The RareFunk'er: 2011

Jess Halliday

Jess was born and raised in Kitchener and has always had an interest in many forms of art, but has only found her true passion in graffiti style artwork within the last year. Jess has a great respect for the power graffiti has to communicate the artists’ message using the world as its canvas. Jess spends most of her days working in the community as an outreach worker for local youth, and most evenings are spent in the garage creating. Jess has a passion for expressions in all forms (hence the tattoos she sports) and is always looking for new ways to create, share and express what she see’s in our world.

Kat Shura - Curious Oddities

Kat was born in a century-old log cabin in the wilds of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Surrounded by a community rich with artifacts of the early pioneers and settlers, She grew to have the heart of a dreamer and the spirit of an explorer. Her inquisitive nature has led her to explore many different crafts and trades, absorbing new techniques and inspiration every step of the way. Over the years she has enjoyed access to many skilled artisans, studios and supplies. Since moving to Toronto, Kat has spent her time making fantastic jewelry, designing bouquets and creating magical environments with fresh flowers. Her work is heavily influenced by the designs of the Victorian Era, in which romance, whimsy and elegance were paired with fine workmanship, quality materials and exquisite detailing. Kat also draws inspiration frommany literary sources including works by Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Frank L. Baum and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. She has always been deeply aware of the balance and beauty of the world around her. Through her work, she loves to marry the natural with the mechanical, drawing unexpected beauty from the mundan. With her vivid imagination, Kat sees a story in everything and seeks to unveil the magic in all she touches. Her current collection features a wide variety of salvaged treasures accented with premium quality, traditionally pressed, brass stampings.

Kate Motz - Kitsch by Kate

Since childhood Kate has been a handwork enthusiast. Crafty parents and some formative years spent at the Calgary Waldorf school encouraged and nurtured her creative spark. She learned to knit at age nine and while it is her first love she also indulges in crochet, felting, spinning, sewing, soap making, paper making, and just about any craft she can get her hands on Now as a recent graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University she is trying her hand at being a craftsperson professionally! You can find her phone monsters and DNA scarves at RareFunk.

Sarah Leppard-Archer – Domestic Puss
Sarah is a local artist, who sews and assembles her creations in her Waterloo apartment, closely supervised by a calico cat and a miniature schnauzer. Taught to sew by her mother in grade school, Sarah is a self taught designer and textile artist. Domestic Puss came into being in February 2008, starting with vinyl handbags, wallets and change purses. Gradually becoming bigger, women's clothing (including Plus Sized and Gothic Lolita-inspired skirts), baby items and a wide range of hair accessories were soon added. Small clothing alterations and repairs are also available.

Jennie Rage - Rockin' Ramzi's Rockabilly and Pin Up Emporium
Rockin' Ramzi's Rockabilly and Pin Up Emporium features retro and vintage themed delights created by Jennie Rage including her own personal line Rotten Cherry Retro. Love of rockabillly, psychobilly, punk, pin up girls and Hollywood starlets have combined and are presented in wearable art forms such as fascinators, hair bows, jewelry, corset styled phone cozies, unique box purses and more. Jennie Rage has been crafting most of her life, a life that has seen her travel from coast to coast of gorgeous Canada. Settled now in Kitchener, Ontario she has kept with her own ideals and those she experienced while living on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia and Millbank, Ontario. Big awareness often comes from small communities! A proud supporter of local organizations, Rockin' Ramzi's Rockabilly and Pin Up Emporium currently sponsors the Royal City Roller Girls ( Guelph's female roller derby league) and The Girly Show (K-W's burlesque troupe), Jennie Rage's dream is to homestead in Northern Ontario spending her evenings crafting by the warmth of a wood stove. For now, her creations can be found for sale at RareFunk.

Melissa Murray – Baby Whispers

Melissa Murray was born and raised in Mississauga. She went to Waterloo University for Psychology and later attended Sheridan College for Interior Design. Currently working for Rogers Communications, Melissa needed to do something creative to fulfill her passion of design. In September 2011, Melissa and her husband Michael welcomed their first child into the world. Kyela has brought so much love into Melissa's life and has motivated her to put her design skills to use in creating baby clothes and accessories. Enjoy!

Eva Haddock - Jacobeam
Eva is a lover of all things vintage and DIY in addition to anything spooky and mythical! These interests have added to Eva’s inspiration to combine conflicting objects creating serene and modern compositions. Eve enjoys the current uprising community of artists and the gain that can be accomplished from all of the hard work. “The vast fashion industry is great in the sense that you can keep evolving which suites my growing business. I'm thrilled to be sharing a truly loved work of art with others!"

Kim Cadenhead - PennyHeaven

Kim is a crazy lady from the ‘Shwa” (Oshawa, ON) who would love to give up any kind of “normal” employment in order to shop in thrift stores and craft Penny Rugs all day long. Home Ec. and Art were the only subjects in school she could tolerate, needless to say, she isn’t a PhD. She attended Hair Dressing School in Guelph in the early 80’s after high school but gave up her official Hairstyling career to care for her 3 daughters (now grown). While her kids were small she sewed clothing and quilts to help keep her sane and express her creativity. She also ran a home daycare business and cut everybody’s hair. Attending part time classes at Algonquin College for Design also helped keep her creative flame alive. She sold many crafted items over the years through a variety of venues including craft sales, consignment and private commissions. PennyHeaven began 6 years ago when Kim began to fall in love with Penny Rugs after seeing them in a Primitive Country Design book from the library. Already an avid thrift shopper Kim experienced a surge of creativity that has yet to cease. Her love of all things recycled and thrifted has helped her come up with new ways to use old stuff.

Jan Jaworsky
After 22 years in the high tech industry, Jan stopped working four years ago to be home with two busy teenage boys. Since her teenage years, she has always had past times involving sewing/knitting/crocheting. After "retiring", she put her skills to use supporting her two boys' hockey teams. The "Waterloo" (yellow and black) Hockey Scarf was in demand so she began selling them to hockey moms and putting the proceeds toward her kids' teams. Today, Jan is focused on making more fashionable scarves and demand has spread to women beyond the hockey arena and are purchased as gifts for themselves, family and friends. She continues to enjoy keeping busy making her crafts during the many hours spent in hockey arenas and at the hotels during away hockey tournaments. Her fashion scarves are handmade in various colours, weights and textures of materials, can be worn year-round as accessories and are sold at various retail gift stores and handmade craft shows.

Erin Wilk – Anatomy of A Skirt
Erin runs both Anatomy of a Skirt, and Robot a Day. Anatomy of a Skirt started as a line of reconstructed clothing, and turned into a line of industrial felt and mill-end vinyl purses. Robot a Day started as an art project, that Erin never completely finished; she had a baby instead of finishing it and now Erin is a professional nose-wiper, diaper-changer, and sippy cup filler. She also drinks lots of coffee! Erin really likes puppies and unicorns, because they are awesome. She uses the word “awesome” a lot. She also thinks alot is one word (it *should* be) and wishes she had four pairs of arms so that she could make everything she wishes to make. And a time machine.