people aren't using the vast variety of local exotics, especially on a commercial level". Chapel Arts venue and gallery The funeral home Wiens bought was originally known as the Chapel of Flowers. The building is thought to date back to 1892 or 1893, a house at first, with additions to the building in 1911 or 1912 when it became Armstrong and Hotson Undertakers, and then in 1936 an art deco façade was added giving the appearance of a single structure. It was renamed Armstrong & Co. Funeral Directors. Like the studio, the interior has high ceilings. Seeing that the building he was purchasing came with a hall, Wiens saw its potential as a centre for the arts and other purposes: "Once I owned the chapel, I envisioned it as a family, community arts and multi-use facility. The community is always screaming for such facilities, which remain scarce in the area, so it served a need." He spent several months renovating and refurbishing it until it officially opened as a 126-seat venue in December 2006 with a live concert. Wiens christened the new venue Chapel Arts. It has since evolved into a group of "creators, fabricators, and artists" led by Wiens. The performance space is located on the lower level in the 1936 addition, formerly the funeral chapel itself, next to which is a hidden driveway, originally for the hearse, while at the other side of the performance space is the 1911/2 addition, the original chapel. The upper level, once the coffin display room, now serves as a community art gallery. Since the Spring of 2008, Chapel Arts has hosted various acts and community events, concerts, parties, meetings, and grad shows for, among others, Kwantlen Polytechnic University's visual arts program and the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Related pursuits Wiens has collaborated with MascallDance on more than one occasion, notably Caribou (1991) for Ron Stewart and Outliner (2016), a solo performance by his sister Robin Poitras, for whom he created dresses made out of wood. Personal life When asked about the significance of naming his workshop The chapel, Wiens said he is not religious: "I was raised in a family filled with artists and stuff, so I guess that's what I believe in. I believe in makers instead of The Maker." Note References External links Nathan Wiens on Aha Media Chapel Arts on Aha Media Chapel Arts on YouTube