One of the Rasta birds by Glen Miller swings to a reggae tune. - Anthea McGibbon Photo

Under a canopy of flying kites, The Gleaner team drove to the grounds of Harmony Hall where the annual Easter craft fair titled 'Ahead of Time' was kept, convincing of exceptional skill.

Formershellcrafter and carpenter, Hopeton Edmond, now crafts jewellery from silver and amber. Once married to a Polish woman, Edmond learned his uncompromising skill in Poland where his friend operates an amber-mining shop. Unlike his Polish teachers, Edmond carves realistic images such as mammals (e.g. the turtle) and insects. Varied shapes of hardened amber, ranging in hues of khaki, butterscotch, olive green, sap green and gold, complemented the intricately crafted silver works including pendants, necklaces and bracelets. Edmond's most recent works including the recent design of an attractive 'good luck charm' pendant, patterned from the sun and its rays, are more abstract.

The fine detail confirmed the maker's sharp note of detail and would tempt anyone to spend all. Interestingly the finished pieces were sold according to their weight.

The shared stall of Glen Miller and Hopal Patterson demanded its fair share of attention. Indonesian material - calico and canvas - was sewn into potholders, placemats and printed with Jamaican symbols and birds. For the moment, the brightly coloured parrots, some with woollen locks being swung, were arresting.

The Pineapple Craft stall offered an intuitively crafted album using the banana leaf and bearing reggae icon, Bob Marley, on the front.

Practical use of tree

The fair's organiser Joan McDaniel's fascination with East Asian residents of Jamaica guided her paths to that side of the world. There, her heart was arrested by the art of Thailand and Indonesia in their practical uses of trees found similar to those grown in Jamaica. McDaniel who loves uniquely crafted and highly creative items, eventually began collecting and importing the crafts to share with her islandwide Jamaican family. Pieces at her stall included elephants, lamps and furniture made from the Jackfruit, coconut and bamboo trees and painting. The pieces were high in aesthetic value and it can only be hoped that Jamaicans will be so influenced in demonstrating equal ingenuity in their ideas and carving skills.

Anthea McGibbon, a graduate of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts has more than 10 years experience in the fields of journalism and the arts. Contact her at islandartattack@yahoo.co.uk or anthea.mcgibbon@gleanerjm.com.