8 minute read
Loving Local
Artwork by Bara
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Tuesday - Friday 11am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 3pm
Imagine That! Artisans’ Designs
Loving Local!
Rose Wagner welcomes you to drop by her gift shop in downtown Duncan - Little Bird.
It wasn’t the plan to open a gift shop with the idea of becoming a hub of sorts for local artists and artisans, but the events over the last couple of years have seen this become the case at my store Little Bird. Customers regularly ask where we find all our cool things that they haven’t seen before?
Having a business based on high quality greeting cards and gift giving, it is only natural that local artists gravitate to us. People who create to sustain themselves, financially and personally frequently need somewhere to sell their work where the customer - the appreciator, can come, see in person, touch if necessary and make a connection with the creator.
The beauty of this connection is that the customer’s dollars stay hyper local in the Cowichan Valley and surrounding areas.
Since opening the store in late 2017, we’ve gone from carrying the work of just a couple to at least 30 local artisans or more. I’d estimate a full half of our suppliers are now small, local independent makers. I find this astounding, and really gratifying!
In my experience, independent artists are best to deal with as they’re easy to connect with, able to drop by quickly with a selection of their great designs and creations to pick from, are flexible and cheerful. They have less of a footprint on the earth and can get paid what they ask for as there’s little downward pressure on them to try and compete with big box stores or the monolith Amazon.
The variety of local artisans we work with includes paper artists, photographers, fine graphic designers, oil, ink and watercolour painters, fabric artists including felters, weavers and dyers, potters, jewellers, up-cyclers, and more!
Since the arrival of the pandemic, even more artists have found their way to our shop. Normally their venues in which to sell are organized studio tours and craft fairs but suddenly those avenues closed to them, due to safety regulations. We’ve held several pop up shows in our new gallery featuring local artisans who’ve loved having the space to show and sell their art and crafts in person, and not just online.
So my message is very simple - support local and everyone wins! Fall in Love with our Valentine’s cards, stickers, chocolates & gifts!
www.theainslie.ca
161 Kenneth St., Duncan 250-597-3695
Little Bird Gift Shop & Gallery 163 + 165 Station Street Downtown Duncan
The Heart: Pulsing Through Millenia
Denise D’Fantis Cowichan Valley Acupuncture
The heart, that powerful muscle nestled safely within the depths of the upper thoracic cavity, has been the topic of intellectual contemplation by philosophers and medical practitioners for centuries.
In ancient Egypt, the human heart was considered to be the centre of emotion and intelligence. Indeed it was solely the heart that remained in mummified corpses, while all other internal organs considered to be less important were discarded. Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle considered the heart to be the seat of consciousness. He believed that the brain, by contrast, only served as a sort of radiator whose function was to “cool the passions of the heart”. He explained the human brain’s large size to be the result of the innate human requirement to have large brains in order to cool down their warm hearts.
Physician, writer and philosopher A.D. Galen, a famous doctor during the Roman Empire whose theories dominated European medicine for 1,500 years, reaffirmed common ideas about the heart as the source of the body’s innate heat and also as the organ most closely related to the soul.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), an ancient system of medicine rooted in medical theories stemming back over 3,000 years ago, described the heart as the root of life, the seat of ‘shen’ (or spirit), the master of blood, and the commander of the vessels. The heart was considered to be the seat of the emotions and the residence of consciousness. Considered to be such a central and essential organ, the heart, according to TCM was thought to be the “emperor” of all human organs, and was responsible for helping people find their way in the world.
Modern western medicine illustrates through medical technologies that the heart, an 8-12 ounce muscular organ, pumps blood throughout the body via the cardiovascular system, providing oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and removes waste products such as carbon dioxide.
Beating approximately 100,000 times per day (for adults), the heart is a busy organ, pumping approximately 6,000-7,500 litres of blood throughout the body every day.
While the heart’s role in human physiology has been discussed and debated for centuries, it was the ancient Greeks during the 7th century BC who connected the heart with love. The poet Sappho wrote passionate poems encompassing the heart and its seeming relationship with love: “Love shook my heart, like the wind on the mountain, troubling the oak-trees.”
The ancient Romans blamed Venus, the Goddess of Love, for setting hearts on fire with the aid of her son Cupid, whose darts aimed at the human heart were always overpowering. The Romans also asserted that the vein they called the “Vena Amoris” which extended from the fourth finger on the left hand directly connected to the heart. Despite this incorrect anatomical assumption, the idea persisted throughout history, and during church ceremonies in medieval England, the groom was instructed to place a ring on his bride’s fourth finger because of that vein. This marital tradition continues today in many cultures.
The heart will undoubtedly continue to receive much attention from contemporary medical researchers as science is always evolving and making new discoveries.
Similarly, the heart, as both a physical and metaphorical phenomena will surely enjoy deep contemplation by modern day thinkers for years to come. It is the heart, according to some philosophers, that possesses the most profound and mystical sentiments of all human organs.
According to contemporary artist and musician Carlos Santana, “The most valuable possession you can own is an open heart. The most powerful weapon you can be is an instrument of peace.”
Cowichan Valley Acupuncture 170 Craig Street, Downtown Duncan 250 715-5649
No Travel & No Tan = Excellent Time For Laser Treatments
Dr. Lyn Pascoe Viva Medical Aesthetics
How do I know what type of laser treatment I need?
There is always a silver lining. We are all living under some restrictions for now, but for those of you wanting to improve rosacea, brown pigment, unwanted hair, or facial texture, NOW is the perfect time to do laser treatments. Below you will find Dr. Pascoe’s answers to some frequently asked questions about laser treatment.
What does laser treat?
Most commonly, either laser or Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology is used in the winter to treat rosacea, facial and leg veins, pigment, and unwanted hair. A thorough skin assessment by a physician is recommended prior to treatment in order to diagnose your skin type and particular issue. Melasma, which is a condition that causes areas of deep pigment, needs to be identified accurately as treatments with IPL will actually make this type of pigmentation worse. There are other options for treating melasma including treatment with a true laser in combination with lightening creams, glycolic peels, retin, and vitamin C.
How many treatments will I need and how often?
Why are laser treatments done in the winter?
Laser and IPL do not differentiate between your tan and your brown spots caused by sun damage. As a result, if you have a tan, that colour will also be removed. You will be left with a white spot which is not desirable. At Viva Medical Aesthetics, we insist on the use of a Zinc containing sunblock for at least one month prior to laser treatments in order to prevent this complication.
For the treatment of pigment and rosacea, usually 3 treatments done every 4 weeks are necessary to begin, and then most people will do a maintenance treatment yearly. For laser hair reduction, most people achieve satisfactory results with 5 treatments spaced every 4 - 6 weeks, however some need less and some more.
What does a treatment feel like?
Most people say treatments are very manageable and feel like a hot rubber band being released.
What can I expect after a treatment?
With facial treatments for browns and reds, there may be some swelling for 2 - 4 days. This is managed with ice and the use of a non-drowsy antihistamine. Swelling does not always occur but should be planned for. The brown pigment will turn darker and gradually flake off in 7 - 10 days.
Is laser treatment my best option?
This depends on your type of skin and what you are hoping to achieve. A consultation with a medical aesthetic physician is the best way to have your options discussed and a treatment plan laid out specifically for you.
So, here’s to a great 2021! We are fortunate at Viva Medical Aesthetics to be still open as this is the perfect year for laser treatments.
Viva Medical Aesthetics #4-177 Fourth Street Downtown Duncan 250 746-6512
