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Local artists add colour to Battlefords HandCraft Fest

Jul 14, 2016 | 2:00 PM

The Saskatchewan Handcraft festival is only a day away and the majority of vendors from across the province are preparing for a busy weekend.

But local artisans, some of whom have been a part of the annual festival for 20 years, are also excited to begin the three-day event, kicking off Friday, June 15.

For local seamstress, Anna Marie Waldbillig of Designs by Ann-Marie, her passion to tailor items of what she calls wearable art came out of the necessity to provide for her family in tough economic times.

“Most of it was necessity to begin with because you didn’t have the money to buy clothes and so you made them,” Waldbillig said.

She began making clothes for her children, and then for herself. It would be a few years and a multitude of sewing classes later before she would begin selling her ladies wear at various festivals and fairs.

“I’ve been selling at the Battlefords local craft show since 1996,” Waldbillig said. “So it will be 20 years.”

Waldbillig primarily designs jackets and coats; she also sews an array of dresses, blouses and skirts. She said jackets are the best things to make because she feels they are the best item to express her creativity.

“I mostly do jackets and coats. I like to make wearable art — the artsy stuff on the clothing. I don’t get crazy with all of my pieces but it’s mostly what I do.”

And she says when she does “get crazy,” the articles she makes are often unique.

“Right now, I have two coats that I class as wearable art but I only have one of each because they’re one of a kind,” Waldbillig said. “I do take custom orders when someone wants a specific size. They’re pieces that last, to hand down.”

While Waldbilling creates art consumers can wear, local Battlefords resident and wood turner, Gordon Munn creates art consumers can use on a daily basis.

Munn, owner of the business, Discovered Within a Tree has been a regular at the Battleford HandCraft Fest for three years and showcases a wide array of consumer and decorative items he has fashioned on his wood lathe.

Munn chose to go in to woodworking when a health issue drove him to an early retirement off of the farm. He said using the lathe has been one of the best ways to find nature’s beauty.

“I got bored from retirement and went to a woodworker’s guild meeting in Saskatoon,” Munn said. “There was a guy doing a demo on a lathe and it caught my eye. I’ve been doing that work since then.”

Munn will be at the festival for the full three days. He said he will have a variety of work on hand to display.

“I mostly make wooden bowls, bottle stoppers, spoons, bracelets and a few odds and ends,” Munn said. “And I’m going to start making pepper grinders soon. I’ve also made French rolling pins.”

Munn said the wood possibilities are endless. He has worked with custom ordered B.C. varieties, to felled wood salvaged from the back bush around his region.

“Local Manitoba maple is a beautiful wood to work with and also Walnut wood,” Munn said. “They all vary a little bit of quality but I like variety.”

Waldbillig said she is always excited to be a local participant in the Battleford Handcraft Festival but she is saddened at the dwindling turnout which seems to get smaller with each passing year. She said the smaller venues discourage out-of-town and out-of-province vendors from filling up the booths in Battleford.

“There are a few vendors from out of the province, but not so much anymore.” Waldbillig said. “By the time you pay your travel, booth admission and hotel you’re out a thousand bucks before you even walk through the door.”

The Battleford Handcraft fest used to be held in the local arena, but has since downsized through the years to fit inside the Alex Dillabough centre.

“Craft shows aren’t as big as they used to be. Textile work has gone down, for sure,” Waldbillig said.

Munn also said he’s noticed the downsizing of the Battlefords turnout.

“It’s relatively quiet,” Munn said. “I don’t think enough people know about it; it has some excellent things. It used to draw a lot of people but a lot of it got moved to Regina. Still there are a lot of interesting things. It would be worth a look.”

The Saskatchewan Handcraft Fest will be open at the Alex Dillabough Centre in the town of Battlford from Friday to Sunday.

Friday, July 15, 2016 • Noon – 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 16, 2016 • 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, July 17, 2016 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

 

Colleen A.J. Smith is battlefordsNOW’s education, First Nations and arts and culture reporter. She can be reached at colleen.smith@jpbg.ca or tweet her @ColleenAJSmith. Concerns regarding this story can be addressed to News Director Geoff Smith at 306-446-6397.