Roots

This past summer, I was fortunate enough to meet a lovely couple, Jarka and Don, while market hopping in the Okanagan. When they walked up to my booth, I heard them speaking Czech and struck up a conversation with them.
My mother’s side of the family is Czech and immigrated to Canada when my mom was a child during the Russian Occupation. I’ve spent many years of my childhood visiting Prague with my mom and grandmother and learning about my family and their history.
Jarka and Don would show up to my booth week after week to support me with kind words, gifts, and they would always buy a postcard or two. One day, they presented me with the idea of contacting their friend who publishes a wellness magazine in the Czech Republic, to see if she would be interested in doing an interview with me.
A few months later, I was given the digital copy of “Zivot”, where my two-page Interview was featured as the first story in the magazine!
A few weeks ago Jarka and Don sent me three physical copies of the magazine and I just couldn’t wait to share it with you all!
Exploring my roots through this interview was such a dream and I truly cherish this opportunity!
It’s amazing how the universe works.
Below you will find the English version of my interview!
♥

Do you speak Czech?

Unfortunately, I do not speak much Czech. I've grown up listening to my mother's side of my family speaking Czech and have always thought it to be a beautiful language. I know some random words and phrases that we use every day like trpaslík, Pojď sem, Opice v rákosí, Hrom do police, Mlsná, Nesmíš, and a few more. I always thought it was a bit unfair that my mother and grandmother spoke about my Christmas and birthday presents in Czech while growing up. I always did my best to interpret what they were saying but I was never correct.

Have you visited the Czech Republic yet? If so, what did you like here or what surprised you?

I am very fortunate to have visited the Czech Republic a few times as a child, and I hope to do so again as an adult with my husband. My mother grew up in Prague, so we have always gone back to visit old family friends and of course, indulge in the delicious foods. I've always loved the romanticism of the cobblestone streets and hidden alleyways. There is a warm glow to the city at night and the architecture is so historically beautiful. What surprised me the most is that when I arrived in the Czech Republic I felt like I had already been there. My great aunt Vera was an amazing realist painter and always painted Czech scenery like Charles Bridge and the Orloj. I was lucky enough to grow up with many of her paintings in my house, so being in Prague felt like being home.

It is said that Czech and Slovak women are beautiful and have many talents. You are proof of that. You also do not deny your heritage. Do you feel any connection in your soul with Slavism?

Wow, you are so kind! Thank you! My grandfather was Slavic and although I never met him, when I was able to read his diary after many years of it being lost after his death, I felt the most immediate connection to him. I read his words about the weather and the plants growing around him each day and started to cry. I have also always been fascinated by Slavic folklore. I grew up believing in Rusalka and Bereginya and I feel that this has translated to my art in some way.

What was your path to artwork?

I am very fortunate to say that I grew up with unlimited access to art. As I mentioned earlier, my great Aunt Vera was an amazing artist. She shared her techniques and teachings with my mother, who then shared them with my brother, my sister, and me. My siblings and I have always been encouraged to express ourselves through art, whether it be through painting, metalsmithing, woodworking, pottery, photography, printmaking, singing, dancing, the list goes on.

For me, I fell in love with nature at a young age. It has always been easy for me to find inspiration in the flora and fauna that surround me here in Canada, so translating that inspiration to my art has been a very natural process. I think making art is in my blood. If I go for a few days without making something, I actually feel a negative change in my mood.

Your art is based on the natural surroundings where you live. Could you create like this if you lived elsewhere?

This is a very interesting question. I've spent many of my childhood years travelling to Europe and at the age of 25, my husband and I moved to Japan for a year to teach English and explore the country and culture. I feel I've been able to find inspiration in nature everywhere I go. Whether it is the looming greatness of the French Alps or the cherry blossoms in Japan. Inspiration is found in nature everywhere I look.

Every piece of jewelry can have its own story, and as you say, you already have an intention when creating it.

What is your goal when creating jewelry?

I actually have a YouTube video explaining why I started making jewelry and my intentions when making it. For me, I suffered from anxiety for many years, and wearing jewelry always gave me something to fidget with or focus on if I felt panicked. I hope that people who wear my jewelry find inspiration in the pieces and their stories, and also have something to look at and escape to if they need it like I did when I had anxiety.

Do you base your work on the history of the indigenous people? Are you in touch with them?

I am definitely incredibly inspired and in awe of indigenous cultures, traditions, and art. My mother always taught me about indigenous folklore and history growing up, so I feel as though those stories have definitely translated into my art. I am hoping that when my art is more established, I can take a percentage of my sales and donate that to causes helping indigenous communities, especially those affected by the re-surfacing of their treatment in residential schools across Canada.

Can clients of the Czech Republic buy your jewelry?

Absolutely! I have an online shop and I ship worldwide.

Have you ever considered creating within the Slavic traditions?

Oh definitely! I have always been so in love with the work of Alphonse Mucha and hope to explore more Slavic traditions and find inspiration from my roots.

Have you ever considered exhibiting your art with us?

I've been recently looking into sending some of my work overseas and would love to exhibit my art in the Czech Republic! Hopefully one day in the coming years!

Do you still live alone with your husband in a remote area? Do you miss social contact or the “conveniences” of the city?

We recently moved from our remote cabin and are currently visiting family for the summer. In the Autumn we will be moving to another remote part of British Columbia onto 20 acres of land where we can continue farming and living rurally. My husband is a paramedic and spends quite a bit of time in nearby cities and I only like to visit the nearby cities for small periods of time. Our happy place is surrounded by nature and our animals. We are both very outdoorsy people and enjoy hiking and swimming and exploring our beautiful province. Going to cities is fun for periods of time, but we always want to return to our quiet life after a few days.

Once a person acquires animals, it seems that he/she will settle permanently. Do you feel the same way?

Hmmm... I believe this is both true and false. If you have farm animals, you are definitely limiting yourself when it comes to travel, but there are also ways to still find time to get away. We have found that if you are able to establish a community of people who are all interested in farming and helping each other out, you can find time to get away. We have always found it easy to find someone to take care of our chickens for us because farm-fresh eggs are the best kind of payment! As for dogs and cats, we always take them everywhere with us! Hiking, canoeing, road trips, camping, you name it!

What are your plans for the future?

When I had terrible anxiety I used to stress about the future so much. I'm just focusing on the present and the near future. For now, we are looking forward to moving into our new house, I am working on renovating my 1974 Airstream trailer into my new art studio, I am going to start working on making prints of my original paintings, and we are looking to add a few more animals to our family after we move! A kitten, more chickens, some goats, and I'm going to learn how to take care of a bee colony!

Do you want to say something to our readers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia?

Hello from Canada! I hope you are all able to pursue your true calling in life and find happiness in your every day!

What is your favourite food?

Definitely sushi or roasted duck and dumplings with homemade sauerkraut.

How would you like to change the world?

I'd like to inspire others to fearlessly express themselves through art as well as to fiercely pursue a sustainable life in the great outdoors with as much smiling as possible!