Stories Across Generations is a collaborative art project that fosters connections and creative exchanges between generations, cultures, and communities. This initiative pairs five local artists with five newcomers, alongside five newcomer artists working with five local elders from the Indigenous, Black, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Through this project, the artists will create a multifaceted collation of artworks based on the unique stories and perspectives of their partners. 

The culmination of this cross-generational and cross-cultural collaboration will be presented in two special showcases at the deCoste Culture Hub on September 27, from 1-4 pm and October 8 from 5-8pm at Glasgow Square Theatre. These events will celebrate the power of storytelling and artistic expression, highlighting the rich diversity and creativity of the participating artists while fostering mutual understanding and respect across communities. Join us for an inspiring afternoon of art, culture, and connection!

This project is funded by the Artists in Communities grant through Arts NS.

This project is presented in partnership with the Pictou County Partnership.

Local Artists

Carolyn Bedford paired with Analu Caldas from Brasil

Medium: Drawing and painting

Carolyn has exhibited in various group shows in Nova Scotia and had many solo shows of paintings which have seen reviews and now, exhibits her sculpture work. She does her own bronze work and has a small foundry to produce the pieces and also fires her own clay work.
She also does some photography, having run her own wet lab, and writes stories and poetry often in collaboration of her exhibit titles. Carolyn was apprenticed in bronze and believes strongly in hands on throughout the process of any medium. For over 50 years, Carolyn has also worked in the advancement of the arts, working on the provincial board, operating a Co-op gallery, organizing a symposium, giving presentations, teaching and keeping her interest in local art events.

Marissa Rosaleen paired with the Nair family from India

Medium: Photography

Marissa is a seasoned photographer with over a decade of experience shooting with DSLR cameras. Her passion for photography shines through in her work, especially in capturing the vibrant essence of our coastal community. Marissa’s portfolio includes photography for local makers, artists, creators, businesses, and organisations. With extensive experience covering diverse events and festivals, she brings a wealth of practical knowledge and a keen eye for detail to her teaching.

Emma Kvetna paired with Oksana Sichkar from Ukraine 

Medium: Writer/music

Emma Května is a Canadian writer and poet with UK and Czech roots, currently living in Nova Scotia on the ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Her poetry and essays have appeared or are forthcoming in SAD Magazine, Filling Station, Planisphere Quarterly, Bell Press’s anthology Framework of the Human Body and FAYD Digital. Emma’s novella Her Sister’s Ghost was self-published in July 2023. She has run writing retreats, taught writing workshops, and edited other people’s creative work. Emma is also a songwriter and musician under the stage name “Toon.” She plays piano, guitar, sings, and has begun learning music production in her home studio. In 2021, Emma started writing her own songs and is currently working on an album. She has a love for music across many different genres, but primarily writes songs in the genres of indie alternative, indie pop and electronica.

Myla Borden paired with Marie Josée Nirere and Eraste Hategekiman from Rwanda

Medium: Quilter

In the early 1990’s Myla Borden turned to quiltmaking when she was unable to find employment after earning her teaching degree. In 2007 Borden co-founded the Vale Quilters Association- the only Black quilters society in Nova Scotia. In 2007 she also began collaborating with Dartmouth NS artist David Woods using his drawings as designs for her quilts. Her works have been exhibited at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Atlantic Textile Festival and the Textile Museum of Canada.

Shirley Joyce pairing Ana Alvarez from Cuba

Medium: Rug hooker

Shirley Joyce was born and raised in Pictou County. 

After living all over Canada and several international places, she has learned that crafts bring people together. Shirley began working in textiles at the age of nine when her grandmother taught her how to knit and crochet. In adulthood, she began teaching others and moved on to alterations and sewing. After an accident left her unable to sew for a long time, and having learned all she could in knitting and crochet, she turned to rug hooking. 

In June 2022 she became a certified rug hooking instructor. Although she may teach others, she herself will never stop learning all there is to learn about rug hooking.  She teaches Intro to Rug Hooking at All About Ewe in Westville as well as online for the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia. She is currently the Vice President of the Teachers Branch for the Guild. 

Newcomer Artists

Marcos Silveira from Brasil paired with John Carter

Medium: Illustration 

From a very young age, I’ve felt a deep curiosity and quiet fascination with the visual arts. Although my professional path led me elsewhere — into advertising and copywriting, with a long career in agencies and over 15 years at a major media group — my connection to art has always been present, a constant thread running through my life. My education in the arts was not formal but driven by passion and persistence. Through books, exhibitions, and, most importantly, years of drawing, I learned about the great masters of painting, the movements that shaped art history, and the works that transcended time. Drawing became a quiet, steady practice—a form of refuge.
After moving to Canada, I came even closer to the visual world by studying digital animation, completing a three-year college program. That experience expanded both my technical knowledge and artistic sensitivity. Today, I find myself returning to drawing and painting in a more intuitive and free way — not as a professional pursuit, but with the full passion of someone who, even without a diploma on the wall, holds art as a core part of their identity.

Elysee Mpenzi Hategekimana from Kenya paired with Verna Elms

Medium: Painting

Bio coming soon

Svitlana Sheremetieva from Ukraine paired with Mary Nicholas 

Medium: Textiles

Bio coming soon

Mariia Zernova from Ukraine paired with Sandy Andersen

Medium: Illustration and painting

Bio coming soon

Sarah Santos from Brasil paired with Caroline Martin

Medium: Photography, painting and video

Sarah Santos is a creative professional with over 20 years of experience in communications, media, and the arts. Originally from Brazil, she has worked with renowned organizations such as the Modern Art Museum of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, and O Globo—one of the country’s most prestigious media groups. Now based in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Sarah is passionate about storytelling and the transformative power of the arts to connect people across cultures. Through her work supporting newcomers’ community integration, she is continually inspired by the richness of diverse lived experiences, including those of Indigenous peoples, African Nova Scotians, and communities from around the world who now call this land home.