Karina Kierstead comes from a large and tight knit family life. New Brunswick is where she is rooted and where she has a devoted support system. Having been brought up in a scenic and rural environment, she would like to continue to have nature as a constant landscape in her life. Karina is a 19 year-old Photography student from Quispamsis, New Brunswick.
Karina was certain that she wanted an art school education when deciding on The New Brunswick School of Craft and Design, having nature as a constant in her life, she was inspired and drawn to the idea of focusing on natural photography. The ideal would be getting published in National Geographic, but her happiness would be satisfied with capturing (how about capturing stories, or successfully storytelling) storytelling; the lives people lead in places that can expand our own worldviews and allow us into other cultures and communities for that one moment. For Karina, the thrill is within capturing that one moment, and preserving it.
Travel is something that may come within the realm of photography and it is something Karina is open to. Traveling locally is also something that she would like to experience, to record stories and communities that are close to home. These stories, and our own stories can allow new perspectives on our own culture.
There is a beauty in our surroundings, in fields, among our coasts and within our neighbors; at times we need to see it with fresh eyes or a lens to appreciate their perseverance.
Karina aims to stay true to the images that she captures: unpolished, organic and honest. She creates this ideal with an absence of editing and Photoshop exaggerations. She is aware of her goals and passions in life and expresses this through her photographs and the stories she shares.
At the age of 27, Holly McGee is the poetic embodiment of an artist. A textiles artist by trade, she has woven together passion and ability to create an art all her own. Holly’s appreciation for art is a response to her tactile learning style. So naturally, she was drawn to textiles. During her studies at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, Holly specialized in Fibre Arts and developed an expanded practice in experimental design. Narrowing her materials to natural products, Holly often incorporates elements such as sticks and moss into her work to experiment with texture and aesthetic. Her tranquil personality translates into well-composed art, giving it a casual yet playful feel. She gathers inspiration from personal experience and interaction with nature. Holly feels a sense of liberation when outside and perceives weaving as a form of meditation. All in all, lining her work with casual, intrinsic charm.
Although her current studio workspace constrains her to a corner, Holly has a tendency to be a modern day drifter, unconfined by geography. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and British Colombia are some of the places Holly has called home. Originally from Picto County, Nova Scotia, Holly is no stranger to the great outdoors. Embracing her love of nature has granted some influential adventures, including tenting throughout B.C. for several months. In the future, Holly hopes to combine her passion for art and environmental awareness to felt her own yurt.
Weaving, felting and dying are most common in Holly’s fine art. She binds production and contemporary art to develop pattern and familiarity within her work, while incorporating unconventional elements. Holly finds satisfaction in the process of how things are made and strives to understand her materials in great detail. The color pallet commonly displayed in her work is somber, clean and muted. When not producing art, Holly enjoys being outside, volunteering and participating in art workshops. 
