MARÍA DEL SOL GALDÓN OF PLANTA LANDSCAPE ON GARDEN DESIGN

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MARÍA DEL SOL GALDÓN OF PLANTA LANDSCAPE ON GARDEN DESIGN

We took an inside look at a professional approach to garden design for this edition of The Interview. Award-winning landscape architect María del Sol Galdón sat down with us to talk about her first job picking weeds, creating beautiful gardens with Planta Landscape and why she loves Argentine tango.

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I'm curious, what drew you to landscape architecture?

It's a bit of a background story. We lived on a ranch in Argentina and my dad's an agricultural engineer, so I was raised in farmland with lots of trees and plants. He was very much into his plants. When we moved to Canada, the first job that my dad got was at Eagle Lake Nurseries out in Strathmore. And, my very first job was going up and down the road and picking weeds from the pots. I got paid $2 an hour and I was so proud.

Oh, that's great.

I had always liked design personally, so that's why I started with interior design. I did my undergrad at Mount Royal. What I noticed is that a lot of my parents' friends were asking me to design their gardens because I knew all the plant material. I knew that aspect of it, and I had the design to back me up.

As I started doing garden design, I realized I felt way more confident in that than interiors. I went to do my Master's at UBC in Vancouver. And, then I worked right away in the summers to get my registration and my stamp.

So it’s in your blood, really.

I would grab leaves from different trees and dry them. And I would ask my dad, “What’s the name of this one?” and write the Latin name. I loved plants, and I would make my own perfumes. I did a lot of experiments with plants. I don't know, it was in my blood, I think.

How do you typically begin a project?

Getting a sense and a feeling of that space, like actually standing there and seeing what are the sun angles, where’s the wind coming from, what are the view sheds.

It’s interesting because, for example, sometimes people have lived there for a long time and they're just doing a renovation, they have a very specific understanding, right? Like, “Oh, I love this corner because this is where I get the sun,” and “this is where I have my morning coffee,” or “that is way too sunny and we just don't use it anymore,” or whatever.

Sometimes if it's new, somebody that's just purchased a house, or building a brand new house, they have no idea. It’s sort of figuring that out together. 

What makes the biggest difference to the feeling in an outdoor space?

To me a really important aspect, and I think it's mis-regarded, or maybe not really understood, is scale. Especially on some of these new residencies. These massive imposing structures on a lot, and how do you balance that out? How do you make that really fit in place and in context?

I think that’s one of the things that’s often missing, bringing it down to human scale to really create a sense of space. That could be through vegetation, through elements, through architectural elements. 

OK. So getting the balance is the key?

In all fairness, most of the work I do is residential, and it's really about the architecture. It's about that massing. And, landscape always comes last. Not that it’s good or bad, it’s just the reality of it.

Fair enough. We live in a challenging climate, how do you create variety when you’re working with the plants that are available in our growing zone?

That's actually super important, because it is true. I always try to do seasonal landscaping or seasonal gardens, so that for every season there's something of interest. You really can’t base it on flowers because we just get that for two weeks out of the year. Sometimes it’s not just about the green itself, but maybe the actual physical structure that creates something architectural.

Evergreens, in our climate, are a huge factor, but there's lots of things to bring interest. First of all there's berries that could create an accent, or even just the contrast of branches with the snow. Dogwoods have purple branching, so if you do a mass planting of those and contrast it with an evergreen you still get that seasonal interest without any foliage. They spark colour.

A lot of it, I would also say, is structure. The architectural structure of a plant or a shrub or a tree can create a lot of interest, but absolutely seasonality is very important. I think a composition of all those elements so that you're not just thinking about it just in spring when everything is in bloom, but how does it play throughout the season?

That makes sense. You touched on this earlier, but I was curious about where your inspirations for each design come from?

Context is key, and then I really try to look at the architectural style. So if somebody is building a very modern home, with very clean lines, I try and balance that out in the landscape.

So I would say context and then architectural style, and then after that any specific client requirements – if they have any ideas about something they’d want to create.

I find that usually once you see the architectural style or the design for their home, I get a very clear idea of what the garden should represent.

Right. Obviously your work deals with living things. What is the best program of maintenance in your view to keep a space beautiful?

That’s a huge factor because, without maintenance it’ll just deteriorate. That's actually one of the things that I do ask and talk through thoroughly at my first consultation with a client. What level of maintenance are you willing to do? I'm not going to design, even if you wanted it, a beautiful English garden, if you say, “I’m going to spend half an hour a week out here.” It’s going to be a weed fest in no time.

There’s always a level of maintenance.

Anything else that you think is really important to landscape design that we haven’t touched on?

Pruning is a very important aspect of landscape. Having things properly pruned to avoid diseases, to avoid just negative forming of plantings or trees or whatnot is very important. And it's something that I don't think there's enough value given to that.

Also, hardscaping, it's tough in our climate because the freeze/thaw cycles and the ground shifting, you know, like people say, “Well, I don't want to do paving stones because they’ll move.” 

But I always say, “Well concrete will crack, plants will die.” We can do our best, but we do live in a very harsh climate for even the hardscape, not just the plant material, right, not just the living things.

Obviously there’s proper building methods that have been established particularly for our freeze/thaw cycles. And you want to have that done to the specification that the different manufacturers will set out for the products so you're not going to have to fix it in five years.

Same with the plant material. What happens is we get minus 30, everything goes dormant and then we get a chinook. Plants are thinking, “Oh, it’s springtime,” and they start to come out of dormancy and then …

Slam

Exactly. If they're not well established in the root system, that shift will just kill them, that’s winter shock. If they're established, they'll be able to survive it.

I always say I’m the crazy lady in the neighbourhood because I'm watering my plans in November or sometimes in February. If you keep them moist, they'll stay frozen. Even though the temperature outside fluctuates, if they have enough ice, frozen roots, then they'll stay dormant.

I didn't understand what the actual challenge became, so that was really helpful. I'm also curious to know little more about María. I’m curious, what are you reading right now?

Well, you're going to laugh, but I'm reading a book on tango, the History of Argentine Tango. I got into tango a few years ago and I just love it. It's part of our roots, and nobody in my family ever danced tango. In Argentina, you hear it all the time.

I started maybe five or six years ago, and I got so into it. Every time I go to Buenos Aires, I take a bunch of classes and I go out to tango dance. 

I ordered this book on the History of Tango and I’m reading about how tango came about and revolutionized some of the dancing in Argentina.

Awesome. That's really fun.

I do read a lot in Spanish. Like from our Argentinian writers, or Columbians, or Spanish, but like in my native language, I guess, I read a lot of just novels in Spanish.

How many languages do you have?

Spanish is my first language, I speak that fluently. I can get by with French. I used to be fluent, but I just haven't practiced it in forever. I went to school in Quebec. I did this exchange where I worked in Quebec at a daycare, so I totally learned with the kids. They would correct me all the time.

And then, I did volunteer when I was younger in Benin in West Africa, and it is a western colony. The only way I could communicate was in French. When I speak, most people say they think it's kind of funny because I speak French with an African accent.

Do you go on service trips fairly regularly?

That’s essential to me. I loved my last trip to Cambodia. It had been on my list for some time. Cambodia has a terrible, terrible sort of history and 40 percent of the Cambodian population is under the age of 16 years old.

Forty?

Forty, yeah.

Wow. I didn’t know that.

It's one of the poorest countries in Asia, and it's so many children.

What I did when I was there, I volunteered at Le Restaurant des Enfants, like The Children’s Restaurant. We would provide essentially meals, baths, or hygiene, or any kind of medical requirements that they need for kids that lived on the streets that were essentially kind of homeless. A lot of them live on the outskirts of the city, just in the slums. 

Most of them either don’t have parents, or they go to an uncle, or an aunt, a grandparent. So we would get volunteer rickshaws, and they would go grab the kids and they would come in, or the kids would walk in from the street and they would just come eat. They get three meals, we give them baths, cut their nails, play with them. Just sort of be their support, right.

Wow

It was busy. That was my last trip. And I promised the kids I was going to go back, and I just haven’t been able to. As soon as I can, I’ll be on a plane to go again.

They fill my heart in a way that, I don’t know, it's priceless.

But you love it?

I love it.

So, at the end of the day is it red or white wine?

Red Malbec from Mendoza. That’s where we grew up, in Mendoza.

How about food. Do you have a favourite restaurant in Calgary?

Oh, it's been so long. I mean, Teatro is just a beautiful place.

Oh, I agree. Okay, one plant. If you could have one plant forever, what would it be?

One plant?

One plant.

I would say a trembling aspen tree. Well, there's lots of interesting things about trembling aspens.

One is they’re native to Alberta. I love that they have a beautiful yellow fall colour. Their bark, as it matures, goes lighter and white, so it's very attractive. I like it that it's not perfect, it's very irregular, and that’s why they’re called trembling or quaking aspens, right. And when the wind hits their leaves, they make that trickling sound.

I actually have like a little forest of them. And I have them very close together with a light underneath. I just find them so peaceful and almost meditative. If I'm in the garden I'm just staring at the aspens.

SCULPTOR KATIE OHE ON KIYOOKA OHE ARTS CENTRE + SCULPTURE PARK

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SCULPTOR KATIE OHE ON KIYOOKA OHE ARTS CENTRE + SCULPTURE PARK

If there is one thing everyone has been craving this wild COVID year it is outdoor spaces and time in nature. Our summer newsletter focuses on the emerging sculpture park at the Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre. Floods, zoning changes and COVID have all presented challenges for the arts centre over and above the usual gauntlet of development, but things have gained steam since receiving a new land designation in 2018 and the centre began formal operations in 2019. We sat down with sculptor and visionary Katie Ohe to talk about the plan for the gardens, what they will hold and the road to creating the arts centre.*

photography by www.jeremyfokkens.com / @jeremyfokkens

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Where did the idea to create the art centre come from?

We don't have children and we're both artists. Both of us come from a farm background and then came to art school. So both Harry and I, we were on Canada Council Grants, and we had mentors and we had a lot of support. We decided that the best thing to do with this property, because we won't live forever, is to donate it to become an art centre. It can support residencies, emerging artists, it really becomes a research centre and an art hub for Calgary, for Springbank. So it’s growth. That’s our story.

What has the largest challenge been then on the path?

I think it continues to evolve and to grow. Because now what they're working on primarily is the land and the sculpture area. And also, the woods. We're keeping 10 acres wooden because there are animals there. They’re preserving the green because it's being swallowed up.

Will you only have sculpture at the Art Centre or will there be other mediums?

The future pavilion will have paintings, the sculpture can be outside. 

I was curious about the botanic garden and its importance to the Art Centre. It's a nice combination.

It’s really important because most artists also have a strong connection to nature. I think it’s good to have the bees and to have the natural wildflowers and also to preserve the land and integrate the sculpture site and include the paths. There are seven hives. The bees need the wildflowers, they fertilize them. It’s really important to keep the land and people integrated because we're almost in the middle of the city. And then we have a very large research library.

Oh, that’s interesting. Tell me a little bit about that.

At this stage, it’s all been indexed. It took years because people would give us books. And then there’s lots of different topics and things. Master’s Gallery, they have quite a few books on former sculptures. They haven't come yet, but they’re going to donate these books. The art collection is also part of the plan and we are in the process of cataloguing it.

How will it all be displayed?

The design is pretty well finished. We’re still in the process of seeking funds to build it. It’s approximately $4 million. Part of it is an art gallery and then we also have to have storage. As questions come up, we pull the pieces out, if they aren’t on a wall. You would need miles of wall to exhibit them all. Harry’s always been a collector.

The paths run all around through the property, I see.

Yes, there are walking paths that go all the way around. When you are driving in there’s a big orange sculpture, so that kind of highlights the entrance.

That piece was at the Calgary CBC, right?

Yes, the CBC moved and couldn't take the sculpture with them. So they donated it. The piece [Steel Wave] is built by Roy Leadbeater. I knew him when I was teaching and he needed space to work. So in that context, I met him, but he's since passed away. We’re proud to have that piece. It's a good piece.

How many pieces have been placed at the centre now?

There are sixteen, smaller pieces.

Do you have a number of pieces in mind to have eventually? Or will that evolve?

We think of it as a growing place because there's 10 acres of land. It’s being landscaped and prepared for proposals that come along. We have a board and a jury to decide — yes or no. We don't want it to become a dumping place.

What elements give a piece merit?

They do have to have an artistic quality. And, wind is a consideration -- so they don't blow over. We look for quality. The jury are artists, who are technically smart to recognize structural weaknesses. And, the work has to be preserved outdoors. All of that has to be considered. Then, is it heavy? Is it light? What diversity? It’s complicated because you have to look at keeping the overall sculpture park interesting and varied. I want to build a doodle out there because there's nothing circular. About a 10-12 foot doodle. That’s still to come if it’s accepted. 

How do you imagine people will experience the art centre? Will people come and walk through the grounds independently?

It's as much of an education for people that are interested in art or want a better idea of art. As well, we have the cultural aspect like bees and wildflowers. Sculpture parks are everywhere throughout the world, but Alberta doesn't have one. I think there are minor places that have tried to create sculpture parks but it takes property and it takes money and it takes a lot of work.

* This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

REBECCA RYCHLISKI ON NATIVE PLANTS

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REBECCA RYCHLISKI ON NATIVE PLANTS

Spring is finally here and thoughts are turning to the garden. We spoke to Rebecca Rychliski, front end manager at Bow Point Nursery, about using native plants in your landscaping and the connection of our natural environment to both well being and world view. Here are observations from one of the few native plant nurseries in Canada.

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Where did the name Bow Point come from?

Originally this nursery started near Cochrane on a curve along the Bow River.

So it has a geographic relevance?

Absolutely. It’s the lifeblood of this place. That’s where the name came from is that curvature on the Bow.

Okay and you are an arborist?

No. I’m actually a herbalist by trade.

Herbalist? Tell me more.

Yes, I’m a herbalist. I’ve always had a love of plants. I was working with plants in a different way for the last decade. The thing that kept coming up was that — in terms of botany — a lot of my learning you never learned about [specifically]. What are the native plants of the area where I live? I had done tonnes of plant walks. I could tell you the edibility and medicinal use of anything and everything growing around you, but I never was fully aware of what was actually supposed to be growing here. How does that lend itself to our mental wellbeing? How does that lend itself to our worldview? And, our cultural perspective? All of these things are connected. So it’s a very critical and essential thing for people to start to understand and start to learn a little bit more about.

Why do you believe it’s important to grow native plants and shrubs?

We live in this very unusual area where the Rocky Mountains meet the foothills in the prairies. Essentially, you get this very strange landscape that we live within. It’s a very challenging landscape to live on for lots of different reasons. 

It’s a time stamp in terms of, evolutionary speaking, what has evolved to live in this very difficult climate.

You can even apply it to this pandemic right now. If you look at nature and ecology, things always go in cycles. Presently we are in a current cycle with certain diseases, but you see that all the time with the plants.

If you understand those natural cycles and forces, then you can understand what is currently happening, as well as past trends.

I’m interested in how we take that knowledge and that adaptation that has been achieved over a relatively short period of time, geologically-speaking, and apply that to the future. These trees, these shrubs, these grasses, the plants that make up the landscape here tell a story. And, we just have to learn how to read it essentially.

What would surprise people the most about the plants that are available and that do work in this really challenging environment?

I think there’s that initial learning curve of the fact that we do live in this extremely challenging climatic environment. It takes a very unique set of plants and different species that have evolved to live in here. 

That shock gives way to an appreciation for the plethora of species that have and do survive here. What I try to do with people is open their eyes to say OK, well maybe I can’t grow a lovely blue hydrangea, it’s not going to survive here, but maybe I can be a steward of a native willow that has an entire history.

What do you think is the most versatile plant that is adapted for this environment?

I would say that pretty much any plant can be versatile depending on how it’s used, but there’s a lot of plants that show great versatility when you start to observe them in the wild.  Spacing is an example that I like to give with design. People always want guidance in terms of proper spacing for plants. But, if you go into the forest — nothing is properly spaced!

It’s chaos.

It’s chaos, right? But it’s a very intentional chaos. There’s a lot of reason why those things grow together.

Trees themselves can be utilized for any number of different purposes. Dogwoods, or a dwarf birch, can handle all kinds of different growing conditions. They can handle being an understory. They can handle being a focal point. They can handle being a hedge. They could handle being sheered. They can handle all kinds of different circumstances, environments and kinds of designs that you kind of throw at them. 

I would say that any native plant can be as versatile as you’re willing to be with it!

OK. So does it take kind of a creative application? Is it how you would use it then, is that what you’re saying?

It’s also about expanding your own repertoire. You can actually put in something unique, creative, more actually suited to the purpose that you want for it; but it just takes a little bit of education and it does take a little bit of creativity and a little bit of thought. 

Most people come here because I think they want that help.

OK. Excellent. Do you have any favourite combinations, plants that you like to put together? 

I like strong textures. I love the sharpness of something like a juniper mixed with something really delicate like a phlox or a geranium or grass. When you start getting those textural differences, and even then you start getting into colour variations and things like that and what those look like depending on the time of year. That is where interest comes in for me.

Ok. What are some of the most typical challenges that homeowners have with their landscape materials and plant materials here in Alberta?

Planting the wrong stuff.

Tell me more.

We have things like Chinooks that other places, like even Edmonton, do not get. The only other place I think actually is Sweden maybe, or Switzerland, it’s one of those two, are the only other place on the planet I believe that gets Chinooks.

The climatic conditions are a huge challenge for people. When you start getting into clientele living even that ten-minute drive outside of the city, like if you’re talking about Cochrane, Springbank, even as you go south, the climatic conditions change quite drastically. The wind becomes a huge problem. The temperatures can fluctuate a lot more rapidly and be more extreme.

If you could only have one tree…just one, what would you pick?

That’s kind of an impossible question to ask from a plant person! I would probably pick a different tree every time of the year. And ,for every different kind of situation. I’ve seen some aspen groves that would make you want to weep. I’ve seen some pines that are just like a time stamp from an ancient coniferous forest. If I had to pick….probably a pine of some kind. That’s really hard. There’s a huge variety of pines that do well here. I’d probably go with a pine.

OK. Change of pace. What about the best day trip from Calgary? What do you think it is?

Best day trip from Calgary, that’s a good question. Honestly I feel like Kananskis is probably one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited on Earth. That particular area is just stunning.

Cats or dogs?

Dogs.

That was fast. You must have one.

I did, I did, yeah, I had to say good-bye to him this year. He taught me that a relationship can’t be defined in one time and space. It’s something that is constantly evolving. He is the one thing in my life that has taught me to trust above everything else.

I’m sorry. This one’s just a little easier − salty or sweet?

Salty. Savoury, every day. Everyday of the week. I would take a full medieval size savoury spread over sweet. Every day.

Right. Awesome. Any parting thoughts on working with native plans?

I think that plants are the basis of all life. Without plants, we have nothing. And so I think that if there’s any point that I hope that people get across when they come and visit this nursery, or any native plant nursery for that matter, is that planting those things in your yard and being a steward of the land is quite possibly the most important thing you can do. It’s easy to walk on this earth and take that for granted, but I think that we shouldn’t. So that would be the one thing I hope that people can get when they come up here.

KATE MACGREGOR ON PLACEMAKING

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KATE MACGREGOR ON PLACEMAKING

We sat down with local architect and developer Kate MacGregor of XYC Design + Development to discuss her path to building m2, a mixed-use, low-rise in Calgary’s thriving East Village. We covered lessons learned, elements of placemaking and where to get the best Napa cabbage salad in Calgary.

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You’ve left the city and you’ve come back. What was that experience like, and did you see the city differently after being away and returning?

Well, I was gone for almost ten years. I started grad school in 2008 and I moved back to the city in 2016. And obviously during that period the city just, fundamentally, changed. There was a restaurant scene when I came back, that really was in its fledgling state when I left. Neighbourhoods like East Village were starting to be occupied, whereas when I left it was just an idea that everyone in the city thought was crazy, because of the history of the area and how contaminated, environmentally, it was and the perception of danger. Not only did I come back with a different perspective, but the city is a bit of a different place than when I left, which is really exciting to me. So, yeah, I came back with a different perspective from New York. I wanted to see a city that was more diverse, more active. To see neighbourhoods that start to get some of those dichotomy of uses rather than being just a residential neighbourhood or just a commercial downtown that empties out after five o’clock at night.

OK, awesome. So what factors in Calgary do you see as unique and worth celebrating?

I think the one thing that’s been the most important for me is that there’s real entrepreneurial spirit here. That you have that opportunity as someone who has never developed a building before to come here and be able to build what I’ve done. I’ve had a lot of support on this project, but this was never something that I would’ve even gotten close to being able to do in New York. I think that’s encouraged here, in a way that it’s not encouraged in other places. There’s a lot of potential for growth in terms of design and architecture, in terms of how the city is moving; and, you know, these neighbourhoods that are popping up and operating in a different way than what Calgary has traditionally done. I think there’s a lot of opportunity to get into the city, at this stage, and have a role in shaping it. I think that Calgary, more than other places, is supportive of people coming in with new ideas and experimenting and giving them the, sort of, nebulous infrastructure or support to be able to do that.

With that experimentation in mind, what you think makes for a great place?

The idea that you could have both beautiful nature and a thriving urban community in the same place is really important. The fact that I have small shops across the street and Simmons next-door and then mix that in with a diversity of residents in the neighbourhood. It’s not just a bedroom community that empties out during the day. I think good design supports that kind of activity. It has to be developed in a way that people want to be there, otherwise people aren’t going to come.

In your view what needs to come first? Does the vision for the place need to come first and be led by a group, or does it need to evolve a little more organically and become what it is, out of the patterns of use?

I think both of those things are really important and reinforce each other throughout the development. You can’t just clean out all the dirty soil and then expect a grassroots community to spring up. We have a little bit of a problem abandoning things that we think are old, for the newest thing. There’s less of the infrastructure in some of the neighbourhoods in Calgary than in communities that have been built up over decades or centuries and then repurposed when a new community moves in and takes it and makes it their own. I think that Calgary struggles with not having that history. In some areas here, particularly in the East Village, you needed both the large organization that had the ability to do some of the major infrastructure work, because that just didn’t exist here.

What would you say was the biggest learning that you had on the construction of m2?

In some ways we came up against a lot of problems, because this is a really weird little building. There’s nothing standard about it. There’s very few right angles in it. Generally, where the floor meets the wall is pretty close to 90 degrees, but otherwise it’s a pretty weird little building. Having no preconceptions as to how a development permit process should work, or how a building should be built, worked in my favour. We had a lot of problems where people would have given up and just done something easier. I think the grandest learning experience that I’ve had from this is just don’t give up.

I’m curious why you decided on Brooklyn-based nARCHITECTS to design the building versus a local architecture firm?

I was living in New York while designing this project and nARCHITECTS were professors of mine at Columbia, so that’s how I got to know them. I did interview a few different firms while I was looking for who I thought would be the right firm to do this. I think a lot of people are down on foreign architects — foreign being, say, outside of the city of Calgary or outside of the province — working here but that doesn’t happen in other places. When you have good architects working in the city you should be taking it as an opportunity to appreciate good architecture, to learn from it. I really don’t think that there is anything to be gained by shutting out voices, and especially experienced voices. We shouldn’t be shutting down the opportunity to have those interactions.

How do you balance that perspective against the views of the people who are there and moving it forward?

That, in a sense, is the job of any good architect is to design for the people that will be using the building, right? Understanding the people who will be using the space and creating the space for them is just the most fundamental point of good design. 

Through your lecture series, +Context, you’ve been exploring the ways that location, time and culture shape what is built and how we experience it. I’m curious about your vision for these discussions and why you feel it’s important Calgarians are having them?

I started this lecture series to hopefully open up the conversation and make it accessible to anyone that wanted to come, so that they can understand. If you’re outside of the architecture scene, all you do is you end up with a building. If you don’t have the chance to engage with the architects a little bit you lose some of that chance for learning more about why these architects were selected, what they were thinking about when they were designing this building. I wanted to start facilitating that in a way that people could engage with around the city. We’ll see how to run a lecture after all this dies down.

Yes. That leads into my next question, which is how the whole social disruption on every scale that’s played out in 2020, thus far, has shifted your thinking about placemaking or how we should approach it?

You know, the virus is a really tricky one because I’ve got no public health or medical background, so I just have to suck it up and socially distance. It’s not really conducive to in-person lectures. On the personal side I think we’re all struggling with all of these things that are going on. I think the places that we spend time start to mean a lot more to us, maybe, than they did before. I think that everyone is maybe reprioritizing what they want their home space to be and what they want their work space to be; and, at the same time, how do I get out in a safe way that I can experience with other people.  We also have to make sure that everyone has those opportunities to have a place to work and a place to live and a place to be able to go out and enjoy the environment when all you can do is go for a walk. I hope that, speaking from design, that we’re able to prioritize voices that have, in some cases, been silenced or prevented from practicing design. I hope that it results in people appreciating a good design more, because they’re spending more time with it and really having to live in their homes. And, that everyone has the opportunity to have a voice in how their city and their home and their workspace and their environment looks.

OK, thanks. I like to ask a few fun questions, too. Just to know you better. So the first is urban or rural?

You know, I’m still homesick for New York, which is a little bit of the grass is greener, because when I’m there I’m a little bit homesick for Calgary, you know? I’m pretty settled here now. It’s been a few years. And I would’ve, 100% never thought that I would be any kind of rural person, and now I’m spending, not half of my time, but probably a third of my time outside of the city. So, as it turns out, it’s a very nice place to socially distance.

Jelly beans or wine gums?

Oh, wine gums. I used to eat a lot of candy when I was kid so my dad would buy us candy, give us a few pieces and hide the rest of it. He started hiding wine gums in the freezer because my brother and I had found all his good hiding spots. I’m still pretty sold on frozen wine gums, actually.

What would we find in your fridge right now? 

Oh, well, we had a lot of social engagements last week, which is not how we normally role. So we were doing a lot of cooking. I think it’s probably, like we’re able to see our family again and – so it’s all of the leftovers. We made some pretty nice stuff; some bruschetta with fresh ricotta, kale caesar salad, scones with strawberry shortcake. Those were the last few things we made.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

I have to say CharBar, which is next-door. I think this is the longest I’ve gone without a Napa cabbage salad since I started construction on m2. The food is great. I love all of the staff. John and Connie are awesome. And they’re just, really an anchor for the entire neighbourhood, so it’s a pleasure to be located next-door to them.

And what’s your favourite public space?

Oh, RiverWalk. I would die without it.

ARMINÉ TATOSIAN ON HOSTING

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ARMINÉ TATOSIAN ON HOSTING

We sat down with creative planner and owner of Ms Modern Manners, Arminé Tatosian to learn about her upbeat and casual approach to hosting. She shared her perspective on must-haves for great events as well as the one mistake you should never make as a guest.

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How did you develop a love of entertaining?

My mother entertained a lot. I grew up with having people at our home all the time. That was a norm for me. I actually studied interior design, then I studied fashion design and I've always had a passion for entertaining. I think it just comes from within. I like connecting people together. Life is short and I think we should get together and talk and laugh and exchange information and get to know each other and I think that that’s what life is about, it is the gathering of people and sharing and laughing and talking. 

You had a store when you were living in Toronto. Can you tell me a little bit about the store?

It was called AT. The reason that we did AT is our initials. My name is Arminé and my business partner’s name is Therese. So we wanted to play with the word AT, so we had Spring AT, Fall AT, Winter AT, Summer AT, Entertain AT. At the back in small letters you see like the play word. Then we changed it every couple of months. 

Were there things that you learned about entertaining as part of being at the store and having the store?

I actually bought for the store, because it’s things that I wanted to have in my home. 

What would your advice be to somebody who’s starting out and trying to get their core pieces in place?

I think it’s really important to have good dishes. I think you should have two sets of dishes, for sure. I think you should have basic everyday dishes that you should use – like white or whatever colour suits you – then have a different set of dishes that’s different from your white, so you could mix and match. You just need a basic base and I actually suggest getting smaller plates in different patterns to interchange. It doesn't always have to be a full set. I'm a dishaholic. I have lots of plates. My husband goes, “No more dishes. We don't have room for it.” I think it’s really important to have a cake stand, just one. And a nice set of cutlery and, of course, your drinking glasses and your wine glasses. But, if you don't want to have stem glasses you could use smaller glasses like for juice that you could also use for wine. It all depends on your budget and what you could afford. 

When you are planning an event, do you always start with a theme or how does that come together for you?

If I'm speaking to a client, if I'm working with a client, what their needs and wants are and what their personality is and how they'd want to represent themselves. I do table-scapes for people that are having a dinner party. I work with what they have then bring things that I have and I mix them up together. It all depends who’s coming, what kind of mood I'm in, what season it is and if they're contemporary or they're traditional. It all depends on the mood.

As a host how do you advise people to handle some of the stickier things in terms of shoes when people come in, bringing uninvited guests along to the event?

I think you have to set the tone for the evening and I think you should have to be in a nice, happy mood and you shouldn’t be so uptight about things when you're a host. I think you should sort of go with the flow. If you want them to take their shoes off you could just say, you know, “I have slippers here for you, take your shoes off”. If things break or spill, I think you should just say “Oh, that’s fine. That’s OK” and just clean it up and don't make a big fuss about it or embarrass the person. 

It's difficult when you're down a place setting. 

It is. I have made exceptions saying that yes, it’s OK to bring, but it also depends, if you don't have enough food for eight people and you have enough food for six, you have to say “I'm sorry, but I didn't know and I wasn't expecting to have eight, so I don't have enough food.” But if you do, it’s always nice – the more the merrier sometimes is nice, too. It all depends on the situation. 

What about hosting outside of your own home? Do you have advice for people on those types of situations?

I think you're still the host. I have had parties at a restaurant in a private area, so I would still do the tables the way I would like and speak with the restaurant owner and bring your own flowers in and everything. But you have to determine if they're a guest or if you will be paying for the meal or is it going to be shared by everyone? You have to let them know beforehand. 

Do you have a sticky hosting situation that stands out for you over the years and how did you navigate it?

I'll tell you what my biggest pet peeve is. I hate it when guests arrive early. Please, when you're invited to my house, don't come early. For a dinner party, or for afternoon tea. Don't ever come early. Don't come on time. I would expect you to be 10 to 15 minutes late, but no more than 20. No one, no one, should ever show up to a dinner party, it doesn't matter where it is, at your house, anyone’s house, they should never arrive on time. They should always arrive five to 15 minutes late. 

That’s excellent advice. When you are putting together an event, when you're looking at the menu, do you have a particular thing that you like to choose first or how does that happen for you?

If I'm hosting at home, I personally like things to be easy and fast. I like things to be pretty and I like things to look nice, but I also like things to be quick and fast and easy. I actually have three or four meals that I’ve perfected and I alternate. Dessert, you don't have to make a dessert, you can buy the dessert. You don't have to make everything. You could even buy your whole meal. It all depends. It’s really a lot of work and time-consuming to entertain.

Where do you land on the getting guests involved versus having people just sit back and relax? 

I have friends that I have over on a regular basis and they go “We want to bring something.” And I always say no, because I feel I just want them to relax and have a good time. A lot of times they insist. If they really insist, OK, that’s fine and it does make it easier. There have been times when you want to get the guests involved and do it together, that’s wonderful as well. It all depends how big your kitchen is, how ... what’s the word ... controlling you are. You want your guests to feel comfortable in your home and I think that’s really important. 

Do you ever plan music for your events?

I always put a jazz station on. My husband and I like jazz music, so it’s always nice to have jazz in the background. You can use your music on our Bluetooth and everyone can enjoy it. So it makes it easier now than it did years ago, I think. 

Are you a red wine drinker or white?

I actually like red. 

Now, you’ve lived in Toronto and you've lived in Calgary, which city feels more like home to you?

Actually, they both do. I don't have any preference for one over the other. People have asked me that question before and it’s like saying “Who’s your better child?”

If you were going on holiday, are you more of a beach, book person or more of an experience and learn person? 

I think experience and learn. Like every time when I visit a new city, the first thing I do is go to their art gallery. I think it’s really important. And, the museum is a must. But there are times when it’s nice to do nothing as well and once in a while a beach vacation is nice as well. 

If there was one thing that you thought a host should always keep front and centre, one key piece of advice, what do you think you would tell people?

If you're hosting, you should always have some staples in your pantry and in your refrigerator and your freezer. I always have cheeses in my refrigerator. I always have a selection of crackers and pastas and in my pantry. I always have chocolates and candies around, so I could entertain anyone anytime. I think it’s really important also to make your guests very comfortable. To make them very comfortable and don't make a fuss about things, like when they spill a glass of wine or they break a glass. Everything’s replaceable.

KAREN ATTWELL OF FORM INTERIORS ON SPACE MAKING

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KAREN ATTWELL OF FORM INTERIORS ON SPACE MAKING

We sat down with creative director and principal, Karen Attwell to talk about her approach to space making. Form Interiors is a boutique interior design firm that is focused on creating spaces that nurture. Karen shared her perspective on how your space shapes you and the things that are important in the work she does.

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How did you get into design?

It’s something I have to do. When I was younger I would curate rooms from the Sears catalog, which dates me, but it was my favourite way to spend a Saturday afternoon. When my eldest child was born I started taking classes to support the work I was doing writing about the subject and it grew from there.

Do you have a favourite project?

That’s hard to say. I like different aspects of the work. Detailing a bathroom is different than decorating a living room. Different materials present different challenges in terms of how to plan around them. The best part is that I’ve been fortunate to enjoy great clients and interesting projects. I’m still motivated to learn more and to do more ambitious work every year.

How do you know what to present to your clients?

People tell me I’m deeply intuitive. I do feel I can read energies, which can be very overwhelming and occasionally confusing. However, I see it as the main reason I’m able to create spaces for my clients that meet their vision even when they are not able to articulate it clearly. For me it’s the totality of all the things I sense and learn about a client and the life they are living and want to live in their home. It’s a very personal relationship. Listening is key to understanding and creating the right space for every client.

What is the most challenging piece you’ve ever had to work into a room?

I did have a client once suggest that a well-past-its-prime chair would be “fine” as it was for their new space. Truthfully, it looked like it came out of a dumpster filled with university student cast-offs. It took some negotiating, but we did manage to get it re-upholstered and moved into an area of the house where the scale was a better fit.

What keeps you interested in this work?

Each project is different and presents a new set of challenges in terms of space plans and technical details. I’m devoted to the idea that your space can make you happier and more productive, or the reverse, depending how you approach it. I see the way we design our spaces as nourishment for the soul. When I feel the energy in a new space I know I’ve helped create something that will nurture that family and their connections to one another in the future.

There is a huge movement towards wellness and sustainability in design right now, what are your thoughts on this?

That’s a huge subject. I think keeping sustainability front and centre is important not only for the earth, but also for our health. We have learned a lot about what constitutes a healthy environment and about what will create longevity in a design. Sometimes the more benign finish will not last and so it’s not the best choice. Everything needs to be weighed. That said, I try to be guided first by quality, because something that doesn’t need to be replaced quickly, or that can be recovered or reworked will always be the more sustainable choice. Secondly, I look at air quality, trying to keep interior air-quality high is essential and then finally certifications. I have specific ones I like to see for wood products, for fabrics and for paints. 

What is the hallmark of a great space?

I think a great space needs to have both a sense of personal history and a sense of humour. This really isn’t a one-size fits all situation and what works for one person might not be right for someone else. For me, a sense of personal history means emphasizing a collected aesthetic that is not too match-y. Having pieces with some story and provenience to them. Also, nothing too perfect. We live hard in our homes and a space that is absent of character and patina is not natural, or easy to maintain. I’ve learned this the hard way, but you need to be able to make a few marks without feeling the entire space has been compromised.

Do you have a favourite piece?

I have more of a favourite category. There is not enough time — or enough homes — for me to own and place all the chairs I love. Maybe I will recommend one of them for you!

What’s the ONE thing you absolutely can’t live without?

Aside from water? Art. I think it’s really important to surround yourself with ideas that intrigue you, challenge you to think and lift your spirit. Art does that for me.

Red or white?

Both. Depends on the season and my mood.

PATTI DIBSKI OF GIBSON FINE ART ON ART COLLECTING

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PATTI DIBSKI OF GIBSON FINE ART ON ART COLLECTING

We sat down with Patti Dibski of Gibson Fine Art talk to all things art collecting. Her gallery represents over 40 emerging and established Canadian artists who work in a range of media. Gibson Fine Art is focused on Alberta artists and provides art consultation, art placement, appraisals as well as installation and fine art rentals. We asked Patti about becoming a gallery owner, how she recommends people approach the purchase of fine art and a little bit about what drives her. This is our interview.

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How did you become a gallery owner?

When I had my second child I was like, you know, this corporate world doesn’t really fit my lifestyle.

I was in a mom and babies group with this lawyer and we were getting our pedicures done and she asked, “Would you ever want to buy a business?” and I’m like, “What? No.”

Then it sat with me and percolated. I came back to her and I said, “Would you … you know, would you be interested in having a partner in buying a business?” and she’s like, “Yeah, totally.”

My partner lasted a whole year and then she was, like, “You know what, I just can’t do this.” So she left and I bought her out. So then I ran the gallery from 1994 to today.

And what was that like?

I was in marketing at CN Rail. So I converted a ton of my rail clients into art clients. When I bought the gallery I called them up and I’m, like, “Hey, so I’m not selling you rail freight anymore. It wasn’t very exciting. Can I come and talk to you about art in your space?”

At first it was how am I going to legitimatize myself, right? How am I going to prove that I know something, and I can sell it. But I figured out rail freight and coal in seven years and that was really hard, right? So this was like kindergarten in terms of the complexity.

Yeah, yes.

I did art history as part of my studies in my undergrad. So when we bought [the gallery] we hired this tutor named Christopher Willard and he’s still at ACAD. He came once a week and tutored us in fine art.He was from New York, so he’s very critical of everything in Calgary, and he was awesome. It was like getting an MFA in six months, right?

Yeah, with your very own private tutor!

When I’m in, I’m all in. I’m reading and [my husband] and I went to Paris and we did this whole tour just to learn all the fundamentals So, yeah, it was easy because I loved it. Super easy. I never was like, “I don’t know what to do.”

So, building on that, why do you think owning original art is important?

Oh, that’s interesting you ask that because I’m just running a campaign now, have you seen it?

Yes, I’ve noticed it.

It’s very cheeky. Original art is important because it’s created by one hand. It's hand-created. It’s authentic. It’s not just stuff, it’s a unique product that was made by somebody. It was crafted in their mind and put out in some way on some substrate or through some media.

And when you see it, I think original art brings a level of joy to people that you can’t get with something that’s reproduced.

Do you have a regional focus?

I do have a regional focus.

What about that resonates for you and how did it develop?

I sat on the board of Calgary Arts Development for six years and that’s the city’s arm for setting arts policy. As I was sitting on that board, and even before that, I really wanted to support our local arts community. I think that it’s really important to plow money back into the community. And, certainly, there’s a ton of really great national artists or even artists outside of our provincial region. But, it was important to me to directly support our local community.

And I think I’ve said this to you before, I didn’t do this purposely, but I have a ton of female artists. I believe in not just supporting our local arts community, but supporting female artists, especially emerging artists. So every year I pick up one emerging artist and they’ve all been women. And that’s not even strategic in that I’m only going to choose women. It’s just that that’s how it works out for me.

And now I sit on the Board of Governors of ACAD and so that’s, again, my contribution back to the arts community. And so now I’m hoping to get more involved with ACAD as a gallery owner to partner with their visual arts program and promote those artists.

What do you recommend people consider when they’re starting or building up an art collection?

Buy art you love.

Okay.

At this level or price point anybody who tells you that you’re buying art as an investment, I just don’t agree with that statement. To buy art as an investment, I believe the art needs to already be up the curve. It already has to show a pattern of sales in both the primary and secondary market.

And you never know what’s going to happen to an artist. So I can tell you buy blah and that artist is going to appreciate, but I don’t know that because that artist could stop painting. That artist could change careers. You don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s like a penny stock, right? You’re going to roll the dice.

Yes, okay.

There’s certainly people who can pick those artists, collectors, and just have this uncanny ability to pick, but a lot of it’s just luck.

I always say buy what you love and something that speaks to you, something that resonates with you on an emotional level, something you and your partner both are happy about.

Are there common mistakes that collectors make?

No, I don’t think so. I think if you’re buying what you love and you can afford it … like, you don’t want to leverage yourself to buy original art and be charging everything on your credit card so you can’t pay it off. I mean, that would be a problem, but I never see that.

Yeah, okay.

Everybody that I see is very careful, right? They’re measured, they take their time. You know, it’s the reason I love what I do. I was at a house yesterday, for example, and we took this big sixty-by-sixty piece into her house. And when we put it up in her house it looks like oh, my God. It’s like the painting was made for her home. She was so happy, her husband was so happy. It’s like this joy or satisfaction you get from original art that I think you can’t get from stuff.

Okay. How can people get the most impact from their purchases?

I think you want to put your art in a place where you’re going to see it every day. When you first start collecting, I think you want to buy art for your key areas. Maybe that’s your bedroom, because some people spend a lot of time in their bedroom, some people spend a lot of time in the kitchen. It’s wherever you can sit and most enjoy that piece. I think you want to choose your most visited or frequented places.

There are certain places where I advise on the type of art you put into a space. I would never put glass above my bed because I’m always worried: what if there’s a mini earthquake, or a tornado, or something, and the glass falls on your bed. And, in your bathroom, I don’t put art behind glass, because of all the steam condensation.

What’s the most unusual installation you’ve ever done?

That’s a tough question. I’ve done so many. You know, the most unusual installation I ever did was in a home in Eau Claire. It wasn’t my piece, but she had this huge Toller Cranston, and she had a giant baseboard and casing. And it just fit by like one inch. We had to get it onto its hooks so that it sat perfectly between the ceiling and the baseboard. And it was just a game of angles. It took three hours to try to figure that angle out and it was so heavy. It was, like, a hundred pounds.

Oh, wow. Excellent. Is there a particular artist or piece that’s on your wish list?

That’s a really hard one for me to answer.

Does it change?

Yeah. Well, it does and then I … like, I have favourites, right? I can’t really do that. It’s like my favourite child, I can’t really say that publicly.

Yeah, okay.

So I love them all.

Fair enough. I’ll ask you an easier question then. Red or white?

White.

What in your mind is worth spending more to get the very best?

Like, besides art?

Besides art, outside of art. Things.

Things. I love good running shoes. I’ll buy really good running shoes.

Like, I’m not a handbag person. I love shoes but I won’t spend a thousand dollars on shoes, but I will spend a lot of money on my running shoes. Sunglasses. What else do I spend good money on? Cars. A laptop. Devices that I need to work and function. It’s kind of boring.

I do buy nice shoes, but not crazy. Like, I wouldn’t buy Prada shoes but I do buy good shoes. I love workout gear. It’s nothing for me to drop, $200 on a Lululemon top. I don’t even look at the price. But to go buy a $200 shirt for work? I don’t do that as easily.

Where is your best place in Calgary to people watch?

Banker’s Hall.

Oh, that’s interesting. Why is that?

It’s like so much industry is there. I feel like Banker’s Hall is the original epicentre of Calgary. And, of all the towers I go in I find Banker’s Hall is still the most dressed up. Men are in suits and the women are very dressed up. I don’t know why that is, I think there’s a lot of law firms in there.

So, yeah, I like sitting in Sunterra in Banker’s Hall and watching people walk by.

And what about your favourite patio?

My favourite patio … Murrieta’s. Yeah, because you can watch all the people walk by.

I like that one, too. Just to wrap up, I wanted to ask you if there’s anything about buying original art that we didn’t talk about and should.

Well, I think it’s important when you buy original art to really understand the artist. So we always talk to the potential buyer about the artist, because I think that makes the piece more interesting. So when you go to look at a piece of art we like to give you the story of that artist. You know, where they’re from, what inspires them and a little bit about the style, how they paint. You always want some background, you want some history, a narrative on the piece. So it’s always important to ask those questions.

Great. Thank you.

Interview was completed in June 2018 and has been edited for length.