Wife and Husband Duo behind Broken Fog, Lara and Gerry, combine two distinct styles of bold and strong yet soft and organic. The result is meticulously handcrafted wood-burned items including décor, artwork, jewellery and apparel.
When Lara described the craft of wood burning, it brought to mind a cross between a very delicate wood sculptor and a painter. The precision, the study hands, and the artistry behind each piece are a showcase of a practiced and intricate craft. Each piece takes a minimum of 5 to 9 hours, with intricate pieces taking longer.
Recently re-located to Vancouver, both Lara and Gerry met in Halifax where they both went to Art School. Moving across Canada, both Lara and Gerry are immersing themselves in the Vancouver craft culture.
Here’s what Lara and Gerry shared with Modern Mix Vancouver about their brand, their story and the craft:
Tell us about how you named your brand?
The name came from our love of the ocean. While on the east coast, we were overlooking the harbour, and the fog would always roll in. Through the fog, you could always see the bridge, and ships coming through. The opening up of the fog inspired us, and we ultimately settled on “Broken Fog” which means a new beginning to us – the opening up of something new.
Why did you and your husband start Broken Fog as a passion project?
Broken fog is really our creative outlet. It started as a way for us to be creative outside of our 9-5 jobs. So much of our creativity was getting soaked up, and we really wanted to put that energy and passion into something truly ours. We’ve got such similar interests, and it just made sense to collaborate and do this together.
What is the inspiration behind your products?
We are most inspired by the ocean. That may sounds cliché, but anyone who lives on a coast knows what I mean. We’ve always loved tattoos, and nautical coastal style, and that’s really come through in our work. I’m a big fan of fashion and beauty, and have always drawn and painted women. That’s where our lady paintings come from. We also draw inspiration from pop culture and things that make us laugh.
Being new to Vancouver, what do you love most about this city?
Vancouver has such a large artisan community, and that’s something we really love. It’s also very entrepreneurial, and there are a lot of opportunities to connect with others and collaborate and grow your business. We also love the active lifestyle. The landscape is so lush and vibrant, it’s so great to be able to walk through the park, along the water, or through the woods.
Describe wood burning and the process? And why it makes your products so unique?
Wood burning, or Pyrography refers to decorating wood and other materials by burning into them, creating marks. Marks are made using a heated object, in our case, a Razertip Dual Burner. We use different shaped tips to create different lines. We follow the lines of a drawing we’ve transferred onto wood to create the burned impression. It’s an intricate process that takes a lot of time, and precision.
Words to live by?
Don’t be afraid of failure. Follow your passion, work hard, and always be kind.
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Visit Broken Fog online to find their latest wood burning creations. Broken Fog will be at the Make It! Show from December 3rd – December 6th, 2015.
By: Audrey Joy Kwan, MMV Contributor
