It’s no surprise Heidi Baxter has something new in the works. In a life rich in talents and wide-ranging interests, there’s always something notable. Consider the llama standing tall in the pasture just north of Lighthouse Marine Park.

 That’s Lily, and she belongs to Heidi. Along with tending Lily, flying planes, making glass beads, creating fiber art and experimenting with natural dyes, Heidi is coordinating the February Fiber Fest at the community center on Saturday, February 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Point Roberts, well known for its creative community, once again celebrates a gifted group of artists. Heidi’s hopes for the fest are to have fun, reflecting her extroverted love of community. Working and learning with others fuels her creative process. Heidi estimates there are about 20 fiber artists in Point Roberts, many of whom will be demonstrating their skills at the Fiber Fest.

Heidi has always been interested in creating art. At a young age, her mother introduced her to simple crafts, and it’s grown from there. As Heidi says, “Any creative process can put right a bad day.” After taking a pottery class, Heidi became interested in glazes and making flame work glass beads. This was followed by the lure of fiber arts and a love of mixing different yarns – alpaca, merino and bamboo.

 A participant in the Christmas Craft Fair for 15 years, Heidi’s current focus lies in experimenting with natural plant dyes – marigold for yellow, indigo for blue, madden root for Turkish red, cutch root for brown. Four quilts created by the Point Roberts Quilters will be raffled at the Fiber Fest, all of which incorporate fibers dyed by Heidi. Proceeds go to the Library Building Fund.

It was the ocean and the orcas that enticed Heidi and her husband Tor to Point Roberts. Sitting in a kayak one day amidst a pod of orcas, Heidi saw two of the bigger ones turn and swim directly under her kayak. “I looked right into the whale’s eye as he created a clear bow wave.”

The ocean has always been central to Heidi’s love of nature. Growing up in a remote area near Campbell River, she began working at age 16 in her family’s fishing camp, helping customers land prize salmon.

Once settled in Point Roberts in the 1990s, Heidi and Tor began a kayaking business at Lighthouse Marine Park, creating a program for kids that the parks board carried on. A legacy of this time is the vibrant mosaic that marks the entrance to the playground. Brush away the sand and there it is, a serendipitous work of art created by Heidi and a group of teens.

And somehow, in the midst of all her interests, Heidi fits in her career. She works for Jazz Airlines, usually flying the Vancouver to Winnipeg route. Being a guide in the fishing camp gave her the confidence to become a pilot.

Her dream was driven by a desire to explore remote wildernesses in a floatplane, and the best part of flying for Heidi is looking down on the ever-changing beauty of the natural world.

But back to the llama. Why on earth a llama? Well, Heidi has four Pygora goats, central to her love of fiber arts. Unlike other breeds, these goats are able to sustain the luxurious thickness of their coats, even as they age. And Lily‘s job is to protect them. When the coyotes start howling, Lily starts yodeling. “It’s the only way to describe it,” Heidi says of Lily’s warning call. Off the job, Lily is often seen strolling the beach, just one of the family.

When asked what the best thing about living in Point Roberts is, Heidi responds easily. “It’s the people and the natural environment.” When Heidi came to my door for this interview on a bitter winter day, she handed me a small bouquet of parsley and rosemary. “What’s wonderful about living in Point Roberts,” she said, “is what we can grow in 10-degree weather.”

And what is even more wonderful is the ocean. Her home with Tor looks out on the beauty of the western straits.

For all her diverse accomplishments, Heidi remains decidedly humble. Her talents would be enough to fill lifetimes, yet for Heidi it’s all just part of this one life she lives here in Point Roberts, enriching the community with her remarkable versatility and engaging warmth. Leaving our interview, she gave me a beautiful scarf, dyed Turkish red – the bright blush of a perfect papaya.

Come meet Heidi at the February 18 Fiber Fest and see her artistry for yourself.