Artisans Cornerstone Collective

In the heart of the local arts scene, Artisans Cornerstone Collective is redefining what it means to create, collaborate, and connect. The collective is a thoughtfully curated community of artists, each bringing their own discipline, story, and vision into a unified creative space that celebrates craftsmanship and meaningful expression.

Designed to foster both artistic excellence and genuine connection, Artisans Cornerstone Collective brings together local makers working across pottery, silversmithing, photography, mixed media, fine art, and custom framing. Within its walls, creativity is encouraged and cultivated. The collective offers artists the opportunity to create, exhibit, and collaborate while inviting the community into an environment where art is experienced as both process and story.

At the foundation of the collective is founder Heather Millan, a multidisciplinary artist whose work bridges tradition and experimentation. With over a decade of experience in pottery and mixed media, Heather’s creative practice is rooted in wheel-thrown ceramics, hand-built forms, silversmithing, and watercolor exploration. Her journey with clay began in 2010 and has evolved through years of study, teaching, and professional leadership within the arts community.

Since 2018, Heather has shared her knowledge as a pottery instructor, mentoring artists at every stage of their creative paths. Her experience as the former owner of Upper Level Pottery and Art Gallery, Underground Gallery, and Gifts has shaped her vision for a space that balances artistic integrity with sustainable creative enterprise. In 2025, she expanded her practice through formal silversmithing studies at Red Deer College, further enriching the material language of her work. In January 2026, Heather brought her vision to life with the founding of Artisans Cornerstone Collective. This space is intentionally designed to elevate both artists and the community.

Within the collective, photographer and mixed media artist Tracey Garvey offers a dynamic exploration of image and texture. Originally from Cambridge, Ontario and now based in Vermilion, Garvey’s artistic foundation lies in professional photography, refined through formal training at Conestoga College. After relocating to Alberta, she expanded her practice into mixed media, blending photography with poured acrylics, watercolours, inks, encaustics, and layered materials.

Her work often incorporates recycled elements such as book pages, sheet music, fabrics, and found objects. Garvey enjoys transforming everyday materials into richly textured compositions. Since 2016, Tracey has embraced abstraction as a means of emotional and visual expression, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and rhythms of the natural world. Her pieces invite viewers to look beyond surface imagery and into the interplay of memory, movement, and material.

Cindy Hines brings a deeply personal and heritage-driven perspective to the collective through her custom framing and design work. A wife, mother of four, and proud Nana, Hine’s creative philosophy is shaped by family, tradition, and the passage of time. Together with her husband Brad, she is part of a multi-generational farming family, an experience that has instilled in her a profound appreciation for resilience, storytelling, and the preservation of meaningful moments.

What began as a personal passion for crafting and scrapbook-style displays evolved into Picture This & That Custom Framing. Today, Hines creates bespoke framing and shadow box designs that honour life’s milestones, heirlooms, and artistic works. Her approach is both technical and emotional, transforming memories into curated visual narratives. Through her work, she not only frames art but safeguards our stories.

Mixed media and glass artist Joan Blamire adds a powerful narrative of resilience and fearless creativity to the collective. Born and raised in Calgary and now based in Vermilion, Blamire began her artistic journey over 30 years ago under the mentorship of a stained glass artist in Mannville, Alberta. Her early work in copper foil and three-dimensional glass evolved into an expansive mixed media practice.

Blamire has pursued ongoing artistic education through SAIT and Red Deer College, continually refining her voice and technique. After losing her home and studio in a fire nine years ago, she rebuilt both her physical space and her creative identity. Her work is guided by a philosophy of fearless expression and an invitation to embrace vulnerability, experimentation, and renewal. Through her art, Blamire offers not only visual beauty but also a testament to the transformative power of creativity.

Together, the artists of Artisans Cornerstone Collective form a carefully curated ecosystem of talent, experience, and perspective. Each artist contributes a distinct medium and story, yet all are united by a shared commitment to craftsmanship, authenticity, and community.

As the collective continues to grow, it stands as an evolving space where local artistry is elevated, collaboration is intentional, and creativity is experienced not as an isolated act, but as a collective force. For the community, Artisans Cornerstone Collective offers a place where stories are preserved, voices are amplified, and creativity finds a home.