I have just returned from Vancouver’s CircleCraft Christmas Market. You may recall that I was on this Coast just a few months ago, for the Harmony Arts Festival in August. What can I say? I love the West Coast’s enthusiasm for the handmade!
If you follow me on Facebook ou Twitter, you will have seen pictures of the line-ups outside the doors. The day the CircleCraft Market started, I could barely believe how many people were waiting before the closed doors, more than half an hour before opening. And all week, the flow of people was continuous. As I was a new vendor, I gained perhaps more attention than others: in all six days of the show, there was rarely a moment where I didn’t have several people in front of me at once. So I’d like to say: Thanks for all the Love, Vancouver!
One of my favourite things about doing markets such as this one are the sweet moments I get to observe – for example that of mothers and daughters of all age-combinations shopping together. I love being witness to the sweet dance of sharing likes and dislikes, opinions and suggestions. It seems to me like the last few days were particularly full of such moments. It made me remember attending the many art markets in Germany with my own mother when I was a child. Surely, this is where some of what I do today found its roots!
Another favourite about the shows are the incredible stories I hear. Upon sharing my description of how I designed the MapleLeaf Series in celebration of my Canadian citizenship, one woman chose a MapleLeaf band. She was just beaming with joy, so I inquired further. She offered that she choose the ring in also celebrating Canada – she had won three gold medals in the World’s Club Crew Dragon boat Regatta in Ravenna, Italy. All crew members were over 59 years old. How cool is that!
The most touching moment was when I had a couple in front of me – let’s say they weren’t in their twenties- who had clearly fallen in love with a 18k rose-gold Onefooter ring with Canadian diamond. It was a perfect fit. Most people are unaware of the cost of such a massive amount of gold – I never quite know when to mention the price. When I did, the couple was about to return the ring to the case, disappointed. When he consoled her ‘Well, we can always order it later’, I had to interject that I would not make one in rosegold again (the metal proves too ‘obstinate’ for the Onefooter’s fluid creation). Then the magic happened: they looked into each other’s eyes for a long quiet while, then kissed, and turned to me with a smile – that was a ‘yes’ all around, they would seize the day. She was so happy! Such a sweet moment of magic between two people; I just loved it.
Those moments are part of why I enjoy so much to interact with folks directly at art markets like the Vancouver ones. I will get to do it twice more this month, both in Halifax: first, I will be at the Nova Scotia Designer Craft Council’s annual Designer Craft Market at the Cunard Centre, this coming weekend (the title of this post is borrowed from that show). As always, I look forward to my hometown show! And then, for the first time, I will be at the Dalplex Market in Halifax. Come see me!
NSDCC Designer Craft Market
November 21-23
Cunard Event Centre at Pier 23 , 961 Marginal Road, Halifax
Friday 10am-9pm
Saturday 9am-5pm
Sunday 10am-5pm
Dalplex Christmas Craft Market
November 28-30
Dalplex, 6260 South Street
Friday, November 28 12-9:30pm
Saturday, November 29 9:30am-6pm
Sunday, November 30 10am-5pm
PS: don’t forget to check my Facebook page and Twitter for the most up-to-date information, and check out Instagram for my juiciest photos!
