Village Squire, 1974-06, Page 68Seaforth Recreation Director Clive Buist, left, and Mrs. Elva Ellis, chairman of the first Seafc
Craft Festival look over a selection of crafts needlepoint, quilts and artist's sketches which will
featured in the show and sale. The show takes place Saturday, July 13, from 10 to 10 in
Seaforth Community Centre.
Seaforth arts and crafts festival
scheduled for July 13
Crafts have long been a part of rural and
small town life in Western Ontario. Seaforth
in Huron County is recognizing the skills of
past and present artisans in the area, and is
hosting it's first annual Craft Festival on
Saturday, July 13.
Seaforth, once called Guideboard Swamp
because it had the sign post which marked the
way for travellers along the Huron Road, is
celebrating 100 years since it's incorporation
as a town in 1975. This year's craft festival is
a preview to a three day Centennial craft
show and sale that will' hopefully be held next
summer.
This year's show, running from 10 to 10 in
the Seaforth Community Centre, features
barn board artist Don Vair from Wingham.
Other crafts represented are "Rocks and
Rings and Wooden Things" from Hamilton,
wooden toys and doll quilts from Hilltop
Crafts near Moorefield and Raggedy Ann
dolls made by three Seaforth ladies.
Jim Marlatt of the Green Gallery in
Goderich will sell paintings and post cards of
30, VILLAGE SQUIRE/JUNE 1974
local scenes. Local craftsmen will demon-
strate and sell wood carving, horn craft,
leather work and ceramics.
One exhibitor, from Peterborough, will
have a "From the fruits of the earth" booth,
selling recipe books, jams, jellies, water
colours and hasti notes.
Some Festival exhibitors will be offering
antiques for sale. Continuing the centennial,
pioneer days theme two festival exhibitions
will offer hand -made quilts and apple head
dolls for sale.
Needlepoint and fancy work enthusiasts
will enjoy the fine petit point, crewel work
and crocheted bed spreads offered by other
exhibitors. Seaforth Girl Guides and
Brownies have the food concession for the
festival and will serve homemade snacks and
light lunches all day long.
If visitors to the Craft Festival prefer a
lunch brought from home, Seaforth has
several lovely picnic sites, including the Lions
Park and the historic Van Egi. id house just
south of town in Egmondville.
Don Vair,
barnboard artist.
The natural beauty of wood -grain has long
inspired mankind, and it is doing it again!
Don Vair, an artist from Mid -Western
Ontario, is currently gaining a reputation as a
barnboard artist. Mr. Vair begins with
weathered barnboard, the majority of which
he collects himself from the countryside
around Wingham. His next step is to closely
examine the woodgrain, knots, nails and
holes on each particular board. From this
examination, Mr. Vair then decides what
theme would best bring out the natural lines
and crevices of that board. Thus - a knot
becomes a setting sun; flowing lines spring to
life as an ocean's waves; and a rusty nail adds
the perfect touch to a scene from an old
stable.
On viewing Vair's paintings, it becomes
obvious how the past history of each board is
complimented by the selection of theme,
colour, and technique.
Considering the popularity this form of art
is experiencing, it appears that Vair has
struck a nonstalgic note in the hearts of art
and nature lovers.
Barnboard art certainly is a rustic'
approach...especially in this age when most
things are becoming far too synthetic and
artificial.
In the short time that Don Vair has been
developing his barnboard art, he has had the
opportunity of exhibiting at Ontario Place pnd
appearing on local, as well as national
television.
Don Vair