Art Food & Motherhood
Mixed Media Assemblage
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Junk to Gems at Wild Flour
By Michelle Macullo
Rocky Mountain Outlook
Whether written on a scrap piece of paper or a few words jotted down as a mental note, many of us have a to-do list that hangs around like a dull headache—annoying but tolerable.
And then there’s Banff artist Tiffany Teske. The radiant blue-eyed beauty defies the odds and get things done. She’s that kind of person who follows through on her dreams and ideas. There’s nothing not to like about her, aside from the fact that once you meet her, you go through that list of unfinished business in your head and realize that you’d like to do this and that, but you don’t. You’ve had this great idea that you wanted to take to the next level, but haven’t. And part of you feels envious. But people like Teske are a rare gift. And if we stopped feeling sorry for ourselves and stopped making excuses, we’d realize we have the ability to live up to our own potential.
During the month of June, Teske shares Kitchen Poetry and Various Randomisity— a look into her colourful uninhibited multi-media world of all things vintage, re-used and previously loved at Banff’s artisan bakery, the Wild Flour Cafe. Many of the show’s pieces showcase various images, stemware, buttons, carefully placed words or phrases and thrift store items.
And then there are the birds.
“Who doesn’t like cute little song birds?” Teske asks. “I think the birds remind me of my gypsiness (sic).
But not all birds.
“I hate big birds. They scare me. My parents let me watch The Birds (Alfred Hitchock movie) when I was way too young,” she laughs.
Her work is clever, radiant and good for the soul. It brings smiles to faces and tells a rich story of enchanted places, interesting characters and leaves viewers wondering if her intricately ornate cutlery accompanied meals in Wonderland.
“I make things out of things nobody uses,” she says. “It’s fun to find something people won’t buy and turn it into something. I feel guilty about something going into the landfill.”
But for Teske, creating is more than making something visually appealing. She likes “there to be a message. Even if it’s as simple as ‘mama loves you baby’.”
And as for the kitchen side of things, Teske says cooking and artwork have a lot in common.
“There’s an alchemy that happens in the kitchen and making art,” she explains. “I like to take everything out and improvise. I know which flavours go together.
“Being a perfectionist is the worst thing. It just makes you stand in your own way.”
And in the rare event her efforts are a flop, she dusts herself off and gets back up.
“If I don’t like it, I’ll order a pizza or try again,” she smiles.
Kitchen Poetry and Various Randomosity is on display at the Wild Flour Cafe until June 30.
