AN ATTRACTIVE CRAFT FAIR IN THE MIDDLE OF ALICANTE

If you fancy the idea of getting really exclusive but not expensive Christmas presents before the rush, take a trip to Alicante town centre. 

There, in the Avenida Federico Soto, more or less in front of the Corte Inglés, some 40 stalls with real "Artesanía de Autor" work  will set up shop.  Real craft work, because "Artesania de Autor" means that the person selling the work is the person who made it.  Nothing imported and nothing from a factory.
The regional craft association Amata has been holding real craft fairs all over Spain these last twenty years and has built up a large circle of aficionados in the craft world.  Amata selects participants after looking at the quality of their work and considering how they will fit in - the market should not have too many people selling the same sort of material.
A good variety of ceramics, leatherwork, paper, silver, macramé, wood, original jewelry, fabrics, forged iron, handbags, cushions, wooden toys is to be found on one of their markets.
This market in the middle of Alicante is especially interesting because many of the participants will be working at their stall.  Watch Chema bind books, José carve bone and horn to make spoons or costume jewelry, Thomas painting T-shirts, Diego decorate boxes with filigree paper and Ramón weave intricately patterned buttons with Celtic motifs.
Often they can add to or change part of their design to suit the taste or need of a potential customer - a name, another colour or perhaps a slightly different sized.
Many of the pieces to be seen in this craft fair are the sort of thing you will see in expensive art galleries where you pay a lot more.  Here you can buy directly from the craftsman or woman - cheaper, more fun and a lot more interesting.
And the people in the stalls much prefer to see where their lovingly made articles will find a new home.  Most of these people choose this sort of work because they enjoy making something original, but they have to earn a living, which is why Amata spends its time holding markets to which it hopes to attract people who are really interested in this sort of work.
The Craft Market will be set up in the Avda. Federico Soto and is open on Friday 8, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 November, from 11 to 2 and from 5 to 9.  Many (but not all) stalls will stay open from 11 to 9, as will the big department stores in this rather up-market part of Alicante which also stay open on the Sunday.

Source: theleader.info