ARTS & CRAFTS AT CHRISTMAS (Alps)

 

As per usual we visited the Christmas Market in Montreux, and the fantastic cut work stall is always there, I adore this folk art/craft and I see business is expanding into using prints on ceramics, a bit mass produced looking but heck an artists gotta do what an artists gotta do to make a living. I liked the touches of red in the piece above. Another perennial stall is the glass blower, business must be very good for her as the stall has doubled in size. There did seem to be a few more stalls veering towards more factory produced goods but I hope at least manufactured locally and not China, no I think not in Montreux! standards are very, very high. The only thing Chinese about were the extremely well heeled tourists, that is one expensive town, I'm glad I still haven't got my head around the Swiss franc exchange rate, I reckon our Bouche de Noel (its purchase being the main reason for our Montreux visits) was probably around a pound per mouthful.

But the most artistic thing I saw was this barn, not a shabby chic paint job on the side but naturally occurring lichen, I may have posted photos of this stuff before? Every time I come across it my heart lifts, to find such a vibrant colour in nature in an obscure location (only in the Alps?) gives me such a thrill - doesn't take much to make me happy!