Finisterre Island, by Ian Fry





Every year on this weekend in December, Bowen Island artisans and crafts people take over the community school for the annual craft fair. This year almost every room, hall way and corner of the building was full, with the gym being the centre of attraction, but many folks were squeezed in all kinds of nooks and crannies selling their wares.



A prime example of the kind of Bowen ingenuity that appears at this time of year is embodied by my friend Julie Andres, who is married to Ian Fry, a brilliant painter. On Monday Julie woke up in the middle of the night and thought "we need a calendar for the craft fair." She assembled 12 of Ian's paintings (some of which can be seen at his website), contacted Brian Creswick to do the design and had them printed at The Office. The whole thing was ready yesterday, and they sold 60 at the craft fair, and sales are swift elsewhere. I just bought one myself.



On the inside back cover of the calendar is a little text by Ian which really captures the spirit of what art making here is all about:

One of the fine things about being on an island is the potential of 360 degree sea views. Being an artist on Bowen Island gives this opportunity in spades. Even after years of being here, the beauty of my surroundings never fails to move or leave me short of good ideas. From my view across Bowen's west side to Vancouver Island, the ever-changing light and weather patterns give me anticipation of events to arrive - the west wind for ravens and eagles overhead, the Squamish for whitecaps roaring down the channel, scattering birds like chaff.



Who could live long enough to say that they have found all there is, even on this small rock?

The thing I love about the calendar, in addition to Ian's art, is that each week starts on a Saturday, which is a very Bowen thing to do.