Interests: Painting / Drawing

Hometown: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Residence: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Website: jaredbetts.blogspot.com

A native of the Maritimes, Jared briefly studied animation in Miramichi, New Brunswick before furthering his formal education at the Alberta College of Art and Design. He later moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in June 2009.

"I'll tell you in another life, when we are both cats." - Sofia, Vanilla Sky

Photograph Courtesy: Nick Gaines Photography

Interests: Graphic Design / Sewing / Photography

Hometown: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Residence: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Website: www.neeto.ca

A corporate designer by day, Andrew loves to explore less conventional design and art by night. Music makes his heart grow fonder -- from electronic listening to accordion playing. Tomorrow’s plans include moving from the city to his acreage in the country where he can make art and grow food on a full time basis.

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action." - Frank Tibolt

Interests: Design / Illustration / Painting / Printmaking / Drawing

Hometown: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Residence: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Website: stodesigns.com, good-day.ca

Anna Stowe is a multidisciplinary artist and designer who works on a variety of commercial and independent projects reaching all realms of the creative world. Driven by the pure need to create she is constantly exploring new mediums, techniques and avenues, most recently being rug design, screen printing, and embroidery. Inspired by her surroundings in eastern Canada, you will often see themes such as wildlife, forests, and coastal landscape explored in her work. She also has a fondness for folk art and all things vintage.

"Nothing is a mistake. There is no win and no fail. There is only make." - John Cage

Interests: Painting / Photography / Graphic Design

Hometown: Albert Bridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
Residence: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Website: maddenvallis.com

A multi-medium artist, Kim concentrate's on abstract work, mostly inspired by nature-based formations and patterns. She has also spent time exploring and capturing Nova Scotia's abandoned past and its beautiful landscapes though photography. Her love of nature and her surroundings is what continually motivates her to explore new ways of expressing herself in a variety of mediums and subject matter.

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." - Anais Nin

Interests: Textiles / Wearable Art / Fashion / Photography / Interior Design / Antiques / Collectibles

Hometown: Chester Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada
Residence: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Website: argylefa.tk

Brandt began creating assemblages at a young age as a way to express myself not only in a creative way but also as a way of self-therapy, questioning his place in life and who he was supposed to be. His career has followed his love of landscaping and floral design, antiques and collectables, and his love of people having worked in various group homes for severely mentally challenged adults. A graduate of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Brant is the Assistant Director of Argyle Fine Art in Halifax, Nova Scotia and is currently focused on painting and mixed media work, wearable art/fashion, rug design and dabbling in photography.

"I must create a system, or be enslaved by another mans; I will not reason or compare: my business is to create." - William Blake

Interests: Drawing/Fashion Design/Screen Printing

Hometown: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Residence: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Website: pandamonsterpants.blogspot.com

Katelyn Richard is an art student living in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. Currently enrolled at NSCAD University in Halifax, she is working towards completing a bachelor of fine arts with a focus in fashion, textiles and drawing. Her work has been shown through the university and she has been selling independently at the Halifax Pop Explosion Zine & Record Fair for the last five years.

“I'm bored with that line. I never use it anymore. My new line is "In 15 minutes everybody will be famous." – Andy Warhol

Interests: Sculpture/Painting

Hometown: St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
Residence: Toronto. Ontario, Canada and Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Website: keithwbentley.com

Born in Burlington, Vermont and raised just over the Canadian border, Keith W. Bentley’s art is shaped by lineage as much as it is by his fervent love of textiles and animal hair. Working our of his Toronto studio, he is no stranger to controversy, whose multi-disciplinary approach, and use of brow raising materials fuse together and immortalize that which is often overlooked. His works have been exhibited throughout North America and are in collections around the globe.

"...I've wanted to be somewhere else for as long as I've been aware that somewhere else existed." - Jack McGreary (Will Ferguson, Spanish Fly)

Interests: Architecture / Textiles / Rugs and Carpets

Robin is a Santa Fe-based architect and fiber artist, who owns her own rug company, Robin Gray Design, which she established to follow a dream of partnering with expert craftsmen from around the world to produce contemporary rugs of her design. For half a lifetime, she has revered the skills of gifted artisans whose textiles she has sought out in her journeys throughout the globe.  She recognized that many of their native techniques and traditions, often passed down for generations, were in danger of disappearing, and hoped to find a way to help sustain them. By commissioning the production of her designs as rugs, she is now living this dream.

“…Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world….” - Marianne Williamson from “A Return to Love”

Interests: Design / Illustration / Painting

Hometown: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Residence: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Website: bruntdesign.com , sayhithere.ca

Nick has worked as a designer and artist around the city for the past 5 years and can be seen with the likes of Argyle Fine Art, The Paragon Theater and a number of other smaller displays around the province. Utilizing paper stencils, spray paint, spray glue and all things spray, he diplays an interesting mix between modernist forms and folk art that Nick has carved, cut and stamped into style all of his own.

“Bad taste creates many more millionaires than good taste.”
- Charles Bukowski (ham on rye - 1982)

Interests: Art / Quality / Truth in Construction

Residence: Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Website: www.newmoonrugs.com

John Kurtz, designer and owner of New Moon, is a renowned rug historian. Over the years, through his PBS television series, John has introduced millions of viewers to the world of Oriental rugs. His company, New Moon, is a relatively small, family-owned company dedicated to the highest standards of design and workmanship. Owners of New Moon carpets can take pride in knowing that the company is committed to maintaining these standards, both for their carpets and the well-being of their weavers. These shared ideals (Mr. Kurtz is a role model of Mr. Christie) have brought Mr. Kurtz and Red Spruce together.

"If we don't make quality rugs today, there will be no antiques of the future." - John Kurtz

Interests: Ink Drawing / Rug Hooking

Hometown: Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada
Residence: Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada

Born and raised in rural Nova-Scotia, Troy draws inspiration from the land and the beautiful natural surroundings of Nova Scotia. While he has no formal artistic education his passion for patterns and geometric shapes is apparent in his complex and patiently hand-drawn designs. After spending several years in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he has recently relocated to the Annapolis Valley to experience a quieter life-style and focus on artistic endeavors. Troy plans to travel the world in the coming years in search of new inspiration and mediums.

"We are nothing more than a repeating pattern" – Troy Benoit