the most satisfying component of his work – manipulating various materials and layers until they reach that special moment of completion that balances expression, representation, abstraction and detail. 

Jon Shaw obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Mount Allison University in 2008. Jon’s years of study in the small, cultural town of Sackville, New Brunswick is where he began to combine drawing and painting techniques to discover his own unique style. In 2010 Jon relocated to Vancouver to develop his studio practice even further in a new creative environment.

Octopus studios welcomes Natalia Kangropool

NattyK Designs European trained Fashion Designer & Illustrator, Natalia KangroPool currently calls Vancouver, British Columbia home, having grown up globally with exposure to some of the most exciting cultural cities world-wide that have richly influenced her sense of style and design. Gifted with an innate talent for fashion design and notable sense of style since childhood, it was a natural choice for her to pursue this passion beginning at the age of 15 in the modeling world, and then at 17, sketching & designing her uniquely inspired creations from her mothers sewing machine with fabrics that were collected from years of combing boutique vintage stores. Formal design training came later in life. Of Estonian heritage, and descendant of a great grandfather who studied at the prestigious "L‘Ecole des Beaux-Arts" in Paris, the call back to Europe was a natural evolution, taking her from an established career in the Film Industry across Canada and Internationally, to Italy, where she was able to manifest her desires and hone her design talents starting with a Fashion Design Diploma from the epicenter of fashion, Milan. Upon completion of her studies, Natalia travelled extensively in Italy and France, researching trends and attending the worlds most respected fabric & fashion expos while studying, designing, working on photo shoots, films, fashion shows and immersing herself in Mediterranean culture and languages. Natalia specializes in couture designs, illustrations and styling.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Octopus Studios welcomes Tracy Matthews

Fusing Glass is my key to transformation, my way to change, my escape. Discovering the art of glass transformed my life, gave me direction. From the beginning when I first discovered the beauty of stained glass in an old church in Montreal I was spell bound. Not only was I taken by the skillful craftsmanship but I felt an instant connection to the past. Over the years I have shaped, cut, smashed, melted, and torched glass thinking that I was transforming the glass into something beautiful but in actual fact it was transforming me. Fusing glass fills me with a sense of self, and has made me believe anything is possible Every time I open my kiln to see my end results I feel like a kid in a candy store. The way the light and texture and colour combine is breath taking! I could eat it all up in one gulp! My glass jewelry is meant to be touched, fondled, and admired! Enjoy….

Soigne welcomes Ann Maliatski

Ann Maliatski is an owner and principal creator of the Golem Designs brand. Since 2004 Ann has gained hands-on experience with interior, product and graphic design projects and now is working full time in the studio. Ann was born in Latvia, grew up in Israel and discovered her passion for clay in beautiful British Columbia. She translates her unique personal experience into contemporary, organic designs, constantly expanding the boundaries of ceramic medium. Golem Designs has recently moved to a new studio at Octopus Studios in Vancouver and will take part in the upcoming East Side Culture Crawl 2012.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Octopus Studios welcomes Noah NJ Bowman

Noah NJ Bowman is a Canadian painter born in 1988 in Vancouver, BC. He graduated from Emily Carr University of Fine Art & Design in 2010 with a BFA majoring in painting and sculpture. His paintings are based on the figure in motion and the idea of transitional consciousness within the body. Noah NJ has developed a large body of work exploring the idea around the "coma" and has already had two solo exhibitions in British Columbia entitled Sports Un-conscious (2010) at Tidemark Art Gallery, Campbell River, BC and Coma-Imbalance (2012) at Lumen Gallery, Vancouver, BC. He has exclusive collectors in British Columbia, California, South Africa, and most recently China.