Monday, June 25, 2007

At the arts and craft show

Yes, I know, this is beginning to feel like a photo blog. I assure you, it'll change back to actual writing this week. However, I've just had things I wanted to take photos of and put up on the blog this weekend.

Aside from rivers overflowing, there's also the Alianait Arts Festivals happening until July 1. A lot of the events are musical in nature, but out at the old residence of the Arctic College the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association they've been doing a few things. They've had carvers outside working on pieces. Inside, people could take lessons on making different kinds of crafts, plus a nice display of the works of artists from other parts of Nunavut.

Each region, hell, each community tends to focus on different types of artwork. Some focus more on painting, others sculpture, other quilt-making or dolls.

So here are some of the pictures I took while spending a nice hour or two bumbling around the event.



This handsome fellow greets people when you walk through the door.




This carving is entirely too cute.




I liked the bright beadwork on this doll.




A caribou along with a couple of knives.




A fairly fearsome looking polar bear carved from a caribou antler.




Another polar bear, this one carved from marble.




One of the quilt's on display.




A carver working outside the event.




Another carver working on a piece.




And yet another carver.




So at the end of the day, this is what I came home with. I couldn't resist the walrus sculptures. And when I couldn't figure out which of three I wanted, I decided to buy the two less expensive ones. I've never seen anything like them around town. And they work nicely as a pair. I thought about giving one as a gift, but no. I'm keeping them both.

As for the bracelet, it's one Cathy bought a couple of weeks ago, but it was on display at the museum until the exhibit was over. It's a series of muskox made from silver. It's really quite nice.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the walruses!? or should we call them walri?

More examples of why the art capital of canada is in the north.

M.

Kate Nova said...

I think the caribou sculpture is incredible - there's so much motion in it, almost a sense of pain in the way the foreleg is folded under it as it goes down.
And the walruses you picked up are adorable! I haven't seen anything with their whimsy up here yet.

towniebastard said...

You would love the art up here, M. They appreciate the arts, unlike many other place in Canada. I think you would like it here, except for the blistering cold.

And Kate, you should snap up one of those walruses if you like them. I've been here almost two years and that's the first time I've seen something like that in town.