RITISH
COLUMBIA
a

The Crawl, Continued from Page 7

Somewhere in between the mega Circle
Craft show and the tiny Toque show lies the
annual Vancouver East Side Culture Crawl
( ) with Jinny
Whitehead a keen participant. Jinny feels this
event is popular and well attended for several
reasons: it’s free (no admission price), it has a
huge selection and variety of work, it allows
visitors to see inside the artists’ studios, and
The smaller

craft shows, in Jinny’s opinion, have not had a

people can “make a day of it”.

huge impact on her success at the Crawl. She
feels that the audience at the Crawl changes,
and that it’s varied, too. There are collectors
and fine arts aficionados, and also the “craft
fair” types of shoppers who are less discerning.
Many visitors recognise quality, and are aware
that the work they see is not always available
in galleries, though frequently of gallery
standard.

So would Jinny Whitehead consider
participating in Circle Craft or One-of-a-
Kind? Apparently not. She feels she doesn’t
produce a high enough volume of work,
and also enjoys the fact that, having the
Crawl in her own studio, there’s no issue

with transporting work, and there’s plenty of
space. Transport and limited display space is
definitely an issue at the large shows, but the
positives obviously outweigh the drawbacks
for Circle Craft and One-of-a-Kind.

We've heard from some of the Circle
Craft show folks, so let’s hear from a One-
of-a-Kind participant. Heather Dahl will be
participating in One-of-a-Kind for the second
time this year, having never participated in
a Circle Craft show. When asked why she
prefers the “new kid on the block” as opposed
to its well-established “rival”, Heather states
that she feels One-of-a-Kind draws a younger
audience, and that their marketing is better
suited to her needs and her work. If you're
fresh and new, with no history, One-of-a-
Kind is a better fit.

Heather also feels that the other artists
in the show have an aesthetic and outlook
more compatible with her own. The timing
is preferable too, in her opinion, its: much
closer to Christmas; it’s a good time to shop.
Heather states that the organisers are very
supportive of her and her work, and she
benefited enormously from their marketing,
which frequently showcased her work. The
formidable

according to Heather!) of One-of-a-Kind in

reputation (“phenomenal”,

Discovery
rt_Iravel

2012-13 CERAMIGS:EXGURSIONS

Crete
Oct. 8-23, 2012

Morocco Burma
Nov. 5-26, 2012

January 2013

Toronto (where the show began) was also
influential in Heather’s decision to participate.
One-of-a-Kind has come under fire for being
too big, too corporate and not local, but
apparently it was started in Toronto by two
Canadians, and has subsequently been taken
over by an American company. Its roots are in
the right place!

In some ways, Heather Dahl feels that Circle
Craft works better for the established artists
(Cathi Jefferson has been participating for 25
years) and that it’s harder for newcomers to join
the fold. She’s never applied, though. She feels
that Circle Craft may be a bit traditional for
her. At One-of-a-Kind, Heather welcomes the
opportunity to speak to the young shoppers,
many of whom are IKEA customers, and to
open their eyes to the beauty and value of the
hand-made. She feels there’s an educational
role to play, and it’s important to take that on.
“Older people are lovely,” she says, “but they
don’t have any room in their cupboards!”

From the consumer's perspective, I enjoy
all the shows, and I go to them all. I like the
variety and diversity in terms of each show’s
unique personality, each one appeals to me for
different reasons. The only drawback, and this
is an accusation that I level equally at all the
shows, is that they severely bankrupt me every
year without fail! a

Pottery
Discussion
Group

Hello all you pot freaks...oh, I mean
Pottery Freaks :)....At our last meeting
it was decided that it would be better to
have our next meeting in December rather
than January as then our Christmas craft
fairs and studio sales would be fresh in our
minds...all the better for the annual post
mortem of what worked and what didn't.
So we will be meeting on Dec. 11 at 1
p.m. As it's pre-Christmas we thought
we might celebrate with one another and
so bringing food treats would be most
welcome.

If you've been thinking about joining
us but haven't yet, don't be bashful, we're

a welcoming group.
Potterly yours,

—Mary Fox,

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - December/January 2011/42 8