The festival poster touted this as “the best four hours of fun on the South Shore” and they were not lying! Likewise, their website states, “The atmosphere is electric, there is colourful folk art everywhere, accented by the bright sounds of fiddle music, the auctioneers banter, door prize draws and the enthusiasm of browsers and buyers.” I couldn’t write it any better if I tried! It was a festival in the true sense of the word.
Also from their website, “Sponsored by the Lunenburg Heritage Society with the support of the Nova Scotia Folk Art Society, this juried event has a fine and well-earned reputation as a premier festival showcasing and selling the work of the best Nova Scotia folk artists.”
As you can imagine, with over 1500 pieces on display I was treated to a wide range of the wild, the wacky, the wonderful, and the whimsical! Here are just a few photos that I took:
Calling something folk art is really painting it with a broad brush. According to Wikipedia, “Folk art describes a wide range of objects that reflect the craft traditions and traditional social values of various social groups. Folk art is generally produced by people who have little or no academic artistic training, nor a desire to emulate “fine art”, and use established techniques and styles of a particular region or culture.” I believe that this description encompasses just about any handcraft but here, at least, in Nova Scotia, these photos depict the true essence of ‘folk art’.
I also believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, for me folk art had always put this belief to the test. 🙂 Today opened my eyes to a lot of great art. I still don’t really understand a lot of it but I do understand the amount of work and dedication the artists apply to their craft. I enjoyed the festival immensely and by the way that people were lined up to purchase $500. and $600. pieces tells me that even though I might not know much about it, boy, oh boy, it sure is popular! 🙂
If you would like to attend the next Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival keep an eye on the festival website here for next years date and time.
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