SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Kiele Poirier and Julia Campbell have always dreamed of owning their own business.
Two years ago, the pair met through the P.E.I. Business Women’s Association – clicking immediately.
“Julia was very smart and very articulate,” said Poirier, “and she seemed like my type of person.”
At the time, Poirier was working to establish Art Box Studio in Bayside; Campbell, meanwhile, was working on her own disc golf-related enterprise.
It took no time before the two formed a friendship – and later, a business partnership.
In mid-April, the pair opened Art Buds: an art studio, gift shop and gallery in downtown Summerside.
“I’m not always the most organized in the business side of things, so I got my science-minded friend here, who I tricked into artistry,” said Poirier. “So now we have this balance of the skills, and I feel like it just came together that it made sense.”
Although Campbell doesn’t come from an art background, she was eager to get on board. Owning the space is a new experience for them both, and they’re glad to learn together as the business gets settled.
“Really, we decided to take a risk and invest in our own abilities,” said Campbell. “Part of that is going to be that we have to learn from new skills.”
Artistic origins
Poirier’s passion for art traces back to her childhood.
For the last 20 years, she’s worked in graphic design. While the job engages her creative side, she craves the freedom that comes with making art from scratch.
“I’ve always felt like an artist,” said Poirier. “It’s the only identity I kind of could connect with.”
Campbell’s background is education and science-focused; until meeting Poirier, she never defined herself as an artist.
“I’ve always been a crafter, I’ve crocheted and knitted and done all kinds of handcrafts like that,” she said. “But it’s only been since I started hanging out with Kiele that I started enjoying painting and playing with colour.”
As a novice, Campbell emphasizes that, above all, art is therapeutic – not a perfectionist endeavour.
“I’ve always been very high anxiety, if I don’t know I can do it well, I’m probably not gonna try,” she said. “But between art and disc golf … I’ve learned the value of just doing it and not caring about the results.”
Getting ready
After moving their budding business into 329 Water St., in February, the co-owners acquired crafts and artwork for the retail section. More importantly, they turned the space into a cozy home away from home.
“The amount of work, I think other people probably wouldn’t have any idea, but we know how much work went into lipsticking this pig – that’s what we keep saying,” said Campbell.
Against the far wall, is a Poirier-designed mural. For a week, the women – and their families – worked on bringing to life the purple and orange flowers against a dark green backdrop.
“It was a giant colouring book on the wall, basically,” said Campbell. “My youngest – she’s 10 – fell in love with large-scale artwork. I think I could probably just supply her with pieces of plywood, and she’d go for it.”
Poirier added: “She’s got the bug and I love it.”
The other three walls are white, emphasizing the arts and crafts from 20 different creators.
“We like collecting the little group of misfits, that maybe their art doesn’t fit into every other place,” said Poirier. “It doesn’t have to all be beach scenes. We do have some beautiful P.E.I. scenery in here, but it’s not all like that. We want to really showcase Island artists, not just Island art.”
Campbell added that Art Buds welcomes artists of all experiences – especially as she comes from a more science-focused background, rather than an artistic one. In the studio, Campbell said, there is no pressure for perfection.
“We want people to understand that art doesn’t have to meet some sort of standard, right?” she said. “Kiele’s children and my children come in here and they make art, and they’re kids. It looks different than something we might make. But it’s still art.”
Creation Space
It’s not just the art gallery that has the co-owners excited, but the workspace at the back of the building. Just a week after opening, they’ve already hosted successful workshops, with more on the horizon.
“We’re trying to build a community of artists who can also teach their craft,” said Poirier. “We have Keri from Lupin Isle Beauty Co. … she does small batch, hand-mixed cosmetics. She’s gonna be doing a mixing workshop. Things like that, where I don’t know that skill.”
Campbell adds that she is eager for people to book the space for events and parties for children and adults alike.
Above all, Campbell and Poirier hope to use the space to encourage creatives at any skill and experience level, helping them get comfortable with the craft.
“We’re hoping this is a welcoming and friendly place,” said Campbell. “Just a place where people can feel more at ease with art, and less intimidated.”
Kristin Gardiner is a reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. She can be reached by email at kristin.gardiner@journalpioneer.com and followed on X @KristinGardiner.
