Artist and author Della vanDokkumburg's new book highlights kitchens in Kitchener businesses
If people start sketching community, 'that would be a mission accomplished,' author says
A new book combines art and blurbs to highlight various kitchens at restaurants, bars, bakeries, breweries and other businesses in Kitchener.
Della vanDokkumburg, who has similar books like Sketching In The 'Loo and More Than a Covered Bridge: Sketches of West Montrose, released Kitchener's Kitchens this week.
She joined CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition with host Craig Norris to talk about why she started making books of illustrations, working in downtown Kitchener and connecting to the community.
The audio of this interview is at the bottom of this article.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Craig Norris: Tell us about Kitchener's Kitchens and what people can expect from the book.
Della vanDokkumburg: Kitchener's Kitchens is what I like to call an extensive but incomplete sketch pluralization of 69 of Kitchener's bakeries, breweries, restaurants, and mom and pop grocery shops.
There's actually only 68 sketches because one is stitched together.
CN: So do you have a favourite kitchen that you learned about?
DV: Now I want to be clear, I'm an artist, I'm not a food critic. So I have not actually gone inside many of these places.The sketches are of the exteriors, except for one.
But I'm fascinated by the exteriors and the signage but also the cultures that each individual place represents. It's just fun to learn about them because as you know, in the book, it's not just the sketches, but there's also a little bit of information in there.
CN: What is it about kitchens? Why are they so important to you?
DV: Well, when I sketch, I like to come up with themes. I also like to play with words. So for my book of Kitchener sketches, I just thought it was appropriate to focus on kitchens. Food is community.
When we think about gathering together, there's always food associated with it. So when I created this book, I wanted it to be a book about art, but I also wanted it to be about community and local, all of that comes together in the book.
CN: Well, it certainly doesn't get more local than your book. But it's not the first time that you've done something like this, right? Tell us about some of the other books that you've done.
DV: So since the start of the pandemic, this is the fifth book of sketches that I've come out with. I live in Conestogo, so when we were all told to stay home in 2020, I sketched Conestogo.
Then I moved on to West Montrose, St. Jacobs, and Uptown Waterloo — that was the book that I released last year called Sketching in the 'Loo– and then this year it's Kitchener's Kitchens.
CN: So what do you hope people take away from this book, or what do you hope people learn about their community through this book?
DV: There's a few goals that I have for this book. If people go out and pick up a pen and start sketching their community, that would be a mission accomplished. If they decide that they want to try out something new, such as a new restaurant, their new little shop, or a new bakery, I hope that this book encourages them to do that.
But I also hope this book works towards creating community and community support. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of the book will go to Tiny Home Takeout because I believe that food should be accessible to all people.
CN: You are currently in the Square Peg pop-up attached to city hall here in Kitchener. Talk to us about what you're doing in that space.
DV: I'm doing a lot of things. It's a studio and gallery, so I have my art on display there so people can come in and visit and look at sketches of local places.
I invite people to come and just browse around there. It's also a place where people can gather together. So for example, on Wednesday afternoons, an open invitation is out for people to bring their sketching supplies and we'll have a sketch mob together and that's from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every week.
I invite guests and artists to come in for a day so they can work on their art and so they can sell their art. So that's something I have going on.
And then at the end of the month, on July 26, I'll be hosting a show where again people can come in, browse and purchase local artists' art.
CN: What are some of the other ways that you're using that space to build community?
DV: I think art is community and by providing these opportunities for artists to gather together, that's also community. I think making people aware of what is in their community through my book and through the art that I have on display there.
One of the wonderful things is when people do come in, and it doesn't matter how old they are, it could be an eight-year-old –it could be an 80-year-old– looking at a sketch of a building and speaking to the person beside them saying, 'remember when this happened there' or 'remember when we went there and that happened.' It's a way to spark conversation and create that feeling that we're a part of something.
CN: Given that you work in downtown Kitchener, do you also think it's a way for us to maybe appreciate and enjoy it more?
DV: Absolutely. Cities are constantly changing, so you've never fully explored a city because it's going to be different next week. It's going to be different next year.
LISTEN | Author chat with Della vanDokkumburg:
