Wiltse Creek Studio
Dawne Fiegen, Owner
www.wiltsecreekstudio.ca
2935 Outlet Road, Lansdowne ON, K0E 1L0
613-659-2928
Tell us about yourself! Hobbies? Fun facts? How did you get started?
I was given an oil painting kit for my 25th birthday with not a single clue what to do with it. I was thankful it had some basic instructions about the products and that I had a library nearby to borrow books from, but after a few attempts I felt like I was failing. I was living in Toronto and passed by an art gallery every day and finally got the courage to go in. I talked to the owner and told him that I just really did not know where to begin. He handed me a painting off the wall and said to take it home and copy it. He didn't even know my name.
I took it home but could not copy it and sheepishly came back with my own version of it; this pleased him to no end. Art should be unique. I spent many years raising babies, watching them grow and every day I watched the way the sun fell and created shadows, observed the colour of the sky, imagined what colours I would use to mix to create the colour of the grass in summer and I painted in my head until one day, I had time to blow the dust off my art box and begin. It was my time.
Define your business in your own words.
Unlimited imagination. One of the things that I am most proud of is that 99% of the items in my shop are unique. When I create something, I make one. I want my customers to have something original, something that no one else has and if I do happen to make the item a second time, it can never look like the first one.
In direct opposition of creativity is the chair caning, rush and splint seating service that is offered here. Orderly and methodical, it's a beautiful process to take a chair seat that is broken and unusable and give it new life.
But, it's not all about me and what I do. Here in the shop, there are three other local artisans who create their items one at a time and rarely make the same thing twice. We are a perfect fit and together give our customers a wide range of beautiful, affordable, and creative gifts for themselves, their homes and their families.
What business achievement are you most proud of?
Of all the things that I do, I am most proud of the painting classes I do with kids and adults. I like working with small groups, being able to spend time showing them how to put a painting together, walking them through the process step by step. For some, it's just a fun afternoon out with friends, but every so often, someone comes along who has never picked up a paint brush before and just wows me with their individual style.
Why did you choose Leeds and the Thousand Islands to start your business?
My husband and I chose to make this area our home, a place to raise our family and the business just grew out of a need to give an old garage a purpose at a time that our children did not need me every second of the day. Being able to have a business steps away from our house was the perfect fit for our busy family.
What words would you use to describe Leeds and the Thousand Islands?
It's a wonderful place to be able to get away from it all and still be able to commute easily to the city when you need to, but after you have lived here a while, you really don't want to go to the city any more. It's that perfect.
Provide a message to your future guests!
The bonus of working steps from home is that if my business hours don't match your lifestyle, connect with me and we'll work out a time that does. I'd love to have you visit to see what we have been creating.
Wiltse Creek Studio described in one word:
Fun