The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
A good decision
Wood artist moves to the Shore Shore, looks to share his creations
Leave it to an artist to find potential for the extraordinary in an ordinary place.
David Stepan was a successful furniture designer and maker living in the scenic Niagara region of Ontario when he and his wife, Jody Salahub, decided to make a dramatic change in their structured lives.
“I was at the point in my career where I just wanted to do art again, not run a furniture business,” said Stepan, who earned a fine arts degree at the University of Calgary, dabbled in jewellery design for a while, was an executive with a boutique furniture company, then designed and produced his own unique furniture.
“We decided to sell our property in Ontario and move to either the West Coast or Nova Scotia. One of our daughters went to Dalhousie University, then found a job in Halifax, so when we visited her, we toured the province and found it beautiful. We already knew Nova Scotians were friendly people,” said Stepan.
Stepan and Salahub started searching the internet for properties, found a derelict former feed store in Kempt, near Kejimkujik National Park, and asked their daughter to drive there to check out the 3,500-square-foot building and send them a video of her walkthrough experience.
“We knew the former feed store was in really rough shape, but our idea was to have a gallery space, working area, and living accommodations. The property was large enough for those needs,” said Stepan.
It was apparent the structure suffered from what is known as “demolition through neglect,” a property left exposed to the elements over an extended period of time, causing significant damage and decay.
“The roof had holes in it, so rain water and snow had leaked through the ceilings and onto the floors, which then sagged. It became clear to us that transforming the space would be a mountain of work. We were committed to doing that but realized it wouldn’t happen as quickly as we would have liked,” said Stepan.
The structure’s woeful condition was reflected in the property’s asking price, so Stepan and Salahub took a leap of faith and purchased the property in the spring of 2017. By June, they were living in their new home.
“We ended up buying the building across the street as well. It’s a much smaller space, 600 square feet, so we are going to turn that into a gallery/store, hopefully by summer. The restoration of that building will be a much more manageable project,” said Stepan.
Included in some of Stepan’s pieces are unique charcuterie boards inlaid with hemlock salvaged from deadfall at the site of the 2016 Seven Mile Lake fire, a blaze that ravaged the Medway Community Forest.
“A forest staff member took people through the burn site, showed us where the fire started, told us about the efforts to put it out, and explained how the forest would regenerate,” said Stepan.
“Because I was already inlaying charcuterie boards, I thought I could use some of the deadfall hemlock as inlay material, complete with burn marks. The idea resonated with people, and inspired me,” he added.
The background wood species Stepan uses for his boards include curly maple, bird’s eye maple, oak from Lunenburg, ash from Weymouth and cherry from Stewiacke.
He also obtains deadfall species such as cigar tree and linden from the Halifax Public Gardens.
“Following hurricane Dorian I contacted Halifax Public
Gardens horticulturalist and supervisor Heidi Boutilier, who said she had piles of deadfall. I drove down and filled my truck bed with cherry, pine and maple branches. I gave the wood a second life as inlays in my creations,” said Stepan.
Most of the wood Stepan uses has a story of its own. Some folks say the wood they give him has been in their families for generations, while others say their wood came from a Meteghan sawmill or an exotic location.
Stepan also crafts unique copper cheese tools, vessels and other interesting objects from salvaged sheets of electrical busbar copper used in the power room of industrial plants. Because it was used for electrical transmission, the copper is pure, not an alloy.
“I cut up the raw copper and put the pieces in a cement mixer with gravel for a couple days, and that tumbles them clean, like sandblasting. To fashion the cheese tools, I use a 150-pound anvil, various ballpeen hammers, and a sledgehammer,” said Stepan.
The move to Kempt has been a happy experience for Stepan and Salahub.
“The neighbours have been friendly and so generous. They are quick to offer assistance, even helping us move heavy furniture. Where we lived in Ontario, neighbours seem to keep to themselves,” said Stepan.
“I had heard that people from away are looked down upon. I don’t get that here at all. I get the feeling, especially in the Kempt/ Caledonia area, that newcomers are welcomed,” he added.
Stepan said when the store is up and running, he and Jody intend to find time to become more involved in their community, perhaps teach classes, and collaborate with other artists, crafters and makers.
“There’s a wealth of knowledge here — from quilt makers, to stained glass artists, to people who know what wild mushrooms are safe. We’d love to share the Nova Scotia experience with them,” said Stepan.
The talented artist said when he attends trade shows to showcase his work, he meets many B.C., Alberta and Ontario residents who tell him they are in the process of moving to Nova Scotia.
“My message to people contemplating a move here would be that the energy is positive for new business ventures, and the people, food and music are wonderful,” he added.
Stepan’s art is on display and for sale in galleries and retailers across North America. Two of his biggest clients are Wild Elements in Lunenburg, and the celebrated Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto.
For more information on David Stepan and his art, visit www.davidstepan.com.