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EcOlivArte Sunday Market

Last Sunday I visited the artisans market in La Oliva. This has only been running  since September and only licensed craftspeople are allowed to have stalls here. This means that all the goods on sale have been produced on the island by the stallholders.

Here's a quick tour...

Paloma had some beautiful glittery crocheted scarves amongst hats and jewellery.

Fabio produces delicate carvings from soap. Some are painted and others left natural, the roses were stunning.

Nora comes from Argentina and produces abstract sculptures as well as some very reminiscent of Beryl Reid's rotund characters, which show a wicked sense of humour. She also makes vases, boxes and ashtrays.

Isabel is a glass bead maker who actually makes the beads while you watch, its quite incredible. The glass is melted onto a holding stick and then she twirls it into shape. She then adds decorative layers one at a time to build the bead.

She also has a wide range of jewellery made from the beads that you can buy.

I found another Isabel just around the corner from her knitting shawls, scarves and hats in a lovely mixture of colours.

The colours of this stall attracted me, as well as its name Vaca Loca (mad cow!). Steffi makes all her felt from scratch and then dyes it and forms it into a wide range of articles from slippers to toys. More info on www.lavacaloca.com.es.

I didn't meet this stall holder but there was a good range of leather articles from shoes and belts to skirts and wallets. The quality of the materials was obvious when you felt them, really soft but strong.

This stall sold hand made jigsaws and mobiles. Some were intended for children but others were ornaments in their own right, for example the Drago Trees on the right of the picture.

Dave originally comes from Scotland, but grew up in Whitley bay. He sells silver jewellery, often garnished with semi precious stones, very delicate and elegant.

I really liked these sculptures made by Marie Carmen. They are mostly of little houses decorated with local stones. Others are painted with humorous images of animals.

Veronique's stall was probably the most colourful one there. Most of the stall comprised of glass receptacles, hand painted and then embossed with fine wire like a spider's web. This is a lady of many talents as she also had hand knotted articles and tie dyed fabrics. Apparently she doesn't make shoes, but will turn her hand to practically anything else!

It isn't just clothes and object d'art here, the local eco farmers group - La Semilla Majorera - has a range of organically grown fruit and vegetables. I couldn't resist the spinach and lettuces! Vera can also be found at the flea market that runs once a month in Puerto del Rosario to raise fund to rescue stray animals.

According to the poster, you will also find theatre and live music on occasion at these markets.

Its not a large market and certainly wasn't busy last week, but then it hasn't been heavily publicised. It starts at 9.am and goes on until 2pm and you can find it behind the church in La Oliva, just in front of the swimming pool. Its fascinating to be able to see people creating their work in front of you and to learn how things are made. Many of the goods were very reasonably priced, so do go along and support our local craftspeople and get yourself a bargain.