A collision of worlds

Some want it all. Sharilyn Kuehnel and Alana Neufeld do and aren’t afraid to go for it.

Unabashed, they started their business, Heirloom Bohemia, in December. Yes, in the middle of COVID.

These two are fearless, beginning a business and partnership when so many are failing. They are so in sync they often finish each other’s sentences.

“We believe in having fewer, but better things and creating heirlooms for tomorrow,” Sharilyn said.

“We want to be shaping our business to suit us as moms and artists,” Alana added.

Dynamic is the adjective to describe these two very different artists.

Sharilyn grew up in Peachland, a real art kid from day one. She took every art class she could. Sharilyn couldn’t get enough, and her grandmother, a painter, fostered her love of art.

After high school, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Okanagan University College in installation sculpture, a 3-D sculpture designed to change the perception of a space.

“It was art you could interact with,” she explained.

After graduation, she moved to Vancouver and worked in art supplies. During these 16 years, she learned to knit, work with textiles, and grow plants.

Her love of natural fibres and dying fibres led her to create her first dye garden, which was filled with plants and flowers used to dye wool and other fibres. Who knew hollyhocks, marigolds, and black-eyed Susans could be so useful?

Her love of nature and the Okanagan sun spurred her move with her husband, two kids, a dog, and a cat to Kelowna.

“It was a labour of love, an interconnection with my heart and plants.”

Alana was born in Winnipeg, but moved to Adams Lake, B.C. when she was three.

“It was the perfect place to grow up,” she said.

Her parents weren’t artists, but realized that Alana had a love for art, and was very creative. She sold her first painting, a watercolour and metallic pen creation, when she was nine years old.

At 11, her family moved back to Winnipeg. Although it was the polar opposite of the green, natural living of B.C., she found city life stimulating, and loved the opportunities, supplies, vibrant music, and arts scene this larger city gave her.

In high school, she would hold art gatherings in her old historic house. Her free spirit was given a space to grow. The third floor was all hers to make art with her friends.

After high school, she returned to B.C. and attended Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. She freely admits she was an art school drop-out.

“I felt like I had painted myself into a box.”

In 2011, she moved to Calgary to make jewelry and explore the world of crystals.

Life happened on the way, she became pregnant and moved back to B.C.

Coinciding with the birth of her daughter in 2014, a love of things woven began. She discovered woven fibre arts, learning from on-line classes to trial and error. Alana’s clean, classic, but with a twist style, began to evolve.

“I love the connection fibre arts has with women from ancient times to today.”

Many techniques and types of fibres have been around for hundreds of years.

It was a cold day in January when Sharilyn, an employee at Opus Art Supplies, noticed Alana with toddlers in tow.

“There’s another mom,” she thought. “I must talk to her.”

They couldn’t stop talking from the moment they met.

They soon realized their two worlds had collided with so many shared ideals. When Alana started working at Opus, they began to share their dreams of starting a business.

Although they like different fibre arts — Sharilyn loves linens, sewing, designing clothes and growing dye gardens while Alana loves weaving and painting — they share the same core values.

They are passionate about the sustainability of their creations, their eco-approach to live intentionally in small places and to use the highest quality possible in all their products.

They felt it was possible to be mothers, artists, and businesswomen all at the same time. It was crucial that their business together would have no overhead, no debt, and would allow them time for their respective families.

Heirloom Bohemia, an on-line store, was born. They bring their own specialties to this store —50% of the products sold are made by them, 25% from other local artists, and 25% are linen and tools sourced from around the world.

They have created a store of products they love and know will be treasured for years to come.

Thanks to technology, they have clients from around the world who also love their products.

Me? I love their line of screen-printed knitting bags.

The electricity these two generated sitting across from me was addicting. Their excitement made me feel anything was possible. What vision and guts they have for putting their beliefs into action.

This chance encounter of two artists has created a force that can have it all – created art, friendship, business, and family.

Thanks, Alana and Sharilyn, for making life and work balance look so easy!

Please have a look at their store, www.heirloombohemia.com or on Instagram: heirloom_bohemia.

Christmas is just around the corner.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.