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<\/a>Colman grew up in Montreal and studied fine arts at Concordia University. After graduation, with what she jokes were \u201cno applicable skills,\u201d she worked building fences, painting houses and selling produce at an outdoor market.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen, in 1980, a friend and I went on an epic road trip from Montreal to the San Francisco Bay and I ended up staying,\u201d she told the Independent<\/i>.<\/p>\n
With a penchant for cartooning, Colman, while getting settled in the United States, freelanced for several greeting card companies, including American Greetings, Marcel Schurman Fine Papers, Andrews McMeel and Hallmark Cards, among others.<\/p>\n
One day, Hallmark contacted her to say that they wanted her to work in-house at their headquarters in Kansas City.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a single parent at the time, a steady income with a health plan was an offer I couldn\u2019t refuse,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ll never forget the day we landed at the Kansas City International Airport in August. As soon as we exited the airport, we were hit with a blast of hot, humid air. It was an inferno. All I could think was, \u2018What have I done?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
At Hallmark, she was part of Shoebox, an alternative humour studio, where she illustrated not only myriad cards but books and calendars, and designed logos and fonts. Her artwork also was applied to stickers, school supplies, mugs, T-shirts, and dog and cat bowls.<\/p>\n
The company, Colman recollected, had a farm where artists would go for what she called \u201ccreative renewal.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe barn had a fully equipped woodshop and welding area. That\u2019s where I learned woodworking. We built crazy birdhouses and robots that moved and lit up,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was also a small woodshop for artists at headquarters. It was located beside the model shop, where carpenters built displays for shows, etc. I learned a lot from them. Any free time I had was spent in the woodshop.\u201d<\/p>\n As a humour artist, Colman said she was continually developing different characters and critters. Now she does the same with wood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe elements of design are the same \u2013 line, form, texture, colour. Driftwood already has texture and shape that can look like a nose, ears or tail.\u201d<\/p>\n Accompanying Colman on her hunts for items to turn into art is her rescue dog Bean.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s my sidekick,\u201d she said. \u201cHe comes along when I walk the beach looking for good wood or browse ReStore, Value Village and hardware stores with an eye out for objects I can incorporate in my pieces. Bean\u2019s always on the lookout for treats and makes out pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n The whimsical wooden creations have become an increasingly familiar sight in the capital city. Last fall, they were exhibited at the library in Victoria\u2019s Commonwealth Place. In January, Colman was featured in a CTV News Vancouver Island report by Adam Sawatsky, which showed her, along with Bean, scouring a Victoria beach for things that could be incorporated into her work.<\/p>\n \u201cSome people like shopping for shoes, I like shopping for junk,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Bean, too, is a recipient of Colman\u2019s artistic flair. In the CTV report, he was seen clad in a denim vest with flames and a dragon embroidered into the back; his hair was molded into a mohawk to make him look \u201clike a tough little dude.\u201d<\/p>\n Colman\u2019s display at the recreation centre is part of a Family Arts Exhibition organized by the District of Saanich. One of the images the municipality\u2019s website is using to promote the event is Colman\u2019s woodwork of a cat ballerina. Other artists whose work will be shown are Tanya Bub, Randy Barron and Susan Wright.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the midst of the exhibition, the recreation centre will host a Family Arts Festival on Feb. 17 (Family Day) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in what the municipality is billing as \u201ca celebration of imagination, creativity and discovery.\u201d Among the activities will be mini-quilt design, tin foil sculpture and LEGO robotics.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>