Unique gifts always impress, but unique gifts bought directly from the artisan impress doubly so.
While it’s usually hard to find truly special items that no one has seen before, the One of a Kind Show happening at Exhibition Place fills an entire showroom floor with unique items created by talented artisans.
Running until this Sunday, the show is in its 35th year and features more than 800 artisans from all across North America showing and selling their creations in clothing, ceramics, visual art, jewelry and food.
Take a gander at masterful wood-fired pottery by New Brunswick artist Jenny Clark, sample the delectable balsamic and artisan oils of Michael Lonsdale from Vancouver or try on a hand-knitted sweater made to fit in six different ways by designer Katya Revenko from Toronto.
Stephanie Rodrigues, marketing manager for the show, says the show has always been a big draw for people who want to find something different for the holiday season without having to sludge through people-packed malls.
“It’s a really great place to start your Christmas shopping and avoid the malls. We get artists coming in from all across Canada and the work ends up like nothing you would see in a store,” Rodrigues said.
Check out one of the show’s five distinct “neighbourhoods” including a Fashion District, a Green section focusing on environmentally conscious items, a Visual Art section and a food area called Flavours.
One of the treats of the show is the wealth of new artisans it attracts to its Rising Stars section, meaning show-goers often end up seeing creations that truly have never been shown off before in a large public setting.
“The show is a smaller space for artisans to get their feet wet — for many of them it’s their first show,” Rodrigues said.
Initial fears of smaller turnouts to the show because of the recession have proven wrong as the hall has been full almost every day and exhibitors are reporting very good sales figures overall.
“The crowds have just been unbelievable. A lot of artists wonder if people are going to spend money in this recession but the results have been very encouraging so far,” Rodrigues said.
Show details
• The One of a Kind Show is open today from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information (and to save $2 off the entry price of $12) visit www.oneonfakindshow.com.
