Willows Springs Artists; Judi Vinni, Lea Hayes & Kathy Toivonen
 

Judi Vinni – Environmental Artist

Judi believes that creating is about empowerment. Facilitating opportunities for people to engage in a creative process is her passion. Since she was a child, Judi has been creating with natural materials. Using herbs, evergreen boughs, wild flowers, cones and vines Judi forms wreaths, garlands and sculptures. She discovered willow furniture-making over a decade ago when she attended a class at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Rustic garden pieces have comprised the majority of Judi’s work. Items such as arbours, trellises, chairs, loveseats and baskets are formed in the bent willow tradition. Tromping through the bush to harvest her willow is a time for hard work, dreaming and giving thanks for what nature has to offer.

Recently Judi has been building with driftwood and salvaged wood. She is experimenting with mortise and tenon work for furniture construction. She dreams of creating large willow sculptures and living willow structures which she hopes to begin this spring in Willow Springs Garden.

Lea Hayes

Lea grew up in a home where creativity was second nature. Her father, a skilled artisan who wove black ash baskets, created functional items from birch bark, copper and wood and made complex, traditional Finnish straw crafts taught Lea the value of the natural world and how art can be created from humble offerings. Her mother, a skilled gardener and seamstress, taught Lea that with time and patience your creative goals can be achieved.

 Lea began painting about 16 years ago when she signed up for decorative painting lessons. She was a natural and quickly progressed to teaching classes.  Seeking to expand her painting skills, Lea began taking watercolour classes. Building from her decorative painting techniques she took to watercolour with ease. Landscapes, flowers and trees are her favourite subjects. Soon she began offering watercolour classes to others. Along with providing excellent painting instruction, Lea continually produces beautiful paintings on wood, canvas, concrete, paper, glass and metal.

Lea also loves to create funky jewelry from silver and copper wire, glass beads and semi-precious stones. She sews, refinishes furniture, gardens and spends time daydreaming at camp about her next creative adventure.

"Art is a celebration of life and world around us. Even in troubled times, and under less than ideal circumstances, art making can lift the spirit, communicate ideas and emotions, and offer new opportunities to grow and learn". - Diane Fausek-Steinbach

Kathy Toivonen  

The power of raw nature has influenced both my artistic style in painting and graphic design and the mediums I use, such as charcoal from the fire pit and sculpting snow.

I live in rural Thunder Bay and the countryside impacts every element of my life. I love to snowshoe, ski, kayak, cook in my outdoor brick oven, and write. Short stories, poems, articles and a self published cookbook reflect my life in the north.