New season, another unique market
Art of the Craft Markets correspond with equinoxes, solstices
TRURO - While the weather didn’t change to what people normally associate with the season, the Spring Equinox did take place on March 20 and, with it, another holding of a local market which is scheduled to take place around equinoxes and solstices.
The Art of the Craft Market took place on March 18 at the Royal Canadian Legion hall on Brunswick Street in Truro. It was the third one put on by organizers and sisters-in-laws Rebecca Hill and Rachel Hill who are both artists and vendors themselves – running Glowbug Designs and Illustrations, and Black Hearts Art, respectively.
“We had one at the fire hall in Hilden and then one at the United Church in December,” Rebecca said of their previous markets that captured the start of the fall and winters season, adding the most recent market has probably been their busiest.
“We’ve had a lot more vendors than last time and, yeah, there has been a steady flow of people,” she said. “The parking lot has been full.”
Rachel said it was a great turnout of customers, especially considering mid-march is still a time with a lot of colds and flu going around.
“So I think we had some pretty good turnout and we have some happy vendors … it's going well,” she said with about an hour left in the noon to 6 p.m. event.
On its website (artofthecraftmarket.com), the Art of the Craft markets are described as providing, “a space for people to celebrate and explore the more magical and mystical side of life with local makers and their unique products and services.”
Their mission statement also speaks to that objective.
“Our goal is to not only provide a safe and respectful market space for local vendors to have an opportunity to get their gifts out in the world but also to foster a scene of community for people who are exploring and living a more magical life,” it reads.
Rebecca talked about their vendors.
“Yes, it's more, sort of, holistic, magical and spiritual, but it's not narrow,” she said. “We wanted to keep it broad and have a wide range of artists and artisans to be able to share their stuff. We do like a range of interesting and unique items.”
Rachel provided her summary.
“It's people coming together who find connections with nature, more spirituality as opposed to a defined religion, and who are looking to celebrate seasonal changes,” she said. “People who think about the importance of connecting with nature, with art and community. So, maybe, it has more heart than some other markets … that's more the theme.”
Rachel said the Legion hall has been a “step up” from their other locations as far as accommodating a market.
“We have this place booked three more times to do our markets,” she said. “We're doing them as close to the equinoxes and solstices as we can so that, hopefully, in a couple of years, there's momentum … everyone knows what's going on, that these are a regular thing throughout the year.”
Rebecca said, along with the aforementioned website, there is also an Art of the Craft Instagram and Facebook page for people to follow so they can be ready for the next market.
“The summer solstice will be the next one and we'll have one for the fall and then one close to the winter solstice,” she said.