This past saturday the Yellowknife Guild had their spring sale at St. Pats High School and what fun it was. Having not been to last years Christmas Sale I had no idea what I was walking into.
On Friday night I accompanied my mother and a friend to the preview of the sale because I really wanted to grow my selection of locally made art. Three rows full of all sorts of pottery filled the foyer. Every thing from plates to bowls, brie bakers to mugs and much more. It was a look into all the talent the Yellowknife Guild possesses.
At the preview I could tell most people were figuring out their strategy for getting what they wanted the next day, so I did the same. I planned that I would come up the far left side and then I took pictures with my phone of the pieces I wanted in the order they were lined up. I was ready!
With 45 minutes before the 10am opening of the sale we arrived at the school. We thought we were being smart and coming early but do did the 30 people before us. Never the less though we are in line and we waited. The line ended up doubling in size as we waited and then I started to realize how in demanded local pottery really was.
When 10am hit and the organizers let people in, it was as if it was Boxing Day and everything was free. People started running towards the items they wanted and grabbing them at first chance. The atmosphere must have felt like an a live auction for something everybody wanted. I shot up the left most table and grabbed the one, two and three things I wanted to get, plus some other items I was collecting for someone else.
In a matter of minutes the kaos had ended and everyone, with their finds in their arms and baskets, lined up to pay. This is when MLA Darryl Dolynny snapped this photo of me with a rather large amount of pottery, which was not all mine.
When I returned home I went over my finds of the day again. This is what I got:
A blue Brie Baker with an Inukshuk on the bottom. Oh, how I do love baked brie with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.
Then there was this awesome chip and dip bowl. There were three at the sale and the other two were bigger but this was the only one left by the time we came through. I like the style of it, having the dip bowl built right into the plate. No one will make a mess going from one dish to another.
Finally was this plate, which I’m really happy about. I will be hanging it on a wall somewhere. I was surprised this was not taken earlier but glad I got it. I like how there is of course the Inukshuk and trees on it but also how there appears to be snow and hills on the plate as well.
I’m very happy with everything I got and I can’t wait until the Fireweed Studio, near City Hall, opens for the summer on June 21, 2012.
Did you go to the sale? What did you get? What is your favourite kind of northern pottery?
Please dont ignore the fans us fibre artists had at the sale too – our stuff was in demand for many attendees as well. .. I know that 3 of my hand dyed silk scarves were sent overseas as a gift…