In January goldsmith Heidi Schnabel moved her jewellery studio and shop from Toronto to the former Valley City Manufacturing building on Hatt Street in Dundas. This October she will be featured as a new guest artist on the Dundas Studio Tour.
A newcomer to the Valley Town, Heidi has been designing jewellery in the Toronto area since 1996. She has been featured on City T.V. breakfast television and on Sue Warden’s Craftscapes T.V. show, and her designs have been used as movie props for films.
“I love to create a one of a kind piece that every client will cherish, in a style that is unique and lasting and reflective of the client, “says Heidi. “I am now working with many of the grown children of my earlier clients,” she adds.
One of her specialities is Mokume Gane, an ancient Japanese technique first used in Samurai swords. Many contrasting layers of metal are bonded together then punched and filed to reveal a wood grain pattern. Every piece is unique; for example custom wedding bands can be made in 16 layers of 14k and 18k red, yellow, and white gold.
For the 2014 Dundas Studio Tour Heidi is working on a selection sterling silver and gold pieces including bracelets, necklaces, rings and broaches.
The Dundas Studio Tour runs Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5 from 10 am to 5 pm daily, with seven different artist studios, where you can en enjoy the art, food samples and table-setting inspiration of the thirty studio tour artists.
This year’s theme is Turning Up the Heat.
Admission to the Dundas Studio Tour is free and each studio offers a draw for a special prize.