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Whistler’s Christmas fair keeps local artisans busy

Bizarre Bazaar becoming a community event, rather than just a craft fair Local husband and wife artisans, Vincent and Cheryl Massey, are in a whirlwind of dizzying preparations right now.

Bizarre Bazaar becoming a community event, rather than just a craft fair

Local husband and wife artisans, Vincent and Cheryl Massey, are in a whirlwind of dizzying preparations right now.

In just over one week, Whistler’s Bizarre Bazaar is coming to town and they’ve got a lot of one-of-a-kind handmade pieces of pottery (Vincent) and baskets, hats and bags (Cheryl) to make in the meantime.

"Cheryl is in the house right now weaving like mad," said Massey.

"I’m out in my studio with pots everywhere. I’ve got kilns cooling down. I’m going to pack another kiln tomorrow. It’s just full steam ahead here until the Bizarre Bazaar."

They’re not the only ones. Artisans throughout the Sea to Sky corridor and from across B.C. are gearing up for the Christmas rush, but at least 109 of them have their sights focused on Saturday, Dec. 6 for Whistler’s annual craft show Bizarre Bazaar. The event has become a Christmas tradition in Whistler over the past 16 years.

"I’ve been an artist in this valley for 20 years and Cheryl has probably been (here) about 10 years," said Massey.

"We’ve seen the Bizarre Bazaar go from a little thing down at the school that sold cakes and cookies to a full blown craft fair now where they have way more people (applying for booths) than they can handle... The calibre of art is excellent.

"I’ve done craft fairs a lot in B.C... and this is probably one of the best value venues."

Sixteen years ago the Whistler Arts Council developed Bizarre Bazaar as a way to promote regional artisans from the Sea to Sky corridor as well as to bring in artisans from the Lower Mainland and across B.C. to offer some variety to the people going to the craft fair.

It has become a huge success for both the sellers and the shoppers.

This year Doti Niedermayer, executive director of the Whistler Arts Council, said she is cutting back the number of artisans from about 125 to 109 so the event is more manageable for the arts council.

"It just is more manageable for us as the organizing body, but I think also for the artisans to have a little bit less competition," she said.

She said it’s important to support local artists, particularly at this time of the year.

"Really for artisans who are trying to make a living doing this, this is their primary time of the year," she said.

"Around Christmas time is the last time people really shop until the spring, so this is kind of the last hurrah before a very lean time in January and February."

There will be a number of treasures to buy at Bizarre Bazaar, from clothing, ceramics, fine art, glass and metal ware, candles, preserves, log furniture. There’s practically something for everyone.

Some artisans are well-known locals like the Massey’s, Chili Thom and Cori Ross.

Others come from further afield but make a huge impression, like Michael Komick, owner of Preferred Edge Knives.

Komick’s carving knives were a big hit at last year’s Bizarre Bazaar. He said his handmade wood carving knives and tools cater to the male shopper, who may not be all that interested in baby blankets or Christmas cards.

Whistler is a good market for his knives and his booth was very popular last year.

"Why I like Whistler is there’s such a variety of people," said Komick who is based in Maple Ridge and travels throughout B.C. selling his knives at different craft shows. "It’s not just the same residential people."

Because his craft is particularly unique, Komick said he has no trouble getting into juried craft fairs like Bizarre Bazaar.

The Bazaar jury has a mandate to support local artisans. The artisans are chosen based on quality and diversity of their product as well as the extent of the handcrafted work in the goods. The price point is also a consideration.

"We get calls from new people every year wanting an application form for Whistler so it’s very well received in terms of how the artisans feel about it," said Niedermayer.

"And it’s very well received in Whistler because lots of people come out to it."

This year Niedermayer wants to try something a little different for the loyal locals and the tourists who come to the fair.

"Our goal this year is to... make it really a community event rather than just a craft fair."

There will be some entertainment this year with the Whistler Singers and the Whistler Children’s Chorus as well as some individual musicians from the corridor.

There will also be a bigger concession stand, hosted by the Whistler Museum & Archives as a fundraiser. They will be selling all kinds of treats, from sandwiches and juice to cookies and cakes.

Niedermayer hopes that people come to Bizarre Bazaar to hang out, shop, meet friends, grab a bite to eat and listen to the music.

"You do get a lot of locals (supporting the fair)," said Cheryl Massey, thinking back to previous years.

"The locals are the bread and butter for most people here."

Cheryl said she makes a little less than 10 per cent of her annual income at Bizarre Bazaar, so it is an important event in her yearly calendar.

The bazaar is also the biggest fundraiser for the Whistler Arts Council throughout the year. Last year the arts council made $4,000 but the fair was only half its usual size because it could not be held at the conference centre, which was under renovation at the time.

This year the arts council is hoping to raise $7,000, not only from the artisans’ booth fee but also from the donated admission fees at the door. The money that is raised supports long standing arts council events like the Children’s Arts Festival in May and the Artrageous multi-media arts show in July.

Also this year artisan Kerry MacLeod, who recently moved to Whistler with her family, will not keep 100 per cent of her glassware sales. Instead she plans to donate $2 to World Vision from every piece of her whimsical colourful glassware she sells at Bizarre Bazaar.

She hopes to raise $1,200, which will buy eight food producing farm animals from a dairy goat and hens to a rooster and piglets.

"It’s really cool because then (the community) can sustain themselves," said MacLeod.

This is her first year participating in Bizarre Bazaar and MacLeod said she hopes she’s not being too optimistic trying to raise $1,200. Still, she’s determined to make a difference in a community far away.

"Whatever’s left that I don’t reach with selling, I’ll just donate from the business straight out," she said.

Bizarre Bazaar will take place on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Telus Conference Centre at Whistler.

In the meantime, artisans have the heads down and are hard at work.

"I’m putting in about 60 hours a week... if it doesn’t snow too much," said Vincent Massey.

"If it snows I get distracted!

"You’ve got to live here for some reason."

The Whistler Arts Council is also looking for volunteers to help out with event administration, artisan facilitation and other responsibilities. To volunteer e-mail Kelly Clarke at info@whistlerartscouncil.com or call 604-935-8419.