-Words by Sean McIntyre Photography by Don Denton

When Pipi Tustian says art is in her blood, she means it.

害羞草研究所淲hen I was young, I didn害羞草研究所檛 even know that it was being creative, I just thought everybody lived that way,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淢y parents weren害羞草研究所檛 traditional artists in the sense of being painters or writers or playwrights or anything like that; they were an immigrant family coming from the war-torn country of Latvia. They were just so happy to be here, however, we didn害羞草研究所檛 have much.害羞草研究所�

Ever-present in her childhood home was the whir of a sewing machine, where Pipi害羞草研究所檚 mom sat nearly every morning to create or mend clothes for the family. Each piece of fabric, Pipi says, came to embody a chapter of the family害羞草研究所檚 past. This growing collection of symbolic day-to-day items blended the family害羞草研究所檚 Eastern European heritage with a new identity at the eastern edge of the Canadian Prairies.

害羞草研究所淚t wasn害羞草研究所檛 just about making the couch match the cushions, there害羞草研究所檚 a history and stories attached to all of those things,害羞草研究所� Pipi recalls. 害羞草研究所淭he house was always filled with all this magic.害羞草研究所�

Pipi fondly remembers regularly boarding a downtown-bound bus with her mother. The pair would search through Winnipeg害羞草研究所檚 garment district as though it were a mysterious land filled with curiosities and treasures, the stores bursting at the seams with chiffons, satins and linens.

害羞草研究所淪he would take me by the hand, and we would walk into a building that was chock-a-block full of corduroy and tapestries and bolts and bolts of fabric from floor to ceiling,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚t was like a playground of all my fantasies with the drapery and the touch and the feel and the colour and all of that texture. It was just always there in my life.害羞草研究所�

Pipi害羞草研究所檚 love of colour combined with a reverence for repairing and repurposing household objects are major influences in an artistic career that spans three decades. For years, Pipi害羞草研究所檚 unmistakably unique paintings and fabrics害羞草研究所攚hich include cushion covers, tablecloths, dining table runners, napkins, blankets, towels, throws along with much more害羞草研究所攈ave been fixtures at Cowichan Valley shops such as Ironworks Cr锚perie and Edward Jones in Mill Bay.

For the hands-on, do-it-yourself crowd, Pipi offers fabric workshops to small groups and has even launched her very own brand of high-quality fabric paints.

Personal commissions are also available for people wishing to commemorate a special event with custom-painted, personalized linens. As COVID-19 restrictions loosen, Pipi continues to grow a strong social media presence predominantly on Instagram and Facebook, where she can keep up to date with her current projects and frequent workshop opportunities.

害羞草研究所淐reating for me is a way of expressing emotion,害羞草研究所� she recently posted on her Facebook site. 害羞草研究所淔rom the darkness of grief comes the colours of joy. Life is a roller coaster, and art keeps me strapped in my seat.害羞草研究所�

She describes her artistic process as a kind of 害羞草研究所渟oul connection害羞草研究所� in which her mind is free to pursue a natural flow to create unique shapes and patterns in a generous heaping of colour. Once the idea has sparked the process, Pipi says, she often doesn害羞草研究所檛 even consciously think about the process itself.

害羞草研究所淭he starting point is a feeling, and then I see how the colours play against each other and what the patterns and shapes are trying to say,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚 can be inspired by nature or even watching a movie. A lot of times I won害羞草研究所檛 know what害羞草研究所檚 happening with the plot because I害羞草研究所檓 looking at how the colour of an actor害羞草研究所檚 skirt is against the couch that she is sitting on.害羞草研究所�

Her latest venture is Studio 1867, which she began a year ago with a team of co-creatives in the funky Whippletree Junction along the highway south of Duncan. In a move that harkens back to those same values instilled in her by her mother害羞草研究所檚 morning ritual at the sewing machine, Pipi hopes to give some colourful treatment to unloved and forgotten furnishings.

害羞草研究所淎t Studio 1867 we害羞草研究所檙e repurposing the older pieces of furniture that people have sort of loved but maybe discarded in favour of the new things that maybe don害羞草研究所檛 last as long, even though they are twice as expensive,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚f you have a piece of furniture that you害羞草研究所檙e wondering what to do with, and everybody does, this is a great option. Everybody has that old piece sitting in the corner that they can害羞草研究所檛 get rid of because it belonged to grandma or they have an emotional attachment to these things because they害羞草研究所檝e become part of the family.害羞草研究所�

Older furniture, Pipi adds, tends to be more characterful, more unique, and built to last. She says many modern furnishings are less sturdy than those made even a generation ago because changes in the global manufacturing process have prioritized lightweight materials and building techniques to minimize shipping costs.

What害羞草研究所檚 more, Pipi says, refurbishing and reusing furniture keeps bulky household items out of the landfill.

Clients upload pictures of their furniture project to the Studio 1867 website, where Pipi and her team reference makeover options from a catalogue of fabrics compiled from designers from around the world. Clients then book an in-person appointment for personalized advice, a chance to feel through fabric samples and search online catalogues for options to bring their project to life.

害羞草研究所淛ust like when I was a kid going into those fabric places, we have that huge number of fabrics, but just not in rolls, now we have them in books and samples and that sort of thing,害羞草研究所� Pipi says.

The process may have changed, yet Pipi has found a way to keep the magic alive.

For more information about Pipi, visit her on Instagram (@pipioriginalarteverydayliving) or Facebook. Details about Studio 1867 are available at studio1867.com

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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