One of my favourite sections at Fan Expo Canada is Artist Alley. Here you'll find imagineers and crafty curators, professional envisoners and pop purveyors, artists both modest and confident, curiosities both friendly and affordable. A poster, a pin-up, a button, or magnet, it's a must-visit if you're looking for an original keepsake, especially from local artists, in this case far too talented than that term usually means. Here are three that snatched me in passing on my first day.

Fine Millery And Funky Headgear

Tim Burton's recent efforts at a sequel to Alice In Wonderland has proven a real boon for Amanda Irwin. The Scarborough-based Mad Hatter can easily put in fourteen hours crafting one of her one-of-a-kind hats, which she sells to cosplayers and steampunk collectors.

The mini Victorian-influenced hats sell between $45 and $80 each depending on style and materials, but it's her exact replica of the large hat worn by Johnny Depp in Burton's film that draws the most attention. Even at $200 it was clear that there were some expo attendees willing to snatch it up, but for now Irwin has just the one and it's already been sold for a wedding. Although Irwin's designs clearly need little help, for those in need of a hat that matches an existing costume or event theme, she says she does custom work too. You can reach her at her Etsy account here.

Fangdanas

Fangs are a common sight at Fan Expo. Some people wear plastic add-ons, others have had dental work done. Christine Hogenkamp has come up with the easiest and perhaps the most expressive way to give yourself a full set of jaws with her designer bandanas. The toothy smile is one she's carefully cultivated using a mixture of cat and wolf teeth to create an animalistic grin of mirth and menace. Her work doesn't usually take such a sinister turn, from plushy squids to owl magnets, the Guelph-based artist works across a number of mediums to captures wildlife themes. Visit her website at Sunhawk.ca and you'll see what I mean.

Shoulder Mounted Puppets

In recent years I've noticed a trend at Fan Expo towards pets, of critters and furries pinned to hats and lapels and inside bags, but none have come alive quite the way Angela's little friends do. From their perch on her shoulder or clinging on her hip they crane and stretch their heads to take you in and stare into your eyes. Take a step back or move off a bit and their gaze will follow your movements and should you behave strangely they can even twist their head to the side in puzzlement. The secret can be spotted in Angela's smile and eyes, for its the hidden control in her hand that controls their movements.

Griffons, dragons, cats, bats, and unicorns, each is a special puppet built around the brake cable line of a bicycle. Push in the control and the animal's head comes to life, lifting upwards. Twist the control and you can make it turn to look about or tilt it's head. The animal itself has magnets embedded into its feet and the wearer simply slips a metal band under their clothes, beneath a sleeve or under a shirt, to create a natural-looking roost for the puppet to attach itself too. Since few people can guess how it works, the effect is quite powerful. 

Guelph-based Wire To Weave are the first Canadian distributors of the animal puppets which are the creation of The Midsummer Knight's Dream in Florida, USA.