In Focus | Marijanel Knight

Marijanel Knight is a creative entrepreneur actively involved in the Kelowna art scene. Marijanel has multi-faceted talents and a range of experience from photography, pottery, hairstyling, and song writing bundled together with taking action to help the needy through her Kelowna fundraising events called “The Bowl of Hope.” On a daily basis you will find Marijanel styling hair at Natural Beauty Salon and Spa in West Kelowna or you’ll find her sculpting clay in her home-studio. Once a month Marijanel’s teaches clay hand building at Carrie Harpers heART School in Kelowna. She has photographed over 120 Okanangan weddings in the last six years and is passionate about her wedding/portrait work. Today Marijanel Knight is In Focus

What is your name?
Marijanel Knight

What do you always find yourself saying?
​My word of the year is COURAGE so I ask myself if I’m acting in courage. I didn’t pick that word, it picked me. At the beginning of the year I saw and heard the word courage everywhere I went. It made me realize how often I was afraid of the simplest opportunities life has to offer...if I lack courage I’m hold me (and others) back. One example is how nervous I was of my kids horse riding passion. I didn’t grow up with horses and so the equine experience has been foreign and a little scary to me. As I gathered the courage to let my kids ride their horse to the greatest of their ability I have found my whole family gaining confidence and strength, and having so much fun! I also tell myself not to overthink things.

If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select and why?
Of course I could say I’d choose to spend a whole day with my husband and kids, they are my greatest gifts. But every day I choose to share my life with my clients. My clientele makes my day! I get to work with some of the most interesting, fun, appreciative, caring people on the planet...and they’re right here in Kelowna! I learn so much from my clients. I am a student of life through their eyes. I get to meet pilots, private investigators, musicians, artists, computer scientists, mothers, fathers, great-great grandmothers and the list goes on and on. I come home and tell my kids all about the people I get to know. My friends, family and clients are the people I choose everyday.

If you were to receive any existing public award, what award would you like to win?
Since my interests are diverse I’d be thrilled to receive any type of award! Photography...music...I love it all! I don’t think about awards very often, but if I really ask myself what I’d like to be recognized for I’d have to say photography. I’ve dedicated a big portion of my life to honing my wedding/portrait photography portfolio. To be awarded for it would be surreal.

Who inspires you?
I have a few friends who live in foreign countries helping people in need...teaching women new trades, rescuing children from hunger and disease, making sure kids get an education...they inspire me because they are so selfless, caring, and tireless. Their dedication is what inspired me to start the Bowl of Hope project, which is a Kelowna based pottery event where potters sell handmade pottery to raise funds for the needy. www.thebowlofhope.com

What are three things on your bucket list?
1) To meet someone with my name exactly spelled like mine “Marijanel”, so far I think I’m the only one in the world with my name and I think it’d be special to meet another Marijanel and see what she’s like.
2) To photograph ancient trees
3) To write a book and/or a screenplay

What are you passionate about?
It’s pretty evident that I’m passionate about the arts, but I’m also passionate about people. I think that’s why my interests are diverse. I used to think that all the things I get myself into revolved around my love for the arts, but now I’m seeing that it’s a combination...my passion for arts AND people. Really, the arts are empty without people.

What has been your proudest accomplishment?
I often feel accomplished over the simplest things in life...like the first time I baked bread or planted a garden... but a few years back I wrote a song and recorded it with the expertise of a local musician and producer Graham Ord. I transferred my photography skills into filming and produced a music video of a local potter (Brian Wiebe of Solor Nest Arts) creating a giant old-world vessel. The prayerful song is about surrendering like clay in a potters hands. I was thrilled with how this song/video turned out. Being vulnerable enough to release it publicly was a huge accomplishment for me. Really though, Graham and Brian made it happen. When I walked into the studio the first morning I heard Graham playing the guitar and wondered, “wow, whose song is that?” I was shocked to find out it was mine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sW5CSzTQl8

What is your favourite activity or event in Kelowna? Why?
I love going to the event Ten-Ten-Ten at Bo.tegga organized by a Kelowna artist collaboration group called Tribehouse. This is where 10 artists present for 10 minutes (ticket price = 10 bucks). I love these events because I leave re-charged and excited for all the talent and creativity in Kelowna! I’m always amazed at people’s talents!

What is the name of your business/organization?
Marijanel Knight
www.marijanel.com

What does your business/organization do?
Hairstylist: Natural Beauty Hair Salon West Kelowna www.naturalbeautysalonwestkelowna.com

Wedding Photographer: www.marijanelweddings.com I also offer portraits too!

Potter: Besides creating my own line of pottery creations, I have founded a Kelowna event called “The Bowl of Hope” where handmade pottery bowls are sold and filled with food as a way to raise funds for those in need. www.thebowlofhope.com. I also sell a unique product called Shoebox Pottery. This is a pottery kit in a shoebox where parents can assist their child (mainly homeschoolers) to make at-home pottery and have me fire and glaze it. The kits are sold at Cornerstone Learning Resources in Kelowna. http://www.cornerstonelearningresources.com.

Where can people find you or your business online?
www.marijanel.com

Where can people find your business on Facebook?
Marijanel Knight Photography

What is your Twitter account?
@Marijanel Knight

What is your mission?
To live life as exactly who I was born to be and to inspire other people to do the same, while helping the needy and changing the world.

Where do you want your business/organization to be in five years?
I have dreams of where I could be in 5 years, but those dreams are mold-able, like clay. I find that as one small change happens, my dreams morph and new ones begin and old ones fall away. It’d be hard to describe what I see and hope for in the future, but I know I desire to see growth and positive change. I’m open to that developing into something I good that never even dreamed of.

Who do you consider to be a forerunner within your field?
In order to answer this question I googled “forerunner” because I wanted to understand what I’d be saying if I answered “yes”. A forerunner is: a person or thing that precedes the coming or development of someone or something else.
I’ve always had leadership qualities, and I’ve always wanted to be thinking of new ideas and ways to do things, I’ve been involved in many projects where I feel like a lonely pioneer...so if that’s a forerunner...then yes.

What three qualities do you feel that your business/organization exemplifies?
Quality workmanship, good attitude and communication are very important to me. I think communication is a huge key in working with the public.

How does your business/organization impact the community?
A great hairstyle impacts someone’s life, giving them confidence. If a bad hair day can wreck someone’s day imagine how good hair days can turn a day around! Wedding Photography is all about celebrating and enhancing relationships, and it’s a powerful thing for a community to be full of solid thriving relationships. The Bowl of Hope brings the city together in a really unique way to help other parts of the world. It’s rewarding for the whole community to be part of building children’s homes in Africa or installing wells in Thailand, or establishing sports camps in Haiti (just a few of the projects the Bowl of Hope has been part of). These are just a few ways I feel like I have a small impact on Kelowna.

If I could change one thing about Kelowna, it would be:
I would keep encouraging the service industry to be outstanding in every way possible. Kelowna is gaining a great reputation, especially during tourist season, and we have the chance to be a city that stands out from the rest by how remarkable our service is. I’d keep changing us for the better helping businesses rise to the top.

What do you think makes Kelowna great?
The people, art, lake, landscape and downtown. There’s no other city like it. When I saw Kelowna on the Amazing Race Canada I was so proud to live here!

My choice for the Kelowna In Focus spotlight is:
Lorelie Strauss (Kelowna author) who goes by the author name Elle Strauss http://ellestraussauthor.blogspot.ca
Johanna Olson (Kelowna singer) http://www.johannaolson.ca
Mark Gordon (relationship development specialist) www.markgordon.ca

In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do. We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below, and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna!