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Sometimes the act of spontanous creation is a gift I give to myself. Allowing myself time to explore my craft without a fixed design in mind. Not starting with a plan means I am free to take the creation in any direction it wants to go, try new techniques, or use some of my favourites. Just playing. There’s definitely a difference in how I approach pieces I custom design for clients, and the creation process when I let myself go. With custom gold pieces, precision is everything; it reduces waste which allows me to give my clients the best possible price possible. This means I’m often designing within a fraction of a millimeter.

So, giving myself bench time that is unconstrained and undirected, is really important for keeping my creative energy flowing. It is easy to forget to build that time into my life, but it makes a huge difference when I do. Allowing myself the freedom to play helps recreate the excitement around my art, and having no fixed outcome means I can let go of fears of failure and just explore. No pressure.

That’s kind of how this custom pendant piece came about. My creation process started by drawing a few ideas; I knew I wanted it to be asymmetrical, have a bezel & prongs to hold the stone. Then, I just got into my studio & allowed myself some creative time.

This piece combines a stunning dark veined piece of Pixie mine turquoise, set in fine & sterling silver. I showed the stone to my sister shortly after I got it & she was mesmerized by it. I kinda tucked that away in my brain & always thought I would gift it to her if I ever had the chance. This year provided the perfect opportunity.

My sister is one of the most important people in my life. She turned 50 this year & I wanted to craft something really special to mark the occasion. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting my sister, you know she is truly one-of-a-kind, and I am so glad that I decided to make her a custom pendant that is as unique as she is!

I love this piece, and so does she. I found the process of creating something freestyle extremely energizing.

Do you have an artistic outlet? Do you remember to let yourself play, to explore, and learn and develop through experimenting. It might be by trying new ways of cooking, drawing, dancing…anything! But giving yourself the freedom to do things your way, just because you want to can have wonderful results. I don’t just mean because you might create a masterpiece! I mean because playing is something fundamental to being human that we often lose as we become adults, and finding ways to get back in touch with it is a fantastic way to improve our wellbeing!

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Do you want to celebrate someone you love? Reach out and we can see whether a custom piece could work for you.

Custom pieces can be ANYTHING; pendant, brooch, tie-pin, earrings, ring, or body jewellery. Create something one of a kind, for a person who is one in a million!

Samonte is excited to be a lead artist along side textile artist Jennifer Burke, and glass artist Bee Schroder, for Outside the Box, a collaborative art project organized by Nelson & District Arts Council which will live stream on January 23rd 2022 at 7pm.

The Nelson & District Arts Council is proud to present the first-ever instalment of Outside the Box, a project which wires artists from across disciplines together to create cutting-edge interdisciplinary work. 

Each artistic “pod” is composed of artists from a wide range of disciplines. They are not given any prompts or constraints. Over the course of several sessions, the pods develop their work into a piece that can be professionally filmed. 

Tackling subjects from the tedium of the workplace to the vastness of the universe, each project has emerged unique, poignant, and potent. The Outside the Box project culminates in a showcase video and an artist talk, which will live stream on Sunday, January 23, at 7 pm on Facebook and YouTube. For more info visit: https://www.ndac.ca/outside-the-box/.

Watch the Artist Talk

Artist Statement

Selkirk College’s School of the Arts Hosts

The Bent on Art: Kootenay Queer and Trans Festival offers an art exhibit and reception, an artisan market and classes for the public during Kootenay Pride Week in Nelson, BC from August 26 to September 1. A very special performance by visiting artists Onibana Taiko, a queer Japanese drumming group based in Vancouver, takes place as well.

Bent On Art Festival Coordinator and School of the Arts alumni, Samonte Cruz, is excited about how local LGBTQ+ artists are responding to this year’s theme, Creating Home: Claiming What’s Ours, Dismantling What’s Left.

“Home can be a complicated concept for many people in the LGBTQ+ community; it’s not just about the physical place we call home, but also the ability for us to feel at home in our own bodies; especially when our bodies don’t match societal expectations of what it means to be male or female,” Cruz says.

Being mis-gendered, based on how one’s body is perceived is a common occurrence for trans/gender non-binary people and can take a serious toll on mental health. Many queer and trans people still experience rejection from their families after coming out, requiring them cut ties to people and places they once considered home.

“I think it’s important to create a space for local queer and trans artists to express our unique experiences around creating a sense of home inside our families, communities, but also within our own skin,” says Cruz.

Bent on Art feels at home at Kootenay Studio Arts, or School of the Arts Victoria Street Campus, where diversity is celebrated. An exhibition including artwork from digital art to textiles and bronze casting runs from August 26 to September 1 at 606 Victoria Street.

A celebratory reception on August 31 will have live performances by local artists as well as feature a piece by visiting artists Onibana Taiko. Group members Eileen Kage, Noriko Kobayashi and Leslie Komori’s taiko experiences combine to more than 100 years and performances draw from Japanese folk rituals such as minyo and matsuri with a touch of punk aesthetics. Obana Taiko will also perform 7 to 9 p.m. on September 1, at the Capitol Theatre.

Register for Classes by August 23

One powerful way Bent On Art is encouraging queer and trans embodiment through art is with this year’s Queer and Trans Life Drawing Class. One of the first of its kind in this region, this course centres on queer and trans bodies by hiring LGBTQ+ identified models. Class participants will gain or refine their skills in a number of materials and techniques, while discovering their own unique approach to drawing the figure in an explicitly queer and trans centric, respectful, anti-oppressive and fun environment. Everyone in the community is welcome to register, from those with no drawing experience to practicing artists; all skill levels valued.

Another class, Linocut Printmaking Basics led by Darius X is tailored toward beginners who want to learn how to carve and print a block print without the use of a printing press.

Registration for both classes are $25-$150 sliding scale. Full subsidies are available for those who are in need. Registration deadline for classes and the Bent on Art Market is August 23. Space is limited so register soon!

The Bent On Art Market featuring LGBTQ+ artists and crafts people takes place during the afternoon of the Nelson Pride Parade on September 1 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Hall Street Plaza.

The Bent On Art: Kootenay Queer and Trans Festival is presented by Samonte Cruz Studios in partnership with the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council. Funding for the festival is provided by the Province of British Columbia, BC Arts Council, Columbia Basin Trust, and Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance with support from Kootenay Gallery of Art and Selkirk College.

Learn more about Bent on Art and discover Craft Programs at School of the Arts.