For the third time in 13 months the Algarve’s most talented artists and artisans are coming back to Vale Da Telha.

Such has been the enormous success of the first two major Arts & Crafts Fairs to be held in this fast-growing west coast community—in September 2015 and again in May this year—the organisers are planning a repeat performance this month.

Some of the Algarve’s finest painters, fashion, fabric and jewellery designers, glassmakers and textile designers will exhibit their wares in the fair back at the Restaurante Vale Da Telha on Sunday October 23^rd between 11am and 5pm.

Many of the exhibitors from the previous two fairs—along with other talented artists and artisans showing for the first time in the area—will be back in Vale da Telha, keen to return to this, until recently, largely untapped part of the Algarve for the kind of artistic and cultural activity that has been so well received by the people of the area.

Unique handcrafted gifts and collectables will be on show and available to buy, including the delights of a chocolate creator, glass, fine handmade jewellery, original artwork, soaps and lotions, leatherware, prints and greeting cards, textiles, preserves and pickles and much more.

A spokesperson for the Fair explained: “The two previous shows were so well received by the people of Vale Da Telha and Aljezur that we wanted to go back there as soon as possible.

“Originally it was an experiment to see if it would capture the interest of the residents in an area where exhibitions and fairs of this nature were rarely seen.

“But the first two were such a huge success and so well received by the people out on the west coast that we felt it worthwhile following up that interest and enthusiasm with a third fair in little over a year.”

Organiser Susan Puttick, one of the three artisans who operate the Artes @ the Spa gift shop in Caldas de Monchique, and who will also be exhibiting at the fair, told us:

“Our artists have all been hard at work producing their unique creations for the fair.

“Our newcomer this year is Margarida Gorgulho, who gained her degree in the art of porcelain at Lisbon University. Margarida creates stunningly beautiful works of art that we are so fortunate to have in our shop.

“Her pieces are characterised by the material, and its simple forms with its curved surfaces, texture and colour. These porcelain pieces are decorated with coloured glazes inside, whilst the exterior is unglazed, taking advantage of its porcelain properties: delicacy, strength, translucency, impermeability.

“Others who have exhibited in the previous fairs will be bringing with them new inspiration designs as well as some of their classic creations”.

Susan introduced some of the exhibitors, explaining: “My own quest is to find the finest and most unique glass work from all over the world, to create unique, designer jewellery for every occasion. And as my collection of botanical art work grows, there will be prints as well as cards available.

“Gill Goode captures the essence of the Algarve in her fine watercolours and acrylics, and also has a new change of fantastic Christmas cards, especially designed to encompass tradition with the Algarve and always with humour.

“Norman Denkel has been buried in his workshop making glass creations, producing something new and wonderful at every turn. Norman is known for his glasswork to create jewellery, jars, lights and decorations, all of them utilising the brilliant colours and luminosity of the glass selected. His work is really beautiful, especially when it catches the light.

“Birgit Felten’s felt creations have been flying off the shelves in our shop. Birgit’s gift is in patiently manipulating beautifully soft Merino wool and baby camel hair with silk and cotton to produce her fine wraps, scarves and delightful flowers with a new range of orchids and that essential stocking filler – a designer keyring.

“Sandi Croft will be bringing her beautiful handmade soaps and cream, all with their natural fragrances—her soaps keep the shop smelling beautifully—and Joao Furtado his wonderful range of handcrafted leather belts.

“And the work of Nina Bradley with her exquisite wired dragonflies and, now, butterflies, and Jurgen Wegner with his individual and colourful candles will also be available.

“We would also like to welcome Fiona from Fi-line fashions in Almaçao de Pera. Fiona has that eye for just the right fashions to suit us all and it’s always a pleasure to peruse her treasury of designs.

“It is also hoped that Chris Wyn and her art will join us, together with our very own local artist Mike Edward. Clube dos Bois Jardins may be showing some plants that grow well in this area, and Lis Jensen will delight us with her crafted decorations.”

Susan added: “Entrance is free and each artist or artisan will have his or her own table, all arranged alongside the outside of the room to allow free movement between all the exhibits.

“Drink and snacks will be available to purchase and the event will raise money for local animal charity the Aljezur Environment and Animal Shelter (AEZA).”

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THE EXHIBITORS INCLUDE:

SUSAN J PUTTICK,

artist. Susan is a botanical artist belonging to the Gloucestershire Society of Artists. She specialises in graphite pencil and polychromos oil-based coloured pencil work. Her superbly finite detailed drawings have been admired and exhibited nationwide, including at the Society of Botanical Artists Exhibition held in Westminster Halls London. Her detailed compositions are extremely empirical and often enhanced with vibrant colour. Having attended a course in jewellery making and design in Bath, she also successfully achieved a silversmithing course at Gloscat in Gloucestershire prior to coming to live in Portugal. The silversmithing is ongoing and Susan is now having further tuition here in Portugal, together with instruction of producing finite glass beads – such is her thirst for knowledge and accomplishment.

GILL GOODE,

a watercolourist who also utilises acrylic, pen and ink and airbrush techniques. Gill has exhibited in London, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and now Portugal, and her originals and prints are owned by people all over the world. When in Portugal, she works from her house in Monchique.

NORMAN DENKEL,

Glasswork. Martin Norman Denkel is co-founder of the then “Glassworks Wilmersdorf” and, since 1984, has manufactured glass objects on the burner. In 1990 he left Germany and began a new career in Portugal. His work showed the high handwerkwerkliche art in dealing with the material glass. Mainly he makes lamp blown glass, bottles and glasses.

SANDI CROFT,

natural soaps. Sandi’s products are all produced from her home here in Portugal and she, too, is a member of the ARTAVIVA co-operative. The natural soaps are made using only the best natural ingredients with no harmful chemicals added. The soaps are made with Lye, distilled water, vegetable oils and butters, essential oils & fragrance oils & natural with no colourants. Herbal infusions & additives like oatmeal give the soaps an extra-special something that benefits the skin in different ways. Sandi also designs & prints her own labels and as an artist loves finding new and beautiful ways to present products, making them perfect for gift giving.

BIRGIT FELTEN,

Felting, one of the oldest textile techniques. Birgit is from Germany where she studied in Dortmund and Bremerhaven. She now lives in Barão S.João and specialises in making flowers, earrings and small purses. Birgit will be exhibiting her felt bags, flowers, shawls, purses and more – all hand felted in beautiful colours with a wonderful soft texture which makes her garments so wearable. She has exhibited at shows in Lagos and Caldas de Monchique.

NINA BRADLEY,

Wired dragonflies and butterflies. Nina graduated from Middlesex University in 1976 and began working in Tony Laws Studio Gallery in Covent Garden, London. Two years later she set up her own workshop and exhibited in Cecilia Coleman

Gallery, Casson Gallery and Argenta in London and Bluecoat Display Centre in Liverpool. In 1989 Nina moved to live in the Algarve, Portugal and has worked there as a professional maker since. For the past ten years she has been an active member of a designer makers co-operative in Alvor, a small tourist town, where they run a successful retail outlet. She is also a member of the Associacao Dos Artesaos do Algarve who organise exhibitions throughout the region and personally she has held regular exhibitions in the Armazen Regimental in Lagos and at Caldas de Monchique.

 

DORA BARRADAS,

chocolatier. Dora Barradas is a self-taught chocolate creator. In 2012 she began this passion, in order to make and teach the art of making chocolates, truffles and other sensational delicacies and from then on never stopped. Dora “put her hand in chocolate” and created flavour combinations to excite the taste buds. She has deepened her knowledge through the expertise of José Domingos da Algarve Cuisine Academy and António Marques da Denegro and Carlos Valente. Always preferring to use local and regional products. Dried fruit, liqueurs, aromatic and culinary herbs, citrus flavours are but a mere taster of what is involved in her unique chocolates. Dora is building a considerable reputation across the Algarve for making–and also teaching the art of creating—chocolates, truffles and other sensational delicacies.

MARGARIDA GORGULHO,

Porcelain handmade objects, such as bowls, many of which are created in the shape of fruit, like lemons, pomegranates, pumpkins, melons, simple shapes with curved surfaces, different textures and colours. They are utilitarian pieces, designed to both a decorative bowl and a practical storage container in one. They are decorated with a colourful interior glaze in contrast to an unglazed exterior, thus making use of all of porcelain’s properties: delicacy, strength, translucency and impermeability. Her porcelain can be bought in Zurich and at stores all across Portugal, including in Lisbon, Porto and Sines as well as Albufeira, Portimao and Lagos here in the Algarve.

GINA WATTS,

Cushions, preserves and pickles. Gina is well known around the Vale da Telha area for the variety and quality of her homemade preserves and pickles,

LIS JENSEN,

crafted decorations. Lis used to import fresh Christmas trees to the Algarve at this time of year and

would make a few baubles to show the beauty of the tree. These days Lis focuses on creating stunning handmade

Christmas pinecone ornaments created from a variety of colourful Christmas fabrics. Each ornament is unique: painstaking and time consuming, but infinitely wonderful. This clever lady appears at all the fairs and markets offering us something of unbreakable beauty for our traditional trees.

 

FIONA,

Chosen with the Algarve’s climate in mind, the rails at Fi-Line Fashions in Armação de Pêra are packed with garments such as cotton trousers and cutoffs, cardigans and shrugs, all kinds of tops and many more. Fiona’s motto, “You don’t have to spend a fortune to look fantastic”, leaves her clients looking elegant and sophisticated at very reasonable prices. All clothes are handpicked from several European designers by Fiona to accommodate women of all sizes and shapes, as sizes range from UK 12 to 22. Garments are sourced from renowned designers in Germany, Denmark and the UK, offering high quality as well as affordability. Fiona is also the main agent in Portugal for Naturally Aloe Vera products. “These products are natural and contain no nasty parabens, which can be found in many cosmetics. The range includes body milks, tooth gel, massage creams, deodorant, bath and shower gel and many others,” she says.

AEZA, the local charity which will benefit from the fair, will also have a table of their own.

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More information from Susan Puttick at: susanalice757@gmail.com