To the retirement village residents, their creativity is a relaxing past-time but to Bay of Plenty bargain hunters the annual Art, Craft & Garden Fair is not to be missed.

The event at Metlifecare Greenwood Park is expected to attract crowds on the weekend of November 4-5.

Organiser Margaret Carter says visitors can expect more than 25 craft stalls and artwork lining the walls – ranging from painting, pottery, ceramics, woodwork, metalwork, embroidery, tapestry, woollen work and patchwork.

'Residents can join a group and learn a new skill and then being able to show and sell what you make is encouraging,” says Margaret. 'I'm so proud of all our artists.”

But it's not just art, Margaret also sews bags and household items. 'It's nice to see people getting use out of what I make.”

Mind active

Dan O'Brien is a potter and acrylic painter and helps run the village art group. 'We encourage people to come along and most say they can't paint or draw and get a bit shy.

'We just want them to enjoy themselves. I love working with clay. It's very tactile. No matter what the result is, you've worked with your hands and kept the mind active.”

Colleen O'Byrne has been painting since she was five years old and admits there's frustration to being an artist now that she's visually impaired. She founded the village art group.

'Sometimes I paint something and miss, so I just have to wipe it off and try again. Painting is still relaxation to me, though, it's my happy place,” she laughs.

'When you're creating, you disappear into what you're doing and the rest of the world just goes away,” says copper artist Rex Sleep. 'I've been doing this for about 45 years.

'My mum started me off. She used to do pewter work but I moved to copper. I like the shine of it. I'm a sheet metal worker and plumber by trade but I love coming up with ideas for what I can make with copper.”

Fallen in love

Rex has made large dining table and chairs but now focuses on smaller scale artworks and sculpture.

'For people here, it's a hobby so we don't expect to make a fortune. Some of my work that used to sell for hundreds of dollars but now I'll sell it for a fraction of that.”

'We don't mind so much because our work is going to a home where someone appreciates it,” says Colleen. 'The lower price doesn't matter – only that the person has fallen in love with it. That's the main thing.”

'When we hold the fair, people in the village can see work that other residents do,” says Margaret. 'We also have a great reputation outside the village with people looking forward to coming every year.”

Metlifecare Greenwood Park Retirement Village's annual Arts, Crafts & Garden Fair is at 10 Welcome Bay Rd, from 10am-3pm on Saturday, November 4, and Sunday, November 5.