Welcome to Aspotogan Arts & Crafts!

Arctic Landscapes

"It is a common belief that much of the Arctic is a desolate place. In truth it is as rich and varied as the land in the South but often little grows more than 6" high. These pieces, using stone from Canada's Arctic, represent my attempt to capture the quiet strength and detail of the Northern landscape. I found working with the natural contours and rough surfaces of the stone to be much more rewarding then trying to force it into conventional shapes. I found that the colours of the seasons were very often reflected in the rock itself. Iron deposits in granite produce a colour just like September hills in the distance and rough white marble is wind packed snow."

Contact Information

http://www.allysonsimmie.com/

Title: Mackenzie Delta Pendant
Medium: Jewellery

Title: Limited Edition Pendant
Medium:  Jewellery

Title:  Custom Band
Medium:  Jewellery

Title:  Raising Sun
Medium: Jewellery

Title:  Ingiulittuq Brooch
Medium:  Jewellery

Bio Info

I started making jewellery in 1986, graduating from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 1989. After several years working as a goldsmith in Ottawa, in 1994 I accepted a teaching position at Nunavut Arctic College. After 3 years of teaching jewellery making in Canada's Arctic, in 1997 I moved to Ottawa and started my own business: Allyson Simmie Metal Arts.
Just before I left Iqaluit, I decided to have a solo jewellery show as an example to my students and as a way of showing the community my appreciation for the beauty of their home and their willingness to share it with me. The theme of the show was the Arctic landscape, and all of the pieces combined sterling silver and gold with stone from Baffin Island. The work was very well received and the ideas generated in that body of work became the backbone of my new production line.

Between 1998 and 2004 I was actively involved in the Northern arts scene, both participating and delivering workshops for other Northern artists at the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik, NT and the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association's festival in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet. I also continued to teach and travel- including a marathon drive through the Rocky Mountains from Edmonton to Anchorage Alaska. Hence the birth of the Mountain Range Ring!
Since 1994 I have taught jewellery-making in many different Arctic communities. From 3 weeks to 3 years, I taught in 4 different communities in the Eastern and Western Arctic. Whether I was stepping into a complete studio and being handed a curriculum or walking into an empty room in a small community with a week to pull it all together, it was always a great challenge and rewarding experience. I loved it! I was impressed with the quality of design and craftsmanship of my students everywhere I went.

Some of the stone that I use in my Arctic Landscapes Series comes from the communities I taught in. The white marble, green serpentine and lapis lazuli are all from Kimmirut and Kingait (Cape Dorset).
In 2001, I moved back to Nova Scotia and set up my studio on the scenic South Shore. 2008 marked the 10th anniversary of my business and the official opening of Seal Rock Studios in Blandford- home to Allyson Simmie Metal Arts.
In 2008 I taught my first course south of the Arctic circle - "Production Jewellery Design" at NSCAD University. This course provided me with an interesting reminder of the different learning styles between North and Southern students. While in Iqaluit I spent 3 years trying to unlearn my southern learning style, and then once back in Halifax I had to remind myself to switch back!
Since that time my work has grown and expanded as I have continued to travel across the country myself. At present I work with gold from Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and Nova Scotia. I use stones from all across Canada, all chosen to represent different aspects of the Canadian landscape. In 2010 I launched a new line 'Connections: A Celebration of the Canadian Landscape' which combine stones, gold and rock textures from different parts of Canada. These pieces help remind us of the ties that bind us together despite the distances that often separate us.

Availability and Collections

All pieces are made in my studio in Blandford, NS. Master designs are designed and hand made by me in sterling silver, cast, and then soldered and finished by hand in my studio. The lapidary (stonework) for each piece is custom cut by lapidary artist in Ottawa.
My work is available in select retail stores and galleries across Canada.
In addition, my work is also in the collection of:
- The Office of the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper- Gift to George W. Bush, President of the United States
- Office of the Governor General
- Premier of Nunavut, the Honourable Paul Okalik.
- Governments of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories
Several collaborative projects have included the Great Northern Arts Festival's 10th Anniversary Commemorative sculpture, the Government of the NWT Legislative Mace and the Official Symbols of Nunavut Project.