We had the good fortune of connecting with Jj Crum and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi JJ, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“Art pour l’art”, or in English: Art for the sake of art. Whenever I vend an event, I hear a lot of ” wow, I could NEVER learn how to do that!” and while I appreciate the the sentiment behind that statement, the truth is that you CAN. I think there’s this misconception that artists are born talented and we don’t really have to try, and what I have found is that most artists spent their career’s infant days making really, really bad art. A lot of it. But we make it for the sake of making it, and some of it never sees the light of day. There is such beauty in making art just for the sake of more art existing in the world; there can never be enough of it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The road to owning my business was definitely not easy. Apart from being a life-long learner and love of crafts, I started learning this craft while I was working full time. I honestly never intended to make it into a business but the opportunity fell in my lap last year and Coffeepot Crochet was born. It’s still not easy at all! I’m only in year 3 of being a functioning business and I am still hitting walls, roadblocks and learning from my mentors and friends. I left my day job this year to pursue fiber arts full time and that comes with its own unique set of curveballs. But no day is dull and I prefer it that way!

As an openly queer person in a (still) relatively conservative city, I branded myself extra colorfully for a reason. It is an open invitation to just let go a little bit; undo the top couple buttons and venture out of the comfort zone with a hand to hold along the way. Every piece is made with intention and care for any person who would like to give it a home.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
GR is big and full of things to do!

Eat:
Donkey Taqueria – specifically the bruselas tacos!
Max’s South Seas Hideaway – if it’s the winter this is a great place to escape the cold!

Drink:
Eastern Kille – upscale cocktails, laid back environment
Morning Ritual – craft coffee w/ great vibes
Less Traveled – so many delicious gin drinks!

Visit:
The GRAM – a great museum for an afternoon visit
Riverside Park – extra long biking/walking trail along the river; lots of space to set up picnics and hammocks!
LMCU Ballpark – gotta catch a Whitecaps game, of course

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Big props to: my grandmother and mother for showing me the care behind handmade goods, to my chosen family for being my first, best and most enthusiastic customers, and to my partner for unintentionally but willingly signing on for a second part-time job helping me at big events!

Website: https://coffeepotcrochet.square.site

Instagram: @coffeepotcrochet

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