If home is where the heart is, then for Patti Durkee, owner of From the Heart Folk Art, home and heart will always be in the vibrant Maritime provinces. Originally from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, the part-time teacher and current Torontonian Durkee fell in love with the whimsical charm of traditional pieces on a return visit home in 2003. Each painted wood carving is a naïve, untouched glimpse into life in the Maritimes; fishermen, carpenters and relief carvings of boats on blue water are common subjects.
Homesick for her childhood in an adopted city, Durkee picked up as many of these evocative carvings as she could, and eventually filled her home with the colourful creations. "Every piece is full of the artist's personality and the personality of the East Coast," says Durkee. "They just make you smile!" In 2004, Durkee went from hobbyist to businesswoman, selling pieces from her home, online, and at the Canadian Home & Country Show. A biography of the artist (most of whom are now 80- and 90-year-old men with their own stories to tell) comes with each piece, so the buyer knows from whose heart it came. During her summer break, Durkee travels to Nova Scotia to visit with family and hunt for treasures. “It's an excuse to go back and buy heaps of folk art,” she says. "It keeps me connected to home and brings the Maritimes to the rest of the country."
Find out more about the contributors to the figures in the photo
• The Black Sheep Gallery in West Jeddore Village, NS, houses a collection from artists like Bradford Naugler, Mark Robichaud, Robert Robinson and Donald Armstrong. (902) 889-5012.
• The Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival takes place in Lunenburg, NS, on August 5, showcasing Brian and Carolyn Fancy's figures, as well as many other artists. (902) 634-3498.
• The Craft Council of New Foundland and Labrador displays many of Kevin Coates' pieces, as an integral part of its heritage. (709) 753-2749.
Read more in I am Country and Entrepreneurs
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