After being made redundant last year, a Tasmanian maker has made his hobby his job.
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Jean McClarren is exhibiting his handmade garden art and sculptures at the Tasmanian Craft Fair for the the first time.
“Because each piece is individual, people are really interested,” he said.
Organisers are hoping about 18,000 people will pour through the fair’s gates, which open from 9am on Friday.
This year the craft fair is emphasising junior artists, and food. On Thursday night, the first Tasmanian Young Artist Awards were held at Deloraine.
The award is designed to be a platform for Tasmania’s young creatives to showcase their abilities.
Fair direct Tim Biggs said the quality of work entered in the awards first year was astonishing.
“[The award] was officially open for school children from grades 7 to 12. The works were just really fantastic,” Mr Biggs said.
Aroma Imran was a joint winner of the grade 7 to 10 category with Mitchell McKenzie. Callum Holmberg won the grade 11 to 12 award.
With more than 255 stalles, the Tasmanian Craft Fair spans over seven sites in 2017 and will have more than 40 food stalls, a “huge improvement” from previous events, with three large undercover areas with seating, Mr Biggs said.
“The final touches have been completed, so we’re all good to go,” he said.
In 2016, about 15,000 people attended the four-day event.
“[The 18,000 target] is up on last year, but I think we’ve got better coverage and I think we’ve got a really great program and things to offer,” Mr Biggs said.
“We’re pretty much at capacity in terms of the stallholder spaces that we have now, we didn’t have space for all of them. We could have more, if we had more venues,” he said.
“But if we had more vendors and stalls you wouldn’t have time to see them all.”
The fair is being held throughout Deloraine from Friday, November 2. The event wraps up on Monday, November 6. Entry costs $17 for adults and $8 for children.
WHAT NOT TO MISS AT THE 2017 TASMANIAN CRAFT FAIR
A special exhibition will showcase seven emerging young Tasmanian artists, which has been curated by University of Tasmania’s Alby Holder.
The Tasmanian Young Artist Award will also display works created by 28 of Tasmanian school students.
Don’t want to walk around with an empty stomach?
There are three food courts with an array of tasty treats, from gourmet to carnival cuisine, plus entertainment.
For the kids, there will be Zorb balls, archery demonstrations, face painting and puppet making as well as plenty of sporting activities on offer with the PCYC.
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Journalist at The Examiner Newspaper
Journalist at The Examiner Newspaper
Tess Brunton
I recently returned from across the ditch where I worked at New Zealand Fairfax paper The Timaru Herald and developed a love of mountains. Originally I'm a mainlander from an area known for cheese, the Bega Valley, who also dabbled in radio at ABC RCAFF before finding a place in newspapers. I can often be found hiking, caving or climbing when I'm not cursing at my work computer or technology in general.
I recently returned from across the ditch where I worked at New Zealand Fairfax paper The Timaru Herald and developed a love of mountains. Originally I'm a mainlander from an area known for cheese, the Bega Valley, who also dabbled in radio at ABC RCAFF before finding a place in newspapers. I can often be found hiking, caving or climbing when I'm not cursing at my work computer or technology in general.
