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the quality of creative engagement in the Okanagan through publications and events.
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The Right to Renovate
TOOLS, TRENDS AND TECHNIQUES
» Thursday 6 March 2008 | 4:30 pm
» BeanScene North, 1289 Ellis Street
An informal afternoon hour showcasing the people and ideas featured in Okanagan Home. Join us as writers Sandra Kochan, Dona Sturmanis and Karin Wilson share their reno woes and wonders, and offer up some perspective on what motivates women today to take on projects.
» This is a free event. Refreshments will be available at a modest cost.
» Seating is limited, please reserve yours HERE
Sponsored by the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan, Wood Lake Books, UBCO-FCCS, and in support of Project Literacy Kelowna
Tool Talk Reveals Reno Trends
Women have become key players in the housing market. They're taking on home ownership and doing more than just hanging pictures - they're renovating.
This week Okanagan Institute undertakes a bit of tool-talk 4:30 p.m. March 6 when three local women reveal their hidden passion for renovation with The Right to Renovate: Tools, Trends and Techniques held at Bean Scene North in Kelowna.
Writers Sandra Kochan, Dona Sturmanis and Karin Wilson have all taken power drills into their own hands. They'll share their tales of reno woes and wonders, and offer up some perspective on what motivates women today to take on projects.
"I remember my single mother teaching me how to splice an electrical cord and re-wire with a new plug," says Wilson. "She told me I would need to know those kinds of things, and she was right."
There was a time not too many generations ago that single women couldn't own a home without a father co-signing the mortgage. Today, those figures have changed dramatically. In a recent Royal LePage survey, 30 per cent of single, never-before married women own their own home, while 45 per cent of divorced or separated women and 64 per cent of widowed women are homeowners.
When asked what they plan to do with their new home, 25 per cent of women say want a fixer-upper and plan to do the work themselves.
That puts tools directly into the hands of women, and even manufacturers are starting to take notice with some companies like Barbara K coming out with special lines that offer a variety of tools for the more petite hand. Call it small but vital.
'I'm not keen on pink tools,' quips Kochan, 'but smaller and lighter circular and reciprocating saws, for example, with good power would be a great idea. Until then, more upper body workouts!'
Sandra Kochan has been writing about food, wine, travel and culture since 1989 for publications ranging from British Columbia Wine Trails to Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest. She's currently the coordinator for Kelowna's Public Art Program and has been assisting with the development of the city's new 10 year master plan for recreation, parks and cultural services.
Dona Sturmanis is the senior editor of Okanagan Home and Saskatoon Home magazines, and an avid Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiast who has visited houses he has designed across North America. A well-known Okanagan writer and instructor who has written thousands of articles, her diverse interests have led her to become a passionate follower of all things artistic - right down to the eclectic choice of paint on her walls.
Karin Wilson is the associate director of Okanagan Institute, and a local writer and broadcaster. A true novice when it comes to home design, she lets instinct and a personal adoration for European and Asian influences dictate her palette.
The Right to Renovate: Tools, Trends and Techniques is a free event, and takes place at BeanScene North. It's presented by the Okanagan Institute in association with Wheat King Publishing.
Express is sponsored by the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan, Wood Lake Books, UBCO Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, and supports the work of Project Literacy Kelowna.
Okanagan Insitute at BeanScene North A hearty feast of lectures, presentations, workshops and showcases celebrating our culture and community. Produced by the Okanagan institute in association with Wheat King Publishing magazines: Okanagan Arts and Okanagan Home.
Expresss is a cultural tonic that refreshes the mind. Join us at BeanScene North after work on Thursdays for a free hour of stimulation that will get your synapses tingling with new ideas and fresh images. Designed for inquiring minds looking for, among other things, the wild blue yonder.
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