2014 Sundance Artisans' Festival

Sep 03, 2014

Every year the Sundance walking tour offers up great scenery thanks to the Fall River, great grub courtesy of the Fall River Restaurant and great eye candy for those who like to keep their finger on the pulse of the local art and crafts scene. This year's 40 plus vendors covered a wide array of items in various mediums and styles and I visited with two artisans whose works could not be at more opposing ends of the art/craft spectrum.

Choleena DiTullio of Perth creates paper mosaics from hand-made paper, which she makes from recycled sources. Her pieces have the look of ceramic tile mosiacs/stained glass work but without the fragility and weight. Each work is comprised of a number of colored paper tiles that are hand cut and assembled onto a backing. They are then covered with an acrylic gloss finish that gives the pieces their glossy, glass-like shine. Her works are eye catching in their vibrancy, and carefully composed but it is their subject matter that is most intriguing. Not surprisingly since she is a fan of pop art, DiTullio's most beloved television shows and comic books have a prominent place in her work. Her large Batman and Robin white board is a “funktional” work of art that focuses on large cut outs of the characters as they would normally appear in a comic, only bigger and brighter. She has adhered these to a white board, so that the piece can be used for jotting down messages; a perfect piece for a funky kitchen, hallway or study. Her Dr. Who's telephone booth time machine is a must have for hard core fans of that show. Her other subjects include sea creatures; her large fish mosaic titled First Run is a breathtaking explosion of colour, masterfully composed and her other smaller pieces of hermit crabs, sea horses, snails, octopi and various wild flowers are graceful and wonderfully depicted. While she offers many large pieces already framed and ready to hang, she also is happy to make custom work.

Peter Burnett, who lives and works in Ompah, offered up his savvy collection of Live Edge furniture pieces inspired by the work of George Nakashima. His display of benches and tables in varying sizes demonstrate a fine craftsman who has a precise and well developed sense of design. The benches and smaller tables are constructed from a single piece of wood, either cherry, maple or oak, with the legs and top flowing naturally from end to end, making the piece appear as though it somehow magically designed itself. Bunnett has been collecting wood at his home for years and he air dries and mills all of his material himself. His pieces are calm and peaceful, with earthy tones since he chooses to keep the finish simple, allowing the natural beauty of the wood to be front and centre.

A former maker of musical instruments and D.N. ice racing sailboats, some of Bunnett's designs harken back to that aesthetic, especially his “spider tables” whose tops are live edge and whose legs are made from more flexible pieces of softer woods that are connected with fine cable wires. Bunnett does custom work as well and invites anyone interested to call him for an appointment.

To see and learn more about these artists and their unique work visit bunnettliveedgefurniture.com and/or choleena.com.