Otane Arts and Crafts Exhibition

It's been a tough week with one thing after another happening, especially with my cat Piper. Thursday after another trip to the vet my lift decided to hop along to the Otane Arts and Crafts as they were setting up for their four day exhibition over Queen's Birthday weekend. There are four clubs that share the building (an old school over 100 years old) including gardeners, painters, quilters and spinners. Maxine my driver belongs to the gardening club and introduced me to a couple of ladies who were setting up their sales tables in one of the four rooms being used for the exhibition. Amazing items for sale including intricate tiny leather bags as well as the more usual plants, lemon honey etc. The gardening room was also used to display the featured artists which included a sculptor, quilter and Richard Moorhead the painter.

Maxine made me a cup of tea and then took me across the hall to meet the lady who runs the painting club. Funnily enough she knew my name and it turned out she'd seen my work on the net. It truly is a small world. A great range of paintings displayed with landscapes and florals being very popular and the standard was high. Marie then opened a pair of french doors so I was able to get through to a room at the back displaying all the quilters' work. Amazing creations, especially a massive wildlife quilt in shades of brown and green with zebras and tigers. There were also plenty of country themed items for sale and all at reasonable prices. I wish I could sew properly!

The spinners and knitters room had a combination of yarn, knitted items and roving for sale. Recognised a few names including Waddle Inn which stocks my "stuff". Alpaca is really in at the moment and there were many scarves, jerseys and hats made of this. It does knit up beautifully. I felt quite inadequate after looking at all that work although my sister's knitting would hold its own there.

As we left more members were arriving for a 2pm official opening by the guy who runs the Electra Gallery. I felt very lucky I got to see everything without the crowds. The exhibition runs from 1 June- 4 June 2007.