Labour Day weekend fun...

September already! How can it be? Labour Day weekend is upon us, and in this town that means several things: the start of school is imminent, the FREX is here again, and it's time for another NB Crafts Council Fine Craft Festival. The FREX (Fredericton Exhibition) is our annual fall exhibition with midway, entertainment, livestock shows and harness racing, provincial 4H Show and horticultural, craft  and "domestic" exhibits. In it's 184th year, the Frex has seen many changes over that timespan and I must admit, my interest in it has changed too. One visit is enough for me now - I just go to see the quilts and needlework, photography and floral displays. I usually know a few of the ribbon winners, so that's always fun! It's on my list for some evening next week.The photo you see above is the Old Exhibition Palace (built in 1864?) which stood on the current Exhibition grounds until it burned in 1877. It was, reportedly, "one of the greatest works of wooden architecture that Canada has ever seen". The dome was 86 feet in diameter. Naturally lit by day, evening illumination was from 650 gas-burning fixtures and lamps. Can't you just picture that? What a grand spectacle it must have been in those days...
This afternoon I visited the NB Craft Festival, held downtown in historic Officers' Square. This Festival is over 30 years old, and has seen it's share of changes too, but continues to be an exhibit of the fine work of the many skilled craftspeople of our province. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, the perfect type of day for browsing around the various booths. Pottery, jewellery, textiles, wrought ironwork, glass.. you name it- you can find it there.
I am not a huge lover of pottery, but I do have one favourite potter,and she was there today. I love the work of Rachel Morouney of  Hidden House Pottery of Otter Creek (near Port Elgin). Rachel was working on an amazing piece in the Demo area and I enjoyed chatting with her again. (I tell her I am her biggest Fredericton fan...) Being a lover of blue and white, you can see why I love her work. I don't know which I like better- the floral designs or the dragonflies. Both are so beautifully done- she has a magical touch when she gets the brush in her hand...

Below are a few other pics I took today at the Craft Festival. If you are a local reader, make sure you visit this special event, running until Sunday at 5. You'll be sorry if you miss it...

Peace,
Linda

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."
~ Henry Ward Beecher