Maders Cove artist Krista Laybolt opens shop
MADERS COVE, N.S. — From a corporate management consultant to a self-employed multimedia artist, Maders Cove resident Krista Laybolt has charted a new course for herself thanks to COVID-19.
When Laybolt lost her job due to belt tightening and downsizing at the start of the pandemic earlier this year, it was unexpected.
“For me, I had a number of years left in my financial plan before retirement and I had to think, ‘now what am I going to do?’” said Laybolt in an interview.
“Do I want to continue with the corporate life? It’s busy and stressful. I’m putting in 14 to 16hour days or more so I thought if I’m going to be doing that, I should be doing something I love and that I will benefit from.”
As someone who had embraced art in various forms and mediums her entire life for pleasure, and with a studio/workshop already in the lower level of her home, Laybolt decided to open a studio shop and start her own
business, Sea Witch Collectables.
“I live right on the water in Maders Cove,” said Laybolt.
“The ocean has always been kind of my muse and so I decided the focus of my shop and the things I have done and do would be ocean inspired arts and crafts.” Stained glass, resin work, wood burning, and painting are among the art mediums Laybolt utilizes.
“I like to do one-of-a-kind pieces so people can have a unique piece of art,” she said. “I’ve never been one to stick to one art medium. Whatever inspires
me is what I use.
“I’ve done stained glass for a number of years,” added Laybolt. “One of things I do by commission, and am proud of, is a Lunenburg schooner out of stained glass. It’s free standing, kind of like 3-D. I like to do fun and whimsical things so like stained glass mermaid tails and whale tales.”
From resin, Laybolt creates free form resin bowl sculptures in various colours, shapes and sizes, coasters, wine caddies and various other things.
“I also use it when I’m doing my acrylic paintings. Sometimes I
do multimedia; cover the painting with crushed glass, sand, shells and things and then cover with resin. I do that and regular acrylic paintings.”
Since opening Sea Witch Collectables this summer, Laybolt has been seeing “a bit of local traffic” and a few people from P.E.I. and New Brunswick.
“The people who do come here have been encouraging,” she said. “I’m not right in Mahone Bay so you don’t get that foot traffic you would if you were right in Mahone Bay ... I think it’s going to take probably until next year to be established and people to know where I’m at.”
Laybolt also has a website (https://www.seawitchcollectables. and Facebook page and is working on opening up an online store.
“I suspect the online business will be a boost because I think a lot of people are still afraid to be out and about and are doing online shopping,” she said. Laybolt’s studio shop is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays to Sundays. She has plans to stay open until the first week of December. Sea Witch Collectibles is located at #9383 Highway 3, about two minutes outside of Mahone Bay going towards Lunenburg.