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Welcome to BC Artisans at Work

An immersive art experience in the heart of the Kootenays

Step off the beaten path and into the creative heartbeat of British Columbia’s West Kootenay region. BC Artisans at Work invites you into the studios, homes and hearts of working artisans—where heritage crafts are alive, stories are shared, and every visit is an experience in itself.

It’s a chance to meet real artisans, learn about their tools and traditions, and even try your hand at a craft—whether you’re brewing exquisitely crafted therapeutic tea, painting a piece of pottery, staying at our gallery suite, visiting a bakery cooperative or engaging with a fine woodworker.

Every place is different. Every artisan has a story. And you’re invited.

Meet the Artisans

Art with Soul. Stories with Depth. Experiences that Stay With You.

Whether you’re a curious traveller, a creative spirit, or a local looking for something meaningful to do on a weekend afternoon, our BC Artisan at Work experiences offer something rare:

An authentic connection to places and people

Mindful experiences that slow you down, invite curiosity and spark your creativity

Hands-on activities and behind-the-scenes access to artisan life

Bilingual signage and support for both English and French-speaking guests

Easy-to-follow self-guided tours with curated stops and insider tips

From tea ceremonies and sound baths to the scent of fresh bread at a local bakery, woodworking demos and playing with pottery, the BC Artisans at Work experiences are as diverse, soulful and inspiring as the people who make them possible.

Diane Walters demonstrating pottery technique

Who We Are

As the British Columbian chapter of the international ÉCONOMUSÉE network, our nonprofit organization shines a bright light on the work of BC artisans. Eventually, we will feature artisans across the province but right now, we’re focused on the ones right here in the West Kootenay!

This is experiential bilingual tourism at its finest. We’re proud to showcase the skills, the stories and the creative processes of a select group of highly accomplished local artisans, who have all been through ÉCONOMUSÉE’s strict vetting process.

A Bilingual Immersive Art Experience Like No Other

KootenayBakery rolling dough

This is the only immersive art experience of its kind in the West Kootenay—and a beautiful way to spend a day immersed in creativity, culture and connection.

Not just art to buy—art to feel. This is about process over product. Education over transaction. Stories over souvenirs. (But we are grateful for every purchase made if something calls to you.)

Rooted in heritage. Some artisans here use centuries-old techniques. Others blend tradition with innovation. All are keepers of tradition and culture.

 Locally-grounded. These aren’t pop-up shops. These are people’s homes, workshops and lives—offering you a rare glimpse inside.

Inclusive, intentional and welcoming. Come as you are. Bring your mom. Travel with friends. Explore solo. Everyone belongs.

Plan Your Visit. Come Curious. Leave Connected.

Open year-round, some BC Artisans at Work experiences are drop-in friendly;
others offer workshops or special events.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or download a printed brochure to get started.

Meet the Artisans!

Woven through the threads of the West Kootenay landscape are professional Artisans at Work. Click each artist’s profile to find out about their unique experiences, watch their video, find more information and book a tour.
Liz Cohoe - Lillie & Cohoe

Liz Cohoe

Hat Making - Nelson, BC

D.E. Walters - Ceramic Artist

Diane Walters

Ceramic Artist - Nelson, BC

Mélanie Pulla

Herbalist - Nelson, BC

Philippe Charmet - Emotions in wood

Philippe Charmet

Ebenist - Salmo, BC

Jens - Kootenay Bakery Cafe Co-op

Jens

Bakery - Nelson, BC

Hats of Remarkable Design and Excellent Quality

Behind the showroom of the Lillie & Cohoe studio, a dedicated team of talented women collaborate on the design and production of next season’s hats using the finest fabrics and notions gathered from around the world. But don’t expect a frenetic atmosphere here – these professionals have many years of production behind them, and their calm demeanor and quiet determination reflect a long tradition of excellence.

The Experience

Visitors can enjoy a tour of Lillie & Cohoe’s substantial workspace or spend time in the well-appointed boutique. Learn about yourself through the fun of hats. The company’s international reputation for helping women and men express their style is well earned.

The Products

The aesthetic of these hats is more than visual, it is in the fit and functionality, in the wearability built into the design through fabric choice and the flat pattern design. Each hat is worked on from beginning to end by one seamstress. Their skilled hands are required to use a mix of tailoring and dressmaking techniques. Each step is carefully planned and executed.

Contact Information

Lillie & Cohoe
HAT MAKING ÉCONOMUSÉE®
ADDRESS : #4 – 320 Vernon St, Nelson, BC V1L 4E4
PHONE : 250 352 6398
Visit Our WebsiteBook Your Experience

Immerse Yourself in the World of Ceramic Artist

eARTh Studios and the Gallery Suite art escape retreat are owned by Diane Walters. She has been a potter for over 43 years and a teacher for 36 years.

eARTh Studios provides a creative sanctuary, an inspirational space where your inner artist and explorer can come out to play.The private workshop environment is built on your needs and desire to create. She and fellow potters can offer hand-built tumblers, an experience on the potters wheel or carving soapstone animals. Join a preexisting workshop offered throughout the course of the year to the local community at www.earthstudiosonline.com

Diane Offers

Stay in the Gallery Suite with 5 star accommodation complete with local art hung on the walls (which is for sale!), a king size bed and sofa pull out, and a fully functioning kitchen. The view from the kitchen offers a stunning panorama of the Kootenay Lake and the mountains.

  • Gorgeous views and beautiful gardens will inspire your creative muse.
  • Self guided tours are always available and introduce the art and craft of ceramics on route to studio gallery

The Experience

Living in the beautiful city of Nelson since 1991, Diane Walters invites you to visit her ceramic studio; eARTh Studios. On site, you will discover a landscaped outdoor tour as well as a gallery and studio where Diane Walters welcomes you. She is keen to share her passion and her ceramic craft. She also offers various workshops and artistic stays in her B&B, the Gallery Suite.

The Art of Craft

I Believe That There Is Nothing More Important Than The Communal Act And Art Of Eating. The Social Reciprocity Of Sharing A Meal Together Dates Back Through The Human Story On A Global Scale.
~ Diane Walters

Artist Statement

I have always been drawn to the story behind form and surface…one that speaks of human centred values and nature. The cliff faces of the Kootenay Mountains in the BC Interior where I live, the female form as birther and bringer of bounty and replenishment, the water from which my clay is born from, the chemical, cosmological and geological history of evolution written into the DNA of clay and the glazes we use on form. These things speak to me of the eternal, and unravelling patterns which relate to our earth and human presence and invention. The quest to find answers lead to more questions and the pattern continues as experiments in both form and surface unfold. I am more comfortable now with the unfinished, with the ever changing story I try to create and represent through my functional pottery. The play of opposites and centering into a certain stillpoint is infused into every piece I make. I find deep satisfaction in knowing that they bring a silent conversation to the dinner table.

D.E. Walters pottery pieces are designed for everyday use, not just for special occasions. They range from mugs to plates to bowls and are easy to care for. Her collection also includes sculptural fountains, basins and ongoing experimentation with form, shape and colour.

Contact Information

D.E. Walters
CERAMIC ARTIST ÉCONOMUSÉE®
ADDRESS : 1116 Latimer Street, Nelson, BC V1L 4W4
Visit Our WebsiteBook Your Experience

Wood-Art to Uplift Your Spirit

Philippe dedicates himself to bringing art into everyday life. From buttering your toast at breakfast out of an extraordinary butter dish to finding another stunning work of art to receive your coat and hat, when you get home in the evening. Works of art that will call your attention, asking you to look at it; begging you to touch it, caress it and make it yours to use every day of your life.

The Experience

Walk in the shop, walk in the creative process and join the excitement to imagine, to develop and to make beauty. You will sometimes find a bustling and noisy production shop begging you to roll up your sleeves, other times, a quiet reflective environment inviting you to join in the maturation of an idea, the refinement of a process. All of it is creation! Be an artisan for a day! Come practice some of the skills, make them your skills. Join us for a day and enjoy the pleasure of creating your own wood art with your hands.

The Products

While Emotions in Wood’s initial and emblematic product is a uniquely crafted butter dish, all designs for the kitchen and table bring you the joys of the warm wood combinations, the awe of a unique design, the appreciation of a perfect execution and the excitement of its everyday practicality. The butter dishes, knife racks, coasters, cutting boards, butcher blocks, coat and hat racks, counter tops and other unique pieces of furniture, are an invitation to see, touch and smile.

Heirloom items are not only for adults. The alphabet cubes set is an ideal gift for children to learns skills using natural, durable and beautifully crafted toys. Emotions in Wood also applies the same attention to quality, design and beauty to making bee hives for the backyard beekeeper. Enter the world of bees with us and give your bees a uniquely designed and locally hand made Langstroth type beehive equipped with many features to keep you and your bees happy.

Contact Information

Emotions in Wood
Philippe Charmet – Ebenist ÉCONOMUSÉE®
ADDRESS : 601 Davies Avenue, Salmo, BC V0G 1Z0
PHONE : 250 551 3428
Visit Our WebsiteBook Your Experience

A bakery that bakes breads, pastries, and other delicious products with the greatest respect for sustainable development and local agriculture.

 

The Kootenay Bakery Cafe Co-op journey began in 1986 in Alberta with the founding of the Manna Foods organic bakery in Edmonton by the four Desilets sisters, Deborah, Barbarah, and her baker husband Leonard, Ariah and Jackie and their families. Four years later, the business was sold. In 1991, the Kootenay Bakery Cafe Co-op opened in Nelson, British Columbia.

This bakery is known for its sourdough bread, which is available in 11 varieties. The age-old techniques involved with making sourdough bread fit perfectly with the Kootenay Bakery Cafe Co-op’ philosophy of providing healthy, natural food to as many people as possible.

Its know-how goes far beyond its stoves. The cooperative cultivates the values of mutual aid, solidarity and equity among its staff and the surrounding community. It also strives to forge close ties with its customers and suppliers, whom it considers to be members of the family.

The Experience

In a warm and friendly atmosphere, you will discover what makes the Kootenay Bakery Cafe Co-op unique. Its history, values, expertise, signature products, and stories about the first bakeries to open in Nelson are presented in a way that encourages discussion about this passionate and committed cooperative.

The Products

The Kootenay Bakery Cafe Co-op offers more than 300 fresh, nutritious products with natural ingredients. Whether you’re vegan, gluten, milk or egg intolerant, a raw foodie, a home-cured, grass-fed beef or organic chicken lover, The Kootenay Bakery Cafe Co-op has a tasty menu to suit your dietary needs.

Contact Information

Kootenay Bakery Cafe Co-op
BAKERY ÉCONOMUSÉE®
ADDRESS : 377 Baker St, Nelson, BC V1L 4H6, Canada
Visit Our WebsiteBook Your Experience

About Water Over Leaves

Rooted in a lineage of herbalist tradition and ceremonial tea rituals, Water Over Leaves is inspired by the quiet moments of stillness that allow us to embrace your true essence and share our beauty with the world. Our mission is to offer you a cup of tea that provides delight and rapture in every sip, and inspires you to cultivate peaceful moments where insights arise and miracles unfold.

Our handcrafted herbal teas are carefully blended in micro batches. Every mixture is specifically formulated to be therapeutically effective, beautiful, and delicious.

Camellia sinensis is our muse. Each new addition to the Camellia sinensis menu is thoughtfully curated according to quality, grade, flavour, and origin. All teas are ethically sourced, primarily from multi-generation tea farms. Rare and exquisite high elevation spring teas are especially celebrated.

Water Over Leaves is located on an acre of land on the North Shore of Nelson, BC. Our tea studio and tasting room will open to the public this spring, allowing you to immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Water Over Leaves.

About Mélanie Pulla

As a passionate herbalist and artisan tea maker, I am dedicated to helping you cultivate quiet moments of stillness that allow you to embrace the essence of who you are. Through the alchemy of handcrafted herbal teas and the art of tea ceremony, I facilitate moments of self reflection and personal transformation.

My passion for herbalism was ignited at a young age through my love of tea, and evolved alongside my pursuit of spiritual growth. My formal herbal studies began at the California School of Herbal Studies (2000) and the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine in Arizona (2002), culminating in a BSc in Wellness and Alternative Medicine from Northern Vermont University in 2006.

In 2008, I embarked on a transformative journey through Southeast Asia, immersing myself in the art of tea ceremony, exploring tea houses, and visiting tea gardens. This experience introduced me to the concept of Tea Mind, which now lies at the heart of my philosophy with Water Over Leaves.

Many years later, Water Over Leaves Tea Company was founded, coinciding with my family’s move to Nelson, BC. I now devote my time to crafting exquisite tea blends and cultivating quiet moments of tea rapture.

Through Water Over Leaves, I invite you to experience the quiet beauty and deep serenity that a thoughtfully crafted herbal tea and intentional tea ritual can bring into your life.

Contact Information

Visit Our WebsiteBook Your Experience

BC Artisans at Work is proudly sponsored by: