Friday 11 June 2010

Devon Contemporary Craft Fair, Bovey Tracey - Review

The Contemporary Craft Fair in Bovey Tracey, Devon kicked off today with crowds of people, lots of glorious sunshine and several tentfuls or art, craft attended by their talented creators.  This was a specially built 'sustainable garden'


I made sure I found time to find and chat to Christine Kaltoft as I had previously admired her line-based and chicken influenced jewellery from photos.  Today I found that I was admiring them even more up close. 


It was lovely to meet Christine - her works is beautiful and I enjoyed my conversation with her.  This was one of her beautiful necklaces in oxidised silver and gold:



Another of my favourite stalls out of the hundreds of fantastic stalls was a local artist, Emma Molony whose stand just looked incredible as it was decorated with her own wallpaper that she designs.  It has a fairytale theme based on Saki's stories from his childhood in North Devon.  Her prints (particularly Winter Trees) and wallpaper were exquisite so I was even more delighted to discover that she is local and works in Exeter.  I had no purse with me today - sensible girl - but I feel I will inevitably make a purchase from this fine selection of goodies.  Thanks to Catherine Cartwright (also an artist but not exhibiting today), her lovely assistant, who filled me in on all the info!


The fair was buzzy and busy - this was the lunchtime scene when I bumped into a couple of local mums (J and A-M) visiting with their kids:


I helped out as a volunteer in the Children's Craft Tent 



100 local school children visited and had a great time - Jackie had organised a feast of crafty treats:  making Egyptian jewellery, creating clay artefacts, decorating brown paper bags (amazingly popular with teenagers), rag-rugging, dipping candles, finger knitting and giant communal mosaic making.


This wool mountain looked good enough to dive into - I think some of the kids probably did.


The food stalls were enticing and beautifully presented - this one bedecked with freshly cut flowers:


An amazing event that must take the organisers a huge amount of time and effort - top notch artists, inspiration for all, fun for kids and a great day out.



Sign outside the craft tent (sensible advice at any time....)


2 comments:

Angie said...

We like this time of year specially because of craft fairs and also the little village afirs and church fetes, which we haunt like a pair of little spooks. I've written from time to time about some of them on my blog. We usually end up bringing home some small thing or other and you can bet your life there will always have been something we wish we'd taken enough money for!

Grazing Kate said...

This review has also been published on the following website (PRSD is a great website featuring some great up-to-the-minute local knowledge particularly in the arts and political scenes)

http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthdevon.co.uk/2010/06/11/south-devons-grazing-kate-discovers-exquisite-artists-at-the-contemporary-craft-fair-in-bovey-tracey/

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