![nelson](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/2601697493_3a42acfa6e_o.jpg)
Running a small business from a relatively remote location has its challenges. We live and work just outside of Nelson - a lakeside community of about 10,000 people in a pretty, mountain setting in south east BC known as the West Kootenay. Nelson attracts a creative crowd - drawn here by the supportive arts community and the peaceful lifestyle. We love living here. We love the long hot summers and the deep powder skiing in the winter.
I know there must be loads of other artists out there who also live in a remote area - and we all face the same challenge - how to do business in the big world while being inspired in our small world.
One of the interesting things that comes from being isolated from major retailers and mainstream consumerism is the opportunity to develop as an artist/designer uninfluenced by current trends that may be sweeping through a city neighbouhood.
This week I am hoping to give you a sneak peek into our small world. I am going to start with some snapshots of life in our bustling little town and then, through the rest of the week, I am going to give you a glimpse of the people and places that inspire me everyday in my neck of the woods!
Nelson is built on a hill - with a lake at the bottom of the hill. It's an old silver mining town with loads of Victorian style houses. The population is quite young here with lots of young couples leaving the city and taking up a new life in the country - there is good creative energy here.
The next few images are snapshots of street life in Nelson with a bit of window shopping thrown in.
![Nelson7](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/2602530892_5d65d76233_o.jpg)
![monkey](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/2601697479_66cf601a2b_o.jpg)
After I took this monkey's portrait I rescued him and took him home.
![nelson1](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3048/2601697489_d54341aefa_o.jpg)
![nelson4](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/2601697501_a10b5173dd_o.jpg)
I took this picture in a back alley - the red chandeliers looked amazing in the dimly lit salon with the blue wall paper, which apparently is original, not a modern addition - love this space. The Oxygen Art Centre is a multi-disciplinary arts center hosting theatre, art exhibits, events, lectures and workshops.
Below, everyone is fairly crafty in Nelson and we are lucky enough to have some great support from places like Abacus Beads. I love visiting Erin's store and chatting with other artists and browsing through her amazing selection of beads.
![nelson5](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2601697505_848367d667_o.jpg)
I was thinking about where I live and wondering and what I would like to show the Poppytalk readers. A lot of pretty hi-profile magazine articles have been written about Nelson and it always surprises me because it's in the middle of nowhere and we all just go about our daily routine here as you do in your home town. According to publications like The New York TImes, Esquire, and GQ, Nelson is famous for any or all of the following: being the pretty little location for an old Steve Martin movie, (Roxanne), being a favourite haunt for powder skiing celebs (not that I have ever seen any) and let's not forget our biggest claim to fame our population of authentic, peace lovin', draft dodging, goat cheese making hippies to whom we may owe our reputation for being one of the most laid back, colourful and craftiest little towns in Canada.
So, now that you have some insight into our little town, for the rest of the week I am going to take you to a few of my favourite places to meet some very talented people. See you tomorrow.
![nelson8](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3274/2602530878_41d0fd243e_o.jpg)
Special Guest Post by Fiona Richards, Cartolina Cards
18 comments:
Fiona - more, more, more! Do I really have to wait 24 hours to see/read more?? Your photos are beautiful!
Lovely little town! Looking forward to seeing more this week!
Thank you for a glimpse of life in your neck of the woods Fiona. That picture of the red chandeliers against the blue wall paper is awesome — Love, love, love it! Can't wait to read and see some more!
It looks positively enticing! I wish I was there right now. Thanks for sharing with us your neighbourhood!
I love this! I have wanted to visit Nelson for a long time - I live not too far away, in Kelowna, but haven't had a car until recently - and after reading this post I want to go even more! I just may be taking a little trip over there very soon :)
Okay, prepare your guest room. I'm on my way. ;)
Your photos are colorful and fantastic. Wish I was there.
Oh yay! Nelson town is my favourite. See you in August!!
Good grief - I had no idea that Nelson was going to be so popular!
You really need to rent "Roxanne" and watch it tonight - its a funny movie and it's all filmed in Nelson.
Thanks for your comments :-)
Fiona
Hi Fiona - What a beautiful, inspiring place to live. Lucky you!
Fantastic. I live in Nelson and I can't wait to see what Fiona has in store for us tomorrow.
Love the photos.
OK, I now have full-blown town envy!!! Thanks for sharing Fiona. I love your creative and colorful images.
Oh, I am so envy of that great bead shop!
I live in a huge cuty, but we dont have too much nice bead shops!
Nelson looks like a calm, but inspiring environment :-)
Judit, living in Budapest/Hungary
Your town looks wonderful- I love how you call it small, LOL, it's three times the size of my small town!! Though, we do boast a McDonalds...
It looks so idyllic. I wanna vacation!!
Such a lovely post. Nelson looks like such a wonderfull little town. Looking forward to seeing more.
love all of the photos! it's making me want to pack up and move out of the city!
hooray! I will be in Nelson on Wednesday and I can't wait to see all the fun summerness there.
Looks like a wonderful place :) The pic of that bead shop is making me drool!
I fell in love with Nelson years ago and never knew it. I LOVED Roxanne when I was a kid. Thank you for bringing back memories and adding another destination to the growing list.
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