Business Profile:

Firesign Art & Design Studio and B & B

by Tanya Storr

Operating a bed and breakfast alongside an art studio is a perfect fit for Nanci Cook and Tracy Tomlinson. The business allows the couple to host visitors from all over the world while creating and sharing unique works of art.

“This whole place is about the creative process,” said Nanci, as we sat on their sunny breakfast deck on a recent Sunday afternoon. “This is a safe place to learn, play, and explore.”

Nanci and Tracy officially opened Firesign Art & Design Studio and B & B on June 1, 2005. They hosted guests prior to their opening date, however, due to demand.

“We got some calls and we had the beds and linens, so we said ‘Ok’!” recalled Nanci.

Looking back on their opening, Tracy grinned as he told me what a hectic time it was. Guests were arriving as they were putting on the finishing touches on a major house renovation for the B & B.

“We were still installing light switch covers as the guests showed up,” he remembered.

Thankfully, the renovation is now complete and Nanci and Tracy can concentrate on hosting their guests. Nanci is self-employed full time with the B & B, studio, and graphic design work. Tracy combines the B & B work with his job on the Quadra ferry.

The combination of their individual skills and talents makes them well suited to their home-based business. Nanci has a B.A. in Arts & Crafts and their History, as well as a Diploma in Tourism & Hospitality. She worked as a potter for 20 years before changing media to painting due to tendonitis in her wrists.

Tracy has 16 years experience working with the public on the Powell River Queen. He is a certified mechanic, marine engineer, and all-around Mr. Fix-it, with many creative interests including 3D photography and sculpture. Tracy plans to retire from BC Ferries in a couple of years to work on the B & B and creative pursuits full time.

Nanci and Tracy decided to convert the lower floor of their house on Smiths Road into a B & B after their kids left home.

“The house was too big for just the two of us, and this type of business seemed like a natural fit for our skills,” Nanci said.

Nanci applied for self-employment funding from Community Futures. A recent Employment Insurance (EI) recipient, she submitted a business plan and was awarded funding to assist with the first year of business.

When entering the B & B, the first thing you notice is Tracy’s innovative mosaic tile work in the hallway. Featuring a crab motif and subtle colours reminiscent of a sandy shore, the tile work extends the full length of the hall.

“Originally, I had planned to tile a smaller area at the entranceway, but it kept growing. Having a nice entrance gives guests a bit of that wow factor when they first arrive,” said Tracy.

The B & B’s three bedrooms and guest dining/living area are all located at ground level, making them wheelchair accessible and cool in the summer. The master bedroom has an en suite bathroom, and the other two bedrooms (one with queen and one with twin beds) share a bathroom with tub and shower.

Each bedroom has a unique colour scheme and features Nanci’s paintings or Tracy’s photos of local island scenes. Charts of the area hang in the hallway. Everything has a bright new feel.

Breakfasts are served on the upstairs deck, or in the guest dining/living area during inclement weather. Nanci applies her creative talents to the breakfast menus, and caters to guests’ tastes and dietary needs.

Breakfast items include Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, maple breakfast sausage, melon and fresh fruit, blueberry bread pudding, and eggs benedict with ham, Asiago cheese, and artichoke sauce.

Reading through the B & B’s guestbooks, I noticed several visitors remarked on the tasty food and enjoyable conversation at breakfast time.

“Our hosts could not have treated us better and breakfast was awesome,” wrote one visitor.

Tourists from Germany commented that although they planned to only stay two nights, “Quadra Island is so wonderful we stayed two extra days.”

One comment summed up the perfect vacation: “Great recharge. Ahhhhhhh . . .”

While enjoying the peaceful setting amongst the trees, guests are invited to browse the studio, featuring vibrant paintings and cards by Nanci and innovative 3D computer art by Tracy. Visitors can also view Nanci’s paintings in the dining room and lounge at the Heriot Bay Inn.

As well as running the B & B, Nanci and Tracy are hosting a series of workshops taught by BC artists. Ranging in length from a weekend to five days, the workshops focus on exploring a particular medium. The first workshop, ‘Slow Painting’ by Cortes Island artist Kristen Scholfield-Sweet, took place in June and was a great success.

“We schedule the workshops in the spring and fall to extend the season. We’re very much into lifelong learning and sharing the fun of art,” Nanci said.

Workshop participants stay at Firesign B & B or at Quadra Island Harbour House. Breakfasts and a light supper at the opening reception are included. There is a reduced fee for those who do not require accommodation. Class sizes of 6-7 people ensure lots of hands-on learning.

Nanci is excited about the line-up of workshops for this fall. Dianne Bersea from Cortes (watercolour paint, pencil, watercolour crayon) will be at Firesign on September 26-29, Bill Adams from Victoria (en plein aire using water soluble oils) is coming October 3-7, and Jeanne Krabbendam from Vancouver (acrylics and mixed media) will be here October 17-21.

Nanci would love to talk to local artists with workshop ideas. She is also hoping to offer regular figure drawing sessions at the studio this winter, and is looking for models and artists who would like to participate.

Future plans for the B & B include continuing to offer workshops, finishing work on two campsites on the 10-acre property to increase guest options, and expanding the studio.

“We’d like to see the place become a cultural hub. Our first summer has been busy and we’re enjoying interacting with people from around the globe,” said Tracy.

For more information about Firesign Art & Design Studio and B & B, visit www.firesignartanddesign.com or call 285-3390.