Ceramic mugs, recycled accessories, beaded necklaces, watercolour paintings and blown glass.
Don’t they all just sound so deliciously appealing? Fortunately, all of these artisan items and more are part of the army of booths that line up at the local Farmer’s Markets! Amidst fresh produce and homemade curries, you’ll find a wonderful assortment of locally-made crafty treats you can take home.
Bow Valley residents are pretty lucky to have two great local markets, the Canmore Market, and the new Banff Farmer’s Market. I live in Banff, but before I knew there would be a Banff Farmer’s Market (kudos to the people who made that happen so quickly), I signed up to be part of the Canmore Market.
9 Women, 1 Tent = Nine Arts
The Nine Arts Booth. Photo courtesy Tiffany Teske.
I was given an offer I just could not refuse: to be part of a group of nine artists who sell together under one roof (tent, to be exact). I received word of this venture one morning in my inbox. I recognized the name of the sender but had never met her and had somehow ended up on the list of artists she was contacting about sharing a space at the market.
Julia Rayne Schumacher, of Rayne Maker Pottery, has participated in the Canmore Market on her own in the past, but this year she was looking for a way to share the responsibilities of manning a booth for nineteen Thursdays in a row.
She decided that she could spend more time in the studio creating if she partnered with other artists. In the end, eight other ladies felt the same way, and we decided to call ourselves Nine Arts (although the spirit stick maker in the next stall likes to refer to us as Feminine Arts). I didn’t know any of these talented women before signing up to work with them. I may have met them anyway, but I love the way that serendipity joined our creative souls at the market.
Much like the variety of vendors the Canmore Market boasts, our double stall holds a vast array of creative goodness:
- Babz Robinson, of Wild Girl Hoops, creates custom hoops that are durable and a riot of colour. She also teaches classes and workshops and performs at special events.
- Denise Scammell, of Revive Handmade Collections, designs funky purses, change purses, clothing, headbands, and more, from new and recycled fabrics.
- Her sister, Laura Marshall, makes beaded necklaces and earrings in both classic and bold modern styles, as well as custom bridal jewelry for Laura Marshall Designs.
- Sheri Kartzmer, of Sheri K Designs, uses unique colour combinations and materials to design her beaded jewelry.
- The sculptural and wheel-thrown ceramics of Heather May are both functional and decorative.
- Suzan de Laine, paints vibrant watercolours of local landscapes, that can also be found in many local shops.
- Nicole Tremblay, works in blown glass and creates ornaments, sculptures, functional vessels, and glass bead jewelry in bright colours.
Come by our booth, if you are in the area. The market runs Thursdays from 9 AM – 5 PM until October 6th.
We would love to hear that you heard about us, and the Canmore Market, on Highline’s blog!
All photos courtesy Tiffany Teske.
Nicole Tremblay
Suzan de Laine
Heather May
Sheri K Designs
Laura Marshall Designs
Revive
Tiffany Teske
Wild Girl Hoops.
Rayne Maker Pottery
