Artist Couples Make it Work… together.
Paul and Bev Williams - Williams Design Studio
Celebrating 50 years of married life in October 2021, Paul and Beverley look back on their creative adventure together.
They met in 1969, at Black Creek Pioneer Village, while Paul was working in the Harness Makers shop and Beverley, an OCA Material Arts graduate, was demonstrating spinning and weaving. They soon discovered they both appreciated the fine workmanship of previous generations. The crafts movement was just underway and together they enjoyed creating unique leather and textile products to sell at new marketplaces like one of a kind shows.
In January 1974, they boldly quit their full-time jobs and started Williams Design Studio, becoming self-employed business partners, sharing studio space 24/7 – 365 days a year ever since! In January 1977 they excitedly moved to 'downtown' Bethany, renovating an Early Ontario General Store (rebuilt in 1912 after the great Bethany fire of November 1911) into their studio/gallery. In 2015 & 2016, they eagerly volunteered to help craftspeople in Peru and Guyana, S.A. through CESO.
Every day they love creating new pieces and sharing the excitement for their future together. Enjoy a tour of their secret garden, featuring a dozen hand-sculpted fountains, unique garden art and many delightful frogs, fish and flowers.
Tim Wisener and chris van lierop - colborne street gallery
Submitted by Tim Wisener
I remember once hearing about a couple’s therapist who was assigning their clients to go home, buy an Ikea entertainment unit and then assemble it together. It was intended to be an exercise in communication. I remember laughing and thinking man we would rock that homework! While those things seem easy, having us agree on a lighting fixture, now that is a challenge!
Chris and I first lived together in a 565sqft condo in Calgary after dating long distance, which is how I think we learned to talk. We are tall guys and the space was tight, so we asked our real estate agent to find us the biggest condo she could in any condition and in a tight budget and we would spend the next couple of years fixing it up. We loved it and have never stopped loving the design process. We seem to be able to talk our way through any space and when one of us is stumped the other can come in with fresh eyes and a new idea. This led us to do this for others and forming Home by Tim + Chris.
We have great fun together playing the 3D Tetris game that is laying out space and then we constantly both challenge and tame one another on design choices. One of us is definitely form and the other function. Now in Fenelon Falls, we find ourselves with a bigger team and a number of ventures. Chris is the principal designer for Home by Tim + Chris and I take on a more supportive role, making sure things keep moving. We also have the Colborne Street Gallery to oversee. I am currently the president of the Fenelon Falls Chamber of Commerce and a co-founder of The Grove Theatre.
Any pursuit we take on, from designing a home for clients to the volunteer efforts we do as a team, constantly talking through the next steps and challenges and we think that because of this team effort we seem to always find a balanced approach to any task.
It’s not all perfect, working with each other each and every day, but my goodness is it fun!
James Barrett and sarah Quick - Globus Theatre
Submitted by Sarah Quick
“Working together has been successful because we have the same passions,” says James, artistic producer of Globus Theatre. And Sarah, artistic director affirmed, “We share a similar work ethic and champion each other. We allow the other to shine. James gives me the time I need to write and create, and I hope I afford him that same opportunity. We’re a team.”
The Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon is owned and operated by husband and wife team Sarah Quick and James Barrett. Sarah, from England, met James when the two actors were touring the International fringe theatre circuit. After years of a long-distance relationship as Sarah continued to tour and James worked in film and TV, they decided to start a theatre company together and call Kawartha Lakes home. Their professional theatre company Globus Theatre was founded the day they got engaged!
Without a suitable home locally for the style of theatre they wanted Globus to offer, they garnered close to a million dollars in loans and investments, purchased the building which is now the LAB, converted it into a comfortable and contemporary Arts venue and launched their inaugural season there. Now, 17 years after its inception, Globus is a thriving rural theatre playing to 10,000 patrons annually. It has produced over 100 professional productions including numerous world premieres.
